Marcelo Bielsa's tactical approach undercut Eddie Nketiah's skills at Leeds United, believes Ian Wright - and the former Arsenal man has urged the Whites head coach to get Jean-Kevin Augustin involved sooner rather than later.
Leeds last month brought former France youth international Augustin in as an effective like-for-like replacement for Nketiah, after the latter was recalled by the Gunners from his loan spell last month.
The England youth attacker often found himself playing second fiddle to Patrick Bamford, even when the ex-Middlesbrough man was suffering from a poor run of form in front of goal.
With just two Championship starts to his name, Nketiah was restricted in the impact he could have made at Elland Road, with his manager stating that was waiting for the striker to be brought up to his speed.
Now, former Arsenal frontman Wright has spoken out on fears that Bielsa could waste Augustin's talents in a similar manner, adding that while Bamford is a fine player, it would not hurt to field his second striker in the closing stages.
"We’re not talking about a prolific goalscorer [in Bamford] but we’re talking about a really good footballer in sense of a target man, holding it," he told BBC Radio 5Live's The Monday Night Club.
"He’s very good in that respect of course, but yes he’s missed chances this season.
"But just going back to Augustin and Bielsa saying he’s not up to top speed - if you’re a striker, what speed do you need to be up to, to come up for ten minutes at the end of the game?
"I don’t think the way Eddie played suited Bielsa’s style and that’s why he went back. With Eddie as well, he was a substitute and whether he’s up to speed or not he came on changed games, he scored goals in those games.
"The way to get a striker up to speed to start is to get him on the pitch to score goals and then you get him up to speed. I just can’t go with that getting up to speed one, it just seems a ridiculous thing to say."
