Lots of Leeds United fans have been urging Marcelo Bielsa to axe Ezgjan Alioski and field Barry Douglas in the first-team after starring with the Under 23s.
Douglas has been out of the senior fold since the 2-0 loss at home to Sheffield Wednesday last month, having sustained an injury to his side against the Owls.
The blow has kept the 5 ft 9 left-back out of the matchday squad in our past four Championship fixtures, three of which have been opened by Alioski as the North Macedonia international nailed down a role for himself after replacing Stuart Dallas against Queens Park Rangers at the break.
But lots of fans want to see Douglas regain the position, having provided a “quality delivery” for the U23s as they thrashed Bolton Wanderers’ academy 4-1 on Monday.
Douglas opened the match for youth boss Carlos Corberan and had a relatively quiet first half, but connected with half-time substitute Jordan Stevens just three minutes after the break to notch our third goal of the game.
Stevens lashed home a volley after Douglas lifted a floating corner kick into the box, where the Gloucester-born midfield prospect ran in unchallenged at the back post to score.
Should Bielsa bring Douglas back into the first-team?
Yes
No
Bielsa’s Whites have struggled to score from set-pieces in the Championship this season, with United only finding the net for six of our 46 goals with dead-ball scenarios (excluding penalties).
No team in the second-tier have scored from fewer set-pieces than we, while promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion are third with 14 goals.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans called for Bielsa to award Douglas his return to the first-team fold…
Douglas should be back in the first team, he has a quality delivery which is something we have been missing for ages.
— John (@John90459084) February 10, 2020
Need Douglas on corners for 1st team
— Andreas🇭🇰💙💛 (@longdong_wong) February 10, 2020
How does alioski keep Douglas out at lb ?
— james fenemore snork, UTG (@markme1967) February 10, 2020
Announce Douglas at LB and on corners.
— Andrew Clarke 💙💛 🐧 (@bigDlufc1919) February 10, 2020
Douglas should be playing in the first team.
— Herbie Jassi (@herbie1178) February 10, 2020
Start baz Alioski is a liability
— Dan Paton (@DanPaton5) February 10, 2020
@SamCLFC he’s worth his place purely on set pieces
— Dave ™️ (@daveflo10) February 10, 2020
Douglas needs come back in the team needs play himself back into form quality player when on it
— gnscloz (@gnscloz) February 10, 2020
In other Leeds United news, a prominent Whites pundit has demanded more from a £2.7m-rated man leaving his teammates “fearful” after recent blunders.