Good Evening / Morning Everyone I smell conspiracy regarding Saiz peeps. What do you think? We woke up to the news that:- i) Saiz’s body-fat tests was lagging behind his teammates. ii) He was bottom of the pile at running sessions in the summer. iii) Saiz struggled to meet Marcelo Bielsa’s body fat target of 10% or less. Reports were forthcoming throughout the day criticising almost every aspect of 27 yo's 'struggling' game. Hours later we were reading an article from sources close to Saiz expressing their surprise that the 27yo did not return to Spain last Summer (almost indicating that Saiz's was on borrowed time at Elland Road)! Then at 5pm, Leeds journo Phil Hay posted :- A major development at Leeds and somewhat out the blue - Getafe looking to do a deal for Samuel Saiz. Saiz unhappy in England and wants to go back to Spain. Could be set for a parting of ways. Anybody else shocked to their very core, or just Phil Hay? Does anybody believe that these stories have been deliberately drip fed to dilute the 5pm announcement? Do Leeds Utd need a better spin doctor? Now, we're told by Popey that Saiz will undertake a medical with Getafe next week, subject to a 6 month loan!!!
Evening London. I believe we were drip fed 'spin' on an event that has probably progressed further than what we are aware of to try to nullify discontent.
Good evening Ell. Would there be discontent for a player that's homesick or are you suggesting this is either balancing the books or worse subsidising the shut down of Eleven Sports UK (I trump your flimsy conspiracy theory)
Howya Ell,If he and his mrs are homesick,well fair enough. Let me chuck another one into the mix: we lined up a big signing,can't afford it,so we have to offload someone. That is a made up rumour by me,but hey.
He has gone from being arguably one of our best 3 players to be cast aside as being useless. Even on a bad day, there is a case that Saiz should be given game time as one pass could be the difference. I'm sure with the emergence of Brown (who was described by Bielsa as ready for first team action over a week ago, yet they have decided to spend a few more weeks with the U23's), Saiz won't be missed as much as long at the Chelsea youngster can replicate what he did for the dog botherers two seasons ago.
Hmm, not sure, Saiz has the 'x' factor that few players possess at this level. It would also have been nice to keep a squad together that Bielsa really seemed to have developed a collective spirit and loyalty towards each other, specially as we enter the toughest few weeks of the season. This next six weeks can make or break a promotion push.
Very strange regarding Saiz, Bielsa has turned an average bunch into one of the best teams in the division, he’s made several of these average players look top drawer yet our stand out player of last season has looked a shadow of himself. If Bielsa wants him sold to bring in someone new who am I to argue, I’d still pick Saiz ahead of a few others though. An injury to Pablo and we’re screwed, you’d imagine Saiz would fill Pablos shoes if need be. Got to agree, it seems the reasons why he would be sold were scheduled for release before rumours of a possible departure gathered pace.
No, agree with you, you're right. If he wants to go then we have to let him leave, just saying it would have been nice to keep it all going, quiet and promise him his move at the end of the season. Just didn't want anything to detract on what looks like it could be a proper stab at promotion for years.
Ristac, he started the season on fire when we battering the likes of Derby, form has dropped during the season.
It's the end of the world! Halfway through the season and we lose the man who's given us four assists and ... er ... zero goals. Where are we going to find someone that can do this for the second half of the season? Well, I guess I could cover the zero goals. I'd be easy to deal with. Just a few pies & pints every week should just about cover it. But four assists? Wow, that's so ... er ... average for a #10. Who'd replace him? * Brown seems the obvious answer. I wouldn't object to that. * I also prefer Pablo there rather than on the wing. If nothing else, it means we get better offensive cover on the wing, and more consistent defensive cover (Pablo is very guilty of not hugging the line or consistently tackling back). * #3 option might be Roofe. I like him in that position. He's a natural #10 to me. Would fit well in behind Bamford. So all is not lost. Someone is going to pay us money for a player who's seriously misfiring with us. Win, win! Btw, I read somewhere that his wife is homesick & is expecting. I can imagine the grief he must be getting at home. If this is true, then there is no doubt - he's leaving.
Not sure anyone has said it's the end of the world. And let's not lessen the worth of a good player. My main comment was it's a pity because Bielsa has created a tight knit group, of which he is part, that is producing better than the sum of the individuals in it. I just don't want anything to upset that with a smell that this could finally be the year we get promoted.
Did a bit more reading. It seems Getafe are skint, & can't afford Saiz. Popey is reporting that it's a 6 month loan that we're talking about. He still has 2.5 years left on his contract & cost us £3m. Do we cut our losses? Another interesting FB post. If true, then it's taken time to get to this stage, so perhps the conspiracy thorists are right: "Ángel Torres, president of Getafe, saying that a player will take a medical at the club next week and could also be present at their game on Saturday. Didn’t name him, but that player is expected to be Samu Sáiz from Leeds. Look forward to that team sheet if he's on it we pretty much know it's media stirring it up for us again". And where would we be without Phil Hay's report .... https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co...ielder-pushing-for-elland-road-exit-1-9492412 Getafe eye Samuel Saiz with Leeds United midfielder pushing for Elland Road exit Samuel Saiz is being strongly linked with a January move to Getafe amid indications that the Leeds United midfielder wants to leave England. Getafe are reportedly looking at a deal which would take Saiz to La Liga next month after the 27-year-old informed Leeds that he was keen to return to Spain after an 18-month spell at Elland Road. The YEP understands that Saiz, whose partner is pregnant, is unsettled in England and has been looking at the option of resuming his career in Spain since the summer. Saiz - a £3m signing from Huesca in 2017 - has two-and-a-half years left on his contract and Leeds intended to open talks with him about a new deal during the second half of this season but his future is in sudden doubt following claims that Getafe hope to secure a transfer. His departure would come as a major shock with Leeds second in the Championship and competing strongly for promotion under Marcelo Bielsa but the midfielder’s form dipped after a strong opening month this season and Saiz’s appearance in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers was his first start for six weeks. Afterwards, Bielsa admitted that the playmaker was low on confidence and struggling to replicate the early form which helped drive United to the to top of the table at the end of August. Leeds brought in Izzy Brown on-loan from Chelsea as competition for Saiz at the end of the last transfer window and Brown is almost ready for first-team duty after fighting his way back from ACL surgery. Saiz has endured a mixed time in England, impressing in spells but failing to score in a league game for 13 months. He was hit with a six-match ban by the Football Association last January after being found guilty of spitting in an FA Cup defeat at Newport County. Speaking in October, during his first and only interview with UK media, Saiz said: “Last season when we found out we couldn't make it to the play-offs it was a moment that was hard for me. I had less motivation because I couldn't reach the objective. It's a problem that I had and it can't happen again. “In every year you have good moments and bad moments but when you play at Elland Road and see all the fans supporting you, it gives you the strength to keep working and do better things. I went to other stadiums in the Premier League and these big clubs don't have the fans we have.”
