It was a bad weekend for Leeds United. Not just Daniel Farke, but several of his players as the German watched his side surrender to Nottingham Forest. One that was particularly bad was Jaka Bijol.
LeedsUnited.News awarded Bijol a rating of just 4/10 for his performance in the defeat to Forest on the weekend, with Lucas Perri and Jack Harrison also receiving fours. Harrison conceded a late penalty.
Bijol could not prevent Ibrahim Sangare equalising for Forest, and then, was completely out of position as Morgan Gibbs-White headed in Forest’s second. Ethan Ampadu allowed another runner off his back.
Bijol has now started Leeds’ last three games after coming in for Pascal Struijk, having failed to play a single minute of Premier League football beforehand. There is an argument to say Bijol is still adapting.
But it is not as if Bijol has played at a lower level beforehand. The giant defender was excellent in Serie A last season for Udinese. His poor showing comes on the same weekend that Luke Ayling sparkled again.
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Luke Ayling wins MOTM for Middlesbrough after tough week
Now 34, Ayling has moved into the middle of the defence at Middlesbrough. While it has been a difficult week for Boro, with Rob Edwards set to become Wolves’ new manager, Ayling has shone amid the storm.
An equaliser against Leicester in the week saw Ayling produce his hilarious Robbie Keane celebration, a throwback to his attempt after scoring a late winner for Leeds in a 3-2 Premier League win over Wolves.
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Then, on Saturday, Middlesbrough held firm to beat Birmingham at The Riverside, 2-1. Ayling was given the man of the match award for his display in the middle of the defence, with Edwards missing the game.
Luke Ayling rubs salt in Daniel Farke’s defensive wounds
Now of course, Ayling might be a step below the Premier League these days, but he is performing superbly right at the top of the Championship. Leeds could certainly do with an Ayling in his current form.
But, Farke put paid to any chance of that a few months after joining. Ayling managed two starts from October 2023 until his move to Middlesbrough, failing to play for Leeds in the league from November 3.
He would join Boro on loan until the end of the season at the end of the January window in 2024, before signing permanently on a free. Farke said: “What Luke did for this club in the last decade is unbelievable.
Luke Ayling applauds the Middlrsbrough support.
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“I have spoken so often about Luke, what I think about him and how much I would loved to have him three, four, five years earlier,” Farke added on Ayling, ahead of facing him in the Cup in August 2024.
Farke might have wanted a version of Ayling that was in his late twenties, but right now, Leeds could do with the current version of Ayling given Bijol’s form at the back. The pressure is on Farke to make it right.