Joe Gelhardt: ‘Bizarre’ question over Leeds United future has easy answer
Joe Gelhardt will be back in the Leeds United team before long and will be needed regularly despite his “shock” exclusion vs Aston Villa, says Beren Cross.
The 20-year-old was fit for the 0-0 draw at Elland Road on Sunday (2 October) but Jesse Marsch left him out anyway, with deadline day arrival Willy Gnonto taking up a place on the bench instead.
That raised doubts over the young forward’s future at the club, with Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo both ahead of him, and a crowd of prolific under-21s pushing to make the step up behind him, but Cross believes the rampant injury issues at the club will provide him plenty of opportunities in the coming weeks.
Writing in his Wednesday morning Leeds Live column (5 October) he said: “Last weekend’s omission did at least pose the question of what game time Gelhardt can hope to have between now and the January transfer window.
“It seems bizarre to even question it at a club which came out of the summer window still lacking the senior, top-level striker many fans had craved.”
He went on: “There are too many ifs and buts for there to be any serious concerns about the striker’s game time.
“Bamford, Rodrigo, Gnonto and most of the attacking midfielders would all need to stay fit for every forthcoming match to even make Gelhardt a debate.”
Since that has so rarely happened over the last year or so, he finished with: “Gelhardt’s going to be needed and he’s going to be needed regularly as Leeds go looking for goals.
“It won’t be long before he’s back on the field and reminding everyone of the genius flashes we saw last term.”
Logic vs reality
Cross’ confidence might assuage some fears that the chance to get the best from a potential star is being missed, but it has been assumed that he was on the brink of a breakout for some time.
Bamford duly suffered a new injury to start the campaign, and yet Joffy has still been on the bench more often than not.
Dan James has been used up front even when he was apparently disposable enough for the powers that be at Leeds United were willing to send him to Fulham on deadline day, apparently against his will.
Gelhardt does pick up minor knocks at the most inopportune moments, but that can’t fully explain the fact that there have been plenty of chances to hand him a run in the team that haven’t been taken.
Even when he finally did start, in the 5-2 thrashing at Brentford, Marsch strangely decided to replace him early in the second half just when a fruitful combination with Bamford appeared to be developing.
So while logic would suggest that he is sure to be on the pitch again a number of times before the World Cup, logic has suggest that before.
It is in the hierarchy’s interest to get Gnonto minutes so it seems like he will be next in line for now, and the window on Gelhardt’s opportunity may be closing already with the likes of Mateo Joseph and Sonny Perkins scoring for fun.
Joffy should have been comfortably ahead of them after his contributions last season, but instead found himself relegated back to under-21 level to net his first two strikes of the season on Tuesday night (4 October), so could be forgiven for feeling edgy over his prospects at the moment, and maybe a January move beckons.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites face a tough task to keep hold of their top asset as clubs already have their eyes on him according to a former Elland Road stand out.