Good Morning. It's Thursday 22nd October, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Anton Stach’s No. 10 Role Under Scrutiny
Award-winning content creator Ger Lynch has highlighted growing concerns over Daniel Farke’s use of midfielder Anton Stach in an advanced No. 10 (playmaker) role this season on his popular “The Leeds View” podcast. Lynch, whose channel has amassed just short of 80,000 subscribers and who won both Best EPL Podcast and Best EPL Club Creator at the Football Content Awards 2025, described the positional experiment as one that has been “bubbling under the surface for a few weeks” but is now being discussed more openly. Stach arrived from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2025 as one of the standout signings under Leeds’ current ownership. At Hoffenheim he posted elite defensive metrics as a central midfielder/defensive midfielder, averaging 5.8 recoveries per game, 1.65 interceptions and 3.65 clearances, figures that placed him among the top 7% of European midfielders in those categories.Lynch quite rightly points out that these numbers were a major reason Leeds signed him. Last season at Leeds he adapted successfully into a more advanced No. 8 role while retaining his strengths in linking play, progressive passing, shooting and defensive work. He contributed five goals and three assists in the Premier League while remaining highly productive defensively. This season, however, Daniel Farke has deployed him regularly as a right-sided advanced No. 10. Lynch argued that the role has shifted the game largely behind Stach. Rather than receiving the ball in midfield with space to drive forward, progress play and shoot, he is frequently receiving it side-on or with his back to goal, and is often stationed wider than a traditional central No. 10.
The result, according to Lynch’s analysis, is a measurable drop in his effectiveness. Key numbers cited include a fall in passing accuracy to around 72 per cent and a decline in progressive and opposition-half passing. Stach has managed only one goal so far (a stunning injury time free kick on the opening day of the season at the City Ground) and no assists in the league. While his distance covered and pressing numbers remain strong, evidence he is working hard, the data and eye test suggest he is not receiving the ball in the areas where he is most comfortable and productive. Lynch noted that the role is “removing the strengths that he brought to Leeds over the last season,” limiting his ability to link play, find progressive passes and get shots away.
He referenced comments from Micah Richards, who said he prefers seeing Stach as a central midfielder and observed a lack of composure this season, something Lynch linked to the player operating outside his natural, repeatedly proven positions. Lynch acknowledged Farke’s tactical rationale: wanting an extra central midfielder at times within a midfield that also features the in-form Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka. “It’s a positive position to be in for Daniel Farke,” he said. “He’s got three very strong central midfielders.” The difficulty, Lynch suggested, is selecting the right combination rather than forcing Stach into a creative No. 10 brief he is not suited to. Leeds, he argued, currently lack a natural creative playmaker and a midfielder who can arrive onto the ball to score in the manner Stach did last season.
Check out the Leeds View podcast at https://www.youtube.com/@TheLeedsView
Leeds United eye winning sequence against lower-table sides after solid start
Competitive results this season have raised hopes that Daniel Farke’s side can now string together a sequence of wins, beginning with a trip to Sunderland followed by matches against Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur. Those three opponents currently occupy the lower reaches of the table. Sunderland are bottom with four points, while Bournemouth and Spurs sit on six points apiece. In a recent article Leeds Live’s Isaac Johnson noted the rising expectations: “Survival is the aim this season too, but expectations have risen and keep rising with every week. The disappointment after taking on champions Arsenal and the Manchester United draw underlines the progress made under Farke over the past 11 months.” He added that just six league defeats in their last 32 matches has brought “new pressures, ones Farke has been keen to dilute.”Farke has struck a cautious note. After the 1-1 draw with Manchester United he said: “We are a bit disappointed that we didn't win it. I think we were the better side. The problem was there were too many strikes over the crossbar and too many crosses were then even a bit too long. These situations killed a bit of our momentum.” He has repeatedly stressed a measured approach, stating that the first priority at Premier League level has been to strengthen defence and physicality, with 40 points still the minimum target.Leeds remain only one point ahead of Hull City and Ipswich Town. While Elland Road has been a stronghold and the defence is among the league’s tighter units, attacking output has been modest outside the 4-1 win over Newcastle. Converting points against teams in the bottom half into three-point hauls will be essential if a genuine winning sequence is to take shape. The fixtures against Sunderland, Bournemouth and Spurs offer the clearest opportunity yet to turn a solid platform into consistent victories.
Harry Wilson’s limited minutes raise questions over fit
Content creator Kagey 1v1 has highlighted ongoing concerns about Harry Wilson’s limited role at Elland Road, with the summer signing struggling for minutes as he adapts to Daniel Farke’s system. Wilson joined Leeds on a free transfer from Fulham in the summer after a career-best Premier League campaign in which he scored 10 goals and provided seven assists, earning him Fulham’s Player of the Season award. He started the opening-day win at Nottingham Forest and made an impact as a half-time substitute in the 1-1 draw with Brentford. Since then, however, Premier League starts have dried up. He has largely been restricted to substitute appearances of 15–20 minutes, missed a few weeks with a quad injury, and was left unused in the recent 1-1 draw with Manchester United.Farke has publicly said Wilson needs time to adapt to a different style and role compared with his time at Fulham. The manager has noted that the Welshman is a top professional who works hard, but is “not there with 100%” yet in terms of fully embedding in the system. After the Manchester United game, Farke explained the decision not to introduce more technical players such as Wilson, saying the match required physicality and experience rather than “genius” passes once the red devils sat deep and transitions became frequent. Leeds have often operated with a midfield three featuring Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka and Anton Stach, with Stach now being pushed into an advanced right-sided No. 10 role.
Wilson, who wears the No. 10 shirt, has historically operated as a right winger or attacking midfielder who cuts inside onto his left foot. Large parts of his career have seen him function effectively in or around a No. 10 position (a position that Farke is currently experimenting with using Stach), dropping into pockets to create and score. From that perspective, the situation must feel particularly frustrating for him, especially given the multiple transfer options he turned down during the summer. Wilson’s underlying numbers this season reflect the limited opportunity: zero goals and zero assists in the Premier League from a small sample of minutes, with only modest chance-creation output.
Fans and observers have noted that it is difficult for any player to show their best when restricted to short cameos, especially one who thrived on regular starts last season. The contrast has become a talking point among Leeds fans. With the team sitting in the upper half of the table and Farke prioritising a balanced, physical midfield, Wilson’s technical and creative qualities have not yet been fully integrated. Whether Farke eventually finds a more consistent role for him, particularly in games where Leeds need more invention against deeper-lying opponents, or continues to favour the current midfield setup remains one of the more intriguing squad-management questions at Elland Road this season.
Check out Kagey 1v1's channel at https://www.youtube.com/@Kagey1v1
