Leeds United play their final match before the start of the new Premier League season on Sunday. The Whites are set to host Serie B side Cagliari as preparations for the opening day against Wolverhampton Wanderers ramp up a notch.
So far, Jesse Marsch has been able to use pre-season as a time to bed in several new players after a busy start to the summer transfer window. However, there are plenty of positions that are still up for grabs and so Cagliari will hand Marsch the chance to have a final look at his squad before the big one next weekend.
So with that in mind, here is a look at where some of Marsch’s big decisions still lay.
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Centre back
After starting all four pre-season matches so far, it appears as though Robin Koch has the right centre back role nailed down at this stage. However, we are still no closer to knowing who might partner him after a range of options were tested in Australia.
Diego Llorente has started the last two matches there, while Pascal Struijk began the opening two matches of pre-season there. Liam Cooper, meanwhile, is yet to play a single minute of football this summer and so it seems unlikely he will be fit in time for the new campaign.
Where Llorente could have the advantage is if Struijk is chosen to start at left back. He is one of three players who has been tested there in Junior Firpo’s absence.
Left back
As mentioned, Firpo’s injury and Leeds’ inability to bring in a left back yet make that position difficult to decide at this moment. Struijk appears the favourite to take that spot, but he has looked far from comfortable in his pre-season outings there.
Jack Harrison and Leo Hjelde have both also spent time in pre-season in that role, but again their attributes are best served elsewhere. Whoever gets the nod is going to be playing out of position.
Behind the striker
Assuming Patrick Bamford, Brenden Aaronson and Harrison are all nailed on starters, that leaves one position left in that front four. Marsch has so far gone with a 4-2-3-1 in pre-season, and so there are several options he could go for to complete his attack.
Assuming Luis Sinisterra is ruled out with a hamstring injury, Joe Gelhardt, Rodrigo Moreno and Daniel James will all be keen to receive the nod, with the former in particular giving Marsch the ability to change to a two up front if necessary. Additionally, Leeds have struggled for goals against both Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, making Gelhardt arguably the best of the three options.
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