After the sacking of Paul Heckingbottom, everyone was expecting a mass clearout of the squad at Leeds United. A lot of players who have played a significant role so far this season were not considered to be good enough. One such player was Kemar Roofe, even though he finished as last season’s top scorer for the Whites. There were expectations that United would need to sign at least two strikers in the summer to mount any challenge for the playoff spot. They got their marquee signing in the form of Patrick Bamford, but such is the form of Roofe that Bamford hasn’t been able to break into the first eleven.
Roofe joined the Whites in 2016 and seemed average at best. He was often used in the wide areas, and one wouldn’t classify him as an out and out striker. But since Bielsa arrived at the club, he allowed the wide man to play in a more central role up front, and that move has reaped rich dividends. The Whites sit at the top of the table, and Roofe’s stats in the Championship reads six appearances, four goals and two assists. That’s a direct goal contribution every game and suddenly the Argentine manager has turned the so-called average forward player into a potential top striker at the Championship level.
However, the most impressive part of him is not covered in those goal scoring stats. Bielsa has deployed a system where the team defends from the front that means when the opposition has the ball in their half, the team presses high up the pitch to try to win the ball in the dangerous area, and Roofe has often been relentless in pressing up top. He doesn’t mind tracking back as well, and the 25-year-old has consistently been one of the most hardworking players on the pitch. Every time when he takes the field, he seems to work his socks off.
Even though he starts as the man up front, Bielsa has given him the freedom to go down in the wide areas now and then. This goal proves that fact significantly. Special credit for that build-up from the back.
https://twitter.com/Aleks_LUFC/status/1030849385586941954
Bielsa knows that the fact that Roofe has played as a winger before means that he can be devastating when he stretches the defenders in the wide areas. The forward has good pace to burn and his finishing seems to be improving with every passing day. So another thumbs up to Bielsa for giving Roofe the freedom to linger around in the wide areas as well.
The fluidity with which United are playing has made them one of the teams to watch out for. Bielsa has been getting the major plaudits for transforming the side, but the players have also played their part in taking the manager’s philosophy so quickly.
The Whites would hope that the 25-year-old can continue this form throughout the campaign and if he manages to produce 20-25 goals this season, the Whites would be around the playoff spot if not an automatic promotion spot.
