One of the reasons Angus Kinnear cited not to bring in a new first team striker during the summer was to avoid blocking Joe Gelhardt's pathway. Gelhardt started three of Leeds United's last four matches at the backend of last season and played a key role in securing survival with a moment of individual brilliance to setup Pascal Struijk's stoppage time equaliser against Brighton.
But this term, Gelhardt's progression into the first team seems to have gone two steps backwards with just 152 minutes of Premier League football. Granted, the 20-year-old was not at his best in his Carabao Cup start against Barnsley in August, but he has simply not been allowed to build a consistent number of match minutes.
He was even left out of the squad completely for Leeds' 0-0 draw with Aston Villa earlier this month. That could, perhaps, be excused if those deemed ahead of him in the pecking order were at the top of their game.
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Patrick Bamford is yet to get off the mark this season and has missed a number of big chances in recent weeks. Rodrigo Moreno netted four goals in the opening three matches but has scored just one since. Gelhardt, on the other hand, has more assists than any other Leeds player at Elland Road in the calendar year of 2022 with three, despite having only played 359 minutes of football on home soil.
If those sort of statistics are not enough for Gelhardt to be handed consistent opportunities from the start, whether that be leading the line, or playing in one of the three positions behind the striker. Given the form of those around him, you begin to wonder if he ever will be given that opportunity that he very much deserves.
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