A lot of Leeds United fans are baffled by comments from Marcelo Bielsa about why Ian Poveda has not featured in the matchday squad recently.
Bielsa claimed that he organises his substitutes with two defenders, two midfielders, and two strikers.
Will Poveda play for Leeds soon?
Yes, surely he will
No, Bielsa might not rate him
It is this strikers comment that has baffled many Whites fans, who feel Leeds only have Patrick Bamford and Jean-Kevin Augustin in that position.
Bielsa on why Poveda hasn't been in the squad recently: "I always organised the substitutes with two defenders, two midfielders and two strikers." #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) February 13, 2020
This is literally a lie.
— Chris Gawman (@CGawman) February 13, 2020
We haven’t even got two strikers hahahahahahahahahahahaha
— Ashleigh (@ashlaurenn_) February 13, 2020
Two strikers, he’s a funny guy
— Craig Stewart (@craigstewart79) February 13, 2020
That’s not entirely true is it? We don’t have 2 strikers to put on the bench
— Paul???????????????? (@Gotti_LUFC) February 13, 2020
Other Leeds fans, though, think that Bielsa meant attackers and not strikers.
Strikers for Bielsa means anyone who can play across the front three, as he thinks that they’re all adaptable across there.
— Lee Grayson (@LeeGrayson) February 13, 2020
The other striker is Roberts…… come on people think about it
— Barney (@barney___21) February 13, 2020
He must mean attackers.
— Dan (@POTUS048) February 13, 2020
What do we think?
This seems like a case of the manager’s comment becoming lost in translation as Bielsa confirmed he had a fully fit squad available, which would mean that Tyler Roberts is fit and could be the other forward that Bielsa was talking about.
However, since Poveda joined from Manchester City, he has featured in two matchday squads and has only played 45 minutes of reserve football.
The 19-year-old winger will probably be hoping that he is at least on the bench for the Bristol City match.