Highlights
Leeds United forward Joe Gelhardt has not managed to reach 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, claims The Athletic’s Phil Hay.
Leeds United news – Joe Gelhardt
It has been a tough couple of years for the Peacocks. After managing to stave off relegation by the skin of their teeth in 2022, the club ultimately succumbed to the drop last season for a multitude of factors, including poor decision-making from the club’s ownership.
The prospect of life in the second tier has prompted an exodus of sorts as several players who couldn’t keep the club in the Premier League have left to find top-flight football elsewhere.
However, one of those who looks set to stay with the club is youngster Gelhardt, and following a string of injuries to the senior forwards, he has now found himself much closer to regular starts than perhaps he was even expecting.
Daniel Farke put him in his starting eleven for The Whites’ EFL Cup game against Shrewsbury on Wednesday night, and despite a rocky first half, he repaid his gaffers’ faith by scoring the side’s equalising goal.
Speaking after the game, the German was very honest about the situation, saying:
“It’s always important to count on the young products out of the academy. What I like a lot about him is he totally identifies with the club.
“Yesterday perhaps there are some errors in his game where he can improve, he knows this, and we’re speaking quite honestly and working quite hard in training about it. He needs to step up in a few areas, but what I like is he puts a shift in.
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, the feeling that the energetic forward needs to improve in certain areas – whilst still having genuine talent – is echoed by many at the club.
He explained the situation on The Square Ball podcast YouTube channel, saying:
“Another really talented player Gelhardt but someone who just, and I think as much as anything because of the way it’s been at Leeds, just hasn’t been able to follow what would have been the development plan for him.
“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 May 4th, 2002, in Liverpool, the 21-year-old has struggled during his time in West Yorkshire, scoring just three goals and providing four assists in 42 appearances for the club – granted, most of those were off the bench, but it’s still not good enough.
His underlying numbers from the last year of football – mostly from his time with Sunderland – are reasonably impressive, however, and suggest that at Championship level, he could be a valuable player for Farke.
According to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across what it defines as the next best eight competitions, he sits in the top 1% for blocks, the top 2% for tackles, the top 6% for pass completion, the top 8% for assists, the top 11% for progressive passes and the top 16% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.
It was towards the final games of the 2021/22 season that he was able to show glimpses of his quality to Premier League viewers, with then-boss Jesse Marsch describing him as “incredible” following a performance against Brighton & Hove Albion.
While he might’ve scored less than he would’ve liked for Sunderland last season, he still showed moments of brilliance along the way, with James Hunter of the Chronicle describing his performance against Huddersfield Town as ‘excellent.’
Ultimately, Hay’s observation that Gelhardt has failed to live up to the club’s expectations of him so far certainly seems accurate. However, there is still a talented player in there, and given a chance, he could prove his worth in the Championship this year.
