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19/12/2022 | 08:40pm
Leeds United will restart their Premier League marketing campaign in simply over every week’s time as they host Manchester Metropolis at Elland Street.
They are going to be hoping to keep up the free-scoring kind which noticed them rating 9 objectives of their final three top-flight matches, with their win at Anfield on the finish of October the standout second of their season up to now.
Nevertheless, in the long run, Jesse Marsch will wish to unravel his defensive frailties which might value the Whites their place within the Premier League. They’ve already conceded 26 objectives in simply 14 league matches, making each recreation a major slog simply to grab three factors.
While one may counsel seeking to the again 4 to rectify this subject, evidently the American has highlighted that the issue might lie in midfield.
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Subsequently, he’s reportedly looking for out Moroccan star Azzedine Ounahi to be their saviour, including an additional physique within the Elland Street engine room who has confirmed his defensive qualities on the world stage.
Victor Orta even admitted to Marca (by way of Yorkshire Night Put up) about their curiosity within the Angers teen.
The 22-year-old was integral in his nation’s outstanding run to the World Cup semi-finals, making historical past as the primary African group ever to succeed in that stage of the competitors.
Such is his expertise, he has even been likened to Frenkie de Jong in the way in which that he provides a lot defensively, though his main concern is to obtain the ball from the centre-backs and assist ease the transition into assault. FBRef even lists the Dutchman on Ounahi’s ‘comparable gamers’ metric.
Including somebody of his high quality and taking part in model to Marsch’s aspect may very well be the important thing to not solely unlocking a few of Leeds’ offensive gamers but in addition including an additional layer of solidity that they’re missing.
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Query 1. After starring for England on the 2002 World Cup, how a lot did Leeds promote Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United for?
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The teen ranks within the prime 1% for dribbles accomplished amongst midfielders in Europe’s prime 5 leagues in 2022 – an enchancment on De Jong, who solely ranks within the prime 13%.
Ounahi additionally posted spectacular defensive numbers on the World Cup. Averaging a 6.97 score throughout the match, he recorded one interception and 1.3 tackles per recreation alongside 0.9 key passes per match (by way of Sofascore).
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Enjoying beside Sofyan Amrabat, he grew to become an integral workhorse to accomplice his defensive qualities, with Jose Mourinho main the reward for the 22-year-old by dubbing him “completely unimaginable”.
Tyler Adams and Marc Roca might present this high quality for the Whites, while Ounahi may very well be the ultimate piece to finishing the midfield trio as Leeds’ very personal model of De Jong.