The Breakfast Debate

Good Morning Everyone,

I take it we are all back to work today....

Well done to Monk and team. Having seen that our tactics were not working in the first half, they took off Sacko, and replaced him with Viera, and three goals later, it was all done and dusted!

If only it was that simple.

It's great to see the goals starting to flow. This week it was three, last week it was four.





Garry Monk spoke to Popey after the game, and outlined his transfer window.

He said there would be one or two signings, and NO outgoings.

When asked if that included Taylor, Monk replied "It goes for every single player who’s in the squad at Leeds United right now."

That then does not included Murphy, Diagouraga and Turnbull who are all expected to leave.

Thoughts?





It was also revealed that O'Kane and Coyle start training again this week.





Let's not forget that the FA Cup is just around the corner! How important is it this season?

 

Morning Elland and all. Bags packed and ready to get back to work. FA Cup has less importance this season than any of the past 15. Previously it was a distraction from the poor goings on in the League, this season it is a major nuisance that can do nothing to benefit the season. Like this idea of the scrapping of the loan windows each side of January, levels the playing pitch a little with the money bags clubs. If were keeping all the key squad players, Ill be more than happy to see only one or two arrive. Did Glory swim to shore yet?

 

Morning Eire, not just the FA Cup, but do you recall that Derby have arranged a friendly against Leeds (think its in March) as a kind of protest against the FA.


Glory is making it to shore as we speak.

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Morning all, I was impressed that Monk admitted he had made a bad choice in team selection or formation at half time by switching it back to what we have been doing best.

A little concerned that he tried it in the first place, I just hope it isn't a case of trying to keep everyone happy with players returning and players who have earned their place in the absence of others but I won't dwell on it.

Surely previous seasons would have seen us comfortably ahead of a chasing pack for the playoffs? A strange season this time round with at least 10 teams fighting it out for top 6

I'm glad the FA cup game is round the corner, we do need to give a few players a run out as we might be needing them second half of the season.

If Taylor signs a new contract and we get Jansson on a permanent deal then I would be content with January's activity.

 

Morning ritac, I suppose if Monk wants to try something new, try it against the poorest team!

 

Monk may have no plans to let anyone go, but Cellino may have a better idea and if we can sell fringe players like Mowatt, Murphy, Dave and get them off the payroll it makes it easier to pay wages for anyone coming in on loan. Signing Pontus and Pablo makes room for loan players too. We do need at least 2 top quality additions. 2016 best season for Leeds for years

 

I suspect it was more of a case of managing playing time over the busy festive period.

Having said that, it didn't backfire because we now have a lot of players that are playing well. Was thinking about our Player of the Year on the way home. Hard not to give it to a goalkeeper that keeps winning us points. Hard not to give it to our low key signing from Bristol City who turns out to be a beast of a player. Hard not to give it to our magic hat wearing cult hero or the Rolls Royce from Swansea who plays alongside him. Hard not to give it to the little Spanish maestro pulling the strings in midfield or the kid with him in his first season but plays like a seasoned pro. Hard not to give it to our Centre Forward who should smash 20+ goals this season. What about our signing from Oxford who looked out of his depth but is growing with every game? Been a long time since we didn't just give all of the trophies to one player because the rest were so poor - happy days

 

Monk tried a similar attacking line up against Norwich away. I thought we'd get over-run in midfield but we played great. Yesterday it didn't work.

He said a few weeks back that he basically picks a side with either attacking intent, defensive intent or a balance depending on the game. Obviously he'd earmarked yesterday as a game to attack in. Ironic that we only managed to do that when he changed to a more balanced line up at half time.

 

This is why I have said in the past, Monk isn't a finished article either, he is learning with us which I don't mind in the slightest. Good to see he wasn't too stubborn to make the change early on although Sacko tweeted it was an injury...

Little discomfort for me .. hope its nothing big. Congrats to the boys for a niiice 2nd half, 3 goals & clean sheet: we move on ! #MOT

 

I notice theres no one around to help the fecker out either.
Id forgotten about that stupid protest March. Why are Derby involving us?
Id prefer if we didnt get involved at all and cant see the point of it. Itd be like the FA to punish us financially or with a points deduction

 

Yeh he's still learning ristac but managers are sometimes playing Paper Scissors Stone against each other with formations. It doesn't mean it was necessarily a mistake (though it did look like it might be taking Rotherham lightly), it just didn't work this time... could be the opposition set-up and of course it could be players not delivering.

It's the right call to change at half time... give them time to sort it on the pitch... if they haven't, take the 15 minutes to reorganise with enough time to turn it around... whi

 

The protest game with Derby may not happen and we told them that, so Derby are lining up a sub in case we dont do it. This match will be televised and both clubs will earn a shed load more than what they get from Sky, and we know Cellino is fooked off at the way Sky shaft the club and fans ...... so ...

