Junior Firpo’s first 18 months as a Leeds United player were challenging, to say the very least. The left-back struggled to stay fit in his first season with the club, spending almost as much time on the sidelines as he did on the field as problem after problem cropped up.
That lack of consistency in the side seemed to make an understandably large dent in his form and as Leeds’ slumped towards the foot of the Premier League table, the frustration surrounding Firpo and his performances grew. Those injury problems spilled over into this season, too, ensuring the first half of his second year in West Yorkshire was just as exasperating for supporters.
The injury Firpo picked up in the club’s first pre-season clash with Blackpool saw him ruled out for the first month and when he returned to fitness, the form of Pascal Struijk in the left-back role ensured he was used sparingly. As such, at the turn of the year, it’s fair to say few could have seen the re-emergence of Firpo as the club’s first choice left-back coming.
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The Dominican’s turnaround, then, has been nothing short of remarkable, grasping his opportunity in the side with both hands and not looking back. In the last two months, Firpo has not only taken back his left-back spot but he’s become something of a cult hero at Elland Road, with supporters acknowledging the corner he has turned to take his game to a new level and find his place in a backline that is making visible strides under new head coach Javi Gracia.
In truth, Firpo started showing the right signs in the weeks that followed the World Cup break, with a strong performance in the FA Cup draw at Cardiff City drawing praise from supporters. Firpo played a key role in helping Jesse Marsch’s side back into the contest in South Wales and after seeing an effort blocked on the line illegally, he came up with the all-important assist for Sonny Perkins at the death to seal a replay.
He built on that with another solid showing against the Bluebirds at Elland Road before getting his first goal for the club in the 3-1 win at Accrington Stanley. As such, when Pascal Struijk went down with a head injury at Old Trafford, Firpo was in a position to make the most of the chance under interim boss Michael Skubala, and that’s exactly what he did, dealing with the threat of Manchester United’s right side well. From there he’s gone from strength to strength in the side.
Under Gracia he now looks like the player Leeds have been crying out for at left-back. The position has been United’s Achilles heel for some time, with Firpo being amongst those to have previously tried and failed to provide solidity and security in that role.
Struijk did a fine job there during the first few months of the season under Marsch and he deserves credit for the way he took the role on at the start of the season during the former Barcelona man’s most recent lay-off. However, the Dutchman is a centre-back by trade and that was made apparent on occasion, particularly after the World Cup break when his form and confidence tailed off.
A fit and firing Firpo seems to be providing everything Gracia wants from a full-back, though, getting himself involved in build-up play on a regular basis, holding shape well out of possession and getting forward, either on the inside or the outside, when the time suits. Of course, the odd mistake has been made and on another day he may well have given away a penalty at Wolves on Saturday after a tangle with Nelson Semedo.
However, Leeds’ left-back spot looks settled for the time being and they have an ever-improving Firpo to thank for that as he finally gets his Whites career off the ground.
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