Jesse Marsch has decisions to make as Leeds United approach their biggest game of the season so far against Nottingham Forest at Elland Road. The Whites’ defensive performance left much to be desired as they shipped five goals during Saturday’s clash at Brentford and Marsch will be determined to see his side make the necessary improvements to halt their three-game winless run.
Fortunately, with a number of players returning from injury, the head coach does have the option to make changes right across his backline on Monday night. The most likely change will be at right-back next week as Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen battle with Cody Drameh for a place in the side.
Drameh produced a promising performance last time out at the Gtech Community Stadium, but Marsch could look to bring a more senior man back into the fold against Forest. Changes could come at centre-back, too, with Diego Llorente’s place in the side looking uncertain following his difficult afternoon in west London.
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Club captain Liam Cooper was fit enough to be named on the bench on Saturday and he could be an option for Marsch to consider from the start. Cooper’s only game time this season has come in the Carabao Cup after picking up a troublesome Achilles injury over the off-season.
However, he’s considered to be fully fit now and he may well be the man asked to lead out the Whites. Junior Firpo is another on the verge of a return and if he is considered fit enough, he will move straight back into left-back contention on Monday.
Pascal Struijk has featured at left-back in Firpo’s absence and fared reasonably well given he has been playing out of position. He has even earned a spot in Louis van Gaal’s provisional Netherlands squad ahead of this month’s Nations League games.
As such, Marsch must consider the pros and cons of making a left-back change, too, over the coming days, too. In fact, it seems the only player locked into the defensive line at the minute is Robin Koch, who has been one of Leeds’ most reliable performers over the first six games of the Premier League season.
Like many, he didn’t have his best game against the Bees, but his spot in the side is certainly not in question at present and he looks likely to be Leeds’ right-sided centre-back moving forward. With that in mind, here’s a few back four line-ups Marsch will be considering.
All change - Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Firpo
If Firpo is fit, there is the possibility that the head coach will make three changes at the back, with Ayling and Cooper also coming in. Ayling only got 20 minutes against Brentford, but he made a firm statement of intent with his performance, getting forward well, putting his body on the line and assisting Marc Roca’s goal at what appeared to be a key moment at the time.
He sat out the first five games of the season after undergoing knee surgery earlier this year and it seems as though he’s ready to make that step back into the starting line-up ahead of Kristensen, who hasn’t overly convinced since joining, it’s probably fair to say. Cooper’s leadership, composure and poise at the back may well be enough to convince the head coach that he deserves to partner Koch in the middle.
Struijk would be able to count himself unfortunate not be involved in this instance, but Firpo is the club’s only recognised senior left-back and Marsch may be keen to see him action.
The usual - Kristensen, Koch, Llorente, Struijk
This is the back four that started Leeds’ first five Premier League games and when playing together they have shipped just five goals all season. As such, if Kristensen is fit, as he is expected to be, Marsch may well consider naming the familiar backline.
Kristensen has struggled to acclimatise himself to the Premier League so far and it could be said that the quickest and most efficient way for him to adapt is to keep faith in him and give him minutes. Ayling will be pushing hard for a spot, but Marsch knows Kristensen well and he’ll be confident he can come good given time.
As for Llorente, dropping the Spain international after Saturday may well be detrimental to his confidence and self-belief. It’s a difficult balance and the American is paid to make the big decisions but it would be a big show of faith in the 29-year-old if he were to play.
Mix and match – Ayling/Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk
As mentioned above, Struijk has fared well in the left-back role, a position that was relatively unfamiliar to him but he seems to have made it his own. As such, Marsch will certainly be tempted to stick with him, regardless of the fitness of Firpo, who, in truth, struggled to impress in the role at times last time around.
Ayling definitely did enough on Saturday to give the head coach some food for thought with his performance on Saturday and he may be tempted to bring the 31-year-old in from the start. Of course, if Kristensen struggles to shake off the knock he picked up in training last week, Ayling would almost certainly be handed the opportunity.
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