Want To See Them Together – Commentator Rates Possible Leeds United Pairing
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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke playing both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha together is something commentator Adam Pope has admitted he is desperate to see.
Both Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin were signed in the summer, both arriving without a transfer fee being needed, and have played alternatively as the lone striker in Farke’s one-man attack.
Even on Sunday in the FA Cup win against Birmingham City, Calvert-Lewin only came on as a replacement for Nmecha in the 68th minute.
Both players have had injury issues interrupting their progress in recent seasons, but they have so far been able to avoid long-term layoffs.
The duo have 20 goal contributions between them and Nmecha was recently praised by former Leeds boss Simon Grayson.
Farke has switched between systems, but he has been reluctant to play Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin together.
Pope believes that both strikers like to go up against centre-backs, with Calvert-Lewin looking to have the edge.
“Nmecha, my picture of him is that he will battle and battle with centre-halves like Calvert-Lewin will”, Pope said on the Don’t Go to Bed Just Yet podcast (19.26).
“But he always seems to be on the stretch.
“Whether Calvert-Lewin has got, intuitively, is more capable of getting in the body shape right, in the right position, making those runs where he is not looking a bit last-ditch.
“Or is it that Nmecha is just getting the hard run with centre-halves all over him. But he is so willing and able.”
With Aston Villa next up for Leeds, Pope expects to see Nmecha dropped to the bench in favour of Calvert-Lewin.
He admits though he does want to see the pair playing together as he believes ‘they can be devastating’.
“I don’t see him taking the number nine spot at Villa unless there is an injury or illness.
“But I still want to see the two of them together because together, I think they can be devastating.
“It doesn’t seem to be the priority for him [Farke] to go and do that at the moment.
“It seems to be a thing he can do but not the thing.”
Villa represent a tough clash for Leeds this coming weekend, but one former White believes the game cannot come soon enough due to the side’s momentum.
Unai Emery’s side sit a lofty third in the Premier League table and, with Leeds having won just once in the league away from Elland Road this season, will start as firm favourites to collect all three points.
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