Bielsa shares what he really didn’t think Leeds star could do

Add as preferred source on Google

Marcelo Bielsa has suggested that he really did not think that Adam Forshaw would be able to shine in a Premier League game as he lauded the midfielder for his display as Leeds United drew with Leicester City on Sunday – in comments reported by Leeds Live.

Forshaw had, understandably, been written off by many after a torrid run of luck with injuries.

Heading into this campaign, his last first-team appearance had come in the early stages of the 2019/20 season. At the time, Leeds were in the Championship.

What surely made the process all the more painful for Forshaw were the false dawns along the way.

He featured for the under-23s in the latter stages of last season. And he had been involved in the Carabao Cup this term. However, setbacks followed both events.

‘He was ready’

But he came off the bench against Southampton and Norwich. And after impressing against the latter, Bielsa handed him a first league start in more than two years for the visit of the Foxes this past weekend.

Ultimately, Forshaw was outstanding. Plenty of Leeds fans took to social media to insist that he was the best player on the pitch in the superb 1-1 draw.

He has certainly provided reason for cautious optimism. And it seems that Bielsa was like a lot of Leeds fans, as he shared just how delighted he was for the 30-year-old after his display.

“He made good runs [against Norwich] and he was aggressive in the recovery of the ball and throughout the week in preparation for the game we saw he was ready to start,” he said, as reported by Leeds Live.

“I insist that we have to value the personal achievement of Forshaw and I do it especially because I really didn’t think he was going to be able to do this.”

Forshaw putting previous injury problems behind him would be a massive victory for Leeds this season

As difficult as it is, it is imperative that no-one gets carried away. Forshaw will know that there may well be further hurdles ahead.

But it is hard not to be absolutely over the moon for the midfielder.

He was playing the best football of his Leeds career in the weeks before he sustained the injuries that would rule him out for the best part of two years.

If his display against Leicester is a sign of what is ahead however, the best may actually be yet to come for the Leeds star.