With Leeds United soaring high the in the Championship, they seem on course to challenge for promotion again. They say you should never change a winning formula, and that has been the case for their strikers; Patrick Bamford has scored three goals in his last five games and was unlucky not to get more. It seems long ago that fans were calling for Marcelo Bielsa to replace him with Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah. Now, with the news that he will stay at Elland Road for the season, what can he do to force the hand of ‘El Loco’?
What Eddie Nketiah Has to Do to Start at Leeds United
Why Bamford is the Main Man
Going into Leeds’ stellar November, Bamford had failed to register a goal or an assist in ten appearances. Now, with daylight between the Whites and Fulham in third, the pressure is off, for the time being at least. Leeds’ six-game winning streak has coincided with a purple patch for Bamford, scoring three goals and grabbing an assist in his last five games. It seems he is now brimming with all-important confidence. But will he hold his position throughout over the month of December?
Opportunities On the Horizon?
After the news that he will be staying in Yorkshire and returning from injury, Nketiah will be more eager than ever to earn first-team minutes. If he doesn’t get them somewhere else, then he will surely want them, and need them, for Leeds. This hunger will only be beneficial to Marcelo Bielsa. And with the busy festive period coming up, and some important fixtures on the horizon, the time may be ripe for the loanee to take his chance. Surely Bielsa will give Bamford some rest over Christmas, so at least there is that guarantee.
With games against promotion rivals Fulham and Preston on the way, Leeds fans will need Nketiah to step up on big occasions. Leeds lacked creativity in the final third towards the latter stages of last season. If they can push through the hectic December schedule without goals drying up, this will give Bielsa the confidence to give Nketiah more opportunities.
Play the System
Another reason why Bamford has found himself so indispensable to Bielsa is the way he fits into his system. His effort on and off the ball cannot be questioned; defense begins from the front after all for Bielsa. However, another key area which Bamford excels in is his ability to hold up play. His strength and stature allow him to be the focal point for Leeds’ attack. Nketiah, meanwhile, is more of a poacher than someone who will create attacking moves. If he can get his body about in the same way and force mistakes from defences, chances will come for him. The striker position is so crucial to how Bielsa sets up, especially when he opts for one in his starting line-ups. Eddie Nketiah needs to improve the way he affects play from upfront if he is to stake a claim for a starting berth.
Bielsa has said himself that he still chooses Bamford because of his ability to ‘build the chance at goal’. He claims that Nketiah plays his way purely to score goals and not to help the create more as a team. Creating goals is paramount for Bielsa, especially with closest rivals West Bromwich Albion scoring the most goals in the league so far (41). The more he gels with his teammates, and the more he aclimatises to this necessity to build up play, the more Bielsa will want to pick him. December will be a crucial month for Nketiah to prove that he can be a talisman for Leeds, not just now, but over the next half of the season.
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