This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
He doesn’t help himself sometimes.
Eddie Nketiah once again came to the rescue for Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa as they drew 1-1 with Preston North End, but the debate about whether or not he should be starting ahead of Patrick Bamford is set to rumble on and on until the fans are happy.
Nketiah was brought on immediately after Preston took the lead, and speaking after the game last night, Bielsa gave some rather weird comments in how he dealt with the situation:
“Bamford is a player who helps to organise the team. The match was tight and we didn’t have one player who wasn’t playing well. It was difficult to make any changes. I was waiting for the moment to put Nketiah on the field. I was waiting for Bamford’s play to slow but when they scored, I decided to make the changes. Maybe the change could have been before. It’s a possibility.”
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This just shows how naïve Bielsa can be sometimes when it comes to managing this Leeds side. These comments prove that he is being far too ‘reactive’ as a manager instead of being ‘proactive’.
Rather than seeing change he waits for it to come to him.
Whilst Bielsa may be seen by some as one of God’s gifts to football, there is a sense of stubbornness that comes with him that is seriously holding him, and as a result, Leeds back.
He stated later that if he can’t get Bamford and Nketiah to play together, then it will reflect badly on him, so if you needed any more proof that he sees this more of an ego trip for him rather than what is best for the side, there you have it.
Nketiah now has more league goals this season than Bamford, so the writing is on the wall for who has been the more productive player this term.
But even if he does decide to go with Nketiah leading the line from now on, the question will be whether or not it’s because he wants to or he has been forced into it by the pressure from the fans. Again will he be ‘reactive’ or ‘proactive’?
With the expectations piled upon him and the club, they can’t afford to have him looking after his own career and ego, he has to put them aside or he risks going down as a failure at Elland Road.
