Leeds United man issues 'high level' retort to 'outside' analysis of his form after Sunderland role

The American was brought back into the starting line-up by Daniel Farke for the game against Crystal Palace, to a now almost expected response that could be most politely described as a question mark from sections of the fanbase. It was the same when he kept his place for the West Ham United game at home and there have been other occasions when supporters have disagreed with the 25-year-old's inclusion on the team sheet. But just like in the West Ham game when he came up with a goal and walked off the Elland Road pitch to a standing ovation, Aaronson confounded his critics against Palace. Once again he was applauded off the pitch having played a full part in the 4-1 victory, including a header in the build up to Ethan Ampadu's goal.

At Sunderland on Sunday he retained his place in the team and took on two roles, first as a midfielder in a 3-5-2 and then as a right winger-number 10 blend when Farke changed to a back four. It was Aaronson who, at the end of a fantastic team move, ran down the right and supplied the perfect pass for Dominic Calvert-Lewin's goal.

That was Aaronson's third assist in his last seven appearances and for a player who has previously struggled for end product that can be a rich seam of confidence. But so too can the backing of his manager. Farke has consistently sung Aaronson's praises for what he gives the team and how he embodies the 'values' Leeds should aspire to as a club. There has been other external validation, too. Stuart Dallas, speaking on LUTV, likened the criticism of Aaronson to some he received while being voted Player of the Year by his team-mates and pointed out that the American international's fellow Leeds players will appreciate what it is he does.

But speaking after the Sunderland game, moments after being presented with the Premier League Player of the Match trophy, Aaronson spoke about his own game in a way that made it clear his validation is coming from within.

"I feel like, for me, this is some of the best football that I've been playing this season," he said. "I'm at the highest level, the pinnacle, the Premier League. Week in and week out, maybe from the outside, it might not look like every game is, really, really good but I think for me, the level that I'm playing at, I think levels to my games that have gotten much bigger - the ball retention and stuff like that, being able to hold off guys. It's at a high level right now. And I mean, I'm really happy with the way that I'm playing, and you got to give yourself credit sometimes, but I work my ass off and I'll continue to do that. I'm hungry, and I want to score goals, I want to get assists, and I want more of that."

More end product would almost certainly reduce the criticism and the number of critics Aaronson currently has, because that tends to be how football goes. Goals and assists are so tangible and irrefutable that they will always be how attackers are judged when it comes to contribution and impact. And it is, after all, a reasonable expectation of a Premier League forward. They should be able to create. On that front, Aaronson is somewhat of a leader for the Whites so far this season. He leads the team in assists. He's second to Sean Longstaff - a set-piece taker - when it comes to big chances created. He would have had a second goal of the campaign at the Stadium of Light had he taken a chance presented by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, though Aaronson believes he was simply unlucky because he did create room for a shot, got the shot away and beat the keeper only for Trai Hume to fly in and block on the line.

"Of course, I'm disappointed," he said. "But, I mean, I think I did everything right to be honest with you. The guy clears off the line, not much you can do. But I think the movement off [Dom] - I'm starting to get used to the way that he's playing even more, running off him like I did, because I know that he's always looking to set the ball, and it's something I know that he wants to do. It was good, so I'm continuing to get that relationship with him. And even with [Calvert-Lewin's] goal today, it was big."

Part of the problem for Aaronson in any fanbase-wide discussion of his game is of course that he opted to move away instead of staying to fight after relegation. That in turn has played into an element of scapegoating when things are not going well. People can see what they want to see, rather than taking in a whole picture. Aaronson came in for stick because he 'ran away from the ball' in the moments before Sunderland's goal but he was making a run to take Leeds onto the counter attack in the belief that skipper Ethan Ampadu was going to pass the ball. Instead, Ampadu took a heavy touch and lost it, leaving Aaronson and subsequently Leeds in the lurch.

One of the narratives around the US Men's National Team player is that he loses the ball too often. But according to Sofascore he's behind Lucas Perri, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jayden Bogle, Anton Stach, Ampadu, Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the list of culprits for the number of times possession is lost per match. That's not to say his decision making has always been his biggest strength, particularly in the final third when he can be erratic or take too many touches, but every player in the Leeds squad has something they can improve. That's where Farke comes in, again, because while he won't hear of unfair or unduly harsh criticism, he also won't abide complacency or too much satisfaction in good moments.

"Sometimes we don't do it the easy way, and make our life a bit complicated and he can also have sometimes a bit more clarity in his situations, but we have a great heart and great work ethic, and we do it in a special way, and we never give up, and we keep going and overcome each and every resilience," said Farke. "And he embodies this hard work and honest work so much, and he fully deserves to get praise after his last performances. It's also good that he had another great assist today and could have had, I think, a second, if Jayden Bogle would have put the ball in. But also right now, I've defended him several times when the pressure was on him. Right now, I don't need to praise him even a bit more, because I'm there like a shield when the outside world is criticising him. Right now, don't need to put too much spotlight on him. We win together. We lose together, and the praise goes to all the team, and just as a team we can shine."