Ryan Edmondson has been outstanding for Leeds United’s under-23s this season.
In comments reported by Leeds Live, Marcelo Bielsa has hinted that Ryan Edmondson is unlikely to get a first-team chance in the near future, but insisted that he had seen a big improvement from the Leeds starlet since the start of the season.
Edmondson has enjoyed a fantastic campaign with the under-23 side this term. And it appeared that he may be joining the likes of Jamie Shackleton and Leif Davis by featuring for both the first-team and Carlos Corberan’s men throughout the season after coming off the bench in the defeat to Birmingham earlier in the year.
That has remained the 17-year-old’s most recent appearance for the senior side. However, there may be some Leeds supporters who hope that changes soon following Patrick Bamford’s difficult day at St Andrew’s at the weekend.
But when asked about whether Edmondson could be in line for that first-team chance soon, Bielsa hinted that it could be unlikely, before adding how impressed he has been with the former York City ace.
“He’s a very young player,” he said, as reported by Leeds Live. “[Kemar] Roofe, [Patrick] Bamford, Tyler Roberts are in his position at the moment. There’s a big difference in experience between these three and Ryan, but he has made a good improvement from the beginning of the season until today.”
It is not surprising that Edmondson appears to be out of the picture right now. Leeds now face six of the most important games that they have played since 2004 and throwing Edmondson in at this stage would be a gamble.
Of course, he could still have a role to play. But Bielsa will be hoping that Roofe and Bamford can score the goals that see Leeds across the line in the promotion race. Edmondson being involved at this stage would hint that Bielsa feels that he needs to roll the dice.
Having said that, if Edmondson does get onto the pitch during the remaining weeks of the campaign, then you can guarantee that Bielsa has every confidence in him to make an impact.
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