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MOT View: Leeds starlet could solve problem after shining Monday display
There is no hiding the fact that Leeds United potentially have a problem in the heart of defence once again this season.
Gaetano Berardi has been expected to cover both Liam Cooper and Ben White at the beginning of the Championship campaign. The Swiss enforcer has already been called upon.
Cooper picked up an injury in the 1-0 victory over West Brom. He has been missing since and we have had to call upon the unreliable Berardi since.
Monday night saw the under-23s welcome Burnley to Elland Road. We were there to see Cooper step up his recovery.
The game finished 1-1 despite Leeds dominating the contest. It was one of the Whites’ other defensive options that caught the eye.
Oliver Casey can play in midfield but was part of a back three on Monday evening. The 19-year-old was the standout performer at Elland Road.
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It was clear to see why Marcelo Bielsa named him as a potential replacement for Cooper before the Millwall defeat [Leeds Live].
Casey was calm in possession and everything that Bielsa would want from a defender in his system. He dictated play from the right-hand side and looked very similar to White.
His physicality was what impressed the most. On an evening where Burnley’s attacking duo got the best of Cooper and Pascal Struijk numerous times, Casey stayed strong and wasn’t beaten once.
In a defence that featured first-team players such as Cooper, Jamie Shackleton, and Leif Davis, Casey was the standout man – something that can not be ignored by the senior side.
Should Casey continue in the same form as his shining display on Monday, he could the next starlet to make the breakthrough – potentially solving a defensive headache.
In other Leeds news, Leeds Under-23s rated after 1-1 draw v Burnley as Cooper picks up knock