After Leeds were relegated last season, many players took advantage of a contract clause to leave the club on loan, joining Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
No side allowed more Premier League goals than Leeds did last season, but Frankfurt has the toughest backline in the German top league this season, allowing only five in seven games.
“In Leeds, it was very high pressing and thus also extreme risk at the back,” Koch remarked on the Eintrach vom Main podcast, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post (13 October). It’s naturally more enjoyable for a defender to play to nought for a change or to concede less goals in general.
“We don’t just defend in threes [at Eintracht].”
“After relegation, it was not an easy situation,” he said of his personal feelings after sliding into the second division with Leeds. I didn’t want to know anything at first since I was disappointed and needed to digest the situation.”
Koch joins the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen, and Luis Sinisterra on a lengthy list of players who Leeds fans will adore.
A group of players that got the club into trouble may have stayed, fought hard, and sought to get the club back into the first flight as soon as possible.
Instead, they took the easy way out, which was made feasible by the previous regime’s nonsensical terms incorporated into contracts at Elland Road.
Koch discussed Leeds’ defensive struggles, which are all understandable, but isn’t it time for everyone to move on?
Leeds are in much better shape now that they are owned by 49ers Enterprises and managed by Daniel Farke. Everyone in the club is focused on this, and properly so. Let’s get this international break over with and start pushing again.
In other Leeds United news, Charlie Cresswell’s performance on international duty has given Daniel Farke pause for concern.
