Respected journalist names crocked player Leeds have been ‘crying out for’
Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw started this season in outstanding form, only to be derailed by injury after a fantastic first month.
The 28-year-old was an ever-present throughout August, playing every single minute of action for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
However, he’s not started a game since then, with a sole substitute appearance in September the supporters’ only sighting of the former Middlesbrough man.
It hasn’t always been obvious, but Bielsa has missed him. Now, amid this poor run of form, he’s looking more crucial than ever.
That’s certainly the view of respected journalist Joe Mewis, who made that very point on Thursday.
“It remains to be seen where Adam Forshaw would have fit into the equation had he been fit over the last four months and there are times when Leeds have been crying out for the calming, controlling presence he brings,” he wrote on the Leeds Live website.
“In terms of back-up [in centre-mid with Forshaw out], Jamie Shackleton is next in line, but again, his season has been disrupted by injury. Robbie Gotts finally made his first-team debut when he got the nod against Arsenal after being a regular on the bench for the past year.
“Big things are expected from Alfie McCalmont, but Ben White has been given the nod as the defensive midfielder during Phillips’ two separate suspensions this season. Mateusz Bogusz is the next candidate to step up from the academy, with the likes of Jack Jenkins and Nohan Kenneh still a little raw.”
There’s no doubt that Leeds have missed Forshaw, even if they’ve managed pretty well without him on the whole.
It’s his passing ability, the calming way in which he can dictate the pace and tempo of a game in Leeds’ favour which has proved elusive for the other central midfielders at the club.
There are others who flourish for the team in the middle of the park, most notably Kalvin Phillips, but Forshaw is the metronome who keeps things ticking along.
His average of 51.4 passes with a success rate of 89.7% per game over the first month of the season is evidence of that.
Bielsa will certainly be pleased when the Englishman does eventually return. He can be a key player down the stretch.
In other Leeds United news, journalist Phil Hay has revealed the surprise name mentioned by Bielsa in his Thursday press conference.