Many Leeds United fans have been reacting on social media after former Arsenal striker Ian Wright lambasted Marcelo Bielsa for his use of Jean-Kevin Augustin, or rather lack of use.
Augustin is yet to feature in a first-team squad since his arrival on loan from RB Leipzig last month, with the boss feeling the French forward needs more time to get up to speed with the system used in West Yorkshire before he can play a role in our Championship title bid.
But Wright vigorously disagrees with the Argentine’s suggestion, and has stated that it is ‘ridiculous’ to claim Augustin is better off out of the side until Bielsa believes he is 100 per cent ready to be an integral figure at Elland Road.
“If you’re a striker, what speed do you need to be up to if you’re coming off the bench for 10 minutes at the end of a game you need to win?” Wright told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“The way to get a striker up to speed is to get him on the pitch [and] to score a couple of goals. I just cannot go with that ‘getting him up to speed’. It seems just a ridiculous thing to say.”
Was Bielsa wrong to leave Augustin out vs Wigan?
Yes
No
While Wright has no managerial experience having gone from playing football to serving as a pundit for the likes of the BBC, ITV and more recently BT, he did compete at the highest level over a number of years before announcing his retirement in 2000.
The former England striker scored 149 times in 252 games for Arsenal during a seven-year spell in North London, where he won two FA Cups, a Premier League title and ended the 1991/92 top-flight season as the league’s top ‘scorer with 29 goals.
His haul of 119 Premier League strikes is also the 19th-most of all-time in the division, suggesting he knows a thing or two about flourishing up top.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Wright’s critical comments on Bielsa’s decisions to omit Augustin against Wigan, as well as at home to Millwall…
I trust Bielsa but it does seem bizarre not to play him or even make the bench 2 games after signing
— Luke Bishop (@lufc_bishop) February 4, 2020
If you’ve got a unique style of play like we have he needs to fit with the rest of the squad, to a certain extent you’re right but if the players providing the assists put the ball where they normally do and he isn’t there it’s as much good as a striker that can’t score
— Carl Allitt (@AllittCarl) February 4, 2020
Lassogga was stone oversight but scored
— gnscloz (@gnscloz) February 4, 2020
Says the world wide respected coach, Ian Wright…
— Matt (@mattolufc) February 4, 2020
Ian Wright we already have a manager thanks if we need a new one be sure to stand behind Hockerday in the line he wouldn’t have a chance either !!! 🤡🤡
— Boycie (@ivanLUFC) February 4, 2020
Sorry I like Wrighty but I don’t agree with that one. He needs to learn the system and how he should press etc. Not really fair on him or the rest of team just to dump him in and expect him to find his way. As I keep saying the striker isn’t just about scoring, much more 2 it
— Lee Maspero (@Leemo_LUFC) February 4, 2020
Trust bielsa more thanks anyway
— kathleen williams💙💛 ALAW. (@miffy0811_a) February 4, 2020
What are Ian Wright’s management credentials again? Are they better than Bielsa’s…?
— Jon (@LufcJon) February 4, 2020
In other Leeds United news, Bielsa’s hesitancy to field Augustin was not the only thing to irk Wright.