Leeds fans react on Twitter to Marcelo Bielsa’s Joe Gelhardt comments

Add as preferred source on Google

A number of Leeds United fans have taken to Twitter to implore Marcelo Bielsa to promote Joe Gelhardt to the bench this weekend after he expressed his admiration for the youngster on Thursday.

Gelhardt has made a fantastic start to life at Leeds. He has already bagged a number of goals for their under-23s, and was forming an exciting partnership with Sam Greenwood before the striker recently got injured.

His latest display saw the forward bag two goals against Crystal Palace. And ahead of the first-team’s clash with the same opponent on Saturday, Bielsa was asked about his progress and whether he is getting closer to a potential call-up to the bench.

“Yes, he is a player that is progressing,” he said, as reported by Leeds Live. “The evolution of the whole under-23s team, we follow it closely.

“We analyse every performance of the under-23s as if it were the first team and because normally we train with 22 players and when we are missing any of those 22 players then we substitute them with some of the under-23s.”

Bielsa’s comments would perhaps suggest that Gelhardt has a little way to go before he is promoted to the senior squad. However, some supporters have taken to social media to insist that he should be given a chance as early as this weekend.

Leeds will be without Rodrigo at Selhurst Park. So it seems likely that Pablo Hernandez will start – as he did against Leicester – while Tyler Roberts may keep a place on the bench.

Roberts has not managed to make too much of an impact since the Whites sealed promotion. And some feel that Gelhardt has actually staked a bigger claim for a spot in the match day squad than the Wales international.

It remains to be seen if Bielsa will decide to promote Gelhardt anytime soon. But it is clear that the Leeds boss is aware of the teenager knocking on the door.

Here is what some of the supporters made of Bielsa’s comments…