Daniel Farke’s Leeds United squad is actually one of the lightest numbers wise in the Championship.
Though many managers would do anything to have the same quality as Farke, a few injuries in quick succession would leave Leeds looking very light.
That has already been on show this season, with James Debayo, Charlie Crew and Sam Chambers all having been on the bench in various matches.
Mateo Joseph is the latest Leeds youngster to properly progress up from the U21s, with Tony Dorigo recently hailing the Spaniard as the ‘full package’.
But Thorp Arch has a history of being a conveyor belt of talent, and it surely won’t be long until Farke hands the next one a debut.
Graham Smyth says James Debayo needs game time at Leeds
Leeds actually have a number of fresh injury concerns heading into tomorrow’s game against Coventry City. Pascal Struijk has been labelled as the biggest question mark.
With Max Wober on the sidelines, that would leave Leeds very short at centre-back. Ethan Ampadu dropping into defence is the most likely scenario, but Farke specifically named Debayo in his press conference.
Debayo has been on the bench in five of Leeds’ six league matches so far, but is still yet to get his first taste of senior action.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Inside Elland Road Podcast, journalist Graham Smyth says Farke is going to have to use Debayo at some point if he really feels he can make the step up.
He said: “There is apart of me that thinks at some stage James Debayo is going to have to play. If he’s going to be a prospect that Leeds believe can make the step up to men’s football, he is going to have to play men’s football at some stage.
“Is Coventry at home such a bad game to be throwing him in, or is it going to be enough that he perhaps plays in the FA Cup this season and maybe comes off the bench a few times to shore up a result?
“This is the balancing act between bringing young players through and protecting the results. At what point do you trust them?”
How likely is Pascal Struijk to make Leeds vs Coventry
Struijk would be an enormous miss for Leeds considering how well he has slotted in since his return from injury in August.
However, reading between the lines of Farke’s comments, it does feel as though he will make it, with the Leeds boss saying on a number of occasions he is ‘cautiously optimistic’.
Despite Farke also saying Struijk has not trained yet, he was spotted on Leeds’ latest inside training video as well.
Hopefully it is just a case of Farke managing him carefully as he gets used to playing week-in, week-out once again.
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