This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Leeds United have been left in the lurch a little bit by an injury picked up by Eddie Nketiah last week.
Football Insider are now reporting that the Arsenal loanee will be out of action for around three weeks, and that could hand an opportunity to one of the Whites’ most promising young talents.
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Leeds’ lack of depth up top
Most teams in the Championship wouldn’t be too fazed by their second choice striker picking up an injury as they’d have another senior player amongst the ranks to replace him.
However, at Leeds not only is Nketiah one of only two senior strikers in the squad, but he’s also the Whites’ top scorer this season.
The injury to the 20-year-old means that Leeds may have to look towards their youth ranks, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you consider which player they may have to call upon.
Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…
Edmondson’s chance
This injury to Nketiah could represent a huge opportunity for Ryan Edmondson.
The 18-year-old is surely the next in the striking pecking order, and with Patrick Bamford on a ten-game run without a goal, it’s not too far-fetched that the teenager may actually get some minutes off the bench in the coming weeks.
Fans have been calling for Edmondson to get a shot at the first-team for months now, and this may represent his first real opportunity at a run in the side.
His goalscoring antics for the U23s have been nothing short of excellent as he netted 20 times for the youth side in the 2018/19 campaign, and if he can carry that eye for goal over to the first team he could have his breakout moment in one of the upcoming fixtures.
Seen just once under Marcelo Bielsa in competitive action, playing 19 minutes last term, he scored a hat-trick against Tadcaster Albion in pre-season – a barometer of his exceptional finishing abilities.
Surely a chance must be inbound soon?