Daniel Farke to drop ‘weak point’ Junior Firpo for Leeds United v Norwich City clash
Daniel Farke could contemplate dropping Junior Firpo from his starting XI as Leeds United prepare to face Norwich City on Sunday (12 May).
The Whites were condemned to the Championship play-offs after being pipped to the second automatic promotion spot by high-flyers Ipswich Town on the final day of the regular season.
Leeds will face the Canaries in a two-legged tie, first travelling to Carrow Road after a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Southampton at Elland Road on Saturday 4 May.
Despite Joel Piroe equalising just three minutes after Adam Armstrong’s 18th-minute opener, Will Smallbone had the last say, firing home the winner in the first-half.
While Firpo cannot be blamed fully for the poor result, his presence certainly did not help and he could face the axe as Farke plans his starting XI to face his former side, Norwich, at Carrow Road.
Writing for Leeds Live on Saturday (4 May), Beren Cross slaughtered the left-back in a 3 out of 10 performance, saying: “One of those bad ones he is always capable of. From the start looked miles off it when Adam Armstrong went at him.
“Gave away acres of space and unforgivably gave up on a ball which was staying in before the second goal. Always looked like the weak point.”
Junior Firpo to be axed for Leeds United v Norwich City
Despite Cross’ verdict on Firpo, his underlying stats suggest he had a positive game against the Saints.
Though he picked up a yellow card, making two fouls, the full-back won 80 per cent of his tackles and 69 per cent of his ground duels, boasting the most tackles and duels won in the match. [FotMob]
Considering he ranks in the top 94 percentile for tackles among full-backs, it comes as no surprise to see him as one of the most consistent challengers on the pitch on Saturday. [FBref]
In addition to this, Firpo’s attacking impact cannot be understated, having registered a 100 per cent shot accuracy while delivering 100 per cent accurate crosses, which would deal more damage with Patrick Bamford on the pitch. [FotMob]
As per FBref, Firpo also ranks in the top 99 percentile for assists, having notched seven assists in the Championship this season.
However, his desire to close down Kyle Walker-Peters was almost non-existent, being beaten in the corner before Smallbone scored, what turned out to be, the winner at Elland Road.
Farke will be keen to avoid utilising any players who are capable of making such mistakes in the play-off semi-final, and despite his abilities going forward, Firpo has been known to make errors.
In other Leeds United news, a teenage sensation looks set to snub Manchester United in order to move to Elland Road.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.