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Jordan Botaka should start for Leeds on Saturday

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Image for Jordan Botaka should start for Leeds on Saturday

This game is massively important for both Leeds and Uwe. With Cellino in charge I can’t see Rosler withstanding too many more defeats. The most important decision he has to make for me is who he plays out wide and it’s extremely obvious. He has to start Jordan Botaka. The decision to start Buckley against Birmingham was a poor one, he hasn’t played in a very long time and Botaka was finally match fit, it was strange to say the least. When Botaka did get on the pitch he was our best player by a mile. We haven’t had a player who can get the fans on their feet and go past defenders so easily since Max Gradel. Botaka doesn’t possess the same pace as Gradel but he has skills to match.

Every time he got the ball it looked like something was going to happen, his final ball was lacking a bit but it was his first game at Elland Road and I’m sure it will improve. I think Buckley will also be better off as a sub until he gets some proper match fitness. Stuart Dallas should definitely start on the wing, especially on the back of helping Northern Ireland securing Euro 2016 qualification, Botaka scored a goal midweek too. I just think our season could change if we had two wingers playing on top of their game, putting balls into the box for Wood to finish. The last time we had a good Leeds team was under Grayson when all our attacking came from Gradel and Snodgrass out-wide. Whisper it quietly, but Luciano Becchio is a free agent.

Back to the original point, Botaka has to start. We need power and pace at home and we’ve been lacking that severely. Our play has been slow and obvious, easy to defend against. Birmingham showed up and we handed them the three points, they didn’t really have to do anything. Our midfield obviously needs to step up too, they’ve been offering pretty much nothing with the exception of Lewis Cook. Brighton have drawn their last three home games so hopefully we can turn our season around with a win. I hope for Rosler’s sake that we do.

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