Pundit Paul Robinson has claimed that Joe Gelhardt could potentially start for Leeds in their first game under new manager Jesse Marsch against Leicester City.
Gelhardt has featured 10 times in the Premier League this season under former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa, according to Transfermarkt, and could be set for another start against Leicester.
Due to Patrick Bamford’s lengthy period on the sideline due to injury, Bielsa struggled to find a suitable forward replacement, which has been a key factor as they find themselves in a relegation scrap.
Robinson has claimed that there could be a potential start for the 19-year old under Jesse Marsch as hopes to turn things around at Elland Road.
Robinson told MOT Leeds News: “Marsch could potentially play Gelhardt.
“If he has been sounded out for this job then he will have watched the recent Leeds performances and will have his own ideas. But he’s working with the same group of players as what Marcelo Bielsa had.
“Patrick Bamford and Kalvin Phillips are not going to get fit overnight, neither is Liam Cooper, so his options are actually limited because the club didn’t go into the transfer market in January.
“Whether that’s the fault of the club because they didn’t have the finances to do that or whether that’s the fault of the manager because he didn’t want any more new players in the squad, we don’t know that.
“But whoever’s in charge, Bielsa or Marsch, they’re hugely hampered by the lack of players available. You can’t change that much.”
TIF Thoughts on Joe Gelhardt…
Gelhardt has been an unused substitute in three of his last five games, so he may be one of the Leeds players to be happy to see a new manager come into the building as everyone will be given a clean state to prove to the boss what they can do.
Patrick Bamford’s injury has hindered Leeds this season, last campaign he scored 17 crucial goals as he helped Leeds secure a top 10 finish. But this season he has featured just six times due to injury, and the only other real recognised forwards at the club are 19-year-old Joe Gelhardt and Rodrigo.
At just 19-years-old, it would be unfair to put the pressure solely on him to source goals, so Bielsa opted for Welsh international Dan James to lead the line, but with the new manager coming in, Marsch may well throw Gelhardt into the side.
With Leeds’ poor form of late, whilst conceding 10 goals with no reply in their last two games, Marsch will need to try something new, and putting a hungry youngster like Gelhardt into the side may be just what the Whites need.