Leeds United selection decision insight revealed after midweek temptation was resisted
White boss Daniel Farke has opened up on a selection decision.
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke felt no temptation to start Pascal Struijk at Watford and is not rushing the centre-back into the line-up.
Though Struijk returned from a hamstring problem at the start of February and made substitute cameos against Cardiff City and Coventry City, before starting the FA Cup clash with Millwall.
But Farke put the Dutchman back on the bench when Leeds travelled to Vicarage Road in midweek, resisting the urge to restore his first-choice centre-back pairing and put Ethan Ampadu back in midfield.
Instead Ampadu partnered Joe Rodon again for yet another clean sheet. However the manager is delighted to once again be able to consider Ampadu as an option for the midfield, having had to use him as a centre-back next to Joe Rodon, and equally happy that Struijk is back.
"Very pleased in both aspects, obviously Ethan Ampadu, I labelled him several times a key player, no coincidence he’s our captain, missed him for such a long time," said Farke.
"But we have to be careful. Whenever I can give him a few minutes of a break whenever the game is won I will try to do this because he was out for such a long time with a serious injury. To have him back in his full rhythm is priceless for us. He's had to help a lot in the centre-back position and he's done an oustanding job with Joe Rodon.
“They proved this last season, it's no coincidence we have many clean sheets but I'm also happy to have Pascal back. He had back-to-back injuries over Christmas and was out for a few weeks. I was happy I could give him the first 90 against Millwall but was clear I would not send him straight back into the starting line-up three days later."
It is thanks to the strength in depth in midfield that Ampadu can be spared to fill in at centre-back. The summer transfer window brought Joe Rothwell to Elland Road on loan from Bournemouth and £2.9m permanent signing Ao Tanaka.
That pair were thrown together as a partnership while Ampadu and Gruev were out with serious knee injuries and with all four now fit and available Farke has been able to mix and match to tailor the midfield to each respective game.
But Farke still has Struijk's 2023/24 season in mind. The defender picked up a hamstring injury just after Christmas and though he was expected to miss just a couple of weeks he was unable to play again before the campaign was over. So there will be no risk-taking when it comes to his fitness this season.
"Match experience back is important, but it's good we don't have to rush him back and risk another long-term injury," said Farke.
"We don't have to speak about him in his full rhythm and confidence, he'll always play and play a key role for us. It's a good situation that due to the strengths of Ethan at centre-back and the strengths of our central midfield options we don't have to rush Pascal back. We know we need his skills and defensive skills and defending and attacking pieces but I'm happy we don't have to rush it."