‘I heard’: Sky pundit shares Marsch has told Leeds 31-year-old he can be their best player

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Stephen Warnock has shared Jesse Marsch told Leeds United’s Rodrigo that he can be their ‘best player’ until the end of the season, as he told the Football Show on Sky Sports.

The former left-back added that Marsch took Rodrigo to one side and told the Leeds 31-year-old, ‘you are a top player and are going to be the best player on the pitch’.

This comes after Marsch hooked the versatile forward off at half-time during Leeds’ thumping at the hands of Aston Villa a couple of weeks ago.

Before he opened the scoring during the late, late win against Norwich City and also scored the equalising goal in the epic 3-2 comeback against Wolves last time out.

Warnock labelled Rodrigo as a ‘frustrating’ player and shared how Marsch has got the best out of him.

“Very impressive (Rodrigo v Wolves) because it’s not easy to come back when you suffer like that and you come off at half-time,” said Warnock.

“He is almost just a fraction off with just almost everything he does (v Aston Villa). And sometimes you get those games.

“The one thing Jesse Marsch knows he has got quality. So, he gets subbed at half-time against Villa, then scores against Norwich. Straightaway, first-time passing.

“Then you move onto the Wolves game. Desire. Making sure that you are making runs into the box. Making sure you are making a run to split the two centre-backs to get in-behind – he has so much quality and can be a frustrating figure. But, during the last few games, since he got subbed, he has been outstanding.

“You have to give credit to Jesse Marsch because, from what I have heard, he brought him into the meeting rooms and said ‘you are a top, top player and you are going to be the best player on the pitch until the end of the season’. It’s how you build players up and it’s what you have to do.”

With Patrick Bamford going off once more for Leeds, it makes a player like Rodrigo even more important.

Given that the Englishman has spent very little time out on the field, it has resulted in the Yorkshire side having to eek out every bit of quality from everyone else.

It hasn’t helped matters because the team as a whole is unsettled and unbalanced.

But, if someone like Rodrigo can improve his decision-making in the final third and get his shooting boots on, then everyone in the XI will be much, much better off.