Good Morning. It's Friday 1st October, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road No end in sight for Koch It was revealed yesterday during Marcelo Bielsa's press conference that German International centre-back Robin Koch may continue to be sidelined for some time! He sustained a groin strain during the latter stages of the Manchester Utd mauling on the opening day of the season, almost seven weeks ago. To make matters worse, there is no end in sight as Bielsa explains: "Koch has a problem in his pubis which is a very rebellious injury where there is no prognostic of when he will be recovered because it can last a short period or a long period of time so that is subject to his evolution". Reading between the lines (or at least I hope I am) Koch is responding well to treatment, and hopes to be back soon! please log in to view this image It's Phillips decision Marcelo Bielsa was very philosophical when asked about Kalvin Phillips Elland Road future, during his pre match presser yesterday. Instead of laying the law down as many Managers have done in the past, the Argentine gave a very balanced response, and put the ball firmly in the players court! Multiple media sources indicate that Manchester Utd have turned their attention to the Yorkshire Pirlo, after switching their attention from Declan Rice, because of the 90 m price tag attached to the West Ham midfielder. Sources close to Elland Road insist Phillips is happy at Leeds, yet a new contract worth 70k a week may sweeten the deal further. That doesn't necessarily mean Phillips will stay long term, it just means a potential buyer will have to stump up more money for him. With respect to Manchester Utd, any of the top four would break the bank for Phillips. A fee of between 90 m - 100 m seems a sensible amount, whilst the red side of Manchester are hoping for a lot less than that. According to Bielsa: “That’s a question that Kalvin needs to answer. Of course for us he’s a very valuable player and we have to adapt ourselves to how he feels belonging to Leeds in the measure that his career develops. “I have seen in him, a conduct that I very rarely seen in a player in how football is right now. For a player to decline a team above the level where he is at, due to the love of a club where he’s at, it’s not frequent. “And I have the certainty that Kalvin is going to enjoy for the rest of his life, the decisions he makes. He will be loved definitively in the place where he was born and where he belongs. “When you go for the money or the evolution, you resolve a moment in your sporting career, but when you opt for the affection of your people, you resolve in commas your life forever, because when you are loved where you are from, the possibilities to be happy increase.” please log in to view this image What to do with 100 m This is a completely hypothetical question, but if Phillips did leave, who would you bring in, and what would be the estimated cost? please log in to view this image
Morning all, Hopefully Koch will be fit soon but with the return of Llorente & Struijk and the emergence of Cresswell it's not the desperate need it might have been. Unless, of course, he is Bielsas plan for midfield.
In fact I feel for him. At a time when we have five players fighting for two spots he has no chance to prove his worth. Imagine the frustration he must feel watching those ahead of him play so well.
Great to see some lads coming back touch wood Llorente can now go a stretch in the team as we need him. Doubt he will start Saturday but you never know. very happy Rapha is fit as we need him for games like this he will open Watford up for sure. Koch feel sorry for the lad just not getting the breaks On Phillips it is what it is. It's all down to see where he see's Leeds going in the near future, Another contract would be great as it would cover us better as a club on a future sale and clubs can't bully us in giving him away.
The usual answer regarding a player like Phillips is to say "if we can get £100M and invest it in the team then do it", but what would Bielsa do with all that cash ? He likes a small squad so he'll only buy replacements rather than add to it. So you'd also have to say who else goes to kae space for thos players ? Will Bielsa be too stubborn, we know he has his favourites and he's never in a hurry to blood the kids so it's a tricky one. I don't want Phillips to go anyway. Obviously any player can be replaced but at what cost, he is so integral to the team and hopefully Bielsa would fight tooth and nail to keep him. He's already told the board once that if Phillips goes, he goes. Sorry Ell, no answers from me, just thinking out loud.
