Adam Forshaw was excellent as Leeds United secured a win that sent Marcelo Bielsa’s side to the top of the Championship.
Noel Whelan told BBC Radio Leeds’ post-match coverage of Leeds’ win over Wigan on Saturday (broadcast on 17/8 from 17:00) that Adam Forshaw was exceptional in the 2-0 victory, but could be criticised for not finishing the chances that came his way.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side have gone to the top of the Championship after Patrick Bamford bagged a brace at the DW Stadium on what proved to be a fairly comfortable afternoon for the Whites.
The first goal came about after Forshaw’s header inside the six-yard box cannoned off the post and into Bamford’s path. The celebration saw many of the players, including Bamford, head straight to Forshaw, who is awaiting his first goal since April 2016. Judging by the looks on the players’ faces, the team are more than aware of how long his current run without a goal has lasted.
He nearly ended that wait in the second-half after he drilled an effort across the goal that flashed past the back post and out for a goal kick. But there is no question that the 27-year-old was excellent on the day, and he was lauded by Whelan after the full-time whistle.
“I think if you ask Forshaw, who I thought had an exceptional game today, he should have scored with the header where Bamford had the tap in, it came off the post but he should have scored that. Then he’s had another couple of chances inside the 18-yard box, he had a great chance in the second-half where he’s got into the six-yard box and pulled it across the goal with a left-footed strike,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.
“He so deserved a goal from his performance, Adam Forshaw. I thought he was excellent today, involved with pretty much everything. I bet in training, he’s putting those in the back of the net. He’s got to do it on the game day as well because he’s a fantastic player with great technique. But you’ve got to make these chances count.”
Forshaw was arguably one of the most heavily-criticised players within the Leeds squad last season. And many of the fans probably would have been hoping that he had more of a peripheral role in Bielsa’s plans this year.
But the midfielder has been excellent over the opening weeks of the campaign. Along with Stuart Dallas and perhaps Jack Harrison, he has arguably looked like one of the most improved performers in the first three league games.
And if his current form continues, it must surely only be a matter of time before he does find the back of the net. It is getting to the stage however, where it may spark a pitch invasion with Gaetano Berardi now looking prolific in comparison.
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