Leeds play arguably their toughest match of the campaign till date on Wednesday when they visit table-topping Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Whites got the better of Middlesbrough at the weekend in a 2-1 victory and can prove their Premier League promotion credentials with a win over Wolves.
Manager Thomas Christiansen deployed Kemar Roofe in the absence of the ill Pierre-Michel Lasogga against Garry Monk’s charges, and former Leeds star Noel Whelan wants him to stick with the former Oxford United forward on Wednesday night.
The pundit revealed his reasons on BBC Radio Leeds: “Stick with what we’ve seen. I like a striker that can work the two centre-halves, not just coming into areas, coming deep to pick up the ball but going in behind, running channels, taking them diagonal into areas they can’t go because they want to keep that solid back four and that shape, and he’s got intelligence and he does hold the ball up and bring us into play.
“I think sometimes when we get the big man up front, unless you can run in behind and got the pace to trouble and run out wide – static strikers, it falls right into the hands of the centre-halves.
“That’s what they want, they don’t want to be moved out of position, they want to just come on and head the ball back.
“I don’t like it. He’s (Lasogga) got to work on his mobility, his fitness, his speed, there’s so much more that he needs to bring to the game and Roofe, for me, is bringing more up front than he is.”
Despite not getting on the scoresheet against Boro, Roofe offered much more than the German striker, and deserves another chance to prove what he can do.
Lasogga will likely return to full fitness before Wednesday after taking ill last week, and it remains to be seen if Christiansen will return him to the lineup for the trip to Molineux Stadium.
