Is Tyler Roberts good enough?

“Side before self”. A popular mantra that has firmly cemented itself into the culture surrounding Elland Road.

A snappy phrase, short and easy to remember, that perfectly encapsulates some of the key principles surrounding Leeds United. No egos, no dramas, but a unified side that, through chemistry and work ethic, look to play the best football they are able to.

The players have clearly and willingly been engulfed by this philosophy, most of the time anyway. The last real defiance of the ideology came from Pontus Jansson who, back in April 2019, attempted to prevent Aston Villa from scoring an equaliser that Bielsa had demanded his side allow. Not even three months later, Jansson had been sold to Brentford, a clear example being made to onlookers.

Such a philosophy is no doubt a contributing factor to Leeds’ overwhelming success since the Bielsa era began. Win, draw or lose, the side comes first. If the side win, excellent. If they draw, it’s still a point. If they lose, forget about it. The notion to take from this is that, regardless of the result, a line is drawn and United move on to the next game.

Some fans, however, have perhaps somewhat failed to truly grasp the concept of the three-worded motto that now takes centre stage on the stadium’s exterior, presenting itself to those that pass it driving down the M621 motorway that borders the ground.

Often after a loss, fans opt for a scapegoat. This practice is, by no means, unique to Leeds, but that doesn’t mean it should continue. Initially for the Whites, it tended to be Kiko Casilla. Now? It seems to be Tyler Roberts.

The expectations of Kiko Casilla certainly didn’t help his case. Arriving from Real Madrid, nothing less than excellence was expected from the Spaniard and in turn, all fans received was anything but the best. Tyler Roberts, however, is still only 22 years of age, has been learning an entirely new position under Bielsa, and certainly hasn’t been a terrible player on the pitch.

There are aspects of his game that Roberts could improve. His finishing is the main one, and perhaps the defensive side of his play. Surely though, every player in world football could improve in at least one way on the pitch, and so it has to be pondered as to why such abuse is thrown at a young player that clearly retains the faith of his manager.

The recent home loss against Villa is a prime, and recent, example of such scapegoating. Across the board, Leeds were flat, a stagnant side that couldn’t break down a solid defensive shape that the visitors did well to maintain. Patrick Bamford was quiet for the majority of the tie, Raphinha certainly wasn’t as impactful as he normally is and Mateusz Klich continued his struggle for form.

None of the above three, however, were criticised even half as much as Tyler Roberts was. Frustration is understandable, especially from a Leeds fanbase that know what their side is capable of. Singling a player out for a disappointing result, however, is not only nonsensical but it completely goes against the very virtues that their club advocate.

Further, it would be wrong to argue that Roberts has had a poor run of form leading up to the Villa game. In the three games he started prior, Roberts notched two assists that were deserved given his impressive showings. The second of these was his assist against Southampton, the long ball played through for Bamford to slot home his 13^th goal of the season.

Tyler Roberts has now registered two assists in his last 3 Premier League appearances for Leeds. ?? #LUFC pic.twitter.com/X5bYBDmHbB

— LUFCDATA (@LUFCDATA) February 23, 2021

Was it a simple pass? Perhaps, but he still had to make it and he did at a perfect weight. The deadlock was broken in a match Leeds had struggled in, yet still, he wasn’t praised, as the pass was apparently a simple one to make. It almost seems impossible for Roberts to earn himself any merit from those that are meant to support him.

Prior to Rodrigo’s injury against Leicester, Roberts had mainly appeared as a substitute, having come off the bench in eight of the ten games he had played in up until that point. Since his extended run as a starter, he has looked more confident on the ball, his offensive flair emphasised by creative flicks, darting runs, quick passes and a clear willingness to have a shot on goal.

Roberts is one of Leeds’ most attack-minded players, averaging 2.99 shot-creating actions and 1.19 passes into the penalty area per 90 in a new position that, each game, he is consistently looking more comfortable in. It is perhaps worth remembering that Roberts had been bought as a striker who had played on the wing. He most certainly was not a central attacking midfielder.

Overall, Roberts’ passing could certainly be improved, but an extended run in the side would naturally benefit his efficiency. Regardless of this, Roberts still averages 1.34 key passes per 90 and so, whilst his overall passing ability can, and surely will, improve with time, the Welsh international can play a pass when it matters most.

Whilst certainly not Leeds’ most defensive player (which makes sense given he is a natural attacker), he still presents himself as a midfielder willing to press the opposition. His 17.31 pressures per 90 rank him around the average mark for European midfielders, but his 5.82 pressures in the attacking third per 90 is one of the higher-ranked averages, key for the system in which he plays.

Many fans often call for the head of Roberts, dubbing the attacker as not good enough and calling for him to be sold from the club. Realistically, it is hard to see Bielsa giving up on a player he not only holds in high enough regard to consistently give minutes on the pitch, but a player that he has nurtured into a new position.

At most, it is possible that Roberts could leave the club on a loan spell in order to get consistent minutes, but even that seems far-fetched, again, due to Bielsa frequenting the 22-year-old as an option off the bench or, if injuries strike, as a starter.

Roberts’ career at Leeds has hardly been remarkable, but he has seen himself limited through injury and time outside of the team. Through injuries or otherwise, any player that is put into the side after an extended period on the sidelines will, naturally, seem rusty and be granted time to readjust. Seemingly, Roberts is never granted that grace, and if he is, it’s rare.

On his day, Tyler Roberts provides his side with a pacey offensive option that through consistent minutes will no doubt soon result in goals (such as the beauty he scored against Hull City), as well as everything else he brings to his side. Still only 22 years old, Roberts has years left of a career that should see him blossom into, at the very least, a solid option for any team, let alone just Leeds.

As aforementioned, annoyance at a loss is completely understandable. Consistently blaming the same player, however, regardless of how well he plays, will never be a source of anything positive, especially when such negativity ends up shrouding the impressive, gradual improvement of an exciting, young player such as Tyler Roberts.

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