Kemar Roofe deserves to keep the number nine role for Leeds United until proven otherwise.
With four goals in his last two games as Leeds United’s main striker, Kemar Roofe deserves to keep the number nine role for Saturday’s visit of Burton Albion, but will he?
Leeds wrapped up a deadline-day deal to sign forward Pierre-Michel Lasogga on loan from Hamburg in a move which threatens Roofe’s longevity through the middle.
But head coach Thomas Christiansen will be making a mistake if he automatically shifts the versatile 24-year-old somewhere else in order to accomodate the big German.
Christiansen has previously spoken about the importance of competition for places but he would not be sending a great message if he removes Roofe, someone who has taken his opportunity with both hands, for someone who has not earned a first XI spot.
Granted, three of Roofe’s four came against Newport County in a League Cup demolition, but he can’t dictate the quality of the opposition, only how he performs against them.
Lasogga might not be available in any case, given his wife is scheduled to give birth at the weekend, but if he is then he, like every other player in the squad, should be selected on merit, not size.
Physically, he is a lot more similar to Chris Wood, sold to Burnley for £15 million, but size isn’t everything up front and few would back against Roofe proving this against Burton – one point above the bottom three – this weekend.
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