A section of Leeds United fans took to Twitter to slate Samuel Saiz for his physical condition as the club secured a 2-1 pre-season friendly win over Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday night.
Saiz was named in the starting XI by new manager Marcelo Bielsa in a front three alongside spearhead Kemar Roofe and fellow 2017 arrival Ezgjan Alioski.
Goals from Roofe and Luke Ayling secured the victory for United but supporters expressed concern about the state of their Spanish playmaker.
This Is Futbol has rounded up some of the best tweets:
#lufc Saiz has had a Tomas Brolin style off season.
— J S (@M4rtyFunkhouser) July 17, 2018
Saiz looking like a fish out of water. I know, first game but he’s got to get involved more. #lufc
— Prokyp (@Prokyp) July 17, 2018
is it just me who thinks saiz looks like he’s put abit off timber on #lufc
— Simmo (@1simmo1) July 17, 2018
Saiz looks like he needs to lose some timber! #Lufc
— Gazman (@geeman265) July 17, 2018
Is Saiz channelling his hidden Paddy Kenny? #LUFC
— FatBob (@FatBob0) July 17, 2018
Saiz is a fatty just saying #LUFC so was Maradona though ????
— Charlie Bucket (@CharlieBucket7) July 17, 2018
Swear Saiz is looking more and more like Pat Butcher
— ??????????????? (@deancore) July 17, 2018
COMMENTARY:
Given the number of comments about Saiz’s condition, it appears to be a key issue for many Leeds supporters. Pre-season is used by many managers to get their players up to peak fitness, shake off the cobwebs of summer and develop a playing style that can bear fruit in the upcoming season. The Spanish playmaker will have a key role for United after demonstrating his class in a debut campaign that was brilliant up until Christmas and then tailed off badly after his suspension for spitting at the start of the new year. Bielsa will demand the 2017 signing knuckles down, gets super fit and is able to hit the ground running when the Championship season proper begins. Leeds fans are right to be alarmed, but they can expect their demanding manager to hammer Saiz if he does not shape up.