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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.
Marcelo Bielsa may favour change when it comes to leaving jobs early, departing Lazio after just a matter of days, but when it comes to his team selection that certainly isn’t the case.
Leeds have used the fewest number of players in the Championship this term, a figure that stands at just 17 while by the time January had come around last term, they’d made the second-fewest starting XI manoeuvres of anyone in the division.
As of this season, he’s only made amendments to his selection four times.
It’s been easy to guess his team selections and the fact he even revealed what it would be before a clash against Wigan shows he has no problem with being predictable.
Just one change, a rather surprising one at that, was made against Barnsley. Jamie Shackleton came in for Adam Forshaw and put in an accomplished display.
Yet, after the impact of substitute Eddie Nketiah, he may now have to strive away from that habit of placing faith in players unless there is an injury or suspension.
Snapshot
Leeds didn’t have it all their own way against Barnsley as the hosts managed to test Kiko Casilla six times. The Spaniard was cool between the sticks as he kept his side in the game.
Patrick Bamford worked hard to fashion five opportunities but despite getting three on target couldn’t find the back of the net.
It meant he went goalless for a second successive outing in the Championship as Nketiah was introduced in place of him with 20 minutes remaining at Oakwell.
It was a performance that was rather typical of the Arsenal man since he arrived at Elland Road.
Off the bench
Nketiah has already got into the habit of popping up with goals for his loan club.
Since moving to Leeds on loan, he’s netted four times. Two of those strikes have now been vital late strikes too.
He became an instant hero in west Yorkshire by scoring in the Whites’ 1-0 win over Brentford and this time he was on hand with six minutes remaining.
Kalvin Phillips swung in a free-kick from the left and the 20-year-old found space to prod home from close range.
The striker has found himself in brilliant form after also scoring for England U21s during the international break so with that in mind, it may finally be time to bring him into the starting XI next week against Derby.
This would go against Bielsa’s habits as Bamford hasn’t done a great deal wrong but Leeds cannot keep relying on late goals.
After all, they create plenty of chances and managed 13 key passes before Nketiah came on. Perhaps if he’d been on the pitch from the start Leeds would have won more comfortably.
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