Spotlight on Leeds United playmaker Pablo Hernandez as focus falls on '10' role with Rodrigo forced out

In his absence, Hernandez’s replacement Tyler Roberts failed to shine and the debate will continue as to whether Hernandez should have stayed on or gone off and whether introducing Roberts at that moment was the correct call.

But moving forward, with record signing Rodrigo still out due to coronavirus issues, the spotlight is now back on the United No 10 position ahead of Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

By his own exemplary standards, Hernandez offered a relatively low passing success rate of 80 per cent against Leicester, the Spaniard having 63 touches of the ball for 5.7 per cent of the possession with Mateusz Klich (10.7 per cent) and Luke Ayling (10.2) top in that department.

Klich was also joint-fourth in the passing success rate charts with 88 per cent, the same as Stuart Dallas and behind only Illan Meslier (93 per cent), Leicester sub James Maddison (92 per cent) and Liam Cooper (91 per cent).

Of Hernandez’s 54 attempted passes, 43 were accurate with the playmaker successful with both of his attempted dribbles.

The 35-year-old was also dispossessed once and came up with just the one shot on target as part of a display not particularly great on the figures.

Yet assessing Hernandez in such a fashion is not an easy task as the playmaker is clearly capable of moments of magic, going close to what would have been a wonder strike in the 55th minute.

Showing terrific control and skill to set himself from a cleared corner, he could only watch as his curled effort crashed against the upright.

Perhaps Hernandez was just getting in the groove? Perhaps he might have done something similar again? Yet, 12 minutes later, the playmaker was replaced by Roberts.

Hernandez was not a happy man as, after several looks back and a slow retreat from the pitch, he hurled his armband to the floor and later kicked over a water bottle as he departed the pitch.

Roberts failed to make much of an impression - from just 11 touches of the ball, four out of seven attempted passes were accurate and one shot was blocked. Roberts also won his sole attempted aerial battle but neither he nor Hernandez excelled at a time when Bielsa was forced into making a change to the No 10 role with Rodrigo ruled out having been in close contact with a person who subsequently tested positive for coronavirus.

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Rodrigo has taken time to hit his stride at Leeds but, after disappointing displays against Liverpool and Fulham, the 29-year-old had started to excel in the No 10 role, initially when called for as a change for Roberts with Hernandez injured.

Even with Hernandez back in the match-day squad, Rodrigo then got the nod to start against Wolves and Aston Villa and, after excelling in the role, he would likely have started against the Foxes but for the COVID issues.

Rodrigo, Hernandez and Roberts are Bielsa’s main three options in the No 10 role, although United’s head coach has said that, in time, he hopes Brazilian winger Raphinha can become another option there.

It is definitely a position in which you could see the 23-year-old excel in, although the Brazilian was another to miss the Leicester clash with an ankle injury forcing him out.

In terms of other potential options at No 10, Bielsa is also clearly a master at getting players to shine in other positions and you half-wonder if Mateusz Klich would be worth a go there if and when the opportunity arises, although he is probably too important to move from his current central midfield role. Helder Costa and Jack Harrison are other possibilities.

Longer term, 18-year-old Academy star Joe Gelhardt will surely come into the reckoning too but that is one for another day, another year even.

For now, in Rodrigo’s absence and with Raphinha still settling in and recovering, Hernandez would again seem certain to be the lead candidate to start against Palace.

It may come just five days on from a night where his frustrations were clear for all to see - but that is a result of the high standards both he and United now expect of themselves.

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Thank you Laura Collins