Dan James pinpoints key to Mateo Joseph's Leeds United breakout as 'aura' claim made

Dan James has been struck by the ‘aura’ of Mateo Joseph this season but adds the young striker’s form is as much down to hard work and professionalism as it is anything else.

Joseph looks set for a breakout year at Leeds United after making the No.9 spot his own with a string of fine early performances, having impressed manager Daniel Farke in pre-season. The 20-year-old did everything but score in his opening three appearances of the campaign before getting off the mark against Hull City, producing a sharp run and instinctive finish to get on the end of Manor Solomon’s cross and make it 1-0.

Leeds have been left needing to replace the immeasurable qualities of West Ham-bound Crysencio Summerville just as much as the goals or assists, with the winger’s main-man energy palpable during the decisive moments of last season. Joseph definitely has a similar surety in his own abilities and James insists the young striker is putting in the hours to back that confidence.

“He’s a brilliant player,” James told the Second Tier podcast of Joseph. “He’s started pretty much every game now and I think he's brilliant. When he’s not scoring, he’s assisting. He was man of the match against Sheffield Wednesday. He’s always gutted when he doesn’t score because he’s the main man upfront, so he’s obviously gutted but he’s always involved. He represented England and now Spain at youth level, and I know they regard him very highly and we do as a club.

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“What gets me most about him is his aura. He wants to do better, he’s always staying out doing extras, he wants to be better, great professionalism. His work rate off the ball is second to none. He’s not lazy, he’s always working hard. You see him winning the ball back in full-back positions. You have to remind him to stay up front but he’s got that about him.”

James was a beneficiary of Joseph’s early-season form during the 2-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday last month, latching onto a pinpoint through ball from the striker before dinking over James Beadle to put breathing space between the sides. It was a devastating counter-attack from Farke’s side and a link-up Whites fans are likely to see more of this season.

“A lot of people have asked me if I scuffed it,” James added of his finish. “I wouldn’t say I scuffed it, it's what I meant to do, it should just have gone a little bit higher. The keeper went down a little bit early and it went in the back of the next. It was a great feeling.

“When Mateo finds it in those deeper positions he knows I’ll always be running in behind so I think we've got that connection. We work with each other on the pitch and talk off the pitch. It was a great assist.”