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Daniel James of Leeds United celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City AFC and Leeds United…Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
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Dan James in ‘incredible’ Leeds United form as EFL expert explains career-best displays
Wed 5 February 2025 09:00
Dan Owen
There are a handful of Leeds United players who can genuinely claim to be playing the best football of their careers right now under Daniel Farke.
Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu have stepped up again after an impressive 2023/24. Jayden Bogle has been ‘outstanding’ for Leeds across the last few months.
And Dan James, closing in on last season’s tally of 13 goals and eight assists, is a living, breathing, goalscoring testament to the benefits of a footballer maturing, realising what he is good at and not so good at, and adapting his game to maximise those strengths while minimising those weaknesses.
As EFL expert Ali Maxwell explains, James ranks near the bottom of all Championship wingers when it comes to completed dribbles. Leeds United’s Welsh wizard stands alone at the pinnacle, however, when it comes to registering the most shots on target and ‘expected assists’.
And forget ‘expected assists’, two actual, real-life ones appeared as a Dan James’ inspired Leeds filleted Cardiff City in a 7-0 thrashing on Saturday afternoon.
The former Swansea City and Manchester United speedster would ensure his own name would lit up the scoreboard too, finishing off in a manner the Leeds faithful have become increasingly accustomed to as he darted in at the far past to convert a Junior Firpo cross.
Daniel James of Leeds United looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United FC and Cardiff City FC at Elland Road on February …
Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images
Dan James in the form of his life at Leeds United
“We’ve got to talk about Dan James. He was the star here and I think he has been one of the stars of the league this season,” Maxwell says, Leeds’ number seven not only passing the eye test but also boasting the sort of underlying numbers most players in his position can only dream of.
“There is an argument that James has been both one of the premiere goal threats this season and it’s premiere creative player.
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“This was a trend which started last season. He just started to look so much more sure of himself, so much more composed in that final action. The output has followed with it. It’s clearly the best he has ever been right now.
“While he has always had the pace, his ability to improve in terms of end-product means he is absolutely now worthy of another shot at the Premier League.”
James perhaps lacks the skill of Largie Ramazani, the one-v-one talents of Willy Gnonto, or the mind-bending manipulation of Manor Solomon. But what makes him such a threat is those trademark jet-heeled runs in behind an opposition backline.
The sort of run from which James set up Brenden Aaronson’s opener against Cardiff before assisting Solomon only seven minutes later.
EFL expert on why James is keeping Willy Gnonto and Largie Ramazani on the bench
“I think he might have even simplified his game a bit, Dan James,” Maxwell adds. “He’s not trying to be something he’s not. James doesn’t really dribble at all. [He is such a threat because of] his speed, his acceleration, his agility to make quick runs in behind…
“There is a reason why James is starting over Gnonto and Ramazani. What James offers, probably more than anyone else in the Championship, is an incredible danger in terms of being a penetrator and we saw that against Cardiff.
“The timing of his runs, and the speed, so difficult [to stop].”
Daniel Farke was disappointed with Dan James’ lack of ruthlessness as Leeds squandered the best chances in a game of very few opportunities away to Burnley a week ago. Any frustration he may have felt on the bus journey back from Turf Moor, James bottled up and then released in emphatic fashion against Cardiff.
“Dan James is playing with so much confidence and belief,” an awe-struck former Leeds boss Simon Grayson said at full-time.
“A stunning performance. There’s been so much good movement all round. Leeds were so ruthless and that’s what I was impressed by.”
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