Leeds United fans had a big smile on Saturday night after their team beat Wolves 3-1 away from home.
New boys Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach, and Noah Okafor all scored to give Daniel Farke’s side a much-needed victory.
It was a strong result after a tough few weeks with injuries and no new signings arriving.
But while the result brought joy, one player was still under the spotlight.
Noah Okafor scored his first goal for the club, but BBC Radio Leeds pundit Jon Newsome had some strong words about the Swiss forward’s overall display.
Newsome’s Concern Over Okafor
Newsome, who was part of the famous Leeds side that won the league in 1992, said Okafor lost the ball too many times, especially in the first half.
He pointed out that the wide man often gave possession away, even deep in Leeds’ own half.
That kind of mistake, Newsome warned, is dangerous and led to Wolves’ goal in the game.
Cody Froggatt/PA, PA Wire
The pundit also said Okafor sometimes looked frustrated at his teammates when the problem came from his own poor control or wrong decision.
“At this level Leeds cannot carry passengers,” Newsome explained. “As a wide player you need good touch, pace and power, but you must also know your job when you get the ball in your own half.”
He compared Okafor’s work to Jack Harrison, who came on later in the match and impressed with energy and smart play.
Newsome said Okafor can learn from Harrison’s attitude and decision making.
Stats Show Mixed Performance
The numbers from the Wolves match back up Newsome’s words. Okafor did score and had some strong moments in attack, but he also had too many errors.
He managed only 6 successful passes out of 14, and 6 successful dribbles out of 14.
That means more than half of his attempts failed. He also lost 13 duels, the joint-most in the game.
At the same time, he worked hard too. He had 40 touches, made four recoveries, and won eight duels, the second most in the team.
His FotMob rating was 7.9, which was the second best on the pitch. So it was not all bad, but clearly there is a lot to improve.
What It Means for Leeds
Okafor is still new at Leeds and this was only his second league start. Scoring will give him confidence, but the Premier League is unforgiving.
Players must learn quickly when to take risks and when to play safe. Farke has made it clear he wants fighters and no “passengers” in his squad.
Leeds fans will hope Okafor uses this game as a lesson. If he can keep his goal scoring touch and cut out the sloppy moments, he could become a big asset.
But if the mistakes continue, others like Harrison will be waiting to take his spot.
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