[Getty Images]
On Anton Stach’s social media accounts this season, he has cosplayed as Wolverine from the X-Men, Wednesday Adams and, before the Aston Villa game on Saturday, Cruella de Ville.
The German’s quirky humour has kept his team-mates’ spirits high, but his performances have stood out even more than his oddly delightful posts.
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By January, the midfielder was standing statistically above the entire league being the only player to make over two tackles (2.1), have over two shots (2.2) and create more than two chances (2.4) per 90 minutes.
He is the only player to hit those numbers for any newly promoted club in the past 15 years.
But it is his direct free-kicks that are the most eye-catching.
After Saturday, Stach has scored directly from three free-kicks now this season – a screamer into Wolves’ top corner in September, a floated, curled effort past Crystal Palace in December, and Saturday’s goal-of-the-season contender at Villa Park.
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In finding a set-piece specialist, Leeds have unearthed a rarity – Stach’s three goals from free-kicks is the most anyone has scored direct from a set-piece in Europe’s top five leagues since the start of last season.
The German is a tall, imposing figure, as adept at defending as he is at attacking, a classic number eight reminiscent of Gary McAllister.
He is on a four-year contract and, at 27, will spend his peak years in West Yorkshire. He is likely to define Leeds’ next few seasons as they attempt to cement themselves as a Premier League mainstay.
Stach is blossoming into a cult hero, capable of the spectacular on and off the pitch. And a few more performances like the one against Aston Villa and he will be staking a claim for player of the season by May.
Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock