17 ball recoveries, 6 interceptions - Robin Koch's Wolves stats show why he looks another astute Victor Orta signing

The transfer saga surrounding the Brighton loanee rumbled on for much of the window, and when it became apparent that he wouldn’t be returning to Elland Road, the Whites were staring at a huge void in the heart of defence that they desperately needed to plug.

Victor Orta's recruitment since Marcelo Bielsa arrived has rarely fallen flat but when he turned to SC Freiburg defender Robin Koch, there was a prerequisite level of expectancy that came with the 24-year-old’s arrival in England.

A senior Germany international who spoke highly of the club and its history , Koch felt like the kind of exciting, statement signing that could affirm Leeds’ newfound top flight status, as well as having the potential to endear himself massively with the fanbase. So far, it’s fair to say that he hasn’t disappointed.

After conceding two penalties in his first two Premier League outings, the centre-back has shown wonderful strength of character to emerge as a dependable and integral part of Bielsa’s backline. In fact, he has been so good this season, that many supporters are surely already asking ‘Ben who?’.

Koch showed his class again against Wolves on Monday evening. He completed 94% of his passes against Wanderers, his joint-highest tally of the campaign to date, as per Wyscout . That figure is no fluke either. So far this term, his total average has been 90.4% in the Premier League.

As a point of reference, White’s average during his own spell at Elland Road was 88%.

Perhaps most pleasing, however, is the range of Koch’s distribution.

As we can see from the graphic, the defender isn’t averse to mixing up the length of his passing, and supplements his short, sharp defensive exchanges with a number of sweeping diagonals into wide areas.

In fact, Koch completed 80% of his long passes against Wolves – a notable increase on his season average of 68.5%.

Given Bielsa’s proclivity for utilising the pace and directness of his wingers, having a defender with the ability to consistently pick out teammates on either flank is a real asset.

For all of his passing capabilities, Koch’s primary purpose is still to stop the opposition, and he seems to be going from strength to strength here too.

The German made six interceptions, 17 ball recoveries, and won 75% of his aerial duels on Monday night in a towering display of his presence at the back. As the graphic shows, even in his recovery work Koch is constantly looking to step onto the front foot.

The vast majority of his interventions are made on the cusp of his own defensive third, rather than in deeper areas where the opposition have a greater likelihood of posing a serious goal threat.

That willingness to nip danger in the bud is a prime illustration of his reading of the game and anticipatory instincts. He looks like an ideal Bielsa centre-half – comfortable and classy in possession, but also unafraid to seek out trouble and quell it at its source.

This was another impressive showing from Koch against a top Premier League outfit, and with each passing performance he looks more and more like an astute signing.