Let's have a look at the current squad .... Weidwald Lonergan Peacock-Farrell Anita Ayling Berardi Cooper Coyle De Bock Denton Jansson O'Connor Pearce Shaughnessy Alioski Dallas Forshaw Hernandez Ideguchi Klick O'Kane Murphy Phillips Sacko Saiz Vieira Antonsson Cibicki Edmondson Ekuban Grot Roberts Roofe I make that a squad of 33. So how's it going to pan out? I have as much clue as the next guy & no doubt will guess a few right, but we have no clue at the moment what Bielsa really requires, or more importantly for this thread, what he sees. Anyhow, not going to stop me. Here goes (contract expiry dates in brackets): Prolly going: Weidwald (gone), Lonergan (gone), Anita (20), De Bock (22), Denton (loan), O'Kane (21), Murphy (19), Sacko (20), Antonsson (gone), Cibicki (loan), Ekuban (21). I thought at first that 15 going was a bit much & might be difficult to pick out. But there you go - I've picked 11 that are an easy pick as far as I'm concerned, and I think most would agree. Prolly staying: Peacock-Farrell (20), Ayling (21), Jansson (22), Pearce (22), Alioski (21), Forshaw (22), Hernandez (20), Saiz (21), Vieira (21), Roberts (22), Roofe (20). I'm not 100% sure about these 11 'keeps', as tbh, I have no clue how Bielsa sees how players fit in to his way of playing. Still my best guess that they will fit in, though. Drop to u23s?: O'Connor (loan), Shaughnessy (21), Edmondson (), Grot (loan). This is the biggest guess of the lot. These 4 may be the future in Bielsa's eyes. Who really knows what he's thinking? Jury out: Berardi (20), Cooper (21), Coyle (loan), Dallas (20), Ideguchi (22), Klich (20), Phillips (21). Like it says on the tin - Jury out. Can't call this, personally. Sad as I'd be to see some of them leaving, I think there's a good chance it'll happen for a few, if not most of them. So what's your thoughts then, pop-pickers? EDIT: OP updated 14/7/18
So what's your thoughts then, pop-pickers? youre in the poo far to much crap on long contracts cant see much if any coming in until you kick out a few don't send any to us will you please if no one buys its gonna costa pretty penny to pay them off a squad of 32 foooooooooooking hell mukka
Salient point. I've amended to put in their deal expiry dates (and added in Denton, who I forgot all about). Not as bad as I feared. Of the 11 I think will go, 1 has gone, 3 have 1 year left, 3 are 2 years, 3 are 3 years, & 1 is 4 years. Note also that they are not necessarily bad players, although some seem to try their hardest to give that impression! Most should go easily. I hope.
Evening WJ, glad to see Roofe in the "keep" category - unless things changed late in the season, he scored more goals per minute for us than anyone else last year, and will be in the Vydra bracket for someone one of these days, hopefully us. Nobody I want to scream about in the leavers. Jury out, I can see Bielsa seeing Klich & Ideguchi fitting his model, and I'd keep Philips. I'd miss Dallas and Berardi for their honesty and commitment to the cause, but could see them both being moved out. More of a shame about Dallas as he has a good footballing brain. All speculation atm anyhow.
Roofe can be great if played properly. He is not a winger, though, but the last 3 managers persisted with that notion for some reason or other. Oddly enough, your 'Jury Out' views are similar to mine. I just don't know enough about Klich & Ideguchi (will he get a work permit since he didn't go to the WC?), and I am a great Phillips fan, but wondered if I would be overly biased by putting him in the 'keep' pile, given the almost universal criticism he draws. I also wonder about Cooper, given that Bielsa likes 2 FBs in his back 3. He's played LB before & can carry & distribute fairly well, so in effect offers similar capability to Ayling on the other side of Pontus. He might not be first choice, but offers an option. Biggest shock for me was when Mighty got me scrabbling about to find the contract expiry dates. De Cock still has 4 years to go
I posted my 15 in the Breakfast debate yesterday so copying it over... I’d forgot about Antonsson, Ideguchi and Denton.... Not sure if Bielsa would have seen Ideguchi or Denton play but I’d put these three in my list and remove Phillips, Klich and Roofe. I’m assuming Bielsa might have watched some tapes of Klich who performed well out on loan. Going from the tapes he watched, who’s the 15 too many and what positions are going to be replaced? Can’t count Lasogga as he was on loan, my 15 Felix Lonergan Anita Cooper De Bock O’Kane Sacko Murphy Grot Roofe - Now keep replace with Antonsson Ekuban Cibicki Dallas? Phillips - Now keep replace with Ideguchi Klich - Now keep replace with Denton Okay he hasn’t had a chance either but playing along with Bielsa saying 15 need to go, should Tyler Roberts be on the keep list? Bottom line is, Bielsa is saying the majority of Ortas past signings were unneeded or not good enough. 4 Replacements, Keeper, Defender, Striker, Attacking Midfielder We’re not going to get rid of 15 before the season starts so some will have a chance to prove him wrong still.