Monk probably under estimated Rotherham yesterday with that line up, maybe didnt take into account a local derby match and them dezzy for points.

So lets say we get a new striker in, will he be from the prem on loan or will he be an unknown gamble we buy?

 

Morning all.

Thoughts from yesterday...was really surprised at the HT substitution as it's not something we normally do. Sacko was doing ok but the their left back was playing well against him. I thought Hernandez was looking good but mainly his possession and passing were from deeper areas in front of the back four. Wood was totally isolated up front, with Doukara and Sacko hugging the touchlines there was the whole width of the pitch with Wood on his own in the centre. If you have asked me at HT I would have said it was going to be a tough afternoon breaking Rotherham down.

The Vieira change seemed logical, go back to how we had set up in previous games and allow Hernandez and Roofe to get closer to Wood. As Bartley scored almost immediately and changed the complexion of the match we'll never really know how it would have worked out at a prolonged 0-0

What we did learn is that Vieira at 18 years old is a potential superstar in the making. It really helped him having Bridcutt and Hernandez in there with him, making angles etc but the boy was still sensational.

And what can we say about Woods ? ( come on even the stadium announcer calls him Woods, so Woods it is ! ). Just pray he stays fit until the end of the season because he is simply irreplaceable.

I guess that's the key to everything at the moment, we need everyone fit and firing to keep pushing for places and pushing up the League. We need cover at centre half as Jansson will be getting a 2 game ban soon, which means if Bartley picked up an injury we would struggle and it would probably cost us points. Apart from Wood you could argue we are covered elsewhere but personally I'd like to see a left sided midfielder with pace to challenge Dallas and Doukara for that position.

Massive match against Derby coming up so great to hear O'Kane and Coyle will be rejoining training this week. As we only have 3 more League games in January hopefully we can have all in place for a monumental effort at automatic promotion. But if we fall short then have the confidence to blow the others away in the play offs.

 

He won't be any better than Wood and will find himself on the bench. I hope we don't make a move for a striker, we can't afford better than what we have, as that was Hernandez last game for us we either need to sign him or a replacement, we could do with a better player than Sacko, those two positions are more important IMHO.

 

That Pavoletti fella we were trying to sign on loan for peanuts a couple of years ago has just signed for Napoli for £15million !!!

 

Will Monk play Dave and/or Murphy against Cambridge ?

IMO he won't. He did pick Dave for the opener at QPR and Murphy played against Luton (a) in the EFL cup but since then nothing. Not even listed in the First Team Squad which numbers 24.

Certain starters would seem to be Silvestri, Cooper, Mowatt, Grimes and Antonsson who have all played relatively few games whilst still being heavily involved in the match day squads. Tyler Denton could also be in line for his second cup appearance of the season.

Normally I would be advocating putting out a full strength line up but as the game has been put back until Monday and the next League game brought forward to the Friday then that would be madness.

If O'Kane is fit enough he could do with half an hour at least and likewise Lewie Coyle. Then again do we want to risk them in a full blooded cup tie away under lights.

Think we'll line up something like this,
Silvestri
Beradi Bartley Cooper Denton
Phillips Bridcutt
Roofe Mowatt Grimes
Antonsson

With Wood, Hernandez, Sacko, Ayling, Vieira and Doukara all ready to come on if needed.

 

Phil Hay ‏@PhilHayYEP 1m1 minute ago
Phil Hay Retweeted Fotbollskanalen

Okay, revealed by Pontus Jansson's agent here that Leeds' option to sign him actually kicks in after 22 games not 20

 

Tick follows tock...
Rest him for the cup and an injury and we dont trigger 22 games in the window. All bets are then off.

If we want him offer him the contract. If he dont sign it move on...

 

We'll likely be tied into the loan deal terms Until the fixed number of games is up. Presumably it either doesn't make financial sense or is outside the terms of the arrangement to sign a permanent deal any earlier.

So you agree personal terms have the contract drawn up and sign it on the appropriate day.

22 seems an unusual number but I guess it's about a half season loan.

 

Monk made the change because Sacko wasn't in the game, and nothing was going in to Wood .. Vieira into central role, Roofe out wide and it's three goals from crosses .. wasn't the wrong formation, just a player out of sorts .. Ayling started to combine well with Roofe, Viera started to find space because Rotherham could not sit back and defend anymore .. Monk has never blamed a player (it was Lees' fault, remember that crap), but it was obvious Sacko needed replacing .. some people just can't be satisfied that Monk was the right choice .. can't wait to see what gets said on here when we lose an Wood misses a pen


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