BBC pundit suggests ‘confidence has gone’ from Leeds mainstay he wants to see more from
Noel Whelan has claimed that Mateusz Klich might have lost his confidence to score goals after failing to find the net as often for Leeds United this season.
Klich, 29, has scored three goals in 34 Championship appearances this term but in Marcelo Bielsa’s first campaign at Elland Road, the Polish midfielder netted 10 times in 46 league outings.
Klich has not scored since he bagged a brace against Middlesbrough on November 30 and he will be hoping to end his dry spell in front of goal on Wednesday when Leeds face Boro again.
BBC Radio Leeds pundit Whelan wants to see Klich getting himself on the scoresheet more often than he is at the moment and reckons that his current drought is down to a lack of confidence.
“I think there’s more in him again though, there’s more in that player,” the ex-Leeds striker told Football Insider.
“There’s more goal-scoring capacity in him, considering he got into double figures last year, when it comes to goal scoring he’s had great chances as well, he should have a lot more goals to his name.
“That’s one area he can improve on and I’m sure he’d want more goals himself. He needs to shoot more from outside the box like he did last year, he needs to trust himself. It seems that goal-scoring confidence has gone.
“He was bending them in from outside the area, finishing off his penalties, goal-scoring you can always improve as a player.”
Klich may not be scoring as many goals for Leeds this season but he is certainly putting some brilliant midfield performances at the moment.
The Poland international could have easily been named man of the match in each of his last few appearances for Leeds, with Kalvin Phillips’ impressive form probably being the only thing stopping that from happening.
On Saturday, as the Whites won 1-0 against Reading, Klich was once again in top form with stats by WhoScored showing he’d made three key passes, completed both of the dribbles he attempted and made one tackle and one interception.
Phillips even called him a “tank” after the match – and we’d agree.
You don’t always have to score goals to play well and Whelan should know that.
In other Leeds United news, fans slammed this “fraud” for his performance against Reading.