Leeds: Struijk boosting his World Cup hopes

Leeds United have endured one thing of a turbulent begin to the 2022/23 marketing campaign, with Jesse Marsch’s aspect at present sitting 15th within the Premier League standings after 12 video games performed.

Certainly, regardless of getting off to a implausible begin within the league, securing wins towards Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea and a draw towards Southampton of their opening three fixtures of the season, the Whites then went via a interval of eight games with out a victory within the high flight – a run they resulted in spectacular vogue with a 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Particular person performances have additionally been up and down, with Jack Harrison scoring one objective and offering three assists over his first three league outings earlier than failing to contribute to a single objective within the 9 fixtures since, whereas Patrick Bamford is but to attain over his ten top-flight appearances and Diego Llorente has already made two errors resulting in a objective on the again.

Nonetheless, one participant who has – quite surprisingly – been considered one of Marsch’s most constant and spectacular performers within the league has been Pascal Struijk, the 23-year-old central defender who was initially deployed at left-back to cowl for the injured Junior Firpo, earlier than happening to assert the full-back spot for his personal – regardless of the return to health of Firpo.

Certainly, over his 11 Premier League appearances in 2022/23, the £13m-rated expertise has been implausible in a defensive capability, serving to his aspect hold two clear sheets, in addition to making a median of three.2 tackles – the eighth-most within the league – 1.8 interceptions, 2.0 clearances and successful 7.0 duels – at successful charge of 55% – per recreation.

The previous Netherlands U17 worldwide has additionally caught the attention going forwards, scoring one objective, registering one help and creating two large possibilities for his teammates, along with making a median of 0.7 key passes, taking 0.6 photographs and finishing 0.8 dribbles per recreation.

These returns have seen the £7k-per-week defender who Tony Dorigo dubbed “magnificent” common an especially spectacular SofaScore match ranking of 6.92, at present rating him as Marsch’s joint fifth-best participant within the high flight – a unprecedented feat for a participant enjoying out of their pure place.

As such, ought to Struijk proceed this sensational kind over the approaching weeks, the uncapped 23-year-old would do his possibilities of sneaking into the Netherlands World Cup squad no hurt in any way, with the Dutchman’s performances thus far this season having caught the attention of Louis van Gaal who has already named the defender in his preliminary squad.