Leeds United manager Sam Allardyce is looking to get more of a tune out of this group of players, with four games remaining in the Whites’ battle for safety.
Leeds is in need of a massive change in fortunes this month after taking the decision to part ways with Javi Gracia on Wednesday.
In his place, Leeds turned to Sam Allardyce to turn their season around with four games left to play, as he aims for another great escape from relegation.
With a tough task up first in a trip to Manchester City, Leeds knows they will need a huge improvement across the board to start picking up the points they need.
Here, we look at three players we think are likely to benefit from the arrival of Allardyce…
Patrick Bamford
Expect the defense as a unit to improve a lot with Allardyce in charge, but at the other end of the pitch, Patrick Bamford is going to be key.
One thing that Allardyce needs from his attack is a striker there to hold the ball up, pin center-backs, and get the side up the field.
The expert in that is Bamford, and we are going to need that influence in all four games to stand a chance.
Allardyce has already stressed the number nine’s importance as he spoke in his pre-match press conference about him:
“I want Patrick Bamford to be on top form. Because I think he’s a key player in terms of holding the ball up and being able to to get the ball to him and him to score goals, to give him the opportunity to score goals. So hopefully he stays fit and he becomes a key player.”
Willy Gnonto
Winning the second ball is a massive factor for Leeds getting up the field under Allardyce, and they need their best ball-carrying forwards to do that.
Gnonto was given the cold shoulder under Gracia in April for some bizarre reason, ending with an assist in his final game in charge as he was finally started against Bournemouth.
We’ve not seen much of Gnonto lately and it’s completely baffling when he is a match-winner and one of our best players, despite his age.
You have to think Allardyce will get more out of Gnonto, given he has already waxed lyrical about the Italian, on his aptly named No Tippy Tappy Football podcast:
“There are a couple of players who in my opinion should be playing. Wilfried Gnonto, the young Italian kid.
“Fantastic. He’s so positive, so driven, so direct with the ball, he gets the play up the field and he doesn’t mind defending as well.”
