Leeds United’s perfect start to the season was halted by Birmingham City, a team led by former Leeds manager Garry Monk. The Whites faithful would rue the missed chances but in a long season, the loss came at the right time, and the defeat should serve as a timely reminder that the journey to the Premier League is going to be long and hard.
After the defeat, the manager tried to take on the blame for the loss on himself. Kalvin Phillips was substituted around the half-hour mark and was replaced by Stuart Dallas, and we believe the 27-year-old versatile midfielder did enough to warrant a start in the next game against Sheffield Wednesday.
Dallas missed the earlier part of the season due to injury, but now it’s time for Bielsa to rotate his players as, after the loss, he admitted that his players looked tired. Hopefully, they would be better prepared for the game against Owls.
The 27-year-old put in a decent shift after coming on and made some good contributions while going forward. He played an hour of the game, but only Ezgjan Alioski managed more key passes than him on the pitch. Dallas’ work rate has been one of his strong points over the years, and in the last game also he showed that he could help his team out defensively by making some tough tackles and smart interceptions. The midfielder can carry the ball from the back and can whip in some nice crosses from the wide regions.
The Northern Irish international has been with the club since 2015, but he has often divided the fans over the years. The versatile midfielder often fails to come up with something in the attacking third after getting in the right positions. However, one thing that cannot be doubted is his work rate, and that is one of the most critical aspects of the current Leeds side.
His versatility is his biggest asset as he has played in central roles, down the wings and in the fullback roles as well. Therefore Dallas could be Bielsa’s go-to man whenever he feels like giving rest to a particular player or fill in a specific position due to an injury to an individual player.
The Northern Irishman has got decent experience, and in a relatively young team, his leadership would come in handy. With more chances, Dallas would slowly grow more into the new manager’s tactics, and philosophy and this Friday’s game should be the perfect opportunity to hand him his first start in the playing eleven.
