While Marcelo Bielsa’s reign as Leeds manager probably came to an end at the right time, there’s no hiding from the fact he suffered from some torrid luck this season.
He had a squad ravaged with injuries, missing key players for large chunks of the season. Kalvin Phillips has been missing since mid-December with Patrick Bamford only managing six Premier League outings so far.
While his stubbornness to adapt to the situation may have been the final nail in the Argentine’s coffin, Jesse Marsch is already losing players as Tyler Roberts picked up an injury in his first game in charge.
Is Roberts of Premier League quality?Yes
No
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Jesse Marsch gutted?
The American manager is already suffering the same misfortune as his predecessor and it only took him one game to get his first injured player! He’s already facing an uphill battle to keep Leeds up, and he is going to need all the help he can get.
Leeds have a slender gap to the drop zone but have played more games than their rivals, putting them in a precarious position, and losing players is not ideal for Marsch in this crucial spell so early in his Premier League career.
While he may not get the headlines the likes of Raphinha get, Roberts has still been a valuable squad member for Leeds this season, making 26 appearances – to lose that level of first-team experience will certainly be a blow to Marsch.
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Tyler Roberts’ Leeds career over?
Although he does have a lot of minutes under his belt this season, he doesn’t normally play anywhere near that much if Bamford is available for selection. The good news for Marsch is Bamford is ready to return for the Whites after remaining on the bench for the entirety of the Leicester game.
That could be a worry for Roberts. If Bamford can stay clear of further injuries, he’s a definite starter for Leeds and limits the minutes Roberts gets. The longer he is out the less time he has to impress a new manager and he could then be shown the exit door at Elland Road should Marsch prefer other options/making his own signings.
We’ve seen in the past that the 23-year-old Roberts is far from a fan favourite at the club so you’d imagine they won’t miss him too much. He only has one goal and assist in his 26 first team appearances this campaign, a worrying stat for any forward at any level.
In other news, Jesse Marsch’s actions noted by BBC duo