Leeds United midfielder Lewis Baker played for the under-23s for the second time in a week.
Lewis Baker was Leeds United’s first signing of the summer when he arrived on loan from Chelsea.
He is still waiting to make an impression.
It has been slow going at Leeds for Baker, a microcosm of his loan spells in England away from the Blues prior to this one.
Most recently he struggled at Middlesbrough last season, and he isn’t getting regular game time at Leeds so far.
Baker is yet to start a league match for Leeds, although did play an hour in the draw at Swansea a month ago after coming on as a first half substitute.
The talented midfielder came on for the final half an hour against Millwall, and for the final couple of minutes against Birmingham.
He has two League Cup appearances to his name for the Whites, one win, one draw. In the league he has tallied 109 minutes of football only.
So it has been little surprise to see manager Marcelo Bielsa dispatch Baker to the under-23s in recent games.
Last night, along with fellow Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman, the pair were the only two ‘senior’ players involved as Leeds’ under-23s slipped to their first defeat of the season against Bolton.
For Lewis Baker it was about getting fitness and sharpness, to keep ticking over for when he is called upon.
Being made available for the under-23s shows Bielsa feels Baker has some catching up to do, and the loanee didn’t necessarily blaze a trail into the first team with his performance last night.
Baker will likely be on the bench when Leeds face Sheffield Wednesday in the league on Friday.
Perhaps if he gets a chance, the benefits of his under-23 games will become apparent.
It’s a long season, and Baker will get his opportunity. Right now he appears to be closer to the back of the line than the front.
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