Leeds United achieved 100 points in the Championship last season, losing just four games all season and winning the title as well.
There was a run of one win in six towards the back end of Leeds United’s season, but they also lost just one of the final 28 league games as well.
That doesn’t mean everything was plain sailing for Daniel Farke throughout the campaign, with form and consistency issues for some individuals at different stages.
Illan Meslier was taken out of the team at one stage but Brenden Aaronson also had his fair share of struggles. Leeds fans were frustrated by Aaronson last season, even if he contributed to nine goals and two assists.
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Leeds United’s Brenden Aaronson makes homesick and fatigue admission
Aaronson knows what the Leeds supporters want of him and the team but he is currently on international duty and Aaronson has impressed with the USMNT in recent games.
It’s on international duty where he has spoken to Goal and spoke of issues he had last term with form and fitness. “I had five days during that international window, so I went home, and it was just the best five days. It was just so nice to be home, relax, see my family, because I hadn’t been home all year.
“I just chilled at home, got to be in my old bed, got to see my sister, got to see my family. Stuff like that. Sometimes you just need it and, at that point, I needed to just be able to go home. I was homesick. It helped me so much to just get my head out of everything.”
“On one side, of course you’re p—-d. You want to be a part of things. You want to be a part of your national team. You miss out on chance to win a trophy, and that’s just so tough. Looking at it now, though, it really was a blessing in disguise for me.
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“I don’t hold anything against anybody. When I don’t get called in the camp, it’s just part of football. You learn as you go. So, I think for me, it was just about me coming in here and doing the best that I can and just accepting whatever role that I have.
“Whatever I’m called upon, I’m going to do. Sometimes you get picked and sometimes you’re not gonna. But all you can do is try your best and keep going. That’s what I tried to do, and I think that’s why I got the call back.”
He played an entire Championship season with no major injuries and with relentless intensity for the most part. He added goals, too, and, because of that, the season felt like a good one for his development.
Aaronson added: “I had a really good start to the season and I just rode that wave all the way to January. I had a good run of 20-25 games at a high level. Then, your body starts to fatigue a little bit.
“In January, you play every three days. Your body slows down, you’re not feeling as good and I probably had a little spell where I wasn’t at my top level.
“I still felt like I was doing a good job dealing with it, helping the team do what we were supposed to do and then, at the end of the season, I came alive again, which was good.
“It’s just learning to stay medium all year round. You have to stay right in the middle and go from there. You just have to go right through all of the highs and all of the lows. You just keep going.”
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Can Brenden Aaronson improve with a less relentless Leeds schedule?
The question remains over what kind of Premier League impact Aaronson has because of previous struggles and looking lightweight as well.
He has neither the strength nor the output to give Leeds a big differential in the No.10 role in the top flight. His athleticism and engine will be useful, but not in all phases of play.
Season Appearances Starts Minutes Goals Assists
2022/23 (Premier League 36 28 2,383 1 3
2024/25 (Championship) 46 43 3,572 9 2
Brenden Aaronson’s Leeds career – goals and assists
Leeds need someone who can be decisive and be a match-winner, which Aaronson showed in flashes but not consistently. Even if some of that is down to fatigue, it can’t all be.
His decision-making leaves a lot to be desired and he will never have the output to make it in the Premier League as a consistent starting player.
Leeds need better and they are almost certain to acquire it, with a No.10 high up on their shopping list after Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha’s arrivals.