Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has suggested Marcelo Bielsa’s stubbornness could cost the club in their hunt for automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the 45-year-old seemed bemused by the fact Ryan Edmondson was overlooked by the former Argentina boss.
Bielsa has shown he’s not afraid to call on the club’s younger players having included the likes of Oliver Casey, Alfie McCalmont and Jordan Stevens for the weekend’s game against Queens Park Rangers but he failed to include a natural striker on his substitutes bench.
Are Leeds in danger of slipping out of the automatic promotion spots?
Yes
No
When quizzed on the decision to leave the 18-year-old out, Whelan said: “You’ve only got one recognised striker in the club in the form of Patrick Bamford, if that’s all you’ve got, unfortunately, you’ve got to use him.
“He’s been scoring for fun in the U-23s, and sometimes beggars can’t be choosers.
“Even if you don’t fancy him as a player, you need some back up on the bench, you need an out-and-out striker on the bench and that’s all you’ve got, you’ve got to use him.
“It’s as simple as that, to not use him, is to be a little bit stubborn and stuck in your ways, you’ve got to have that outlet.”
TIF Tactics – Are the wheels coming off?
Leeds are in danger of throwing away their automatic promotion place with this latest defeat allowing Fulham to close the gap between the two sides to just two points.
Eddie Nketiah, who was with the club on-loan from Arsenal, has since returned to the Emirates Stadium having started in just 8% of Leeds’ Championship fixtures. Despite Bielsa deeming the England Under-21 international surplus to requirements, he will be wishing he still had him after watching Bamford play so poorly.
The former Chelsea striker has scored ten goals in 27 league appearances this season which begs the question – is he clinical enough to warrant a regular starting place in Bielsa’s side? The Argentinian certainly thinks so.
The Whites currently sit in 21st place in the Championships form guide having lost three and drawn two of their last six fixtures. With the exception of the recent thriller versus Birmingham, goals have been an issue and threaten to de-rail Leeds United’s challenge for the second season running.
Perhaps it is time Bielsa looked at including Edmondson in his matchday squad, or even looked to bring a new striker to Elland Road whilst the transfer window remains open for the next 10 days or so.