Marco Bielsa has brought widespread change to Elland Road this season. The Argentinean is clearly a very hard man to please, and for most of the season, that’s translated well on the field.
However, a number of players that have looked poor in recent weeks, and goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been one of the worst of the bunch. He was at fault yet again over the weekend against West Brom, and whilst his display wasn’t the difference between a win and a loss, it is undeniable that he had a role to play.
An out of form goalkeeper is the last thing a top team needs, and so Bielsa has a big decision on his hands. On-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Jamal Blackman has yet to make a single league appearance for the Peacocks, and at this point, is it worth reconsidering that?
There’s certainly an argument for that being the case.
After all, Blackman is a talented goalkeeper. Standing at a towering 6ft6, the Englishman is an absolute colossus between the sticks, and his physical presence is often enough alone to put offending players off. Beyond that, though, he’s agile – more so than his frame would suggest – whilst he’s also a very stellar shot-stopper. Naturally, he’s dominant in the air, and he’s not particularly slow either.
You could argue that the one counter-argument to Blackman starting is a lack of experience. However, the reality is that Blackman has even more Championship caps under his belt than Peacock-Farrell – even if none of them have been for Leeds.
Last season, for Sheffield United, Blackman was a real force between the sticks, and he’s more than good enough to turn out for Leeds. It surely can’t get much worse than their current number one right now?
Thoughts?
