Spiller: James Justin

[Hallgeir *]

Enig.

Tror han ble kjøpt med tanke på å være en "fringe player", men han har vært en suksess omtrent fra første innhopp. Må vel være det man kan kalle "et scoop".

[Asbjørn]

...tar med Isaac Johnsons artikkel om James Justin her. Han nevner hans ène England-opptreden for fire år siden - og tenker høyt om at hans anvendelighet er hva en slik tropp har godt av.

James Justin has joined special cohort of Leeds United stars with England question valid
The impact of James Justin's versatility - and his success in each role - cannot be understated

There are a number of signings that could be branded "bargains" in the Daniel Farke era. Ao Tanaka, Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu. James Justin is right up there with them.

Leicester City fans were taunting their Leeds United counterparts amid the initial £8m fee dished out for the full-back. Or is he a wing back? Or a central defender? So versatile is he that Farke must be rubbing his hands at the player he has within his ranks.

Not only that but he has produced in every position he has been asked to play. Against Wolverhampton Wanderers he showcased his ability to do both - scoring an over-head kick and then running back to deny Adam Armstrong a one-on-one chance not long after.

It is astonishing to think that it took until the last game of November for Justin to be given his full Premier League debut for Leeds. He is now a bread-and-butter pick of the side and even usurped Bogle at right-wing-back the last time Farke had to pick between the pair

"I've rarely played with a player of his football intelligence, how smart he is and how he reads the game," Farke said last month. "He's always there with the right decision.

"What he's doing is always 9/10. He's delivering on the highest level. It's a joy to work with him. I'm pretty sure after his career he'll be a top coach."

But as for the here and now, Justin is offering Leeds a level of quality that few foresaw upon his arrival at Elland Road. He is also offering a lot of experience, having tallied 99 Premier League appearances and an FA Cup triumph prior to his summer switch.

The 28-year-old has had to overcome adversity, with two relegations at Leicester and suffered a ruptured Achilles in 2022. He's been through a lot, but he recently told the official Leeds United podcast that this had only made him stronger and more keen to play games.

Justin has not been injured once since making Elland Road his home and looks as though he might well ensure he does not suffer personal back-to-back relegations. "It's not over until it's over," he nevertheless underlined to Sky Sports on Saturday, giving insight into this gritty mindset.

"We're on a good points total but until we are mathematically safe we will still work hard until the end."

He did add: "It's crunch time. We put two good wins back-to-back for the first time this season. What a time to do it. It gives us a bit of a buffer and it's looking good."

Justin has played a huge role in the fight for survival so far, with two Premier League goals and assists to his name as well as six clean sheets to boast about, including three in his last four top flight games. He has been a gem of a find - a jack of many trades and an expert at them too.

This versatility is exactly what is needed for both Leeds, and as it happens, tournament football. His sole England cap came nearly four years ago.

Realistically it is unlikely Justin ends his long wait for a second international outing this summer, despite on paper being someone who could be of use.

He should at least be on Thomas Tuchel's radar. Selection seems a bit late in the day now, having not played under Tuchel. But you never know. The England boss has Farke's number.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/james-justin-joined-special-cohort-33796421

[TK20]

Vårt beste forsvar når alle er friske er antakelig:

Bogle - Rodon - Bijol - Strujik - Gabby

Justin er beste reserve til samtlige av disse fem. Blir mye spilletid av sånt.

[Asbjørn]

Graham Smyth har fått James Justin i tale. Del I er ute nå:
https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-news-james-justin-voting-intention-stach-calvert-lewin-ampadu-leicester-city-8512770

Han  var med å snyte oss for opprykk på Wembley for Leicester for to sesonger siden, men valgte altså Leeds før denne sesongen:
 The way the club was operating in the transfer window gave him faith that it was going to be a good decision.

"Everyone can see clearly that we've recruited a certain way, with the experience that we've brought in and [players] playing in the highest leagues and the age range, we brought in a lot of good guys as well," he said. "So I was quite confident that we would compete well in the Premier League for sure. You never really know going into a season or joining a new club how it's really going to be until we get there. But as soon as I got here and the first few weeks were done, I was content with the choice."

Og det viktigste, sier han, er at vi er konkurransedyktige i så og si alle PL-kamper:
"I feel like we've been competitive in almost every match, bar, I don't know, maybe three this season," he said. "And everyone can see that the Premier League has been so tight this season, whereas obviously the newly promoted sides, the last six have come straight back down. But I feel like we play like men, we're a lot of people in their 'prime' age. We're fit and we work hard in training so that when it comes to match day, we can keep on going, keep on going, keep on going. And the coaching staff and the physios are really big on that. Fitness and availability also plays a huge role in survival."

...men hvem stemte han på for 'Players Player of the Season'?
The competition for the various end-of-season awards will be fierce and the votes are already in for what is arguably the most coveted prize - the Players' Player award. Previous winners have included Stuart Dallas and Ao Tanaka. It's the one voted for by their peers and the respect of the dressing room means a lot to individuals. Justin had a few candidates in mind when making his pick but when he considered a more holistic selection process he happily settled on midfielder Ethan Ampadu.

"I think Anton was one and obviously Dom as well," he told the YEP. "They were close. But I think Ethan's consistency throughout the season has just been top and obviously behind the scenes, you guys only see him for 90 minutes on the weekend, but behind the scenes, he's been big for us. I just feel like he's been a consistent player for us this season, really important in the dressing room, as well as on the pitch. Obviously, he's produced many top games, kept a level throughout the season, he's definitely taken the jump from the Championship to the Premier League in his stride and shown he's a good quality Premier League midfielder."