Leeds: Farke’s “quality” 21 y/o ace stole the show vs Ipswich
The Whites are finally up and running in the Championship after clinching victory at the Portman Road Stadium.
Leeds United secured their first win of the season against Ipswich in a thrilling 4-3 victory.
Georginio Rutter made a strong debut, scoring a goal and receiving an average Sofascore rating of 7.7.
The win gives Leeds a platform to build upon and renewed confidence in their prospects for the season.
Leeds United clinched their first victory of the season in an enthralling encounter against high-flying Ipswich Town, with Daniel Farke’s side defeating their newly promoted opposition 4-3 at Portman Road.
How did Leeds perform against Ipswich?
In what was one of the most frenetic openings to a match the 2023/24 campaign has seen, Leeds rebounded from Joe Rodon’s early own goal to blast three past Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky inside 20 minutes, with Georginio Rutter, Wilfried Gnonto and new striker Joel Piroe the scorers.
Nathan Broadhead halved the deficit in the dying embers of the first half, but Luis Sinisterra’s 72nd-minute strike all but confirmed Farke’s first victory with the Elland Road side, before Conor Chaplin’s goal gave the Tractor Boys a late consolation.
The defensive frailties that have plagued the Whites over the past few years were there to be seen, but the attacking intent was also on the front shelf, and Farke and his team will be delighted with the performance of Rutter, who could be set for a big season after struggling last year.
How did Georginio Rutter perform against Ipswich?
Before taking the job, Farke informed the Leeds hierarchy that the club would need to score 75+ goals in the league this season if they were to have a chance of securing an immediate return to the Premier League.
The fact that Piroe netted on his debut after his £10.5m move with Swansea City will have been galvanising for his manager and the endearing Whites support, who will now have renewed confidence regarding the outfit’s seasonal prospects, with Piroe’s record of 19 and 22-goal seasons across the past two years hinting that Leeds now have a thriving frontman.
The one-time PSV Eindhoven youngster impressed on the day, converting after Hladky failed to deal with Sinisterra’s cross and earning an average Sofascore rating of 6.9, hitting the target three times, making one key pass and completing 79% of his total passes.
While Piroe did impress, Rutter’s own maiden goal for the West Yorkshire team will have also left his manager delighted, and indeed optimistic when considering the Frenchman’s future at the club.
Praised by The Athletic’s Phil Hay for his “quality” effort, restoring parity after Town’s opening goal, Rutter impressed with his blend of dribbling, incisiveness and creativity – truly a multi-functional offensive outlet.
The £70k-per-week gem recorded an average match rating of 7.7 – the highest of any Leeds player – complementing his driven strike with two key passes, success in three of his six dribble attempts and winning eight of his 15 duels, emphasising his tenacity and willingness to get stuck in to obtain three points.
The important thing is that Leeds got the win – against an in-form outfit that had won their opening three matches, no less – and while it was not a flawless performance, Farke now has a platform on which to build and a crop of players with a renewed passion to fight for a place back in the big time.
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