Leeds must drop Gjanni Alioski against Spurs in the Premier League | OneFootball

Icon: Football FanCast

Football FanCast

·8 May 2021

Leeds must drop Gjanni Alioski against Spurs in the Premier League

Article image:Leeds must drop Gjanni Alioski against Spurs in the Premier League

With a clash against a rejuvenated Tottenham at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa must make the ruthless call of dropping Gjanni Alioski from the starting line-up.

The Whites suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Brighton last time out in the Premier League, and Alioski in particular had a difficult afternoon at the Amex Stadium. The North Macedonia international gave away an early penalty, lost six of his nine duels and coughed up possession 10 times (Sofascore).


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Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan tore into the 29-year-old and insisted that it was just another display which highlighted the need for the club to sign a left-back this summer.

Article image:Leeds must drop Gjanni Alioski against Spurs in the Premier League

He told Football Insider: “Alioski was diabolical to be quite honest with you. The free-kick, where he is trying to get a megs in the wrong area, that was his first mistake. The second mistake was back to the Alioski of old.

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“We saw that weakness on the left-hand side again. The right thing was to take him off, 100 per cent. He was a liability. Another game which highlighted our need to go into the market for a left-back.”

Whelan has also previously gone on record to slam Alioski as a “liability”, claiming after the game against Chelsea earlier this season that opposition teams target him down the left-hand side.

Article image:Leeds must drop Gjanni Alioski against Spurs in the Premier League

He said: “Leeds need a natural full-back there that you know can cover most bases, definitely defensively because as much as he gives everything, he is a liability. He’s not the best of defenders.

“I think that’s why you could see a lot going down that left-hand side, really targeting Alioski and you saw that frailty there at times.”

The £55,000-a-week ace has been linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer, with reports claiming that Turkish Super Lig giants Galatasaray are interested in signing him on a free transfer once his contract expires.

It would be a ruthless call from Bielsa to drop Alioski from the line-up against Spurs after seeing him start the past few games, but after his difficult afternoon against Brighton last week, and a potentially daunting battle against an in-form Gareth Bale on Saturday, there’s surely only one decision to make.

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