OPINION
While there were very few to come out of last season with any sort of reputation intact at Leeds United, fan favourite Pablo Hernandez still managed to prove that he is one of, if not the, most important players the Whites have at their disposal.
The playmaker was the focus of much attention both on and off the pitch during the 2017/18 campaign, with his performances one of a few shining lights in a disappointing season, while contract talks dominated talk when the team were not in action.
He did eventually pen a new deal at Elland Road, and with Marcelo Bielsa arriving to take charge earlier this summer, many would have been left thinking the veteran midfielder would be an integral part of the team with his vision and passing technique.
He started and played the full 90 minutes in the new manager’s first game at the club against Forest Green Rovers, but fans have seen him go missing for the next two pre-season fixtures against York City, when a much more inexperienced side lined up, and then for the draw versus Southend.
The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Phil Hay, usually the answer to questions about what is going on at Elland Road, was unable to provide an answer to the Spaniard’s absence, significantly reporting that there was no injury blow which left him sidelined.
again, told he wasn't injured. Assume he'll play at Oxford.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) July 23, 2018
Is Hernandez falling out of favour under Bielsa? Is his age affecting his fitness? Does his style not work under the new manager’s tactics, or are there attitude issues fans do not know about?
These are all questions that the supporters, who will no doubt be left perplexed by the decision to leave last season’s star man out, will be asking themselves, and with no injury, the plot simply thickens.
If he features against Oxford City on Tuesday, fears may be allayed, but this may well leave niggling doubts at the back of both the minds of fans and the player himself.