Danny Mills claims Leeds are too reliant on Pablo Hernandez

Add as preferred source on Google

Danny Mills believes Leeds United have a major issue with scoring when their talisman Pablo Hernandez drifts out of games.

The 34-year-old playmaker popped up with a lofted finish on Saturday afternoon against Nottingham Forest, but Lewis Grabban responded with a scrappy equaliser to earn a point at Elland Road for the visitors.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side should be kicking themselves after a 1-1 home draw with Forest, as they applied so much pressure on their opponents and weren’t clinal enough in the final third.

Hernandez has started the season with two goals in two games and drifted in off the right for his strike against Forest.

But the Whites saw centre-forward Patrick Bamford come up short with his finishing and there wasn’t much from any of his teammates either.

Sky pundit Mills has explained that Leeds have a big problem of breaking down teams when their talisman isn’t quite on form all game.

Attacking midfielder Hernandez still weighed in with a vital contribution, but wasn’t at his dazzling best throughout.

“Pablo Hernandez scored a great goal, but he wasn’t in the game an awful lot apart from that and that’s Leeds’ biggest problem,” Mills said on Sky Sports’ Main Event channel (2:40pm, 10 August).

“If he’s not in the game, they need that little bit of a spark and a little bit more creativity when teams sit in and defend deep.”

TBR’s View:

Hernandez once again delivered for Leeds this season, but they are going to need more than just him if they are to get over the line for promotion.

The Forest draw was a game they should have collected maximum points in and something that Bielsa needs to address.

The likes of Mateusz Klich, Jack Harrison, Helder Costa and Patrick Bamford are going to have to chip in heavily with goals if Leeds don’t possess a 25-goal striker.

Eddie Nketiah has arrived from Arsenal and is renowned as a natural goalscorer, but it would be a big ask for him to deliver huge numbers during his first loan away from the Emirates Stadium.