Javi Gracia has told Thursday’s press conference – as per the club’s YouTube – that he is willing to play with two strikers up top in Leeds United’s fight against relegation, and even suggested he might use Brenden Aaronson in that role.
Georginio Rutter, 20, was handed only his second start for Leeds on Tuesday night in the FA Cup defeat to Fulham. The Frenchman was largely unlucky, hitting the post with a superb header and a goal ruled out, deemed harsh by Gracia.
Arguably, our best player at Craven Cottage. Gracia is renowned to like playing two up-front from his Watford days, when he often partnered Troy Deeney with Gerard Deulofeu. He has used a 4-2-3-1 system, and a 4-3-3 line-up so far.
So, ahead of Saturday’s trip to take on Graham Potter’s struggling Chelsea, Gracia said he could be open to using two up top. He says Rutter could partner Patrick Bamford, Rodrigo when he is back – and even £25m midfielder Aaronson.
“It’s an option to play with Rutter or to play with two players up front. I was happy with Georginio’s game, the way he played, but I was not happy with the goal disallowed,” Gracia said on Thursday afternoon in his latest press conference.
“It was really soft, really soft and after watching it again, really soft. Circumstances can change the game. It is a good option to play with two up top, with Georgie, Patrick, Rodrigo, with Aaronson,” Gracia responded, naming Aaronson.
Javi Gracia willing to play two up top and might use Brenden Aaronson
It is the system that Gracia used to great effectiveness at Watford, largely the one that got Watford to the final of the FA Cup in 2018-19. Perhaps it lacks the control in the middle of the park, but Leeds have legs in that position.
We have Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. But it would give us more of a chance in attack, an area that Leeds are clearly struggling in. Rutter and Bamford up top, though, might be too similar. An Aaronson up top may help Leeds.
