BBC pundit Noel Whelan has said he expects Marcelo Bielsa to make three changes for the next Championship game against Barnsley.
Bar injuries, the manager has kept faith with the same group of players that surged to the top of the Championship after five games before Leeds suffered their first defeat of the season against Swansea on Saturday.
The 1-0 defeat was also the first time that Leeds haven’t found the net this season and Whelan thinks that is going to prompt changes from Bielsa.
Whelan thinks that Patrick Bamford, Jack Harrison and Ezgjan Alioski will be dropped, with Eddie Nketiah, Helder Costa and Barry Douglas coming into the side.
Writing on Football Insider, BBC Radio Leeds man Whelan said, “Marcelo Bielsa will start again during the international break and have a look at making changes. The first change I would expect to see is Eddie Nketiah starting. It’s time for him to be given a go.
“It’s the same with Helder Costa, who has also looked good coming on from the bench. Patrick Bamford should drop down for a game, as well as Jack Harrison.
“Bamford has not done a great deal wrong but Leeds need to freshen up a little bit and Barnsley will be a stubborn, physical, well-drilled side.
“Leeds need some guile and cleverness, and Nketiah and Costa would provide that. I would also expect Douglas to come in for Alioski at left-back as he started the season before injury.”
Same old Leeds
The Swansea game would have been particularly frustrating for Bielsa. It highlighted the same old problems for his side – domination without being able to convert chances.
The attack momentum graph from SofaScore shows just how dominant Leeds (on top) were during the game.
Leeds had 61% of possession and 21 shots to Swansea’s seven, only to concede to a sucker-punch from Wayne Routledge in injury time.
Not converting chances was the story of last season too and while Bamford has been in decent form with four goals from six league games, he missed some glaring chances on Saturday.
Nketiah and Costa could be the answer. They’ve already linked up beautifully for two goals this season and after not getting a start in six games in the Championship, they’ll be raring to go.
Nketiah looks like a natural goal-scorer and he’s scored three in 197 minutes so far for Leeds. He deserves a run in the first team.