Setting the expectations a little bit too high don’t you think?
That was my takeaway from one of the key bits of team news ahead of this weekend’s clash with Manchester City. With Jack Harrison ineligible due to being on loan from Pep Guardiola’s side, Marcelo Bielsa revealed that Gjanni Alioski will be the man to replace the 23-year-old at Elland Road.
However, when announcing the news, Bielsa let slip that he believes Alioski isn’t going to be there just to make up the numbers, saying that he could do the winger’s job as good as, if not better than Harrison:
TEAM NEWS: Bielsa says Leeds United have no fresh injury worries. Alioski is set to replace Harrison who is ineligible: “Harrison is very important. Alioski is able to do as well or better than Harrison. And thereafter there is the game where you have to show it.” #lufc
— Adam Pope (@apopey) October 1, 2020
Will we spend more than £100m this window?
Yes
No
Now I’m not sure if that’s meant to be some form of motivational tool, but I just think it was a bit weird to say that a replacement player can do a better job than someone in the starting line-up. It makes you think that they should be the one’s starting.
Jack Harrison has already settled into Premier League life incredibly well, and is on pace to match or even better the numbers that he has produced in his first two seasons at the club, and to do that in the Premier League will only make keeping hold of him at the end of the season all the more difficult.
But at least we know we’ve got a decent replacement to take his place, at least that’s what Bielsa’s implying.
What about you? What do you make of Bielsa’s comments?