Joe Gelhardt confused at lack of game time - Transfer Tavern 8/10/22
By Charlie Smith
Leeds United forward Joe Gelhardt was left confused by his
lack of game time last season, according to Phil Hay.
Gelhardt made 20 Premier League appearances last season, but
only five of those came from the start.
The 20-year-old managed to contribute to six goals in just
720 minutes of top-flight action and was used more from December onwards due to
Patrick Bamford’s continued injury issues.
The forward has started one league game under Jesse Marsch
during the current campaign but was left out of the squad entirely last time
out against Aston Villa despite being fit and available for selection.
Leeds correspondent Hay shared an in-depth story on Gelhardt
for The Athletic on Friday. He stated that Gelhardt ‘would have liked more
minutes last season and that certain occasions when he wasn’t used,
particularly as a substitute, confused him as much as others watching’.
The reporter even mentions the possibility of cashing in on
the player down the line: “Gelhardt, for a snip from Wigan, was the sort of
signing which could hardly go wrong; the sort of signing which could, quite
easily, earn a club a killing competitively or financially.”
Sunday’s selection against Aston Villa seemed to show that
deadline-day signing Wilfried Gnonto is now above Gelhardt in Marsch’s
attacking pecking order, with the Italy international getting the nod on the
bench.
Gelhardt responded by netting twice for the U21s in a 5-3
EFL Trophy win over Tranmere Rovers in the week, so it’ll be interesting to see
if he features against Crystal Palace this weekend.
If he doesn’t, then you could make an argument for a January
loan move to the Championship being beneficial, so his situation may well be
one to watch closely over the next six weeks.
