Could Jamie Shackleton be a shock replacement for Leeds United’s Kemar Roofe?
Leeds United star Kemar Roofe is out for the foreseeable future after suffering knee ligament damage. It’s entirely possible that the 26-year-old attacker will miss the Whites’ promotion run-in over the coming months.
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa doesn’t need a striker replacement, because he has Patrick Bamford, but the question is who will play number 10?
That’s where Roofe played in his last game, a 2-1 win over Swansea seven days ago, and Bielsa has a few candidates.
There’s Tyler Roberts, who has been used as a shadow striker for much of the calendar year. There’s Pablo Hernandez, who might have to play centrally after dazzling on the wing for much of this season. And there’s Izzy Brown, who is finally fit and available for a long-awaited debut.
But could Bielsa shock Leeds fans and actually use Jamie Shackleton there?
The Argentine has used the 19-year-old as a right-back at times this season, but naturally he is a central midfielder – and a good one at that.
Shackleton is one of most exciting prospects that the Thorp Arch academy has churned out in recent years and it seems like Bielsa now has an opportunity to test him out in an advanced midfield role.
You could argue that this is no time for experimentation, but the 63-year-old coach, who gave a 17-year-old Jack Clarke his debut earlier this season, might not see it like that. He might see it as trusting in United’s youth players, as he has done for much of this season.
Better yet, Bolton won’t have a gameplan for him on Saturday. They won’t be expecting him in a number 10 role – unless Bielsa names his first XI days before kickoff again – and therefore the veteran coach should seriously consider the curveball.
Young players have gotten Bielsa and Leeds out of serious binds this season. Why can’t it happen again?
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