Former England international Kevin Phillips has insisted Leeds United's Daniel James is 'clearly not a striker' and warned that using players in different positions can backfire.
The Wales international is a winger by trade but has been deployed as a forward in the absence of Patrick Bamford, who has missed large portions of the season through injury.
James notched a brace in the recent 3-3 draw with Aston Villa but Phillips has insisted using the 24-year-old out wide is the way to get the best out of him.
He told Football Insider: "James is Bielsa['s] go-to man. Whether it be as a striker, a left-winger or a right-winger Bielsa plays him.
"The problem is, I don’t know what his best position is. If you are playing every week, you are not going to question the manager as to where he’s playing you.
"Yes, he scored a couple of great goals in the week but he’s not a striker in my eyes. He’s a winger. That’s where his trickery and pace are most useful. He is clearly not a striker. To get the best out of a player like him you need to play him out wide.
"It can backfire if you keep playing a player in different positions. For me, he is an out-and-out wide man."
Bamford did not miss a single Premier League game during the 2020/21 campaign, therefore the debate over who started up front for Leeds never reared its head.
However, his continued absence has created a conversation over who is the best alternative and many supporters throughout the campaign have called for Joe Gelhardt to deputise.
Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa is not one to be swayed easily by supporters, even if there is a common consensus among them, and left Gelhardt on the bench during the defeat to Everton.
He instead opted for James, although did move him out wide for the second-half and threw Tyler Roberts on to take the lone forward role.
Despite Phillips' view that James needs to be used out wide, Bielsa evidently believes the former Manchester United man is capable of filling in for Bamford and it would not be surprising to see him start there against the Red Devils next Sunday.
