Phil Hay, speaking on the latest episode of The Phil Hay Show, has revealed that Marcelo Bielsa was happy to go into the season with just Patrick Bamford and Eddie Nketiah as his two strikers.
Hay discussed many Leeds United topics, but he spent quite a bit of time on how Bielsa saw his squad and how he was happy with the team he had at the beginning of the season.
Here is what Hay had to say about Bielsa:
“I always feel that an additional centre-back or another midfielder and certainly another striker would be advantageous.
“But Bielsa just doesn’t see it like that, and he was certainly happy to go into the season with Nketiah and Bamford – in his head, it was a decent front two, and I know that the club have spoken to him before and have said ‘what would be your contingency if there were injuries?’
“And he says: ‘If Bamford is injured, I’ll play Tyler Roberts up front. If Tyler Roberts is injured, I’ll play Jack Harrison at number nine.’
“It is adapting; it’s kind of being flexible in a way that most managers wouldn’t be.”
It seems that Bielsa was happy to have Nketiah and Bamford and was not bothered about having another striker even though Hay believed Leeds needed one.
Do you agree with Bielsa's plan of only two strikers?
No, we needed to have someone else
Yes, I trust him no matter what
TIF Thoughts…
Nketiah made 17 league appearances for the Whites and popped up with three goals in the Championship before Arsenal decided to recall him, and Mikel Arteta has used him in the Premier League since.
On the other hand, Bamford has played every league game bar one and has scored 14 goals this season, which is a handy return from the 26-year-old.
However, now that Jean-Kevin Augustin’s loan has ended, Leeds only have Bamford and Roberts as first-team forwards.
So, for the Whites’ sake, we hope neither of them pick up an injury as Leeds continue their push for promotion.