The four selection headaches facing Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa

Add as preferred source on Google

Leeds United suffered their first defeat in six when Swansea City stole a late win against them last weekend.

The Whites had sat top of the Championship after keeping up with tradition and flying out of the blocks.

Marcelo Bielsa will be keen to lead his side towards the top-flight this season after losing in heartwrenching circumstances during 2018/19.

Ahead of the team’s next game, Bielsa will probably take stock of his squad and work out how to get back to winning way.

We looked at four selection headaches for Bielsa in the next week or so:

When does Eddie Nketiah start?

The Arsenal striker joined Leeds on loan during the summer transfer window but is yet to start a league game for Marcelo Bielsa.

Patrick Bamford has been given the nod and although he has done okay, surely Nketiah won’t spend the season as an impact substitute.

The 20-year-old does have three goals to his name despite not yet starting a league fixture and there seems little else that Nketiah can do to let Bielsa know he is ready to play.

One option could be to utilise a 4-4-2 system but that would mean the Argentine boss ripping up his tried and tested system that has served him so well for many years.

Jack Clarke

Although you can argue that Pablo Hernandez and Jack Harrison have looked in good shape this season, Clarke will surely get a chance at some point.

In taking him back on loan from Tottenham, Leeds have implied to the Premier League club that they will continue to help him develop as a player.

If the Whites can’t give him the game time he craves then Spurs are well within their rights to recall him when the transfer window reopens.

If Bielsa doesn’t want that to happen then he must start playing the teenager more often.

Right-back

With Luke Ayling back in training, it sets up an interesting topic of discussion for Bielsa.

The first-choice right-back is the natural option to win his place back in the side but it’s fair to say that Stuart Dallas has done superbly well.

He has deputised with aplomb and he’s a likeable figure inside the Leeds dressing room and among the supporters.

Ayling might not be quite ready to return just yet but when he is Bielsa will have a serious decision to make.

Helder Costa

Like Eddie Nketiah, the on-loan Wolves man is yet to start a league game for his new club and that seems strange.

The Portuguese winger was expected to take the Championship by storm but so far has managed just 91 minutes of Championship football.

With Clarke also chomping at the bit to play, Bielsa has some decisions to make out wide in the coming weeks.

Costa is currently paid £32,500-a-week (Spotrac) at Wolves and on that sort of money, he will hope to play in the second tier.

Leeds are set to sign Costa permanently at the end of the season as part of the loan arrangement and he will expect to receive some starting opportunities sooner rather than later.