Can Joe Gelhardt truly fill in for Leeds United’s injured front line?
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt has not reached the levels that the club “hoped he would when they first signed him” due, in part, to the “way it’s been” at the club.
Leeds United transfer news – Joe Gelhardt
The Peacocks have had a difficult few of years. After avoiding relegation by the skin of their teeth in 2022, the team eventually succumbed to the drop last season due to a variety of circumstances, including bad decision-making by the club’s ownership.
The possibility of life in the second division has triggered a sort of exodus, with some players who were unable to keep the club in the Premier League leaving to pursue top-flight football abroad.
Youngster Gelhardt, on the other hand, appears certain to stay with the club, and following a spate of injuries to the older forwards, he has now found himself far closer to regular starts than he may have expected.
Daniel Farke started him in The Whites‘ EFL Cup game against Shrewsbury on Wednesday night, and despite a shaky first half, he justified his gaffers’ faith by scoring the equaliser.
After the game, the German was candid about the situation, saying:
“It’s always important to rely on the academy’s young products.” What I enjoy best about him is that he completely identifies with the club.
“He knows there are some errors in his game that he can improve on, and we’re talking about it openly and working hard in training about it.” He needs to step up in a couple areas, but I admire how he puts in the effort.
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, many at the club agree that the lively attacker needs to improve in certain areas while still possessing genuine quality.
He detailed the matter on the YouTube channel of The Square Ball podcast, saying:
“Another really talented player Gelhardt, but someone who just hasn’t been able to follow what would have been the development plan for him, and I think as much as anything because of the way things have been at Leeds.”
“I don’t think anybody at Leeds would pretend that where he is now is where they hoped he would be when they first signed him back in that summer after promotion.”
How old is Joe Gelhardt?
Born on May 4, 2002, in Liverpool, the 21-year-old has struggled in West Yorkshire, scoring three goals and contributing four assists in 42 appearances – granted, the most of those came off the bench – but it’s still not enough.
His underlying figures from the previous year of playing, largely from his time with Sunderland, are reasonably impressive, and suggest that he may be a productive player for Farke at Championship level.
According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the next eight competitions, he ranks in the top 1% for blocks, 2% for tackles, 6% for pass completion, 8% for assists, 11% for progressive passes, and 16% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.
He was able to display glimpses of his quality to Premier League viewers towards the end of the 2021/22 season, with then-boss Jesse Marsch calling him as “incredible” during a performance against Brighton & Hove Albion.
While he may not have scored as many goals as he would have liked for Sunderland last season, he did show flashes of brilliance along the road, with James Hunter of the Chronicle calling his performance against Huddersfield Town as ‘outstanding.’
Finally, Hay’s remark that Gelhardt has failed to live up to the club’s expectations of him thus far appears to be correct. However, there is still a good player in there, and if given an opportunity, he could prove his value in this year’s Championship.
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