Leeds United lost 1-0 to Aston Villa at the Suncorp Stadium on Sunday as they picked up their first defeat of the summer.
It was a feisty contest and it featured five of the Whites’ six summer signings. Here’s how they got on.
Brenden Aaronson
The midfielder looked to enjoy himself as he got around the park and provided an energetic presence in the number 10 role. Off the ball, he pressed high but showed no hesitation in tracking back towards his own defensive line in an attempt to win back possession and get his side moving up the field.
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On the ball, Aaronson was impressive in tight spaces as he managed to negate Villa’s press with some neat footwork and a couple of deft touches. He still needs to work on his connection with the likes of Dan James and Jack Harrison, but the more game time they have together, the better they will be.
Marc Roca
A strong body in the middle of the park. He looks to enjoy the physical side of the game as much as he loves the pretty stuff and Jesse Marsch will be keen to see him continue his rate of progression in the side. Roca had a few decent touches on the ball and he played well in the first half as Leeds pushed forward and created a couple of chances against Villa.
It was interesting to see how he performed alongside Tyler Adams given the pair could feasibly start the Premier League season together in the middle of the park. The pair obviously have work to do, but there’s clearly potential and the head coach could well pair them up again against Crystal Palace.
Rasmus Kristensen
Right now he’s looking like Leeds’ best piece of business. The right-back looked comfortable with everything Villa threw at him and while he didn’t get forward as much, he did shine in his defensive duties.
Kristensen didn’t hesitate to put his head in dangerous positions to clear the danger and he dealt with the threat caused down his flank. The Dane doesn’t lack confidence and he already looks capable of making that position his own, with the start of the campaign still three weeks away.
Tyler Adams
He’s definitely growing into his role Down Under with Sunday’s performance being much better than his outing on Thursday night against Brisbane Roar in Gold Coast. The American had some tidy touches and he kept his shape well alongside Roca as they succeeded in giving Villa’s midfield playmakers no space.
He’ll be involved in Perth, no doubt, and he’ll be keen to continue improving with the Whites.
Luis Sinisterra
We’ve not seen Sinisterra’s best during his first two outings with the Whites, far from it. The winger picked up half an hour against Brisbane Roar and he had a similar stint on the field against Villa, but he wasn’t able to make a lasting impact on the game.
He has talent and an impressive touch, that’s clear to see, but it’s also obvious he’s not quite as sharp as he could be. He needs minutes now and he’ll be involved heavily on Friday when Leeds face Crystal Palace at the Optus Stadium.
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