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Whelan in awe of 'brilliant' Firpo after 'great' Leeds reveal
Noel Whelan has insisted Junior Firpo is showing what a “valuable player he can be” at Leeds United after a tough start at the club.
The former Whites striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, claimed the 25-year-old was “brilliant” in last week’s clashes against Crystal Palace and Brentford.
Firpo turned in a solid 68-minute display in his return to the eleven as Leeds United clawed back a late point with a 2-2 draw against the Bees yesterday (5 December).
As per LUFCDATA on Twitter (5 December), Firpo recorded the joint-most final third passes, duels won, and tackles won during the clash.
Whelan suggested an extra week of training has done the Spaniard a world of good following an injury layoff.
“He was brilliant – both yesterday and when he came on against Palace on Tuesday,” he told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury.
“He had that extra week of training and sharpness under his belt, and he looked a lot better.
“Sometimes it can take that few months for a player to really bed in and understand the philosophy and what he’s being asked to do.
“You can see the quality and what an athlete he is. Now it’s just about putting in those consistent displays.
“With his performances in the last one and a half games, you can see what a valuable player he can be. It’s another positive after a great week.“
Firpo was hooked at half-time against Brighton last month, with BBC pundit Micah Richards labelling his performance a “disaster” (27 November).
Leeds United signed the former Barcelona full-back in the summer window for a reported £12.8million.
Firpo has made 10 league appearances for the Whites so far this term.
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