Tony Dorigo moots Charlie Cresswell role in Leeds United clash v West Ham
Marcelo Bielsa faces a selection headache as Leeds United prepare to face West Ham at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon.
Luke Ayling, Robin Koch and Diego Llorente are all doubts for the game while Pascal Struijk is suspended, leaving Liam Cooper as the only 100 per cent available centre-back among Bielsa’s senior options.
On Tuesday night, Kalvin Phillips played at the back alongside 19-year-old Charlie Cresswell as the Whites beat Fulham in the Carabao Cup.
BT Sport pundit and former Leeds defender Tony Dorigo has mooted the possibility of Cresswell earning his Premier League debut this weekend versus the Hammers.
“Who would have thought we would be missing three centre-backs out of four and then Ayling, the fifth choice, would get injured as well? It’s a very difficult situation,” said Dorigo on the Yorkshire Evening Post website.
“As for how the gaps will be filled – will it be Charlie Cresswell?
“Or will Stuart Dallas, who has played just about everywhere else, find himself in yet another new position?
“Who knows but Bielsa wanted this small, tight squad and now he has to manoeuvre things around to plug the holes. It’s not an easy job.
“Does it worry me? Yes, it does. However, you have to look at the overall situation.”
Cresswell versus Antonio?
Let’s be honest, even though we all rate Cresswell highly and see the young defender as one of the best prospects at Elland Road, we wouldn’t fancy him facing up to West Ham’s in-form striker Michail Antonio.
He missed West Ham’s defeat to Manchester United at the weekend due to a suspension but the Hammers forward has now scored five goals and supplied three assists in just five appearances this season.
We worry about Cooper sometimes with Struijk and Llorente showing better form than the Scottish international since our promotion to the Premier League when they’ve been available.
But Cooper and Cresswell. We shudder to think about much Antonio will enjoy playing against those two.
Cooper should find it easier to cope with Antonio than he did against Allan Saint-Maximin last week but still, he’s one of the best strikers in the country based on his form right now.
Let’s hope there’s some good injury news between now and Saturday.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay noticed what Bielsa was doing that was like a “maniac” at Fulham.