Whelan slams ‘terrible’ Alioski; Leeds must drop winger for Pablo Hernandez

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Leeds United suffered a defeat in Paul Heckingbottom’s first game in charge.

Noel Whelan told BBC Radio Leeds in the wake of Leeds’ defeat to Sheffield United on Saturday that he thought that Gjanni Alioski was terrible at Bramall Lane.

Paul Heckingbottom’s first game in charge of the Whites ended in defeat as two Billy Sharp goals saw the Blades strengthen their play-off bid while putting a further dent in Leeds’ top six hopes.

It was an encouraging performance in some areas, but there were a number of Leeds players who would have been disappointed with their displays in the defeat. And Whelan was adamant that the Macedonia winger was one of the least impressive Leeds players on show in the loss.

“Alioski, I thought was terrible. He seems to be the man who can’t be dropped at the moment no matter how bad a performance he puts in,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.

There were arguably a handful of positive moments from Alioski in the first-half, including one run which should have resulted in a free-kick right on the edge of the box, but was not given. But it will certainly be one display that he will not remember fondly. And what will have not helped his cause is the display that Pablo Hernandez put in once he came onto the pitch.

The Spaniard’s introduction into the game seemed to help shift the momentum in the visitors’ favour for a while, and it was his brilliant cross that set Pierre-Michel Lasogga up for Leeds’ equaliser at the start of the second-half.

Hernandez’s performance will make it extremely difficult for Heckingbottom to justify leaving him out for the game against Bristol City next weekend. And given his latest display, Alioski may perhaps need a flawless week in training if he hopes to avoid being the player left on the bench to allow Hernandez to come back in.