OPINION
The injury problems with Adam Forshaw go on after the battling midfielder was ruled out of the huge Championship clash against Sheffield United on Saturday.
That news was confirmed by Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa in his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon. Bielsa said that Forshaw was “in the final stages of recovery” but he’s been saying that for a long time now.
Forshaw’s injury has been far worse than expected by Leeds and he’ll now have missed eight games, if you include the Sheffield clash tomorrow, since he last played in the 3-1 defeat against Norwich.
Bielsa said he might make the next game, against Middlesbrough, and Forshaw was then in the frame for the Swansea clash, before mysteriously dropping off the radar.
Leeds have done okay without him to be fair, winning five and drawing one of the seven games, leaving them in second place in the Championship. But Forshaw is a big miss. Let’s not forget that this was the player who Bielsa actually preferred to Leeds’ player of the season Kalvin Phillips in the Norwich game.
The good news for Leeds and Forshaw is that the international break gives him another two weeks to recover before the Millwall game, although Forshaw may have to go down the Under-23s route first – this is Bielsa’s normal return procedure for injured players.
If he’s not back for the Millwall game, there has to be a serious question over what part he’ll be able to play for the rest of the season. And that will be a massive concern for Leeds fans, who know that they’re only one injury away from being left exposed in the middle of midfield.