MOT View: Unreliable Leeds man will be lucky to keep place v Birmingham
Leeds United will want to quickly put their 2-1 defeat at Millwall behind them.
The Whites will want to bounce back against Birmingham in the best way possible next time out, and Marcelo Bielsa should consider changes.
It was clear to everyone that Gaetano Berardi did not deserve to pick up a red card. But, we believe he should never have been in that position in the first place.
The 31-year-old does hold cult-hero status at Elland Road, but he has proved unreliable too many times in his recent performances.
With numerous injuries plaguing us at this moment, Berardi would be very lucky to keep his place. Without those problems, he would almost certainly be destined for a spot on the bench.
With Stuart Dallas having excelled at right-back, Luke Ayling could move across to the heart of defence if needed. We believe that would be the best option should Adam Forshaw return for the game against Birmingham.
Berardi’s height is a big concern when playing in the middle. Ayling is considerably taller and wins more of his aerial battles in games.
The Englishman has won two per game this season according to WhoScored, almost double the amount of his Leeds teammate (1.4).
Ayling is also much better in possession, averaging nearly 30 more passes per game so far. He also completes them more often that Berardi, with a better success rate of 82.8%.
We believe it would make much more sense to utilise Ayling in the middle of the defence alongside Ben White. His aerial skill combined with his ability on the ball are two of the major reasons he would fit in much better.
Berardi will be very lucky to keep his spot against Pep Clotet’s side on Saturday, and Bielsa must not be afraid to axe the Swissman after another calamitous error last time out.
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