Anton Stach has been dropped from Daniel Farke’s starting line-up for the last two Premier League games, and the Leeds United midfielder has now explained why.
Stach had started Leeds‘ first eight Premier League matches. He was one of only three signings to start the opening game of the season against Everton, alongside Lucas Perri and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
It comes after an excellent pre-season, following his £19.9m move from Hoffenheim. A stunning goal against AC Milan was followed by winning a penalty against Everton, which Lukas Nmecha scored to win.
Stach has since become renowned for winning the ball high up the pitch, while also smashing a free-kick into the top corner against Wolves in one of Leeds’ three wins this season. But of late, his form dipped.
Leeds United midfielder Anton Stach
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Anton Stach explains why he has been dropped by Daniel Farke
Performances against Tottenham and certainly, in the defeat to Burnley, Stach earned some criticism. The midfielder had been sporting some bandaging around his hand, which Bryn Law said was a broken finger.
Then, Daniel Farke confirmed Stach had broken a rib against Tottenham. Stach has told Kicker, a German magazine, that it held him back mentally in games against Tottenham and Burnley, which saw Leeds lose.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke standing at Elland Road.
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
He says he needs a few training sessions after recovering from the injury to get back up to full speed: “After breaking my little finger, I also broke a rib against Tottenham. I initially tried to keep playing.
“But you definitely feel an injury like that. For me, it was mostly a mental thing, because I automatically held back in challenges. The coaching staff still wanted me on the bench to support the team,” he said.
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“The break did me good, and I got better day by day. Now I need a few training sessions to get used to the intensity again; especially in midfield, you have a lot of challenges, and elbows can come in quickly.”
Leeds United midfielder Anton Stach
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Anton Stach has got to start for Leeds against Forest
Since being dropped, Japan star Ao Tanaka has come into the midfield alongside Ethan Ampadu and Sean Longstaff. But Tanaka has seemingly struggled to cope with the Premier League’s physicality of late.
Leeds acknowledged concerns surrounding Tanaka’s physicality in the summer. But with a fully fit Stach now hopefully ready to go, Nottingham Forest at the City Ground is up next for Farke’s Leeds side.
Leeds were easy to beat on Saturday, and that has to change when they face Sean Dyche’s new team on Sunday. If Stach is good to go, his added physicality and height should be preferred over Tanaka.