If phillips goes then so be it. What worries me is giving Orta all that money to purchsse a load of sick notes and never gonna be players. Costa... Poveda.. Koch. Maybe even Llorente and junior. Orta has signed some right dross and does he ever check their injury record?. Look at kiko the clown another Orta wage thief. The other thing i want to touch on is players like klich dallas and Ayling for england. They have looked very average this season. Crowds are back and teams, have upped their game. These type of players are not up to it and should be binned.
I think with Klich, Dallas and Ayling it’s a case of us strengthening year on year and these players being in the squad or leaving with the younger ones also stepping up to be 1st teamers and squad players with the remaining being sold. CM is the next place we will strength as we’ve tried the last couple of windows & Forshaw will go and Bate will step up leaving a new CM alongside Rodrigo/Klich/Bate (whoever doesn’t start eill be a squad player for injuries/cups) and Dallas will be our utility squad player. Ayling will be the the next moving to squad player or to leave as he gets older with Shackleton, Drameh or another signing taking his spot.
Morning all On Phillips is we are serious about modelling ourselves on Leicester, then we must be ready to sell players for a lot of money after buying cheap. However in the case of Phillips I expect him to sign a new deal and be with us next season unless the wheels come off, and there will be a big buy out clause to protect the club. The interesting question is his replacement and if we take in £100m for Phillips I fully expect the replacement to be Lewis Bate. Yes he will only be 19 then but if he carries on what hes doing now why would you spend £30m more on a player who is not bound to be much better than Bate. Yes a whole season to go or us to watch his development, but I will not be shocked if he makes it to some minutes in The first team this season. Jack Jenkins another who has taken on the DM role and of course we have Koch and Struijk who have done it. I believe Bielsa will be planning for all eventualities and will only spend money if he believes he hasnt got the replacement already.
Bielsa quoted as saying about Bate: “He’s a player who performs better every time in the games he’s a part of. “He’s a player that is constantly managing the ball and he doesn’t lose it very often. And he’s got a good sense of a pass, he can thread it through the needle.” Bate is deffo a kid to keep your eye on and why Chelsea didnt want to sell him, but the kid realised he was behind the present Tuchel midfield and also Connor Gallagher on loan at Palace and the young Scottish kid on loan at Norwich. Bielsa was also on the phone to him to convince him to come. He sees Leeds as a pathway to first team football. He is also with a bunch of mates he knows well from the England youth set up with Drameh, Greenwood, Gelhardt, Miller etc
Latest England U20 selections: Right back Cody Drameh and midfielder Lewis Bate plus forwards Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood have all been included in a 23-strong group who will meet at St George’s Park next week to begin their preparations. The under-20s will take on Italy at Chesterfield’s Technique Stadium in a 7pm kick-off on Thursday, October 7 before flying out to face the Czechs in Teplice in a 4pm kick-off on Monday, October 11. Charlie Cresswell is now a regular for England U21s
I've been disappointed by the big German Koch every time I get a glimpse. Seems a bit soft and has no stamina. Just cums and goes randomly.
What is this....Friday phnarr phnarr day?? coming back touch wood Llorente can now go a stretch in the team
If the day comes that KP is going to scum for £100m, we should negotiate that we get McTominey as part of the deal. Not too sure what he does at Old Toilet, but for Scotland, he's been superb. He's a standard DM, but just like KP, he can spray balls over the park. He's also played CB a number of times for us too, & slotted in seamlessly, so that you'd never know it wasn't his normal position. He also scores goals! Hopefully it'll never come to pass. I like the look of our lads Jenkins & McCalmont too & am confident they wouldn't let us down. Big step-up for them, but everyone has to make a step-up at some point in their career.
Can't say that Koch has impressed me all that much. Perhaps if he had a run at CB, I might think otherwise, but he's hardly set the heather alight for me, & if Cresswell continues with this form, he might be the first CB out the door.
Rhinos are such an average side these last few years. Some very poor decisions from the players so far. Some of these lads shouldn't be playing for us.
