Leeds United were narrowly beaten by Leicester City last night, and despite having more of the ball, they once again struggled to put the ball in the net as their slump continues.
The return of Patrick Bamford may have seemed a welcome one at first, as his absence last season had a heavy impact on a squad that nearly fell to relegation.
During the 2020/21 season, in their return to the top flight, the English marksman had scored 17 Premier League goals as he looked to prove himself as a top striker in the division.
Should Joe Gelhardt be handed a start?
Yes
No
Since then, however, his appearances have been limited.
He made just nine appearances last season in the league, and despite having already made eight this campaign, he is yet to score or assist.
Perhaps now might be the right time to bring in some freshness up top, and rely on a man that showed glimpses of magic in their darkest hour last season.
Joe Gelhardt, at just 20 years old, boasts incredible maturity beyond his years.
Having already played 28 games at Premier League level, last season saw him score twice and assist a further four in the absence of their much-injured star man.
His contribution led pundit Alan Hutton to shower him with praise, with how Gelhardt dealt with such a situation despite his youth. He said:
“It was just tremendous. Showing such a high level of composure and skill in such a high-pressure environment, needing a goal, to come up with it at that moment of time was just outstanding.”
Now that they have something of a fresh canvas, he can rely upon the former Wigan Athletic gem more without the risk of relegation.
However, with results taking a turn for the worse, Marsch will want to complete his experiment soon.
They have won just one of their last eight matches in the league.
This added youth and intensity up front could be the catalyst to ignite big change at Leeds, who are crying out for something different to add some distance between them and another relegation battle.
Having invested heavily over the summer, it could be a shrewd transfer of a youth player that ends up paying off the most.
