Willy Gnonto's Thorp Arch impression revealed by direct competition - YEP 8/9/22
Willy Gnonto has made his first impression at Leeds United and Joe Gelhardt has liked what he's seen.
By Graham Smyth
Gnonto was given the weekend off after a hectic last-minute
transfer from Zurich to Elland Road on deadline day, head coach Jesse Marsch
sending the 18-year-old home to gather his belongings and likely his thoughts.
It was a head-spinning start to September for the Italian
international, whose arrival was initially slated for January before the
chaotic nature of Leeds' transfer deadline day kicked in and they moved
suddenly to accelerate their plans.
The teenager was looking at another few months of development
in the Swiss Super League and some Europa League action but now finds himself
at a Premier League club.
It's unlikely that the new surroundings will overawe Gnonto
in any way - he grew up at Inter Milan before a gutsy move to Zurich to play
first team football at 16, and has played four times for the Italian national
team.
According to Gelhardt, the new boy has made a good
impression both on and off the pitch.
"He's very sharp, he's very fast, he's lively,"
the forward told BBC Leeds.
"He plays winger or just anywhere across the front four
really. He's a lovely lad, he's very sharp and I'm sure he'll do really
well."
Gnonto is not immediately expected to make a first team
impact but he does bolster Marsch's options for the three positions behind
Leeds' lone striker in the current 4-2-3-1 system.
Gelhardt has mostly been used as a number nine, although at
Brentford he played behind Patrick Bamford in the second half, and most
consider his best position to be as a 10 or wide right of the attacking
midfield three, putting him in direct competition with Gnonto.
"It's healthy competition," said Gelhardt.
"Everyone wants to play but off the pitch we're all
friends. So it's not personal you know, it's just a healthy competition."
Gelhardt's usage towards the end of last season, the new
contract the club handed him in the summer and his involvement thus far in
Marsch's new-look team, should assure him of his importance to Leeds.
The club see him as a good option for now and a big player
for the future, which could lend itself to a weight of expectation on
20-year-old shoulders.
"I don't see it as a weight, I see it more of an
opportunity for myself," he said.
"I don't really really feel pressure or anything, I
just go on the pitch to just try and do what's best for the team. I'm just
playing the game that I've always played, but I'm grateful for the
opportunities that I've got to play in the Premier League. So I can't
complain."
If he did have one complaint it would be over his own form.
He's yet to find the net this season, albeit in just 124
minutes of Premier League football, and hasn't lit up Elland Road with moments
of magic like his assist against Brighton or the dribble that won a penalty
against Wolves.
Big moments like those, the goal at Chelsea and late one
against Norwich made it a breakthrough season for him at top flight level and
Gelhardt is hungry for more.
"Everton was the closest I've got so far," he
said.
"The one Pickford saved with his foot was an unexpected
one, it bounced up really quickly. If it had fallen on my left foot I would
have scored but it fell on my right unfortunately.
"Personally, I think I haven't been as good as I'd
like. Every game I play I want to score or assist to help the team try to get
results but in terms of actual aims I don't set targets - just as many goals or
assists as possible.
"Obviously I'm a striker so I want to be scoring goals
so now I haven't scored a goal I'd like to score more but I think as a team
we've started off quite well."
