Millwall defeat was first time Leeds could rue not signing Joe Bryan this summer with Bristol City ace shining

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Leeds United were linked with a move for Bristol City defender Joe Bryan during the summer.

According to the Bristol Post back in July, Leeds were interested in pursuing a deal for Bristol City left-back Joe Bryan following Charlie Taylor’s departure at the end of his contract.

With six clean sheets under their belt in the first seven Championship games, Thomas Christiansen’s men had certainly not suffered having not signed the Robins ace during the most recent window, with Vurnon Anita performing well on the left-hand side of the defence, while Gaetano Berardi and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson provide plenty of depth and competition in that area of the pitch.

But perhaps Bryan’s hugely impressive statistics in two particular areas would have made him the ideal player to play for Leeds in their clash against Millwall at the weekend, in what proved to be the Whites’ first defeat of the season.

Millwall came away with a 1-0 win in a game that they physically dominated, and it is surely fair to say that Anita endured his most difficult and disappointing afternoon since arriving at Elland Road.

Bryan meanwhile, tops the Championship stats for the season when it comes to tackles won, and by quite some margin as well, having won 27 challenges. And while Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips features in the top five, he is some way off the 24-year-old.

Bryan has also been brilliant in terms of duels won throughout the campaign, with only Ipswich Town’s Joe Garner winning more duels than the 77 that Bryan has won.

While it would be foolish to suggest that the result would have been any different had Bryan played instead of Anita, and to say that the latter has not proven to be an excellent signing – especially as he came on a free – Bryan’s statistics suggest that he may have had the ideal attributes to cope with the threat that came from Millwall’s right wing.

But with Leeds’ defence conceding just three goals so far in the league this season, Christiansen can afford to be extremely pleased with the defence that he has assembled over the summer, even if Bryan may have perhaps given them a chance of being even stronger.