Javi Gracia relationship issue emerges at Elland Road amid Leeds United ‘confusion’ – Phil Hay
There is a relationship issue between Leeds United fans and Javi Gracia with their last few Premier League results not particularly satisfying, according to Phil Hay.
The Whites have lost three of their last four Premier League games in recent weeks conceding a whopping 14 goals in the process, leaving them just a point off Leicester City who sit in 18th.
Gracia has faced plenty of criticism for the results with one of the major issues emerging from Elland Road surrounding his constant refusal in starting one of the club’s most prized assets in Wilfried Gnonto.
And according to Hay, speaking on his The Phil Hay Show podcast [28 April, 06m01s] there is a lot of confusion and friction regarding the club’s recent form and about the way the Italian wonderkid isn’t being used
He said: “It’s an added bonus to not be in the bottom three, as long as it’s like that, you’ve clearly got a chance. But there is clearly a problem with the relationship between the crowd and the board. That’s very apparent and it was very apparent at Fulham.
“There is, after Tuesday, an issue in the relationship between the crowd and Gracia because what’s gone over the last two or three games hasn’t satisfied people. There are little subplots in team selection and the use of substitutes and so on, of which Willy Gnonto is definitely the biggest at the moment. There’s a lot of confusion about the way he’s being used – or the way he isn’t being used.”
Baffling
Gracia’s refusal not to start Gnonto certainly has not been the main factor in the dreadful results Leeds United have tasted over the past few games but given his qualities and influence in the final third, the Spaniard’s decisions have been particularly baffling leading some to believe that there must have been something going on behind-the-scenes which has led his omissions.
The 19-year-old has enjoyed a stellar first season in England, contributing four goals and three assists in 21 appearances in all competitions but more crucially possesses amazing trickery, 1v1 dribbling, pace and technical skill to unlock even the best defence in the Premier League.
Not only is Gracia hurting the Whites’ chances of survival but also hurting the chances of Leeds United keeping the Italian winger for the long haul with the teenager already attracting interest from his homeland having just been a Leeds first-teamer for all of six months.
Constantly choosing the struggling Brendan Aaronson over Gnonto remains a stick for Leeds United fans to beat the Spaniard with and considering the Whites’ nervous position in the table, maybe it’s time the former Watford manager changes tact and starts the Italian with Luis Sinisterra potentially facing an injury lay-off.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have confirmed they want a new version of one under-fire senior player in an official update.