Jesse Marsch reveals Joe Gelhardt's budding off-pitch relationship with teammate amid 'homework' admission - YEP 1/9/22
Leeds United double act Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt share a good relationship off the pitch according to head coach Jesse Marsch
By Joe Donnohue
Leeds United may start with two strikers this weekend for
the visit to Brentford as Jesse Marsch provided a positive update on the
fitness of Patrick Bamford.
Marsch’s admission came prior to the disappointment of
Leeds’ deadline day saga involving Bamba Dieng, who joined OGC Nice despite
agreeing a deal with Leeds and Andrea Radrizzani had tweeted ‘welcoming’ the
forward to Elland Road.
Leeds’ striking options for the next three months at the
very least will consist of Bamford, Joe Gelhardt and Rodrigo – who is sidelined
for the next three-to-four weeks due to a shoulder dislocation.
Speaking on the possibility of a formation which
accommodates both Bamford and Gelhardt as an alternative to four-goal Rodrigo,
who will be missing for the next month, Marsch offered a detailed response.
"Joffy has played mostly striker here,” he began. “But
if you would talk to him he is in some ways more comfortable coming away from
defenders and being more underneath than being on the last line. And one of his
strengths is his cleverness and ability to move and the flexibility to move
within both positions.
"So in that sense, I think if we played with two
strikers, and Patrick drifts a little bit more on the last line, and he drifts
a little bit more underneath, he's ready for some later runs and Patrick's
ready at the right time to come underneath that we can create some tactical
clarity and ease for them to play together.
"I think there will be times that that we do that. And
there is also the factor that I think we're getting a lot out of Jack Harrison
and Brenden Aaronson right now. And then I think Luis Sinisterra is going to
continue to emerge as a big player for us, right?
"And then we have Dan James, we have Cree
[Summerville], we have Klichy, we have other options in there as well. And
obviously, now that Rodri also has this flexibility to play striker or 10 as
well, so I liked that about all of them and it gives us some flexibility to be
intelligent, how we can use them and then it's just about educating them more
and more about how to play with each other and what their roles are together,”
the American said.
Adding to his tactical musings, Marsch also discussed the
relationship Bamford and Gelhardt share off the pitch, drawing on one
particular example before last season’s final game away at Brentford.
"They have a really good relationship - Patrick's
really taken Joffy under his wing and tried to help mentor him in a way to help
him grow into being a really good striker which obviously, as the leader I love
seeing that.
"I think Joffy loves it too.
"I think before the Brentford game [last season],
Patrick had COVID and he sent Joffy like a to-do list almost of things that he
should be thinking about in the match and he sent it to me and goes, 'do you
think it's okay if I send this to Joffy' and I said 'perfect, do it, great'.
"So that's what I want, I want to leave room for
leadership and I want these guys to feel like they have a big role in helping
develop the team,” the head coach finished.