Junior Firpo’s debut season as a Leeds United player hasn’t gone to plan. And the tone was set just nine minutes after he stepped off the bench in Leeds’ 5-1 opening day defeat to Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Bruno Fernandez did his best Fred Estaire impression at Old Trafford, waltzing past the £16 million left-back en route to the second of his three goals of the afternoon. United’s Portugal playmaker would not be the first player to get the better of Firpo either.
In fact, his campaign can best be summed up by that 3-0 home defeat by Aston Villa a couple of weeks ago – arguably Leeds’ worst performance since they returned to the big-time two years ago.
Firpo was initially miles out of position as the ball reached Matty Cash on the right-hand side of the penalty area. And, in a desperate attempt to close him down, Firpo sprinted straight past the Villa flyer, giving Cash the time and space to finish with ease.
It almost looked like he’d swapped his football boots for roller stakes.
Firpo suffered a serious knee injury later in that game and hasn’t been seen since. Will he ever be seen again? In the gleaming white of Leeds United, that is?
What next for Junior Firpo at Leeds United?
Jesse Marsch said last week, before Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Southampton, that the former Barcelona benchwarmer was closing in on a return to fitness.
But would Marsch really drop Stuart Dallas – the most reliable, 7/10 footballer you could ever wish to meet – in favour of a full-back who appears to view defending as an optional part of his job description?
Leeds have conceded 2.5 goals per game when Firpo has featured this season. And, with Dallas back on the left, Leeds have picked up seven points from a possible nine. Thus, putting a sizeable buffer between themselves and the relegation zone.
The fact that Leeds are being linked with a number of left-backs since Firpo’s latest injury blow certainly seems to suggest that one of Marcelo Bielsa’s final signings at Elland Road may be already running out of time if he wants to win over the new boss.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Leeds have ‘sounded out’ Celta Vigo’s Javi Galan, a player who registered on their radar last summer too. This probably means Galan is a target of Victor Orta’s, rather than Marsch’s.
Replaced already?
TEAMtalk claim that Leeds are also admirers of Anderlecht’s Sergio Gomez – six goals and 15 assists from left-back – and Barcelona’s Sergino Dest.
Dest, an American international, can play on the left as well as his favoured right-back role. He also shares the same agent as Patrick Bamford.
There are just seven games remaining before Leeds can put a fractured, fraught campaign behind them. Firpo made the worst possible impression on his new boss. Will he get the chance to make a second one?
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