Plenty of Leeds United fans have been questioning the position of Helder Costa in their side, after the Whites’ 2-1 defeat at home to Everton on Wednesday night.
Costa was only a late substitute in that game, but after a lacklustre cameo, it seems as though a number of the club’s supporters are becoming increasingly concerned by the attacker’s performances.
Despite the defeat, Leeds on the whole are likely to have taken plenty of encouragement from their performance against Everton, where they will probably feel they deserved at least a point.
However, from an individual perspective, Costa’s own showing may have prompted more of a cause for concern.
Having been sent on from the bench with four minutes remaining in the game – a role he is filling more regularly in recent weeks – as Leeds looked for a late equaliser, Costa struggled to make much of a contribution to their attempts to do that.
According to WhoScored, Costa touched the ball only five times while on the pitch, and although he was unable to produce a key pass or shot in that time, they do not that he did control the ball badly on one occasion.
That performance is something that did not go unnoticed by Leeds fans as they took to Twitter to give their thoughts on the game, and here, we take a look at what some of them had to say.
Twitter: @LUFC sell costa now (@james_nelson06)
Twitter: I will say this what ever we get offered for costa we take their’s no way we’ll get 15 million back but something better than nothing #LUFC (@robdocs)
Twitter: Helder Costa is an absolutely pointless substitution. Either he’s got zero confidence or just an awful attitude. St… https://t.co/6XI79jht65 (@Mattwh)
Twitter: Can someone put a video together of costa’s best bits against Everton… yeah me neither #lufc (@Lee05450143)
Twitter: Shame that effort deserved better. Sloppy goals to concede. Not to dig him out but Costa on as a impact sub hasn’t worked #LUFC (@LUFC21MT)
Twitter: Costa just isn’t up to this at all unfortunately. Like playing with 10 men every time he plays. #lufc (@EllandRoadJoker)
Twitter: Helder Costa is absolutely atrocious. Sooner he gets flogged the better #lufc (@THuff1994)
Twitter: Helder Costa get out my club
#lufc #costa #LEEEVE (@mhui89)
Twitter: I’m sorry, I hate to call out players, but Costa is shocking. Surely we have better in the U23’s #lufc (@doidgeylufc)
You can understand the frustrations and concerns of Leeds fans when it comes to Costa here.
The attacker just hasn’t made the impact required of him recently, and that will no doubt be a worry for Leeds.
In situations like that, it is the senior players such as Costa you are going to look to make an impact off the bench in games like this, and the Portuguese 27-year-old has simply not made those contributions recently.
As a result, you do have to wonder about his longer term place in the matchday squad if things continue in this way, since Leeds have shown they have the potential to push on from their current position in recent games, but will need as many players as possible playing to that level if they are to do that.