Good Morning. It's Thursday 19th November, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road. Injury Update Phil Hay has given an injury update ahead of Sundays clash against Arsenal. Kalvin Phillips has responded well to treatment 'and has a chance of playing on Sunday'. Diego Llorente has shaken off his ankle injury, though there is a good chance that Bielsa may want the 27yo to feature for the academy team before. The same goes for Adam Forshaw. Believe it or not, but the central midfielder has overcome his injury problems and has been working towards his fitness. Expect to him for the U23's! Rodrigo has overcome the Corona virus and has been given the all clear twice. Lets hope he starts, because we have missed him! It will be interesting to see whether Hernandez and Bielsa have patched things up, for the greater good of the club! please log in to view this image Alioski in talks over new deal Ezgjan Alioski is in talks with the Leeds hierarchy over a new deal. The versatile 28yo is approaching the last eight months of his contract, and Leeds are keen to keep the North Macedonian at Elland Road! It is believed that the club will be offering Alioski a three year contract. Thoughts? please log in to view this image Leeds monitoring Ibrox Manager It may just be lazy journalism, but several reports today suggest that Leeds are monitoring Steven Gerrard's situation at Ibrox. The former Liverpool legend has taken to Management like a duck to water, and currently leads the Scottish Premiership by nine points from their bitter rivals Celtic. Hypothetically, would the lure of the Premiership be too big for Gerrard to turn down? Would Leeds fans like to see the former England International on the Elland Road hot seat? please log in to view this image
Morning all, Alioski definitely deserves a new deal. He has been a great servant to the club. He has not always been a starter but when he plays you know exactly what you are getting. His performances or mood never drop. I believe as well he is a great character to have amongst the squad. I have to say that if Gerrard keeps improving the way he is at Rangers then yes in a few years when Bielsa goes I would be happy to have him at Leeds.
Morning all. Didn't realise Alioski is in his last year...he's not a player I'm overly fussed about but happy to give him a 3 year deal as he's earn't it. Gerrard can go manage somewhere else. Just not interested in having him, Lampard or a Giggs or whoever as they just don't get Leeds United. They would be using us to further their careers and jump ship at the drop of a hat.... See George Graham and file them all under ****ers just the same
Rodrigo, Raphinha, Hernandez & Phillips (if fit) have to start. Unfortunately it would be too soon & a massive risk to include Llorente. We have to be less sentimental & getaway from playing our championship side, no disrespect to the players who contributed greatly to achieving promotion but the premier league is a different level so we need to play our quality players The first XI I'd be hoping for is....... ...............................Meslier.................................................. Ayling......Koch......Cooper (Llorente when fit)......Dallas ...............................Phillips................................................... Hernandez.............Klich.............Rodrigo............Raphinha ...............................Bamford................................................. Those four additions should make a huge difference to our performances/results. (five when Llorente is fit) There's a good reason why we spent £33m on centre-backs
To go from the worlds best coach, the most highly respected coach in the world to scouse with a dirty past at some stage will come out? He is hardly pulling up trees at Rangers and was actually a massive flop again last season. Doing better this season but funnily enough Celtic are doing badly. No not for me unless he has a great Champions League getting into the knock out stages and beating a propper football team. He wants to go back to Liverpool after Klopp
Apart from last week when he was stood marking fresh air allowing Ayew a one on one for Palace's 4th goal
I'm thinking there could be some mileage in converting Harrison to a full back/wing back. His pace would be a huge asset to the team and if successful you could see him going on to play for England
Morning all.. I’m not fussed about Pablo, I’d expect him on the bench. I’m not fussed about Alioski but if we don’t have to break the bank for him let’s get it done. Alioski falls into a huge group that we have that I’d class as decent squad players. Rodrigo the most important one for me to return followed by Phillips and see if we can stop leaking goals everywhere. I’d expect Raphinha to take Costas starting position. Bielsa might sign for another season, if he doesn’t it’s best we look at who is doing what and who is available at the end of the season. If Huddersfield finish top of the league there would be a good chance we’d get Corberan back
Why so many changes? Again what has Cooper done to deserve dropping? If anyone's performances have endangered their place for Llorente it is Koch. Costa and Harrison have started well this season. Ok the last two games they have been well marked out of the game but against Arsenal I expect things to be far more open and we should see them better again. Rodrigo does need to start behind Bamford no doubt. I'm sorry but Hernandez does not deserve a starting place anymore. Time has caught up with him and there are better options in front of him now. Nothing against Raphinha, he is going to be a hell of a player for us but again based on what we've seen so far Costa and Harrison deserve the chance to start. No question that is fit Phillips needs to start.