So to précis your précis GWR all along... I can’t predict how this year will go other than to say it will either be a total success or total failure with no halfway house. In short we will either be promoted or relegated this next season. The die has been cast and all we can do is buckle up for the ride.
It’s all conjecture but as Jap Bremner didn’t make the Spanish team during his loan spell and failed to make the World Cup I understand he won’t get a work permit so leaving aside that he must be **** he must be leaving... If Alioski is part of the future plans our new coach must be trying a new system. He hasn’t previously adopted a style which relies on cheating and play acting. Imo he is going too.
Must have missed your post yesterday. Think we're thinking along similar lines, but you're braver than me by not having a 'Jury Out'! I got to thinking about Beilsa watching all those games, and realised that he's got a similar approach to TC in that he wants high-tempo footie with lots of forward passing on the ground. That so, he must have been heartened by our early season stuff, and I'm guessing that will have formed the core of his retained squad. Some of the players he won't have seen much of at all, so you're right - some will be getting a second chance, and pre-season is soooo important for them. It's occurred to me that one player might have a wee problem - Vieira. He didn't feature when we were playing well, and I'd be generous if I said he'd had a patchy season. Most of the time he was awful, and his best performances were kept for an england shirt. I guess I'm hoping reputation & promise come into the reckoning too. If so, Grot might have a chance to prove himself, as we never played him as a wide attacker, which is what was plastered all over his CV when he came to us.
I'm thinking the same re. the work permit, so the decision may well be made for Beilsa, whether he wants to keep him or not. As for Alioski, you're really referencing his first 2-3 months. He's adapted well imo. Saiz is more of an issue in that respect, imo. He still hasn't shaken his tendency to wave imaginary cards. And let's not forget the spitting. I actually think there's a very good chance that Alioski may well become Beilsa's first pick wing back. So many possibilities .....
We are going to have to agree to disagree on Alioski he would be the first of the first of the regular first team squad I would be pushing out of the door. For me he never stopped rolling around, diving and telling the ref to book everyone.
Your saw that from the Trafford centre,sure you saw the right player ? Just you've had a few problems recently.
Just to clarify...Bielsa said any players leaving weren't necessarily bad players it was more the fact that he prefers a smaller group to work with. Also he would expect the youth team players to step up when needed and would like to add some experienced pro's as well. So in other words a tight knit group who will all play at some point and no grumpy f****ers in the background giving him grief. Took the time to listen to all 83 mins of his press conference yesterday and I have to say he comes across as a man who is absolutely certain in his beliefs. A sort of Mick McCarthy with extra bells, whistles and a train track running round his garden whoop whooing all the time if you will. I have to say I'm seriously impressed by this appointment... especially when you consider all of the dross that have sat in his seat in recent times.
Interesting closing comment in the YEP's article about Fleetwood wanting to sign Coyle ... Bielsa, who began working with United’s squad on Monday, has notified the first-team players who he wants to depart Elland Road. https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co...woop-for-leeds-united-s-lewie-coyle-1-9223024
Seems it's won't be as difficult as the naysayers would have us believe to move on the players surplus to our requirements. The key was we maintained control by giving 3/4 year contracts but not on high salaries that other clubs cannot match. By the way Phillips is definitely a keeper in my opinion and will be going nowhere. He and Vieira will probably benefit most from having the world class coaching they are now about to receive. In fact I would think that all the current players can improve by a minimum of 10% under our new coach and his assistants.
