After the international break, Leeds will be travelling to Ewood Park to face Blackburn in the Championship and it’s a game that they’ll be going into without their mainstay right-back, Luke Ayling. The full-back was sent off against Brentford and will miss one game, although a lot of Leeds fans would have been calling for Gaetano Berardo to replace Ayling anyway.
A decision for Marcelo Bielsa at right-back in light of Luke Ayling's one-match ban. And an opportunity for Gaetano Berardi to put himself in contention during the international break:https://t.co/Kb9WA8sPXF
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) October 8, 2018
In the Yorkshire Evening Post, Phil Hay writes about how Berardi could be set to play his way back into contention is he performs well this Friday in an U23 game. The Swiss defender has been out of the squad with a knee injury for the last month but Marcelo Bielsa could be set to look towards the experienced right-back when his side travels to Blackburn, although he could equally opt to play young Jamie Shackleton at right-back if needed.
The fact that Ayling is suspended for the Blackburn clash means that he will have to miss the game, however, a lot of Leeds fans would have made the call to drop their Championship ever-present for the clash even if hadn’t been given his marching orders against Brentford as the 27-year-old’s performances have been lacking in the last couple of weeks. When he returns there’s no doubt Bielsa will reinstate him at right-back, but the Ewood Park clash provides Berardi with a welcome chance to make himself a nailed on starter.
You can read The Whites’ verdict on Berardi here:
I think Ayling might struggle to get his place back. Been quite inconsistent with his distribution. Berardi isn’t as good going forward but a petter passer for me
— Matthew Marshall (@Marshall4860) October 8, 2018
Good to have that competition. Ayling not at his best with distribution. Every ball he played on Saturday was too hard / long or to the opposition. Shame he'll somehow play an out of position Dallas there though.
— Jono O'Brien (@Jono_ob) October 9, 2018
Ayling has had a poor start to the season imo. Maybe Berardi would prove the better option over the next few games given he had quite a good start to the season
— Aran (@AranLeeds) October 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/hughesr64/status/1049279447122284544
Come on lads ayling only had 2 bad games from what I’ve seen that’s not all that bad
— Russ (@russcausier) 8 October 2018
https://twitter.com/swallowrecruit/status/1049275989367435265
https://twitter.com/AJMilly/status/1049279697220263937
As you can see, the Leeds fans are looking forward to seeing Ayling have a break whilst Berardi should get a chance to show what he can do in the first-team.
