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Lorimer: Simon has to find his best XI now
Arguably for the first time since he became Leeds United's manager, Simon Grayson is in possession of a squad which, to all intents and purposes, could be described as full strength.
There are a couple of obvious exceptions – it is not certain, for example, that Paul Huntington or Enoch Showunmi will play any further part in this season – but in general his resources are as strong as they could be.
Frazer Richardson is available again, and Andrew Hughes was fit enough to be named on the bench last weekend. It also sounds as if Andy Robinson is at the point of making his comeback and, after a few weeks spent juggling injuries and suspensions, Simon now has decisions to make in a variety of areas.
That is not a bad position to be in but it does give him a dilemma and the challenge of deciding once and for all what constitutes his strongest team and which players will warrant starting places should Leeds qualify for the play-offs.
United are on an excellent run at the moment – unbeaten in seven games and victorious in their last seven matches at Elland Road – but as successful as the present line-up has been, I'm not convinced that it's the best or most effective line-up available to their manager.
There are players in one position who would probably be better suited to another, and players out of the team who – in my opinion at least – deserve to be starting matches. That is not a criticism of Simon, who has done incredibly well to handle the repeated absence of key individuals, but it does show the complexity and the pressure of football management.
Tomorrow, against MK Dons, he will see few reasons to make major changes to his team. I fully expect Jermaine Beckford to start the match after his one-game ban but, if Rui Marques is fit to play, that may be as far as the alterations go. Simon has never been one to disrupt a winning side, and that policy is sensible and loyal.
All the same, given that a place in the play-offs is the most likely outcome for Leeds this season, it's imperative with almost everyone fit that he makes a final decision on what is his most capable and dynamic team and the team most likely to carry the club to promotion.
With the end of the season looming, it is vital that those 11 players are given as much time as possible to gel, prepare themselves and find top form in time for the post-season scrap.
Loyalty is an important trait in any boss, but only to a point. When promotion is at stake, there is equally an onus on a manager to let his head rule his heart when it comes to team selection.
If that means disappointing lads who have done extremely well and replacing them with players who might do even better then it has to be done. This is, at the end of the day, about taking Leeds United forward and out of League One, and personal ambitions can't come into it.
I don't deny that it would be harsh to tell one of the guys involved in last Saturday's victory over Crewe that they were being dropped to the bench but, from what I've seen this season, I do believe that there's a stronger XI available to Simon than the team he fielded at Gresty Road – one that has a great chance of getting through the play-offs if that's the road we go down.
What reassures me is Simon's positive style of management. From the very start, he's shown a willingness to make substitutions and alterations whenever necessary and without dithering, and more often than not they have paid off.
It will take a certain type of line-up to see Leeds through the play-offs – perhaps a more physical one than we presently have – and I believe that the time to start using it will be here soon. There is no doubt in my mind that, within United's squad, Simon has the personnel he needs.
Lorro's treble
Every week Peter selects a treble based on the William Hill weekend coupon. His selections are: Swindon Town, Bradford City and Rushden.
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
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