Exclusive:'He isn't' - Verdict on Brenden Aaronson physicality concerns amid Leeds United 10-game dip
Leeds United’s American midfielder has had his ups and downs in the Premier League.
Former USA goalkeeper Brad Friedel insists Leeds United’s Brenden Aaronson ‘isn’t afraid to be physical’ while end-product will improve again with confidence.
Aaronson’s season at Leeds can be split into relatively clear periods of form and frustration. The American registered one goal and zero assists from his first 10 Premier League games but the 10 after saw him on the scoresheet three times while setting up teammates on another three occasions.
It’s now been 10 Premier League games without a goal or assist for Aaronson, who has struggled to affect games recently and regularly been substituted midway through second-halves. But former Premier League shot-stopper Friedel still appreciates the work-rate and versatility of his compatriot.
“I’ve watched him from being a young kid in the US and this is his best professional season in my opinion,” Friedel told the YEP via Gambling.com who review the leading Online Casinos in the UK. “I think you get an incredible work-rate from him every game, he’s an incredible professional.
“If you’re going to be a high-pressing team and you want to win the ball high up before going into transition, I like him in the middle. If you're attacking against a lower block, I like him wider so he can get the ball and see the picture a little bit more and he’s not getting the ball with loads of bodies around him.
“His end product will continue to improve as he gets more confidence in the Premier League but he’s a player whose proven he’s a name on the teamsheet. I think he’s a player you can count on and I'm very pleased with the progress he’s made.”
Brenden Aaronson has the physicality for Premier League football
One consistent frustration for Aaronson has been the Premier League’s physicality, which feels more of a focus now than it has been for several years. The energetic American can regularly lose possession in duels and at times has suffered from a lack of protection from referees.
Leeds recruited for physicality in all forms ahead of their Premier League return, adding the height of Anton Stach or Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the raw power of Jaka Bijol or the midfield energy of Sean Longstaff. And while Aaronson is unlikely to out-muscle opponents, Friedel insists the attacker’s endless running power gives him a place in English football.
“Absolutely there is a place for players like Aaronson,” the former USA goalkeeper added. “He isn’t afraid to be physical and with his energy and attitude. He can compete on the physical side of the game for sure.
“He is a versatile player as well so can be used in a number of positions as mentioned, so depending on the opponents or the way Leeds are looking to play, we’ve seen that he can be adopted in the middle, out wide, or even further forward.”