Izzy Brown has made quite an impact at Huddersfield Town while Pablo Hernandez’s toils sum up Leeds United’s stuttering form.
Back in January, when everything looked positive in the usually turbulent world of Leeds United, few predicted that Pablo Hernandez would run out of steam quite so quickly.
Yet perhaps they should have done. The former Spanish international is 32 these days and has not endured the relentless British game since leaving Swansea City in 2014.
In fact, he spent the last three years in the less-than-competitive domestic leagues of Qatar and the UAE before a short-term loan in his homeland with Rayo Vallecano, winter break and all.
Therefore, after starting 30 Championship games this season, it is perhaps only natural that he would suffer burnout. And, somewhat inevitably, Hernandez has contributed only three assists and two goals since the beginning of February.
As a consequence, Leeds’ play-off hopes are petering out with the player they rely so heavily upon to create chances struggling to have any sort of an influence.
Therefore, you wonder whether Garry Monk’s side would have been able to maintain their form had they, rather than Huddersfield Town, signed Izzy Brown on loan in January.
The 20-year-old Chelsea starlet has starred since arriving at the John Smith’s Stadium, adding a creative spark to a side who have turned a one-goal victory into their trademark.
His stats may not be in the same league as the five-goal, eight-assist Hernandez but the energy, speed and rapid dribbling Brown has brought to Huddersfield’s side has given them a vital boost in this second half of the season.
As such, despite winning just two of their last seven games, the Terriers look good for a place in the play-offs while an increasingly blunt Leeds could miss out after five months in the top six.
Monk can only wish he had a player of Brown’s speed and incision in his attack. Especially when you consider that he signed the anonymous Modou Barrow instead.
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