Leeds United's new loan signing Sol Bamba may be out of match practice having fallen down the pecking order at Palermo, but the Ivory Coast international has all the right credentials to be a real hit at Elland Road. There would be few better ways to introduce himself to the Leeds faithful than by putting in a solid performance against Huddersfield Town in the West Yorkshire derby on Saturday.In line to Start: Bamba may have appeared only once in the league for Palermo this season, but his class and ability are clear, and he has made over 40 international appearances, with three of those coming at last year's World Cup, in which he played in all of Ivory Coast's group games. With Giuseppe Bellusci currently suspended having been sent off in United's victory over Bournemouth last week, and Jason Pearce being strongly linked with a move to Wigan Athletic, Bamba could be in line for an early introduction to first team football at Leeds and he will be desperate to make a big impact.
Defensive Frailty: If Bamba does come into the team he will need to hit the ground running. United may be unbeaten in their last three league games but before the 1-0 win over Bournemouth they had not kept a clean sheet since the 2-0 win over Derby on 29th November. Had Yann Kermorgant not missed his spot-kick for Bournemouth, it would have been nine games since Redfearn's men were able to prevent their opponents from scoring. United may have eased their relegation worries in recent weeks but they must sure up their defence if they are to regain the confidence of those punters who follow their odds with betting news and information sites like bluesq.
Golden Opportunity: Sol Bamba has significant experience within the British game having previously played for Dunfermline, Hibernian and Leicester City. The pressures of Championship football will not come as a surprise to Bamba and, at the age of 30, he should have the experience to deal with everything that is thrown at him. Having been left out of the Ivory Coast's squad for the African Cup of Nations, the six month contract that Leeds have offered him is a great opportunity to show that he still has what it takes. Neid Redfearn, and everybody else at the club, will be desperate for him to take the chance with both hands.
