Pablo Hernandez is Leeds United’s playmaker extraordinaire, but there is no danger the team will become too reliant on him, in Jack Harrison’s mind at least.
Half-time has not been a happy place for the Whites since football restarted. In all three matches, they have either been behind, under sustained pressure or not looked like scoring in a million years.
In the second and third cases, the Spaniard was the elephant in the room. A solution to all ills. A master locksmith for those doors blocking progress.
Doing it against near rivals Fulham, with an artful assist, is one thing, but turning again to him at half-time against the Championship’s bottom side is another.
Throw in the fact one of his hamstrings is especially fragile during an intense match programme and you see the problem of overreliance.
How many more matches can this narrative be allowed to go on? Labour through 45 minutes and expect the 35-year-old to make everything better.
Hernandez has stolen so many hearts among his team-mates and fans across the last few years he is always going to be the man they yearn for when he’s not playing.
Harrison, though, while he appreciates the Spaniard’s impact, does not believe the team is reliant upon him to solve their problems.
“I don’t think it’s a reliance. We’re all aware how good he is and what he can provide coming into the game, I don’t think the team necessarily relies on him,” he said.
“We’re aware we have multiple threats going forward and we created a lot of chances tonight.
“He came in and helped out definitely. He’s a great addition to the team as well, but I don’t think we rely on him, but he’s a great addition.
“We, as other players as well, I know myself need to take a bigger role and have more of an impact in the game and provide better chances.
“That’s something I’m looking to do and studying Pablo, he’s a great player to study that as well, so I have to learn from him and we’re all learning from each other.
“He’s a great player. He’s got a lot of talent. The way he sees the game and I’m just trying to incorporate that into my game as well.”
