Beren Cross
It may have been against a struggling Championship side, but Leeds United looked decent on Wednesday night and while there are big temptations in the final third, I would resist most of them. Four changes would be on my radar.
Luke Ayling’s stock remains higher than Rasmus Kristensen's right now, while Robin Koch is a better choice than Diego Llorente, despite his own issues in recent weeks. Liam Cooper would start for me, but not in Max Wober’s place.
The Austrian would shift to left-back for me and let Cooper slot into the left side of central defence. The loser from that outcome is Pascal Struijk, who would not be restored from his midweek benching.
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The Dutch defender has had a tough time of it recently and Wober is looking more and more solid when he plays. Brenden Aaronson, whose chances of starting in that congested frontline look slimmer and slimmer, comes in for Sam Greenwood in my side.
The American has the tenacity, positional discipline and work rate to play as the attacking option drifting off that central three when Leeds get forward. Despite having Patrick Bamford, Luis Sinisterra and Georginio Rutter staring back at me in the dressing room, I would go with the same front three which put Cardiff City to the sword.
Wilfried Gnonto and Rodrigo are non-negotiable, of course, but Harrison survives for another week in the central role he played on Wednesday. Bamford and Sinisterra have to be managed after their long lay-offs, while Rutter needs more time to get sharp enough to start.
Beren’s XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Wober; Aaronson Adams, Roca; Rodrigo, Harrison, Gnonto.
Will Jackson
Georginio Rutter might not have played a competitive game since before the World Cup break, but I’d be tempted to throw him straight into the starting XI, if I was Jesse Marsch. The record signing still has plenty of acclimatising to do, no doubt, but he’s been brought in to help Leeds score the goals they need and I’m itching to see what he can do.
He can play through the middle, but I’d look to start him on the right as part of a front three that, on paper, looks so exciting. Rodrigo got his 12th goal of the season last time out against Cardiff City and needs to play, in my opinion, while Wilfried Gnonto is quickly becoming indispensable to the Whites.
The Italian might only be a few games into his Leeds career, but he’s just so exciting to watch at this moment in time. I’d like to see Sam Greenwood keep his spot in the side this weekend, too.
Greenwood impressed me on Wednesday night against Cardiff and he has plenty to offer against Brentford with his balls into the box and set-piece plays providing a real threat. For me, he plays alongside Tyler Adams and Marc Roca, who have both done well over the last week.
Luke Ayling keeps the right-back berth, while Robin Koch and Liam Cooper must play in the middle if they’re fit to do so. Max Wober picked up a knock against Cardiff on Wednesday, but if he’s able to, I’d give him the nod at left-back after Pascal Struijk’s struggles at Villa Park last time out in the Premier League.
Will’s XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Wober; Adams, Roca, Greenwood; Rutter, Rodrigo, Gnonto.
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