Leeds United: Joe Rodon injury blow could be good news for Daniel Farke in the mid-term - View | OneFootball

Joe Rodon's injury could have a silver-lining for Leeds United and Daniel Farke, with Ao Tanaka ready to come into the team.

Leeds United are looking to get back to winning ways this weekend against Cardiff City following their defeat at home to Burnley, but they could be without Joe Rodon for the clash in South Wales.

Daniel Farke has provided an injury update on Joe Rodon, Junior Firpo, Joe Rothwell, and Manor Solomon ahead of Leeds' clash with Cardiff City this weekend. He is optimistic that all four players can be available for selection but all of them have missed some training sessions this week.

The German admitted that there are still some question marks over Solomon’s fitness, but he is still hopeful that the forward will be fit enough to be a part of the team, with Max Wöber also back in training.

“Rodon missed a couple sessions, Firpo struggled a bit with his MCL, Solomon had some back problems and Rothwell rolled his ankle but I’m optimistic that they will all be available,” said Farke, via his pre-match press conference.

However, earlier this morning, footage emerged on Leeds' X account, showing Solomon taking part in a training drill ahead of Leeds' match with Cardiff, with the 25-year-old spotted 46 seconds into the video.

Joe Rodon, Max Wöber, and Dan James were not spotted and has cast into doubt how likely the former central defenders are to be involved in the latest league game. That would have a knock-on effect for Saturday's game should neither pass a late fitness check.

An injury to Rodon would leave Leeds light in defence, with the giant central defender one of their mainstays last season for much of the campaign.

Although Leeds would miss Rodon's aerial prowess, recovery speed, and reading of the game from a defensive perspective — they could potentially upgrade in both their defence and midfield in terms of ball progression and tempo with Rodon out injured.

With Ethan Ampadu deployed in the centre of defence at the back-end of last season following an injury to Pascal Struijk, Ilia Gruev was able to take his spot in the best role for his skill-set. A defensive midfielder, Gruev is comfortable in possession at receiving off the central defenders and strong in the tackle.

However, he is more of a high-volume retention player, as opposed to someone who will break lines with his passing and speed up the tempo of an attack, nor is Gruev a regular goalscorer, so playing him as a more advanced player beyond Ampadu as the higher of Leeds' defensive pivot is not the most optimal use of his abilities.

Gruev is very one-footed and looks less comfortable when pressed onto his right-foot, whilst also lacking the vision under pressure to make line-breaking passes. However, with time and space, he can pick a pass in open play, albeit not to the same extent as Ampadu or Leeds' other midfield options in Tanaka or Rothwell.

With Ampadu dropping back to the centre of defence, it could force Farke's hand into deploying Ao Tanaka at the base of midfield for a full debut, thus giving him a more natural balance with Gruev as a "No.6" and Tanaka as a "No.8". Leeds have been utilising two holding players in midfield, and neither are as attack-minded nor as progressive as Tanaka.

The German will have a hard time fitting everyone in who deserves to start, but they require more of a natural specialist in the box-to-box role alongside Leeds' newly appointed captain in the long-term, and Rodon's injury presents him with a chance to experiment with a new midfield profile.

Daniel Farke's potential midfield switch with Ao Tanaka against Cardiff City

Tanaka, in particular, has a better feel for the tempo than Gruev, knowing when to speed the play up or retain it in defensive areas. That, and greater output in terms of both goals and assists, should combine to give Leeds improved balance, as opposed to the alternative of a double-pivot of Ampadu with Gruev slightly ahead of him.

Both are nominally defensive midfielders in profile-terms, whilst Tanaka is more of a natural "No.8", thus should pair well alongside one of the two players. Ampadu is now the club-captain and cornerstone of the side in many ways, so his place in the team is nailed-on as either a central defender or in midfield, but Rodon and Wöber's injuries would no doubt see him drop back into a role he played for much of last season.

Ampadu as a right-sided central defender would also see a jump in quality, at least in possession, as he is a midfielder with a stronger range of passing than Rodon. Not only that, but he would be next to Leeds' strongest central defender in possession, with Struijk so comfortable and composed, and able to punch passes forward with ease so far.

That switch alone should see less hesitancy and more passes into the feet of Leeds' attacking players. However, Tanaka would also improve things. It may not have been likely to come this Saturday against Cardiff, but Tanaka has been signed to start games in this Leeds team. So far, both of his substitute appearances have come in or after the 86th minute.

The Japanese international midfielder is not just joining as a squad player but to be much more than that after embarking on promotion-pushing campaigns with Fortuna Düsseldorf as well. Rodon's injury has opened the door for him to take a chance and make the starting midfield role his, irrespective of what Gruev does and how impressive he may be in Ampadu's role.

Tanaka's ball-winning abilities won't ease the burden on Ampadu as much as Gruev, meaning they could sacrifice some defensive stability for his attacking capabilities, but he should also provide a different dimension to the Bulgarian, who himself is a holding midfielder and should be paired with Tanaka this weekend to have fewer square pegs in round holes in midfield.

It's an inevitability and only a matter of time with Tanaka taking that spot in the team, who has the pedigree and reputation to usurp his midfield counterparts. But the much-needed balance over playing two similar and like-minded midfielders together is what is required most of all for Farke.

Without Rodon's injury, it would not be as likely that this decision would occur with Leeds' chief for another few games at least, given his loyalty to players, but the silver-lining to losing such a key player is the opportunity for Tanaka to stake a claim to be a mainstay in the team that so many fans are expecting, if he should impress against Cardiff.

The Japanese midfielder will undoubtedly form a new-look pivot with Ampadu in the long-term and is the true controlling influence, who will demand the ball and show intent to move it forwards, whilst also having the intelligence to slow down the tempo and retain possession when required, too.

He also should help to connect the right-side of Leeds' attack more, with Willy Gnonto often drifting infield to get involved in the play more, be that for personal or tactical reasons. Jayden Bogle has also offered less in recent games, making the right flank in the final third a deadzone of late.