“He doesn’t really make an impact; his inconsistency with the ball and inability to score are concerning. Farke should consider benching him for a while,” said the pundit, expressing worries about the Leeds United star’s lack of effort to win the ball.
Leeds United extended their unbeaten streak to three matches with a solid draw against Norwich City on Tuesday night, despite falling behind to a Josh Sargent penalty in the first half.
The Whites were without captain Ethan Ampadu, who is expected to be out until the new year, along with Manor Solomon, Dan James, Max Wober, and Isaac Schmidt due to injuries.
A foul by Joe Rodon in the opening 20 minutes led to Sargent converting a penalty, following his summer link to Leeds when Daniel Farke signed him for Norwich.
Leeds had several chances, including a shot from Wilfried Gnonto that hit the post and opportunities for Jayden Bogle and Joe Rothwell. However, they could only manage one goal, with Largie Ramazani netting his second for the club.
Given the circumstances and an extensive injury list, including Ilia Gruev, who was replaced by new signing Rothwell, a point away from home was a respectable outcome. Mateo Joseph, however, had a quiet performance.
Former Leeds player Jon Newsome criticized Joseph’s involvement, noting that despite being a young talent, he struggled to make an impact. Speaking on BBC Radio Leeds, Newsome remarked, “He was quiet today. My concern is that when the ball transitions from defense to attack, there’s little effort to win the ball. He seems to hesitate with defenders.”
Joseph’s aerial statistics are concerning; although he won three of five headers against Coventry, he has only won five out of 25 in total. On Tuesday, he lost all five aerial duels against Norwich defenders. This lack of effectiveness is problematic, especially when Leeds rely on long balls from Illan Meslier.
With only one goal in eight games, it may be time for a change. Leeds will face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light next, leaving Farke with a crucial decision: stick with Joseph, who is struggling, or bring in top scorer Joel Piroe or former England international Patrick Bamford, who came off the bench against Norwich. Given the busy schedule, rotation seems likely.
