Leeds Live’s Beren Cross says the club’s coaching staff have been ‘encouraged’ by what they have seen from Jean-Kevin Augustin in training, however, he still has ‘many tests to pass’ before Marcelo Bielsa can be properly convinced of his ability to impact match situations.
Cross was asked how the French forward was faring in training during a recent Q&A session with a set of Leeds United supporters and he went on to say: “He absolutely needs to cut the mustard in the murderball sessions and keep on top of his weight.”
Here’s what he said in full:
“They are certainly encouraged by what they have seen so far from Augustin, but he still has many tests to pass before Bielsa can be properly sold on him in a match situation. He absolutely needs to cut the mustard in the murderball sessions and keep on top of his weight, as they all do. You can see from the footage at the top of this page, Augustin is still working with a group largely made up of the back-up attackers, rather than with the regular first team.
He has a much, much better chance of making an impact than he would have done on the original timeline for the season.”
The 22-year-old’s fitness has been a concern for the coaching staff since the lockdown and even prior, which is why he has made just three appearances in the Championship to date, playing a total of just 48 minutes for the Whites (as per Transfermarkt.co.uk).
Patrick Bamford has led the line all season for Bielsa’s side, starting in 95% of their Championship fixtures. The Englishman has scored 13 goals and provided three assists during his 36 appearances, therefore, he averages a goal every 2.8 games. His record is not too dissimilar from Augustin’s during his time in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig where he managed 20 goals in 67 appearances, averaging a game in every 3.3 games.
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TIF Thoughts…
If the former Paris Saint-Germain forward can prove his fitness, it would give Marcelo Bielsa another option up front as the Yorkshire-based club look to secure promotion back to the Premier League for the first time since their relegation in 2004. According to Cross, Augustin is ‘still working with a group largely made up of the back-up attackers, rather than with the regular first-team’.
Whilst the stoppage in the season won’t have done anybody any favours in terms of their fitness, we believe the player now stands a greater chance of being available for the closing stages of the campaign due to the delay and that’s a view shared by Beren Cross.