Leeds United are developing a new lethal combination that could be their way to surive in the Premier League.
After a deeply disappointing performance last time out in defeat to fellow Premier League newcomers Burnley, Leeds United bounced back at Elland Road on Friday night.
They weren’t up against much in a beleaguered West Ham United, though they were made to work hard for their 2-1 win.
A second defeat in succession to one of the few teams below them in the table would have been a disaster and intensified the pressure on Daniel Farke.
But instead, Leeds raced into the lead with Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon scoring within the first quarter of an hour.
Mateus Fernandes scored late on to make for a nervy final stretch, with the result being much closer than it should have been after the first-half dominance.
The most exciting aspect of the win has to be Rodon’s goal, as it might suggest Leeds have a new weapon that can hurt any team in the division.
Leeds players celebrate with Joe Rodon after scoring vs West Ham.
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Sean Longstaff to Joe Rodon is a new weapon for Leeds United
It’s becoming a familiar sight, Sean Longstaff swinging in dangerous corners for Rodon to meet on the charge.
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Usually, the centre-back isn’t a goal scorer. He has just six goals in his 258-game professional career. Yet, half of them have come in his last six games. Talk about London buses.
The powerful centre-back’s opening header for Wales came in between goals for Leeds against Bournemouth and West Ham.
Against all the odds, Rodon is now the club’s top scorer alongside Noah Okafor after nine games. Both of them were set up by Longstaff’s corners.
Longstaff’s delivery from deadball situations is fantastic. He gets excellent power and direction on his crosses, which are tough to defend against and so inviting to attack. It’s no coincidence that Rodon has suddenly started finding the back of the net, as he’s now being found regularly when he does go forward.
Leeds have struggled to score in open play and haven’t been clinical enough against any team capable of defending better than West Ham, which is all of them.
Sadly, they won’t play the Hammers every week and likely won’t race into early leads as often. In every other fixture, it’ll be tougher to create chances and score them.
That’s where set pieces will be so vital for Leeds, and if Longstaff can keep finding Rodon and if Rodon can keep finding the back of the net, it could be the weapon that fires them to safety.
Sean Longstaff has been Leeds United’s best signing this season
The Geordie midfielder has been Leeds’ best-performing new signing so far and perhaps the most surprising.
Some supporters questioned spending £15m on a player who has been out of a starting XI for the best part of two years, but Longstaff has brought all the energy, experience and tackling that was anticipated, alongside an unexpected level of creativity and attacking prowess.
Longstaff scored a great goal himself against Bournemouth, and his keen eye for a pass, willingness to push forward and wicked set-piece delivery make him a real threat from the midfield.
If he keeps his performance levels this high, he will prove to be an absolute bargain.