The whole defence need pulling up for that one as there were several mistakes. This is the problem when we were chasing the game and so many players had pushed forward and, not blaming him, Struijk in rather than Phillips.
There won't be many changes for Arsenal. Just possibly Phillips and/or Rodrigo otherwise it will be the same starting eleven. Ultimately we'll need an upgrade on Cooper which is why posters cling to the hope that maybe Llorente could be that player. It's unlikely as he's a right sided defender, so Coop's place is secure until he's out injured or suspended. You have to remember even when we were top of the league last season there was still a constant clammer for changes
Dallas has done a superb job in both full-back roles. We look poor when Stuart isn't in our back four. Harrison needs to concentrate on his crossing which at times is woeful, Jack's other problem is he likes to beat the same defender two or three times. I'm often shouting 'cross the ball now'
Harrison has 10 years ahead of him...hopefully Bielsa stays long enough to complete his footballing education. Dallas has been fantastic but he won't play every game and we need other options at left back. Long term that might be Harrison or it could be Davis but there does seem to be a dearth of quality English left backs around at the moment...if we could develop one ourselves that would be great.
Good news that most of the players are back. If they're all fit I think the starting 11 will be Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Harrison, Klich, Rodrigo, Costa, Bamford. I think Raphinha will have to wait a bit longer and hopefully we'll see Hernandez on the bench as I'd rather that talking point didn't go on and the rift has been resolved. Alioski deserves a new deal, always puts a lot of effort in and makes a good squad player, brings a lot of energy. Gerrard, it's a no from me. Annoying me all these stories of a new Leeds manager when we currently have one. There's nothing to say that Bielsa doesn't stay longer after this year, he's even said so himself.
It's basically a two team League up there. So although he's doing a great job so far, the prem would be a totally different ball game.
Llorente on paper was a smart signing. Natural right sided cb but happy to play left sided cb. Also comfortable playing dm if Phillips out. When fit is he first choice in place of cooper or Koch? Guess that depends on form. At the moment I’d say Koch looks more under threat than coops... though personally I don’t think coops looks likelong term solution as first choice cb at Prem level.
Without a doubt the long term plan is Koch and Llorente. Cooper is older and in realistically is not as good as those two. At the moment though he is playing well enough to retain his place. While that continues keep him in. Will we maybe even see a back three when Llorente is available? We know Bielsa likes a 3313 formation.
I see pacey wingers taking the ball from the back, and as someone as said, Harrison potentially as a wing-back being our Plan B when we play high-pressing teams who target Phillips and stop us playing out through distribution from the centre to the wings. Some teams sussed out that closing him down stopped our playing out from the back. He's also key in transition, so when he's out we really suffer.
Best performance at left centre back this season has undoubtably been Ayling against Villa. Got back to clear one off the line and we kept a rare clean sheet against a team which scored 7 in their last home game. Then Coops came back in... Just sayin
Jammy said the same but you need to remember that we already have 3 flying wing backs at the club who are faster than Harrison. Leif Davies is neck and neck on pace with Bryce Hosannah who is putting on MoM performances every game with Bradford. You also have Cody Dramah. So why try and convert players? On the Jammy thing about Harrison as a wing back for England.... Southgate doesnt even play any defenders in the correct positions
