Arsenal
Aston Villa
Chelsea
Crystal Palace
Everton
Fulham
Leeds United
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest
Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wolverhampton Wanderers
News
Ian Holloway admits he wouldn’t promote Eddie Nketah to Leeds XI
Ian Holloway believes Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is dealing with promising talent Eddie Nketiah in the right way and insists he should keep using him as an impact substitute.
The 20-year-old is on a season-long loan at Elland Road from Premier League giants at Arsenal and dropped down a division to try improve his game in the Championship.
But the highly-rated striker has still not started a single league fixture and has had to put up with late cameos off the bench.
The England Under-21 international saved Leeds with a late header in midweek to salvage a 1-1 draw away to Preston North End, which is why so many are desperate to see him start.
Holloway feels that loanee Nketiah is still an inexperienced player and is being nurtured by Bielsa in the right way.
“Marcelo Bielsa is doing the right thing by keeping Eddie Nketiah on the bench – and bringing him on to score goals,”
“He’s not starting because he is inexperienced – but he is brilliant at what he does in the moment. In 90 minutes he might not give you what he is giving you as an impact off the bench. That’s clever management.
“I would give Marcelo Bielsa credit that Nketiah is coming off the bench and scoring. Some young players who start regularly lose their efficiency. They think they are ready for the 90 minutes but they aren’t quite.
“At the minute – I wouldn’t change a successful situation. Nketiah is still a very, very young man and every time he comes on, he scores. So why change anything?”
TBR’s View:
Holloway argues that Nketiah is doing a decent job when coming off the bench, which is true considering he’s managed three goals in his nine appearances as a substitute.
But he’s scored in each of his two Leeds starts in the Carabao Cup and it’s common sense that he will get more opportunities if he’s on the pitch for longer.
Bielsa has managed him fairly well so far, but he’s a clinical goalscorer that has the potential to rip up the Championship and he now has to be unleashed.
Patrick Bamford’s inconsistency in front of goal must be a frustrating watch and surely Nketiah can’t be kept out of the limelight much longer.
Nketiah may be inexperienced right now, but he looks the most natural finisher in the Leeds squad and it would be no surprise if Arsenal want to rip up his loan in January if he’s not started a league game by then.