All the optimism that had been in the air surrounding Leeds United going into this Premier League season is gradually being sapped more and more as the campaign goes on.
Last time out away at Brighton and Hove Albion, Daniel Farke’s men arguably hit rock bottom, as they were resoundingly beaten 3-0 away at Fabian Hurzeler’s relentless Seagulls, in a contest where they barely laid a glove on the rampant hosts.
If they put in more empty performances like the one they served up on the South Coast, relegation will be a definite, as Leeds now languish just five points off 18th-placed Nottingham Forest, who they face next in a huge tie.
Farke will surely be feeling the intense pressures of the Whites hot seat right now, as he potentially prepares to drop Dominic Calvert-Lewin for matches to come, after his slow start out of the blocks in West Yorkshire.
Calvert-Lewin’s struggles at Leeds
It was always going to be a transfer deal that would be fraught with risk, but Leeds gambled on Calvert-Lewin this summer on a free transfer, anyway, following the expiry of his long-term Everton contract.
Indeed, last season in the Premier League, the Sheffield-born striker would only fire home a weak three goals, with a high 15 games missed through injury also a concerning statistic to take in.
Thankfully, despite all these worries, Calvert-Lewin is off the mark for Farke and Co., as this header above helped Leeds to a convincing 3-1 away success at Wolverhampton Wanderers in September.
But, Leeds fans have still been left wanting more from their new recruit, with the 28-year-old now deep in a five-game stretch of no goals in league action, which has often resulted in the injury-prone number nine cutting an isolated figure.
That was very much the case on the South Coast last time out, with Calvert-Lewin only managing to test Bart Verbruggen in the home side’s goal with one effort all afternoon, having amassed just 17 touches of the ball in total.
Farke’s options off the bench aren’t plentiful either, with both Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe not the most inspired selection of understudies.
Leeds are now reportedly looking at free-scoring Coventry City striker Haji Wright as a January addition up top, subsequently. But, they could be better placed to just gift one of their own a chance, instead, with this star – who is out on loan competing with Wright’s Sky Blues – potentially putting Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time as a first team starter down the line.
Leeds loanee could put Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time
Farke’s patience regarding Calvert-Lewin’s no-shows must surely be thin already.
But, with Mateo Joseph out on loan, and Joel Piroe potentially on the move in January, he has his hands tied with what he has at his disposal up top, with forgotten striker Joe Gelhardt also currently on the books of another club temporarily.
It feels like a lifetime ago since Gelhardt was dubbed the next best thing at Leeds, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp even lauding the Elland Road prodigy as a “wrecking ball” style figure, after he bagged two goals and assisted a further four strikes from 20 Premier League games during the 2021/22 season.
Since then, his opportunities have been sparse, but he could be in for some more game time in the near future in West Yorkshire if he can keep the goals flowing right now in the Championship with Leeds’ near neighbours Hull City.
Gelhardt has rolled back the years for the Tigers, with the striker who was once also deemed as “special” by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, coming back to the forefront in Hull’s distinctive orange and black, as seen in him collecting four goals from his last four second-tier outings.
With 11 goals now next to his name across two spells at the MKM Stadium, the time might be right for Gelhardt to gain chances in the Leeds first team fold once more, as persisting with Calvert-Lewin could well be the wrong move here, knowing full well his recent sketchy record with injuries and his long barren patches of form.
|
Gelhardt’s Championship numbers (25/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat – per 90 mins* |
Gelhardt |
|
Games played |
13 |
|
Goals scored |
6 |
|
Assists |
1 |
|
Scoring frequency |
157 mins |
|
Ball recoveries* |
4.2 |
|
Total duels won |
4.9 |
|
Stats by Sofascore |
|
On the contrary, Gelhardt could be the breath of fresh air needed to reenergise an often lethargic Leeds forward line, with a powerful 4.9 duels won per second-tier contest this season sticking out from the table above.
Of course, Leeds will also be hesitant to chuck Gelhardt back into senior action, with the 23-year-old also prone to a lack of confidence in front of goal.
But, whether it comes via a recall in January or next season, adding the lively striker back into the mix could put Calvert-Lewin on borrowed time, with ex-Premier League scout Bryan King even recently stating that the hot-and-cold attacker just isn’t the “right striker” fit for the Whites, as they desperately crave goals to beat the drop.
