Good Morning. It's Friday 8th November, and here are the Leeds Utd headlines It's Eddie's decision whether he stays at Leeds or not Marcelo Bielsa has suggested that ultimately it will be down to Eddie Nketiah whether or not he stays beyond the January transfer window. It was widely suggested that Gunners boss Unai Emery would sequentially decide on the 20 yo's future depending on game time, yet Bielsa reveals to the YEP, that Eddie is in charge of his own destiny:- “I think that if he feels comfortable with us this is going to be the key for him to stay or not. “It is for him to say, not for me. We have the same position as when he arrived at Leeds. “After living and sharing with him, our opinion about him is better than the initial position we had before he arrived here and that was very good.” If you were Nketiah, would you be happy with the way you have been utilised so far? please log in to view this image Bielsa's pre match Press Conference Eddie Nketiah [lower abdominal], Gjanni Alioski [side], Adam Forshaw [hip] and Jamie Shackleton [quad] will also miss tomorrows game but Barry Douglas is fit and available for selection. This being the case, the only change Bielsa is likely to make to the staring line up is to bring Hernandez back to the fold, in favour of Costa. Klich burnout The news that Mateusz Klich has been called up to Poland’s national squad for their upcoming Euro qualifiers against Israel (16th) and Slovenia (19th) have dismayed many Leeds fans on social media. The 29 yo has played 78 matches for club and country since the start of last season, approaching 6,200 minutes without a break. Surely he's heading for burnout should he continue in this vain. Has he had the same impact that he showed last season? Does he need a break? please log in to view this image
Morning all. Thankfully it’s a Friday. Debatable if Eddie plays again for us but hope he does. It’d be a big missed opportunity. Bielsa Needs to wrap the squad in bubble wrap for the upcoming international break and try not to break any more of them
Bielsa thought Eddie was great and thats why he wanted him at Leeds, he now thinks even more of the kid and hopes he stays. Bielsa is teaching Eddie how to be better and contribute more and thats why Arsenal wanted him at Leeds. Its up to him in the end and if it hadnt been for his injury he would have started last week and had the chance to show what he can do. He could have made striker his own position. So he can go or he can stay and prove how good he is. I wont slag him if he leaves but if he does I hope we have someone lined up. Detest these International breaks and always a worry that you have players out injured. Klich should have been told he wasn't available as he needs a rest. looks like Ayling is out ill
Good, don’t rate Ayling and Douglas, ok for back up. This would be a perfect back four with White and Cooper in the CB roles. C’mon amigo have faith in young Davis, he looked very good last week when he came on.
Good MORNING TO MATT AND CO FROM A DAMP BARDSEY Well at least we aren't flooded My son works near Peterboro and it took him 5 hours to get back to Leeds as the A1 was closed he said it was biblical I hope none of you were affected Doc is right Ayling is confide to bed I hope Eddie stays and thinks about how well he can do here because at Arsenal he faces strong competition.He could become a legend if he shot us into the PL
If Arsenal pull back Nketiah, then so be it, he will be loaned out elsewhere due to him being way down the pecking order at Arsenal, bit similar to that Chelsea fkr we got fit last year that’s now performing at Luton, they were and are being trained and coached to the highest level. I am more worried that White gets pulled back..... if that happens we are in serious trouble. Davis and Dallas at full backs, no great loss in Ayling and Douglas, in fact I am disappointed in Ayling ariel power for a big lad when defending. Klich burnt out!!! I think and hope Amigo Bielsa would and should be watching this, the young lad Boguzs may or should be introduced for 30 mins, just like he did with Davis last week, and no Klich is not as effective as last season.
Villa had Tammy Abrahams on loan from Chelsea last season and they weren't afraid to use him. He played a huge part in their promotion and is class with Chelsea this season, banging them in at the highest level. I really thought Eddie would be our Abrahams, maybe he still will but looking less likely
Afternoon all.. I’d like Leif to start at LB myself so if that means Dallas in for Ayling I’m fine with that. I hope we keep Eddy myself but even more so I’d like us to sign a decent striker who impresses Bielsa from the minute the ink dries on his contract
Naturally I don't want White to leave, but I'm confident that we have cover coming through for him, all at different stages. Davis has already played in a 3 at the back with due aplomb. Right behind him is Struijk. And right behind him, coming up on the rails are Casey & Cresswell. Embarrassment of riches for moving forward, and available if required right now. Now I'm not saying this as I'm a fan of the u23s. Au contraire. It worries me that a lot of the other u23 prospects are going backwards. Bogusz is one of them, imo. But Bielsa picks him for the bench, so what do I know? One bright spark is Gotts, who can play anywhere that Shackleton can play, which is almost anywhere! McCalmont has plateaued, but he's learning a new position now, having mastered KP's role last year. So it's not all bad with the u23s, but not as rosy as it was perhaps viewed last season.
He's had it! Started against Villa last December before he ended up getting knee surgery to kill his season.
Sorry WJ. Evidence suggests Bielsa doesn’t think any of them are ready since berardi played when Cooper was injured. Likewise wasn’t everyone raving about Clarke this time last season as we are about Davis right now and look how quickly his form nosedived.
And I would choose Berardi too! It's about having available options, and he's actually very recently mentioned the players I've mentioned when talking about the need for cover at CB. So he's got round to agreeing with me! Everyone may have been raving about Clarke, but I remember remarking that the step-up to a starting place was a whole different ball game - and he proved me right. (Not my original idea - stolen from several managers over the years who've talked about the situation). Now you may have a point about Davis, and given the track record of youngsters, you would expect fits & starts. I think Davis has been managed better than most, tbh. If I recall correctly, wasn't he to blame for the 2 goals we conceded against Villa? May have been another game, but he definitely was as at fault in one game. I spoke to his agent after it & asked how he was coping. His agent said that he's taken it the right way. **** game, learn lesson, park it, & move forward - or words to that effect. He's been well schooled (if I remember correctly, his agent is an ex-Blades forward), and he's been slowly introduced this season by Bielsa. It's a pity he had the knee op last season, or it's just possible that we might not have needed White. I kid you not. It's Bielsa that's converted him, btw. Was an outright LB until then. I've now paused & thought a little more, & wonder if he may instead be our new LB instead of CB, given that he's the paciest player at ER - faster than Eddie, btw! Who knows? Might be the best way to break him into the team, then move him if need be.
I agree with WJ regarding the development of the U23s but disagree on Bogusz. I think he is developing fine into a top No10 but he was the worst player on the pitch in the last match. We have to remember that he is really an U18 player being fast tracked just like Casey, Cresswell, Hosannah (injured) , McKinstrey On the Kiko will get banned front Meslier will take over according to Bielsa not Miazek. The only time Meslier isnt on the bench is when the number of loan players exceed 5 so Miazek steps in and Meslier moves out. Eddie, Costa, Clarke, Harrison and White in the squad means Meslier moves out said it before but the one to watch is Nohan Kenneh and he has just been called up to Englands U17s to face Denmark and Czech Republic