Leeds United midfield recruitment decision revealed as Kamara replacement yet to arrive despite Rothwell theory

First, let's assess the two players' similarities; they're both nominally central midfielders and neither could be described as 'purely defensive'. In many ways, they could each be seen as 'Number 8s' - a player who is effective between both boxes, recycles possession and keeps moves ticking. But, that would neglect the fact there are many kinds of 8s in the footballing world.

There are box-to-box engine-room runners, like Chelsea's Conor Gallagher for example, then there is Arsenal's Declan Rice, more of a 6/8, with defensive pedigree and comfortability at the base of midfield, but increasingly over the past season has grown into a more advanced player. There are also 8/10s; those who push even further forward from their midfield starting position, supporting attacks, and tend to be more creative, more daring and more impactful in the final third.

To say no two are alike would be inaccurate, central midfielders come in many forms, each with their own quirks and individualities. To suggest Kamara and Rothwell operate in a similar way, though, would not strictly be true, either. It certainly appears, in the data at least, that Rothwell has been recruited to add something different to Kamara. While he may occupy the same position on the teamsheet and may yet be handed the Finnish international's old squad number, the two carry out vastly different functions.

Let's take a closer look at where they differ.

Based on Opta data from FBRef.com, the YEP has taken Kamara's 2023/24 Championship campaign and Joe Rothwell's 2021/22 Championship season - in which both played roughly between 2,700 and 3,000 minutes - and compared them.

Both players record a high number of progressive passes per 90 minutes, although Kamara's total is closer to seven (6.87), while Rothwell's is slightly over five (5.37).

Rothwell's pass completion rate is also much lower than Kamara's at 77.2 per cent, as opposed to the Finland international's 92.7 per cent last term - but there are reasons for such a great disparity. Namely, 98 per cent of midfielders competing in comparable leagues attempted more long passes - which tend to have a lower success rate - than Kamara last season, who was not a frequent switcher of play or line-breaker with searching balls over the top, to say the least.

Rothwell, on the other hand, is rather adept at long passing, attempting five times as many as Kamara in any given 90-minute period, with a success rate which places him in the top eight per cent of midfielders across comparable competitions. In one fell swoop, Leeds' distribution from midfield has been altered by a noticeable degree heading into 2024/25, before a ball has even been kicked.

Furthermore, Rothwell's 2.0 key passes per 90 exceeds Kamara's 1.3 per 90 last season, however the Finn does trump Leeds' newest addition ever so slightly in successful passes into the penalty area and passes into the final third, but not by much.

Where the pair continue to differ is, unsurprisingly, in possession and what they do with the ball. Kamara rarely appeared a line-breaking ball-carrier, disrupting opposition defences by striding into space. Rothwell, however, appears closer to that particular description having averaged 3.00 progressive carries per 90 during 2021/22, to Kamara's 1.57 last season.

While neither player can be characterised as a big tackler or even especially active out of possession, that is less of a concern for Daniel Farke considering his teams tend to dominate the ball, were rarely hit on the break and this particular deficiency - if you want to call it that - is mitigated for by the presence of a deep six and proactive centre-backs willing and ready to step up if necessary.

Again, it is what Rothwell does with the ball that makes him stand out compared to Kamara, most notably in dangerous areas. His 2.51 carries into the final third per 90 placed him among the top two per cent of midfielders across comparable competitions for that particular metric three seasons ago whilst at Blackburn Rovers and suggests he is not shy when marauding into dangerous areas with the ball at his feet.

This can be especially useful to possession-heavy sides like Leeds as they more often than not come up against sides content to sit deep, block passing lanes and deny the opportunity to pass through them. So, a player who can dribble through instead can be rather handy as it drags opposing defenders away from their well-coached and well-structured defensive positions, allowing Leeds' players to exploit the new-found space.

There is also the small matter of Rothwell's shot-creating actions which exceed Kamara's own figure, many of which come from dead ball situations, suggesting he possesses set-piece delivery specialism, something which Leeds fans will loathe to revisit. While an accurate delivery can only be considered such if the man on the receiving end flings himself at it, pumping dead balls into the right kinds of areas will certainly help Leeds make improvements on their set-piece conversion rate.

Most telling of all is Rothwell’s impact in and around the penalty area compared to his midfield predecessor. At Blackburn during 2021/22, he averaged one shot per 90 and a goal or assist every 243 minutes, tallying up ten assists and three goals across the entire campaign. Last season, Kamara averaged a shot once every four matches and a goal or assist in every ten.

While some supporters may be concerned at Leeds appearing to sacrifice the supreme safety in possession Kamara brings, Rothwell's numbers in areas where his predecessor excelled are not so different that a drop-off would be too noticeable. It also suggests Farke is seeking a more front-foot midfielder ahead of his 'deep six', which is likely to be Ethan Ampadu or Ilia Gruev for the upcoming campaign, both of whom are incredibly tidy on the ball for this level.

Rothwell's ball retention is still to a good standard for the Championship, but it is what he brings that Kamara could not, which could be the difference between breaking down an opponent's low block and securing a win by a single-goal margin, as opposed to a frustrating stalemate.