da spicy bet： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
da 888casino： Darren Bent has been left baffled by the lack of playing time young striker Eddie Nketiah has faced at Elland Road this season after the Arsenal man netted for the England U21s on Friday.
What’s the word?
Leeds United clinched the signing of Nketiah on deadline day, beating off interest from a host of rival Championship clubs including Bristol City, but so far this campaign the forward has been faced with limited game time.
The 20-year-old has played a total of just 133 minutes in the league, which averages out at around 22 minutes per game from six appearances, via Transfermarkt.
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On Friday evening, the Whites’ loanee bagged a goal for Aidy Boothroyd’s Young Lions as they drew with Slovenia, meaning he has now scored five goals in seven games for the U21 squad.
In reaction to his latest exploits, Bent has questioned Nketiah’s future at the west Yorkshire club.
Speaking to Football Insider, the 35-year-old former Premier League striker said:
“He is playing well and Leeds are in a bit of a funny one at the minute. Patrick Bamford puts in such a shift for the team and that’s why he’s probably still in there.
“Eddie Nketiah, to be fair to him, is still sticking the ball in when he’s getting the opportunities. It’s a bit of a weird one because it’s where does Eddie Nketiah go from here?
“If he continues like he is at the minute, through no fault of his own – it’s just that the team are preferring Bamford – what happens to him next season? He’s not going to go back to Arsenal and play, not with the firepower they’ve got there already, so they’re going to be looking for another loan.”
Puzzling decision
Marcelo Bielsa has continually opted for Bamford to lead the line for United this season despite the striker going six games without a goal since bagging four in their opening five matches, per Transfermarkt.
The 64-year-old was so committed to signing Nketiah on deadline day that he gave Arsenal a presentation on how to use him, per The Athletic – surely the Gunners weren’t happy to oblige if that involved him featuring for just an average of 22 minutes per game?
Leeds have since let slip of their lead at the top of the Championship table as they now occupy fifth spot, two points behind league leaders West Brom, who they only beat a couple of weeks ago to end Slaven Bilic’s unbeaten start to the season.
It just seems ever so odd to bring in a player you desperately wanted, only to rarely play him.
At the end of the day, Nketiah’s career could be on the line, given the attacking firepower ahead of him back in north London in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, who have scored nine between them this season.