Leeds United player once described as ‘Messi’ might not be seen again until January window

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Daniel Farke had some decisions to make to his Leeds United squad on Saturday as he took his men to Cardiff City, and came away with a massive 2-0 victory.

Goals from Largie Ramazani and Joel Piroe saw Leeds bounce back immediately from a disappointing 1-0 win over Burnley the weekend prior, to beat Cardiff away from home and secure a fourth clean sheet.

On the face of it, an away win in the Championship and a clean sheet looks impressive. But against 10 men for more than 70 minutes, The Whites struggled to kill the game until Piroe’s 87th-minute goal.

Daniel Farke wanted Leeds to kill the game earlier, but Ramazani missed a golden chance and Pascal Struijk missed a penalty. Farke had to bring Ramazani into the starting XI with Manor Solomon injured.

Max Wober and Dan James were also missing but Patrick Bamford was back and it saw one player miss out from the trip to Cardiff and it might be he’s not seen again at Elland Road until the January window.

• READ MORE: Leeds player is the Championship’s second most-dispossessed so far

Joe Gelhardt has real battle on his hands to save Leeds career

Gelhardt was linked with a Leeds exit on deadline day, but the aggressive attacker remained. He has only managed one Championship appearance so far this season, as a late substitute at Sheffield Wednesday.

But Farke axed him from the Leeds squad on Saturday for the first time this season. Patrick Bamford is fit again, Joel Piroe is on fire and Mateo Joseph is first choice while other attackers are now firing for Leeds.

Gelhardt played wide right against Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup. But that was before the signings of Manor Solomon and Ramazani, while James is expected to return to full fitness in the coming weeks.

Gelhardt might have played his last game for Leeds already

That late substitute outing at Hillsborough could well be his final outing for Leeds if players stay fit. He is fourth choice for the striker role, and there are a huge list of players ahead in the attacking roles.

Solomon and Ramazani are the left-sided options, Brenden Aaronson and Piroe as 10’s and then Wilfried Gnonto and James on the right. Gelhardt failed to make the squad even with Solomon and James injured.

If he is failing to make the squad with those two missing, he has no chance when they return. It might be Gelhardt, once described as “Messi” by Micah Richards on the Monday Night Club as per Leeds Live, might not be seen until January with a new club.