Excitement builds over unlikely Leeds United zero-to-hero arc as '89 per cent' evolution proving summer promise
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Firpo and Aaronson's emergence as key players in Farke's new-look Whites side comes as a surprise to some, but not so much to others. The pair have considerable European and international pedigree having played at the highest level alongside some of the game's best.
However, their time at Leeds has largely been underwhelming to put things kindly, until now.
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Hide AdThis season, no Leeds player has completed more passes in the final third (49) than left-back Firpo, exemplified by his excellent first-time set up of Joel Piroe for United's clincher against Hull City last weekend.
Equally, no Leeds player has managed to create more chances from open play than the Dominican Republic defender, whose five in four matches places him among the division's more prolific creators at the start of 2024/25.
In fact, no player has registered more Championship assists this calendar year than Firpo's nine. The 28-year-old has been one of Leeds' most consistent performers since the turn of the year, at which point some supporters would have preferred any alternative to the ex-Barcelona full-back.
Ask those same spectators now whose selection is a no-brainer and there is every chance Firpo's name will be among those listed alongside the likes of club captain Ethan Ampadu and centre-back pair Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk.
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Hide AdFirpo's usefulness to Farke's 3-1-6 in-possession formation has always been theorised but until this year, had yet to be realised. The internationally-capped full-back is especially handy in attacking phases, and typically always has been in a Leeds shirt, but a combination of repeat injuries, a lack of match rhythm and poor team-wide form meant he was not able to demonstrate it all too often, particularly in the Premier League.
Even in the Championship, those injury troubles did not let up, robbing him of continuity from pre-season last year into the new campaign, resulting in missing out on a starting spot until midway through the campaign. Now, with a clean bill of health and regular appearances, the former Real Betis man has established himself as one of the division's most accomplished full-backs.
Another player once a figure of ridicule, and more recently derision, at Elland Road is Brenden Aaronson, who still has plenty to prove since returning from a loan spell with Union Berlin last term. The American, though, is doing all the right things by way of apologising for his desertion following relegation from the Premier League.
The best way to atone for sins of the past, in football at least, is to demonstrate renewed commitment through performance levels on the pitch, and that's exactly what Aaronson has done so far. While the jury is still out on the 23-year-old for some Leeds fans, certainly more so than Firpo who now has a body of work behind him, the early signs are positive.
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Hide AdWhilst a remarkably different player to the man he has replaced in Georginio Rutter, the American already has to his name a third of the Brighton and Hove Albion attacker's goal tally from last season and probably should have more. Not only that, Aaronson has taken care of possession much better than the last time Leeds fans watched him week-in, week-out in a white shirt.
The ex-Red Bull Salzburg midfielder, currently operating in the No. 10 role, a typically congested area of the pitch, has completed 24 of his 27 pass attempts in the final third - a success rate of 89 per cent.
According to Opta, of the players to have completed 20-or-more final third passes so far this season, only eight boast a higher success rate than Leeds' No. 11. Pertinently, four of those play in a deeper role than Aaronson and therefore are less likely to be receiving and making passes with their backs to goal, whilst under opposition pressure.
There is a long way to go before Leeds fans will buy into the 'zero-to-hero' arc en masse, but as shown with Firpo's terrace chant, the fondness with which fans now speak of him on social media and above all, his undeniably consistent performances, redemption is possible for the American attacker, too.
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Hide AdSpeaking to the YEP earlier this summer, Aaronson vowed: "Going through [last] season, I think around six or seven months, I remember just talking to my girlfriend and my agent about what the next season's gonna look like and stuff like that.
"In my mind, I had already made up that I wanted to come back to Leeds and prove myself and come back and help the team get up to the Premier League if they didn't get up that season.
"I like to be well-liked at the end of the day, but I know that there's going to be some people that aren't happy and that kind of thing. But what I will say is I'm just coming back to help the team and I always give my all on the pitch and I think they'll be able to see that."
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