Leeds United currently occupy the third spot in the Championship table, and they have struggled off late in the last month. The Whites have failed to score more than one goal, and they haven’t been able to finish off moves even with all their domination.
One man who was brought this summer to bolster United’s attack was Helder Costa. The club will be signing the Portuguese winger permanently next summer for £15m. The winger had to be satisfied with a place on the bench in the first eight games of the season. However, he soon got his chances when Pablo Hernandez got injured. Costa has now gone on to start the last six games, but he has hardly made any meaningful contribution in the attacking third. Costa has failed to assist or score when he has started the last few games.
That has been a worrying sign for the Whites as the one time Portugal international has looked average at best. There were calls from plenty of quarters to include him in the starting eleven when he wasn’t starting. But now it seems like Costa would make way for Hernandez once he becomes available.
Bielsa recently highlighted that the winger is still in the adaptation process. The Argentine boss said (Yorkshire Evening Post), ”Helder is still in an adaptation process, Teams and players need habits you can get from playing.”
Why are fans right to have some concern over Costa’s performances?
With 14 games already played in the Championship, we are thirty percent through the season. Fans and the team management would have expected better from Costa as he has played in the Championship before. He also has some experience under his belt in the Premier League and given his price tag, no wonder many are feeling disappointed by Costa’s performance.
On paper, the winger was supposed to hit the ground running straightaway at Elland Road, but as we have seen, that is easier said than done. Bielsa didn’t throw the player under the bus, and he has claimed that Costa is still going through the adaptation process. However, we think that its time for him to make the impact for which he was brought in for otherwise the winger will be termed as a dud signing.
How can Bielsa utilise both Costa and Hernandez?
Hernandez is likely to step in the team when he becomes available, and Costa will have to look to make an impact from the bench. However, Bielsa could use Hernandez through the middle as Dallas is currently partnering Klich in central areas. That would mean that Costa could continue on the right flank. The summer arrival hasn’t done too poorly, but he has lacked the explosiveness which was expected from him. Hopefully, he would adapt to United’s system soon and start delivering results.
