Leeds United have had a tumultuous Premier League season so far and the arrival of Javi Gracia has unfortunately not been the appointment to save them from a real threat of relegation.
The Whites suffered their third consecutive defeat at Craven Cottage this weekend, with the side putting in another poor defensive performance and an uninspiring attacking display which has left them in serious contention for a drop back into the Championship next season.
Indeed, the newly-appointed manager who took the reins at the west Yorkshire club in late February is not entirely to blame for the form he inherited the squad in following Jesse Marsch's departure, but the continued reliance on players who are not delivering in this crucial stage of the season can be pinpointed for some blame.
Patrick Bamford, for example, has never looked the same since returning from injury and, upon reprising his centre-forward role, has only scored three league goals since the turn of the year, which is not a consistent enough output that can save Leeds from their plight.
Of course, when a new manager comes into a relegation-threatened club, they will look to cement their own philosophy that they believe will lead the side out of trouble and will often make tweaks to the starting XI to bring the team back to life, however, Gracia could be heading for disaster due to his clear lack of belief in Wilfried Gnonto.
Why isn't Wilfried Gnonto playing for Leeds?
Saturday's defeat at Craven Cottage marked the fourth game in a row that the Italian winger has been snubbed for the starting side following his return from injury, making just three cameos amounting to no more than 30 minutes.
The 19-year-old joined Leeds last summer in a £3.8m deal from FC Zurich and thrived under the management of Marsch, quickly becoming a fan favourite at Elland Road for his incisive play and huge threat in front of goal.
Over 19 Premier League appearances, the £20k-per-week ace – hailed a "top talent" by owner Andrea Radrizzani – has scored two goals, registered three assists and created two big chances.
Those are awe-inspiring numbers but his involvement at such a young age was promising, further averaging one key pass, 1.2 tackles and winning 4.1 duels per game as a marker of his all-round ability.
Gnonto has been lavished with praise since his arrival in Yorkshire with Sky Sports pundit, Gary Neville, full of compliments for the youngster earlier in the season:
"To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position.
"Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good honestly."
There is no doubt that Leeds' biggest problem has been conceding goals with 18 scored against them since the beginning of this month, however, their tenacity in front of goal has weakened significantly as the season has gone on and if they are going to avoid relegation, it will be important for Gracia to make tweaks to find the recipe for success on the pitch.
With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Gracia to deploy Gnonto in the starting XI on Tuesday at Elland Road against Leicester City, as he can offer a fresh perspective in the forward line and potentially save their season with a consistent run in the team.