Backfoot, low-block, defensive football has to be abandoned by Leeds United this week in Elland Road’s most important double-header of the season. If Javi Gracia’s defensive choices caught the eye at Arsenal, all eyes are on what he does with Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo tomorrow.
Nottingham Forest have taken six points from an available 39 on the road this season with one win and four goals from their 13 trips. It’s a desperate record the Whites have to exploit to their advantage and that means the onus is on goals from the hosts.
Bamford and Rodrigo started on the bench on Saturday in the capital, which posed some intrigue about what Gracia may do with them at Elland Road. Bamford seems the stronger bet to start given Rodrigo’s more recent comeback, but another half an hour at the weekend has to put the Spain international in the picture.
READ MORE: Everything Leeds United boss Javi Gracia said on Nottingham Forest, tactics and season run-in
Given how much Gracia had talked down Luis Sinisterra’s condition before starting him at Arsenal, Rodrigo may be closer to going from the off than the head coach lets on. The age-old debate is whether the club’s two senior strikers can be effective as a double act.
Marcelo Bielsa would often keep Bamford at the point of the attack with Rodrigo used in a more withdrawn central midfielder role which tried to link up with the nine. It was a link-up which failed to properly ignite under Bielsa whenever one of the pair wasn’t injured.
Rodrigo has played out by far his best campaign at Leeds as the side’s centre forward in Bamford’s absence. Gracia has used a 4-2-2-2 in the past with Watford, but he has predominantly favoured a 4-2-3-1 at Leeds.
There may be some anxiety Rodrigo is shoehorned into the team with Bamford by playing behind him as an attacking midfielder. Gracia addressed the subject in Monday’s press conference.
“Patrick is a clear number nine and all the strikers we have can play with him,” said Gracia. “If we choose one day, like Arsenal’s game, to play another way without Patrick, we can do it as well.
“With Rodrigo as a number nine, with Rodrigo as a double number nine, we have different options. What is really important is the quality of the players and the attitude they have to play wherever you want.
“If you tell them ‘Ras (Rasmus Kristensen), you have to play as a midfielder because you have to play there’ they don't say anything. ‘Yes, I'm going to do it. I'm convinced I can do it well.’
“That's what is important: the quality of the players and the attitude to do what we want to do.”
While Kristensen in midfield would be a surprise on Tuesday evening, part four of this term’s Bamford-Rodrigo experiment would not be such a shock after Saturday’s selection.
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