MOT View: Shackled for seven weeks but Leeds beast now ready to terrorise West Ham
Given his incredible performances against Man City and Aston Villa, it’s hard to believe that Rodrigo hasn’t started a game for Leeds United for seven weeks.
A bout of Covid took the club-record signing into the international break from where he’s emerged as a bit-part player, coming off the bench for a total of 42 minutes across three games.
He only came on in the dying minutes of the 1-0 win against Everton and even then Patrick Bamford wasn’t happy to be taken off.
It’s not easy getting back in this Leeds side when you’re out of it.
But Rodrigo is a beast. He’s shown us enough in the games that he’s played that he can be the best player in the starting XI and his figures should scare West Ham.
In the Premier League this season he’s got a combined xG and xA of 0.67 which is two returns every three games. [FBRef]
But it’s in his new role as string-puller where he’s impressed us most.
One pass in particular in the game against Aston Villa showed why Leeds paid £27m for him.
He picks up the ball from Klich midway through his own half and there’s an obvious ball out to the left.
However, Rodrigo has had two glances back to his right and he can see Helder Costa in bags of space if he can pick him out with an incredibly tough pass.
He plays what is almost a no-look reverse pass to Costa, curled and threaded between two Aston Villa defenders and it’s inch-perfect for the winger.
Costa plays the ball to Jamie Shackleton, gets it back and passes to Bamford who still has an incredible amount of work to do for his hat-trick.
The goal is an absolute beauty but it was all made from the vision of Rodrigo.
If we were West Ham, while the focus is on Raphinha and Bamford at the moment, it’s Rodrigo who could rip them apart with a single pass.
In other Leeds United news, MOT View: Never-seen Leeds sensation could get first-team shot v West Ham as injury crisis hits