Leeds boss Bielsa will not bow to fans pressure and start Gelhardt against Arsenal
Marcelo Bielsa will not listen to growing calls of Leeds United fans for Joe Gelhardt to start against Arsenal, according to David Anderson.
Even though starting the 19-year-old would be a smart move after the Whites’ 7-0 loss at the hands of Manchester City on Tuesday (14 December), The Mirror journalist believes the Argentine will not do so against the Gunners on Saturday (18 December) just to appease the fans.
Bielsa sees Gelhardt as more of an impact player at the moment, and while Patrick Bamford will likely miss the clash, one of Tyler Roberts and Dan James will most likely play as a striker again, because the head coach feels they are better suited to the position.
Good move?
Leeds need all the help they can get in front of goal this season having averaged just a goal per game so far in 2021-22 and largely relied on Raphinha for most of them.
Gelhardt came off the bench against Wolves in October to win a stoppage-time penalty and did grab his first Premier League goal off the bench at Chelsea on Saturday (11 December).
He is proving himself anytime he gets a chance that he deserves to be playing more, but Bielsa is taking his time and does not believe he is ready to start starting games on a consistent basis yet when other options are available.
Gelhardt led the line against Tottenham Hotspur in November, but he was not able to have any impact on the game during the 2-1 loss before being withdrawn with three minutes left on the clock.
Leeds fans will want him to do so again this weekend, but could he be the solution to their side’s woes?
Bielsa has the final say and is not one to cave in to pressure and the demands of the fans, so the young forward would most likely start the game on the bench and hope to come on at best.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have mapped out plans to avoid relegation scrap as January transfer budget claim emerges.