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Football London
Football London
Sport
Lee Wilmot

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa explains why Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah is not getting a start

Eddie Nketiah is having to bide his time at Leeds United.

The Arsenal loan star has impressed in Yorkshire so far, since signing a season-long lean deal with the Championship side, scoring four times - two goals in the league and two in the EFL Cup.

Nketiah has played in five of Leeds' games so far this season, but none of them have been as a starter under Marceloa Bielsa and all but one of them have been coming on as a replacement for Patrick Bamford.

There are high expectations for Nketiah at the Emirates Stadium and he has shone when he has been involved for Leeds, leading to some questions over why he is not starting for the promotion favourites.

Leeds drew 1-1 with Derby County on Saturday, with Nketiah getting just 11 minutes off the bench.

And Bielsa was asked about not playing the Arsenal loanee after the match, given he had come off the bench and scored last week in the 2-0 win over Barnsley.

Speaking to our friends at Leeds Live , Bielsa said: "The game consists in attack and also in defence. When you attack [and] you create 10 chances more than the opponent, you cannot be sad for the style of the team.

"Your question is linked with the presence of Nketiah and Bamford together because maybe we can be more efficient with those two players in the team.

James Benge's verdict on Arsenal team news

"Two goalscorers are in better condition to take advantage of 10 chances, but we should see which player we take out from the team and what is going to be the result if we take out one player behind the attackers.

"My answer is if we play with two goalscorers, maybe [Adam] Forshaw or [Mateusz] Klich are out of the team: [Jamie] Shackleton, Klich, Adam.

"One centre forward without two midfielders behind him is going to make worse the building of the attack.

"If you have two centre forwards in one team which doesn’t create a lot of chances, you cannot take advantage of the results you have.

"This is my way of thinking. When I put Nketiah   on the pitch I was thinking of taking out Klich and Eddie and Bamford play together, Bamford behind Eddie, but for this decision I have to be convinced.

"I am getting to know some players, in the case of Nketiah for example. I need to know how I combine both of them."

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