Alex Mowatt was not picked to start despite Pablo Hernandez’s injury.
Bristol City’s Marlon Pack and Leeds’ Pablo Hernandez in action
The absence of Pablo Hernandez in Leeds United’s clash with Newcastle was undoubtedly a factor in their underwhelming performance against the league leaders on Sunday.
Hernandez headed into the international break with the most chances created per game of any player in the Championship, and Leeds did not choose their most natural option to replace him.
Hernandez has been excelling in the number 10 role behind striker Chris Wood, and Kalvin Phillips was chosen in his place, with the Spaniard ruled out through injury.
Phillips has been an impressive player for Leeds over the past few weeks, but the Newcastle match demonstrated that he is not a number 10.
He was ill suited to the position, and is better off played in a deeper midfield role.
Newcastle United’s Ayoze Perez in action with Leeds United’s Kemar Roofe and Kalvin Phillips
Picking him for the role was always a gamble, and an indictment of Monk’s lack of current trust in Alex Mowatt, who has two seasons worth of experience playing in the position.
Mowatt even won the player of the season vote in 2014/15, with many of his starts coming from the role, but his form has faded since.
This season he has only been picked to start four Championship games out of a possible 17.
Mowatt has another seven substitute appearances to his name, although is yet to figure at all in November.
Leeds Utd’s Alex Mowatt misses a chancre to score
His last league start came on October 15 against Derby, and while Hernandez’s form has demanded he stay in the side, Sunday’s game against Newcastle was an ideal chance for Mowatt to get back involved.
Instead he was not even named on the bench, and featured instead for the under-23 team on Monday.
Mowatt did not make the 18 for the Norwich game before the international break either, even though he travelled with the squad, and if the current situation persists, his future at the club will come under greater scrutiny.
His contract expires next summer and he can leave Leeds on a free transfer, and if a club come knocking who can offer him more regular football, it will be hard for him to say no.
Leeds’ Alex Mowatt in action with Ipswich’s Cole Skuse
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