Leeds News

Bielsa looking to overcome shortfall with these changes, but is he taking a big risk? – Opinion

|

Let’s hope we can sign off with a flourish.

This weekend’s game is the final match before the next international break, and gives Leeds a good chance to go top of the table and enjoy looking down on the rest of the league for a fortnight or so.

As you might expect, the talking point to come out of yesterday’s press conference concerned the latest in regards to the injuries sustained by Liam Cooper and Jamie Shackleton during the victory over West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night.

Marcelo Bielsa said that there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to cover for Cooper, and that it might even include dipping into the U23 side if he has to:

 “We have inside the group Davis, Berardi, Phillips, Pascal, Casey. They have worked within the group. Pascal and Casey they are young. Davis has played with us, Phillips is an option in this sector. Berardi is the direct substitution.”

On one note, I am pleased to see that he is willing to give younger players a go even at such a crucial role like replacing the captain. However, this just goes back to the point I was making yesterday. The fact that he is even mentioning the U23s shows just how thin the squad is when it comes to experienced players. Whilst we hopefully don’t have to endure another injury crisis like the one we sustained last season, is it just me that thinks we could be playing a dangerous game by having to fall back on the academy if things do go that way?

Whilst there are obviously some talented youngsters on the books, like the aforementioned Jamie Shackleton who has made 30 appearances under Bielsa, I just feel that putting too much faith in them and relying on them to bail you out in an emergency can be a rather risky move. I’d much rather have some experienced players who have been through it all in their careers rather than a kid who is facing it all for the first time.

What about you? Do you have faith in Marcelo Bielsa and the rest of the squad to make up for Liam Cooper’s absence? Or do you think that the captain being out will cause us a lot of problems until he comes back?

Share this article