Helder Costa and Eddie Nketiah will be asking questions of Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa unless they are chosen to start league matches soon, according to Darren Bent.
The duo have yet to start a Championship match between them this term, but Costa has been used as a substitute in all six games, and Nketiah has featured in half of them.
But Sky Sports pundit Bent believes something has got to change.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “They’re definitely going to be knocking on his door and they’re going to be asking questions sooner or later.
“What you don’t want to happen is, yeah, they want to play but they’re not using them enough, they lose their heads and mentally, they’re gone.
“When they do get the opportunity, they’re not ready for it. He needs to have a look at it, give one or two of them the opportunity after the international break and start again.
“You don’t want to get to the point where you’ve got Helder Costa and Eddie Nketiah going: ‘When am I going to play, when am I going to play?’ that eventually their heads are gone when they do get the opportunity.”
Is Bent right about Costa and Nketiah?
It’s a strange one, this.
Both players have made cracking starts to their time in Yorkshire, and yet neither has managed to nail down a starting place in the Championship as of yet.
You could argue that from Bielsa’s point of view, why would he feel the need to tinker with something that isn’t broken? And with Leeds in third place, three points off the top and unlucky to lose to leaders Swansea City at the weekend, the Argentine would be justified in thinking that there isn’t an awful lot wrong at the moment.
That being said, good management isn’t just about picking up results, it’s about keeping your squad happy too, and he must start finding ways to incorporate his two new attacking talents.
Per 90 minutes, Costa is already registering 4.9 successful dribbles and three key passes, as per Whoscored.
It’s a similar picture with Nketiah, who is averaging a colossal 6.2 shots per 90, as well as 1.6 key passes, as per Whoscored.
Throw in a goal as well, and it’s clear that he is ready for the Championship.
Who should be most worried?
Patrick Bamford is the most obvious candidate for replacement.
The 25-year-old has been on fire in the early stages of the season, hitting four goals in six games, and managing 3.7 shots per match, as per Whoscored.
But while that may show that he is a real live wire, it also hints at an inefficiency in front of goal that was further emphasised by him missing a couple of clear-cut chances in the early stages of the 1-0 defeat to Swansea City.
Another few outings like that and Nketiah might get his chance.