Why Marcelo Bielsa could have perfect Kalvin Phillips replacement right under his nose

Not only did Marcelo Bielsa’s men miss out on the opportunity to go third in the Premier League table, but they also look to be facing a lengthy period without midfield talisman Kalvin Phillips after he picked up a shoulder injury that could sideline him for up to six weeks.

It’s no secret that the England international is an integral component in Bielsa’s team. Occupying that signature deep-lying midfield role, he manages to combine plenty of defensive work with an impressive range of distribution. Replacing him is no easy task.

One player who we have seen utilised in that defensive midfield role fairly recently, however, is Pascal Struijk. The Dutchman – himself a slight injury doubt for the weekend – deputised for Phillips on a number of occasions during last season’s Championship run-in, and caught the eye with his dependable, measured displays.

Initially thrown into the centre of the park during the tense 1-0 win over Barnsley, the 21-year-old completed 90 minutes in subsequent victories over Derby County and Charlton Athletic. What we saw in those performances was a young player with a natural defensive instinct and an eye for a pass – the exact same traits that make Phillips such an asset.

Over the course of last season, Struijk’s pass completion rate was 86.2%, as per Wyscout. As a point of comparison, Phillips’ success rate so far this term has been around the 85% mark.

But Struijk’s impressive figures aren’t necessarily inflated by short, simple passing for the sake of recycling possession. Against Charlton, for example, the youngster completed 48 of his 55 attempted passes. Of those 48 successful balls, eight were played from deep, into the final third, as illustrated by the graphic below.

The ability to break the lines with a sudden ball into the centre-forward or in behind the opposition’s back four is one of the most important and threatening aspects of Phillips’ game, and having a player with the talent to replicate that output waiting in the wings would be a real boost to Bielsa.

Perhaps the best example of Struijk’s passing range is the superb ball he lofted into Ian Poveda in the buildup to Jamie Shackleton’s goal against the Addicks. Assuming possession just outside his own penalty area, he pivots, gets his head up, and delivers a near-perfect ball into the right-hand channel. Charlton’s defence are forced to turn on their heels, and the sudden switch of emphasis combined with Poveda’s frightening pace make for a lethal pairing.

Just as importantly, however, Struijk’s defensive work in the heart of midfield is stellar.

That’s hardly a surprise given that he has risen through the ranks at Elland Road as a centre-half, but it’s still promising to see his natural combative streak translate so well into a more advanced role.

Struijk made seven interceptions against Charlton back in July, and while that tally has been matched or bettered by Phillips on three occasions already this season, it’s the spread and distribution of his interventions that really points to his potential as Bielsa’s go-to covering option.

If we compare the Dutchman’s interception map to his teammate’s heat map from last season, we can see that there are huge similarities. Both provide a solid shield in that crucial area just in front of the back four, and both cover ground extremely well at the base of midfield.

Of course, the biggest counter-argument here is that it’s much easier to pull out a top drawer performance against a side like Charlton than it is against the likes of Arsenal or Everton, but Struijk has already been thrown in at the deep-end this season and coped admirably.

The starlet may be relatively unproven, but that has never stopped his manager from trusting in youth before, and if Leeds are looking for a natural short-term replacement for Phillips that won’t force them into alterations in personnel or tactics elsewhere, Struijk is the most obvious candidate – provided he is fit.