One journalist believes a key member of the Leeds United squad could come under fire if things do not change quickly for him.
Joe Urquhart, who works for The Yorkshire Evening Post, has revealed that Luke Ayling appears to be struggling to cope with the demands that Marcelo Bielsa has in place on the Inside Elland Road Podcast (20:17).
The journalist stated that the 27-year-old had trouble getting into the flow of the game against Norwich City last weekend and had to take an extra couple of touches on the ball that would have displeased the Argentine boss.
Although he expects Ayling to play against Middlesbrough on Saturday, Urquhart did suggest that it would not be a surprise to see him dropped if he did not improve.
“Saturday’s game was the most evident it’s been that Ayling was struggling to get into the flow of what Bielsa is demanding from him,” he said.
“Every time he got the ball, he had a couple of extra touches. He seemed to slow everything down and that helped Norwich get back in numbers.
“I don’t see him dropping Ayling this weekend, but there is definitely something going on there. If he continues this form, there is certainly a discussion to be had.”
The Verdict:
Ayling has had a difficult season so far as he had to miss a large portion of it through injury, however, he has been a mainstay in the team when fit.
The right-back was playing some of his best football prior to that knee injury, but it appears to have taken its toll on the 27-year-old who has not looked as solid as everyone knows he can be.
With Bielsa not one to hold back from making the changes necessary, if things do not improve for Ayling performance wise, it would not be a surprise to see him out of the team for a little while.
Leeds fans – thoughts?
