With Patrick Bamford unavailable, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa opted to play big money signing Rodrigo up top as the Whites looked to beat Southampton in the Premier League to record back to back league wins.
The Spaniard, who has flattered to deceive since he joined from Valencia, struggled to make an impact though and was replaced in the 64th minute.
Leeds could find no way back without Rodrigo on the pitch either and they went down to defeat at Southampton, a result which leaves them just one place above the drop zone in the Premier League.
Former White Walton believes that Rodrigo made life easy for the Southampton defenders and feels a flick in the second half, which saw him carelessly lose the ball, summed up his afternoon.
“I did feel sorry for him in the first half; he was starved of quality service, but good strikers, Premier League strikers, when they do get their opportunity or get the ball played into them, they make the most of it”, Walton said after the game on BBC Radio Leeds.
“He tried one flick in the second half, in our own half, and lost it, and I just thought that summed up his performance.
“He lacked aggression, he lacked the physicality to deal with two biggest centre-halves, but welcome to the Premier League, that’s what it’s going to be like.
“He didn’t look capable of playing up there as a lone striker.
“Whether he might feel he’s not had chance to play in his rightful position, but today and the last couple of games have been a perfect chance for him to take that opportunity, but he didn’t today.”
Rodrigo joined Leeds in the summer of 2020 and cost the Whites a then-club-record fee of £27m to sign from La Liga giants Valencia.
