Many Leeds United fans have been left fearful on social media after Marcelo Bielsa confirmed that Kiko Casilla and Patrick Bamford will start against Bristol City on Saturday.
Casilla has opened all 32 of our Championship fixtures thus far this term, in which he has kept a division-high 12 clan sheets but also been beaten 30 times.
Seventeen of the goals that Casilla has allowed in this league season have also come in our last ten games, while failing to record another shut out since keeping Hull City from scoring during our 2-0 win on December 10.
High-level blunders against Nottingham Forest and Brentford in the past week have left vast corners of the fanbase dismayed and calling for a change in goal, but Bielsa will not deviate from the former Real Madrid man, at least this weekend.
“Casilla is going to play,” Bielsa stated at his pre-game press conference, via quotes by Leeds Live. “And Bamford [will start] as well.”
What will the result be vs Bristol City?
Win
Draw
Loss
Like Casilla, Bamford has been a mainstay of Bielsa’s plans this season having started 30 of his 31 Championship appearances and only failing to feature in one match due to a dead leg ahead of the New Year.
The 26-year-old’s place in the side has led to a team-high 12 goals – more than double that of second-most man Jack Harrison (five) – though Bamford has required as division-high 110 shots to achieve his double-figure tally.
Bamford has also missed the target more often than any other second-tier player with 56 of his shots falling wide of the goal frame, missed more big chances than any other player (20) and currently boasts a conversion rate of just 13%.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Bielsa’s early team news ahead of Saturday’s clash with Bristol City…
@Jhepworth14 Can’t wait to lose
— Matty (@mattyscott22) February 13, 2020
This 🤡 in goal will cost us promotion again. Unbelievable stubbornness from Bielsa
— Lee Hammond (@Leemhammond) February 13, 2020
Beggars belief
Why have a squad of 18, the man wants a squad of 11 and the 23’s
Meslier will be off in the summer
There’s backing your player when they have a bad game but Kiko has cost us last season and is given a goal a game away this time
Madness #lufc— N (@N65590035N) February 13, 2020
— george (@georgeIufc) February 13, 2020
First time I’ve ever doubted Bielsa is over this blind, unwavering, hard to justify loyalty to his underperforming & costly GK
— Pete (@35Pete3) February 13, 2020
His stubbornness is going to cost us…
— Ryan (@RyanHLUFC) February 13, 2020
— H (@_h4rryy) February 13, 2020
And he wonders why fans despair. He is the one constant factor costing half a dozen or more goals over last few weeks he clearly isn’t interested LEEDS you will get what you deserve for lack of investment intelligence and sheer bloody mindedness
— andrew rawnsley (@razzerrawns) February 13, 2020
In other Leeds United news, the club are eying a 9-goal striker, valued at €4m, ahead of the summer market.