Leeds United defender Lewie Coyle could find himself switching position whilst out on loan at Fleetwood, after manager Joey Barton told the Blackpool Gazette he was looking at different things.

The Cod Army were 2-0 down to leaders Luton Town at the weekend, which prompted Barton to move things around. He put Coyle into the middle of the park and moved Wes Burns to right back.

It left the 23-year-old Leeds loanee in an unfamiliar position, but Barton was happy with his experiment as his side pulled a goal back against the Hatters.

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“He (Coyle) said he felt he was running around a little bit like a headless chicken but I thought he was good in there. We are at a stage when we need to look at a few different things," Barton said after the game.

“I think Wes is potentially a top level full-back. He made a hell of a difference when he went in there on Saturday. The problem is Coyley has been outstanding too."

"We just wanted to have a quick look at that. At 2-0 down we thought we had nothing to lose and it actually worked for us. I will analyse the video and we will see where that goes. They are all positive signs.”

Coyle has apeeared 23 times for the Whites, but joined Fleetwood on loan last season. He went back there this summer and now has 70 League One starts to his name.

The Verdict

He must feel more like a Fleetwood player than a Leeds player right now.

He's made so many starts for them that they probably understand his strengths and weaknesses more than his parent club.

It's a bold move to switch a player's position, but it can add versatility to a squad as well as depth. Coyle will be keen to take whatever advantages he can back to Leeds if he's going to break into their first team.