Leeds United talent Charlie Cresswell missing from under-23s squad amid questions over game time
Leeds United teenager Charlie Cresswell was missing from the under-23s squad on Friday evening (29 April) and could feature for Jesse Marsch.
The 19-year-old defender wears the armband for the age group side when he plays but what not included in the 16 to face Arsenal at the Emirates.
This comes after Danny Mills told Football Insider this week (26 April) that the young talent needed to leave the club on loan to get experience amid a lack of game time for the senior team.
Cresswell has played 45 minutes for the Whites boss, and former Elland Road defender Mills said he was “surprised” that he had seen so little action after being kept from going on loan in January.
The American himself admitted last week (22nd April) that the youngster “needs to play” and that he considered him a first team player now (Leeds Live).
Yet he still captained the under-23s in the Premier League 2 game against Manchester City that same day, and subsequently sat on the bench for the duration of the stalemate the senior side played out at Crystal Palace three days later.
In limbo
Cresswell is highly thought of at Elland Road, with the Yorkshire Post noting that he is seen by many at the club as an “heir apparent” to club captain Liam Cooper.
But the teenager is currently stuck between being a key member of the youngsters or a prospect with the senior team.
That is potentially leaving him without the game time he needs at an important juncture in his development.
Marsch needs to throw the shackles off and use his younger talents where it makes sense.
As with many managers in a relegation battle, seniority and experience tends to get the nod, hence why Daniel James continues to somehow keep Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood out of the team in attack.
But inexperience can also mean fearlessness, so if these players are good enough for the squad he should use them.
Cresswell being nowhere to be seen tonight suggests he is line to be an option at the weekend.
But with Manchester City the opponents, the player will have to hope that Marsh doesn’t again decide to leave him on the bench.
The club possesses a number of impressive young players who will no doubt be integrated further next season, but there is an opportunity for them to contribute now, and a reticence to turn to them may be holding back the team as well as them.
In other Leeds United news, Marsch has run a failed experiment at the club that needs to end.