Sam Greenwood arrived at Leeds United in the summer of 20/21, as Victor Orta aggressively recruited for the U23 team to provide some top young prospects behind the first-team. The club were preparing for their first season in the Premier League in 16 years and Greenwood joined alongside Crysencio Summerville, Cody Drameh and Joe Gelhardt.
None of those players had an impact on the first-team last season but all four have made Premier League debuts this term. However, in the case of Greenwood, he has always been in the shadow of Gelhardt during his time at the club.
The former Arsenal man has impressed in PL2, regularly scoring excellent goals, including a string of free-kicks in his first season. The two forwards have gone toe-to-toe in the U23 goalscoring charts, but it's Gelhardt who has been the one clamoured for in the first-team and the Liverpudlian has had the lion's share of Premier League minutes. He's had an excellent return from those as well, scoring twice, assisting once and winning two penalties in the space of only 455 minutes.
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Meanwhile, whilst Greenwood made his senior debut first, in last season's embarrassing FA Cup defeat to Crawley Town, he has played only 79 minutes in the Premier League. The 20-year-old made his debut as a late substitute in the 4-1 home loss to Arsenal in December, when the Leeds side was ravaged by injuries and Covid. He then received another opportunity last time out against Wolves. Gelhardt had a back injury and wasn't deemed capable of playing the almost 70 minutes needed when Patrick Bamford left the field injured, so Greenwood came on in his place.
The youngster adjusted to the situation admirably, given how Leeds were thrown off by three injury substitutions in the first-half. He managed to pick up an assist for Rodrigo's equaliser as the Whites came back to win 3-2 following a red card for Raul Jimenez and Jesse Marsch specifically singled him out for praise in his most recent press conference.
"When you talk about the the striker position, certainly Sam Greenwood I thought played really well in Wolves off the bench and we kind of used him for a little bit as the striker position and then one of the 10s."
Marsch was asked about options to play upfront following the loss of Bamford for a further six weeks and Dan James, Gelhardt and Greenwood were all mentioned in his response. Notably, the American also referenced using him in the 10 position, and this may hold the keys to him playing more often under Marsch in the future.
Whilst Greenwood was signed as a striker, he played in midfield in PL2 more often during Marcelo Bielsa's time at the club. Whilst the Argentine managed the first-team, the U23s largely played the 4-1-4-1 formation favoured by Bielsa. Greenwood was seen as the more attacking of the two midfielders.
However, that seemed like a role he was unlikely to play in the first-team. Given that Leeds played man-marking all over the pitch under Bielsa, he would have been required to compete in a lot of physical duels and Greenwood lacks some of the physicality and explosiveness that Gelhardt has. That made it hard to imagine him playing in that position against the supreme athletes in the Premier League.
In Marsch's 4-2-2-2 though, Greenwood won't be expected to man-mark and can join in with the co-ordinated 'ball oriented' pressing which is more of a unit, covering some of his physical weaknesses. As well as that, the narrow shape and the fact that there are two striking positions mean there are more positions he could potentially make appearances in.
As already mentioned, he originally came on as a striker against Wolves, but found himself shifted to one of the number 10 positions. It is perhaps in that position that he might find a future under Marsch and at Leeds. Whilst he might not have the same explosiveness which makes Gelhardt such an enticing option upfront, he does have a lot of guile and excellent technique, which could make him one to look out for playing just behind the strikers.
Leeds have thus far been continuing with wingers in those positions, but the role suits players used to laying in more congested spaces. Greenwood may fancy that he can prove himself more capable of that than players like Daniel James or Jack Harrison, who prefer to play running into space on the flanks. Given that the Premier League has now passed the rule that five substitutes will be allowed to be used next season, Greenwood may get increased opportunities in that position, should he remain at the club. If he can impress Marsch as he did against Wolves, it could be the start of him finally moving out of Gelhardt's shadow and showing himself as a top young prospect in his own right.
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