Good Morning. It's Wednesday 30th October, and here are the Leeds Utd headlines Costa faces the chop According to Phil Hay, Bielsa will drop Helder Costa from the starting line up as soon as Pablo Hernandez is fit to replace him. The 25yo is on a season long loan from Wolves with an agreement between the two clubs that Leeds can buy the Portuguese International for 15m. Phil Hay Bielsa agreed that Leeds are missing Hernandez - said Costa hasn't yet been able to replicate Hernandez's talent of drifting off the wing and providing some devilment in the middle. Its fair to say that he hasn't reached managed to show the same kind of performances that were so influential in Wolves 2017-18 Promotion winning side. Is Costa having problems adjusting? Do you think he will come up with the goods? Is he worth his 15m price tag, or given the option, would you rather have Dwight Gayle? please log in to view this image Ben White's January release clause It has been revealed that Brighton can activate a mid-season release clause in Ben White’s loan and recall him in January! The 21yo has been the stand out player for the Whites this season, and losing him would severely dent their promotion prospects. His performances have already created interest from Liverpool, who were said to be keen to offer 20m for the centre back! If you were in Brightons shoes and you were sitting at the wrong end of the table, what would you do? please log in to view this image When January Comes Assuming Leeds don't lose any players (minus Jack Clarke who will be returning to Spurs), does Bielsa need to strengthen the squad in January if the Whites are serious contenders for automatic promotion? Is the current squad good enough for top two? Would they be guaranteed a top 6 finish; we know that traditionally Leeds falter after Christmas? How many players are need, and what positions? Would you rather see height, or a specialist set piece taker for free kicks and corners? Which current players would you sacrifice in order to bring new blood in? please log in to view this image
Helder Costa couldn't lace Pablo's boots If Brighton recall White our season is over Of course we need to invest in the in the window, going by a track record that is unlikely though. A proper striker, a No.10 & a goal-scoring midfielder/set-piece taker, oh and wingers who look up & can actually cross a ball or take a corner. This is all pie in the sky though when we are talking Leeds! Dwight Gayle & Jarrod Bowen will likely be available in January. How about an exciting signing Leeds ? maybe not
Good Morniing to Matt and co from a dull Bardsey Well that's a big blow if we lose White in Jan no doubt we will be looking around for a replacement We need a centre forward Watkins seems to fit the bill I still think that to balance the books we will sell Phillips Bowen would also be a good signing for us but we need to buy him and Watkins first otherwise the clubs knowing what we got for Phillips will want more I hope Davy had a great party last night I.m sure I did but its too long ago n ow
Morning all Looking at what we may need in January I suggest we need to look at what we have now and how often they play, then look at the U23s to see if we already have someone. Pablo is 34 and his form this season is questionable plus hes now injury prone. So we need a replacement. Forshaw wasnt in Bielsas thoughts much last season and did start really well this season before yet another injury, so for me he needs replacing. Bamford had a long spell out injured last season but came back and scored a half season good total because he only played half the season. This term he started well but we really need goals and Pat I'm afraid is scared of the crowd. Replace him and put him out of his misery looking at the U23s we only have Shackelton who looks strong enough or good enough to fill the boots of Forshaw, but we do not have a replacement ready to replace Pablo yet and recent results for the 23s shows they dont yet have experience for sorting out the changes within their own group yet. Edmondson is a big unit and isnt as mobile as Bamford and can still spurn easy chances but still scores more often than not. Edmondson, Kun, Stevens, Haughland are not ready so for me we need a top striker and a top midfield maestro. Costa will need to learn a new role if we are to buy him
Good Morning All - I assume Phil Hay hasn't been told that directly and it is just his opinion, something most if not all of us feel would happen anyway? Under a different style of play in the PL Costa might well be worth £15m but not to us in this division and Bielsa style football. If we held on to the ball more he might flourish but he doesn't like chasing the ball down and he isn't very good at tackling. If Brighton can recall and sell Ben White then I really fear for our chances, that would be a HUGE dent in out chances of promotion. Yes to needing strengthening in January but the amount of players we sold or released preseason do we really need to sacrifice anyone?
Morning all. 1964 has covered everything I had to say. Won’t be anything positive in January same as every season but I’m sure it won’t stop the talk of incoming 20m pound players
Morning all, Hypothetically if we were told we could sign Ben White on a permanent in January and the only way to do so was to sell Phillips I'd have no hesitation in going down that route.
Morning all. If that is correct about White then it makes the decision to sell Pontus and the release of the U23 CB all the more baffling.
The CB issues at this club are not seen as issues by the club. Yes we all thought we needed a new CB last season, Bielsa didnt and devised a way of playing to suit the players he had. This season we lost Pontus and everyone up in arms until they saw White was a better player than Pontus. We have Ayling, Cooper, Berardi, Davies, Casey, Struijk and Cresswell and and will be ample cover. There is even talk that Pascal Struijk will shortly be playing for the full Holland side. Think we see CBs as big Jack types but Bielsa prefers ball playing defenders
If you’re replying to me, I said it was baffling, I’m not up in arms. And with respect, but if Pascal Struijk can’t get in our team ahead of Berardi and Ayling, who aren’t even CBs, he won’t certainly be replacing Van Dyke or De Ligt anytime soon.
We should not have sold him All this flogging to buy does my head in, much rather we build on what we have. I'd have been much happier with White, Cooper & Jansson as our three CB's. We're playing in hardest league in Europe entailing 46 games, not some mickey-mouse Danish/Norwegian/Swedish/Spanish league where they play about 30 games over a season
I watched QPR vs Brentford on Monday. Brentford were outstanding and Pontus stood out......the reason being he was by far their worst player. Good move by Leeds getting rid. To be fair my post was hypothetical, the hypothesis being if the only way of securing White on a permanent was to sell Phillips we should do that. In an ideal world we'd keep both, but it's not. Like the league we got Jansson from you mean?
I don't like selling our best players, now't wrong with that Doc Apart from the sensational Ben White, Pontus is better than all those you mention even Marcelo said Jansson was our best player last season I'm not a drama queen, fed up of seeing at least one our best players leave ER every season If we don't go up this season it's gonna be a bleeding nightmare for me as I can't see Bielsa doing a 3rd season with us, Phillips, White & Nketiah are goners & dear old Pablo's legs will more or less be gone too! Sugar-daddy required sooner than later!
We have an agreed fee for Costa set at £15m you’d imagine we’ve funds on standby for that? Hopefully we can get out of the deal and spend the money on White instead but... If Liverpool come knocking we have no chance, our best bet would be to persuade Liverpool to leave him with us on loan until the end of the season
Just been to Sainsburys25% off white wine and if you spend £60 10p a litre off petrol offer ends 3 Nov on drinks and 4 now on petrol you then have14 days to use your coupon in
No matter what you say Pontus was a good servant to us, saved us in many matches, one of few players to achieve a 10/10 rating twice in the same season from me. Yes he had his faults & drove me mad at times but I'd still rather have him at ER than gone.