Ao Tanaka was very candid in his thoughts after full time vs West Ham
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
09:00, 26 Oct 2025
Ao Tanaka
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Ao Tanaka(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Ao Tanaka was self-critical of his display against West Ham United, having started his first game in two months.
The Japan international suffered a knee injury during Leeds United's 5-0 defeat to Arsenal in August and was kept out of the side upon his return by Sean Longstaff’s form and Daniel Farke’s loyalty to Anton Stach.
Tanaka, who had been used as a substitute in the last four matches, got his chance again against West Ham and looked slightly off the boil. He did not hide this fact himself when speaking to reporters after full-time.
He said: “It was not the best performance for me, but I need to improve my quality every game. And because this is the Premier League, I can't play high performance every game. I will try my best every game.
“It's my dream, I'm so happy to play in the Premier League. Of course, sometimes I play good, sometimes not good. But I'm so happy to be getting better as a footballer.”
A very decent debut
Leeds academy goalkeeper Darryl Ombang enjoyed an impressive debut for Darlington FC, keeping a clean sheet having joined the club on a youth loan this week. The 20-year-old made some fine stops to help the team record a 2-0 victory over Southport in National League North - their first home win of the season.
Youth loans are usually brief, albeit have to be a minimum of 28 days. Ombang has experienced first-team football before at Farsley Celtic, playing five games last season before a stint at Hartlepool United where he sat on the bench for their final seven fixtures.
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The England under-17 international has played for Leeds under-21s in Premier League 2, the EFL Trophy and the Premier League International Cup this term.
Optimism over Elland Road plans
Earlier this week, Leeds Live broke the news that Leeds United were looking for assurances from Leeds City Council over the timescales regarding their Elland Road proposals, amid fears that delays in approval could see construction pushed back beyond a ‘full season’.
The City Plans Panel is due to convene a meeting on Thursday to review the club’s planning application, with officers holding concern over the transport plan amid the anticipated increase in traffic the expansions would bring.
Club sources have reiterated Leeds United’s stance on needing timeline assurances to Leeds Live, though have also indicated that the club are nevertheless optimistic that the plans will be approved in November’s decision meeting and that work will go ahead within the forecasted timetables.
There has been widespread support for the plans from councillors, though both they and the club recognise the importance of traffic and are committed to providing a safe environment for supporters on matchdays.
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