Daniel Farke Faces Big Call: Stick or Twist with Brendan Aaronson?

Heading into Gameweek 6, spirits are high after a convincing 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Goals from three new signings – Anton Stach, Noah Okafor, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin – added an extra lift to the result.

One notable feature of the last two matches has been Daniel Farke’s decision to start winger Brendan Aaronson.

According to FotMob, the USMNT international has averaged a rating of 6.66 across his five Premier League appearances this season, with his minutes totalling 243. While he has now started back-to-back games, his impact in the final third has been limited, recording no goals or assists so far.

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Competition For The Right Wing Position

Aaronson’s prominence under Farke is no surprise. He started 43 Championship matches last season, firmly establishing himself as one of the manager’s most trusted players. That faith was reinforced in the summer, when Largie Ramazani – a direct competitor for his spot – was loaned out to Valencia.

Dan James began the campaign in the starting XI, but fitness concerns have slowed his progress. Meanwhile, Jack Harrison – back at Leeds after two seasons on loan at Everton – is still working to re-establish himself.

Trust has become a recurring theme in Farke’s selection process. Even when discussing Harrison in pre-season, the manager underlined the need to earn back credibility:

“He is a great guy, a hard worker and very reliable,” Farke said in July. “It is up to him to win the confidence and trust back.”

There were suggestions Harrison might start against Wolves given his strong scoring record against them at Everton, but Farke ultimately stuck with familiarity in Aaronson.

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Should Aaaronson Be Dropped?

The numbers suggest otherwise. While Aaronson has been quiet in attack, he is arguably Leeds’ best off-the-ball winger, providing significant defensive balance in Farke’s 4-3-3 system.

Going forward, Aaronson has been reluctant to get into shooting positions, ranking among the lowest in the league for attempts. He has yet to provide an assist, but his expected assists (xA) stands at 0.79 per game – one of the highest outputs in his position so far.

Defensively, his contributions are more evident. He has won seven tackles, with a 51.3% duel success rate, while also beating opponents in 66.7% of his dribble attempts. The signs are promising, and it may only be a matter of time before his attacking numbers begin to match his work rate and team value.

Prior to the Wolves game, Leeds had faced heavy criticism for scoring just once from open play all season. The weekend’s victory brought a sense of relief, but with tough fixtures against Bournemouth and Tottenham on the horizon, any points collected will be treated as a bonus in what already feels like a survival battle.

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