The Underrated Robin Koch

and Why We Shouldn’t Give Rumours Airtime

Robin Koch deserves your respect. Ever since he finally got an extended run at the back, owing to Leeds actually having midfielders, he’s looked, probably, the most solid centre back at the club barring Max Wöber, and the Austrian only arrived in January. In a part of the league table where the club desperately needs known quantities to cling to, at a time when so much has changed, you know what Robin Koch is going to give you. 7 out of 10 every week.

It helps too that he’s over the injuries that plagued his first two years at the club, particularly last season, when Koch missed 19 games through injury, then would be seen playing in holding midfield filling in for fellow treatment table resident Kalvin Phillips. It was a position that didn't seem to suit him - though he had played there in Germany for Freiburg, in hindsight Bielsa’s make do and mend philosophy and the board’s lack of foresight did him no favours. Robin Koch was never a premier league midfielder, but he was the next best thing. Thankfully, the desperately needed arrivals of Adams, Roca, and then McKennie have allowed Koch to play in his best position this season - Koch hasn’t played in midfield since April last year against Crystal Palace.

It’s also true that the change of partner seems to have helped. Since Liam Cooper lost his place through injury and Max Wöber arrived in the team, miscommunications the likes of which at home to Man City, an under-hit square ball letting city in for Haaland to double the arrears, before going on to win 3-1 that night. For all that Liam Cooper is a modern legend - and he is, he just is, and I’ll die on this hill - apart from the Bielsa years he’s always had an error in him, whereas Wober is a calm head, and an effective sweeper at the back. Many attacks these days are snuffed out by an ambush sliding tackle from Wober, and it’s this security that allows Koch to play his more natural, proactive game. According to Fbref, no other centre back at Leeds has made more blocks, interceptions or clearances, and only Pascal Struijk and Rasmus Kristensen have made more tackles, if you consider all defenders.

Leeds also finally appear to have a settled back 5, of Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Wober and Firpo, which they may not have had since the promotion season with that unit of Meslier, Ayling, White, Cooper, and Berardi. The resurgence of Firpo has been particularly important to that stability, given the club have been crying out for a decent natural left back since Charlie Taylor decided he’d rather train out of a portacabin in Burnley, and just as important for himself - Junior has now completed 90 minutes in the league 5 times in a row for the first time in almost 4 years. He never managed it for Barcelona. Though the league table doesn’t lie, since Gracia took over Leeds have only conceded twice from open play in the league (and as we all know from Bielsa, set pieces are basically cheating). It just looks a lot calmer at the back, and a lot must come from how settled the defence has become.

Koch’s been a huge part of that new sense of stability, as the only ever present in the defence this season - only Meslier has played more minutes. Imagine the shock then when the rumour came out a week - seemingly out of nowhere and without much basis - that he was seeking a move back to Germany, which was followed by the unfortunately customary negative comments from the Leeds fans who have apparently never rated him, that he’s never been good enough, that Leeds deserve better… do we? It’s so disheartening when this part of a fan base comes out, the kind that love to jump on any negative story coming out of the club. This was, of course, followed by a lot of more substantial messages to the contrary, with Koch himself stating he would one day like to be the captain of the club, then rumours of a new contract, which would surely be richly deserved and a great move. This good news was then followed by more clickbait, linking the German with a move to spain. Cue yawns and groans, and more negative comments. This stuff is tiring. Tiring and unnecessary.

Leeds United of course have a proud tradition in righteous fury and vitriol. Surely it would be much more helpful to turn that on the people pumping out this kind of potentially derailing negativity, rather than the players that represent us every weekend and that need our support in this situation as much as any other. Particularly somebody like Robin Koch, who has had a quietly good season so far and appears to be looking at sticking around for the long haul. It’s a stressful period, and there’s going to be a lot more nonsense going around than just this - but let's not eat ourselves.

By Adam Geldart | @whitesmoke_lufc