OPINION
One of the biggest decisions that Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has made in recent weeks is to drop Samu Saiz in favour of Adam Forshaw in midfield.
The Spaniard has been one of the Whites’ most important players since his arrival from Huesca last summer, bringing a creativity to the midfield which no other squad member can provide.
While his form this season has been solid, a lack of concrete returns from Saiz – he has failed to score and has provided just two assists in 15 Championship games – may have forced Bielsa’s hand.
Forshaw’s return to the starting lineup initially came as a surprise to many, but his assured display against Nottingham Forest was followed up by a brilliant outing against Wigan to really stake his claim for that spot.
Saiz meanwhile dropped into the Under-23 side to face Crewe Alexandra on Monday, and was part of a team which fell 3-1 to the League Two side, with Bielsa in attendance.
Saiz’s personal performance was poor against Crewe, with the Spaniard struggling on a dodgy pitch against a Crewe side who were well up for the challenge.
The fact he even played for the Under-23s suggests that things may not be quite right with Saiz at the moment, and his display did little to refute that.
That, allied with Forshaw’s form and the win over Wigan without Saiz in the side, means that it is now a long road back for the 27-year-old dynamo if he wants to regain his first-team spot.
His creativity will always make him a good option on the bench, so there is little danger of him being cut from the matchday squad, but his starting place is most definitely under threat.
Few could have seen this coming earlier in the season, but it is now up to Saiz to sort himself out and fight for that spot alongside Mateusz Klich in midfield.