footballfancast.com

£10m Leeds star was one of the worst in the PL, now he's looking like the new Dallas - opinion

Leeds United legends are being moulded right in front of our very eyes, as Daniel Farke's Whites continue to battle with passion at the foot of the Premier League table.

In other seasons, when plunged into a relegation battle, Leeds might well have folded at Stamford Bridge, with Liam Rosenior's Chelsea cruising to a comfortable 2-0 victory last time out.

noah-okafor-leeds-lukas-nmecha

But, Farke's current camp is made of extremely stern stuff, with a late fightback, kick-started by a Lukas Nmecha penalty, seeing the away side collect a well-earned 2-2 draw, to remain six points outside of the relegation zone.

The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin are already immortalised forever in the Elland Road hall of fame for their gutsy and skilful performances, with the ex-Everton marksman's standout ten goals for the season, crucial to Leeds keeping their heads above water.

He hasn't quite hit Stuart Dallas levels of adoration, just yet, with the versatile Northern Irishman still remembered to this day for being a crucial part of the Marcelo Bielsa rollercoaster ride, which came to its highest peak when Leeds finished in a ridiculous ninth position in the Premier League.

Dallas' Leeds record in the Premier League

Dallas would initially join the ranks in 2015 as an unassuming figure, with Leeds hardly breaking the bank to land his services from Brentford, for a modest £1.3m.

The 6-foot midfielder would instantly burst into life donning Leeds white, though, with five goals and seven assists coming his way during his debut season, even as the West Yorkshire giants stumbled to an unsatisfactory 13th-place finish in the Championship.

Looking back, he was only getting started with the sensational arrival of Bielsa in 2018 getting even more out of the modern-day icon.

Noted as being an "unsung hero" during Leeds' dramatic rise to the Premier League under the Argentine by David O'Leary, Dallas would fire home nine goals and collect two assists across 72 appearances in the promised land of the top-flight.

Stuart-Dallas-Leeds-timeless

Amazingly, before his injury troubles called time on his distinguished Elland Road stay, the now-retired 34-year-old would only miss a total of eight minutes all season long for Leeds as they climbed to a dizzying ninth spot during the 2020-21 season.

Along the way, Dallas would slot into the starting XI as a full-back, a winger, or as a central option, with his well-known flexible nature making him a "perfect" Bielsa-style player, as per commentator Darren Fletcher.

One player in Farke's ranks is even giving the much-loved number 15 a run for his money, as the German begins to depend on a similar Dallas-esque figure, much like the eccentric Bielsa did all those years ago.

Leeds star is now looking like Farke's own Dallas

Farke has a reputation as a manager for loving versatile and malleable presences, with Archie Gray's willingness to play as a full-back, as opposed to a natural central midfield role, turning him into a £30m sensation under the 49-year-old's watchful eye.

jayden-bogle-leeds Related

Now worth more than Bogle: Leeds offloaded perfect player for Farke's 3-5-2

Leeds United may have made a mistake in allowing one player to depart Elland Road.

James Justin embodies that same adaptable approach in a similar way to both Gray and Dallas, to now be seen as one of the German's starting regulars in recent weeks.

He hasn't always found life in the Premier League to be straightforward, however, with his frustrating spell at Leicester City testing him to his limits.

James Justin

Last season, as the Foxes sank to the Championship, Justin was statistically the worst crosser of the ball in the entire Premier League, with only five of his 37 attempted crosses reaching their intended target.

Moreover, from his 36 appearances for Leicester in the elite division, he would only collect a sorry two clean sheets.

The worry would have been that Leeds spending £10m on Justin's services would be seen as a rash use of cash, therefore, but he has been an immense performer, amid his dedication to the cause in recent weeks.

Justin's numbers for Leeds by position

Position

RB

RM

CB

LM

LB

Sourced by Transfermarkt

The brand-new number 24 has already matched his clean sheet tally for the Foxes from all of last season, despite only making nine Premier League starts, with Justin slotting into Farke's XI wherever he's required, as evidenced by the table above.

With 53.53 miles covered on the pitch across 2026 to date for Leeds, making him the most energetic livewire in the camp, it's clear that Justin will give his all for the team, wherever he's positioned, much like the revered Dallas in his prime.

As Farke has said, when quizzed on the Luton-born defender's role, "he always delivers" when thrown into action.

The 27-year-old will hope he has even more to give, as Leeds aim for another audacious ninth-place finish down the line.

james-justin-leeds-premier-league

But, for the time being, all Farke and Co. will want is survival, and it's looking on the cards, if Justin can deliver more and more valiant displays.

Leeds-United Related

Leeds hold talks over signing 'standout' forward to thwart Arsenal deal

The Whites are very keen.

Read full news in source page