Pointless talking about Sundays game with Norwich, we all know its massive……… the problem is its a massive week for the club in general. Due to the first team injury crisis we are on our uppers inside the academy. Half the U23s missing from league games due to being used in the first team squad. This means from challenging at the top we are sliding down the table. U18s are being integrated into the 23s to replace missing players and that then impacts U18 results as U16s used to replace their players. The 23s have a massive week ahead starting this evening at ER 7pm so get down there to support if you can. Then on Tuesday we are away to Salford in the EFL Cup 7pm and then on Friday tbc we are away to Man Utd. Think we have Raphinha and Firpo back this weekend so we may be able to use some of ghe top 23s for 45mins tonight, but dont expect much in the EFL Cup on Tuesday besides fielding kids again, so a waste of development opportunity, and next Friday I dint see Man Utd not fielding their best kids against us. Not long ago we smashed 6 past Liverpool but right now we stand no chance simply because we cannot put out a strong team due to first team pressures. Yes the first team must take priority but the small squad has greatly damaged the academy progress this season. What do Michael Cuisance and Big Kev have in common? Well we all know what happened with Big Kev who got to play a grand total if 48mins for Leeds and ever since has managed to play only bit parts of 2 matches before being sent down to the kids and hasn't played for ages. Played only minutes in 2 games last season and none this season. Cuisance was bigged up by his club Bayern Munich and Bielsa loved his style of midfield play, so went to buy him. The deal fell through because Rob Price noticed an anomaly in one of his feet. He was then loaned out toMarseille last season where he didn't feature much. This season the French club refused his services to he was back at Bayern Munich and has so far only completed 48 minutes is a couple of cup games. Strange that 48 minutes raises its head for both these so-called superstars. Espanyol are in a struggle to keep Mateo Joseph Fernandes but he refuses to sign his new contract and so the club have banished him from the club completely now, unless he signs. This kid has scored way over a hundred goals at all age groups since joining the academy. He is seen as a future superstar in Spain. He has 2 English parents and he was born in Spain.a couple of seasons ago as a 15yo he scored 15 goals in 13 games, ghen moved up a group and scored 15 goals in 22 games and then yet again promoted to even higher level which was the reserves and scored14 goals in 21 games including a hat trick against Barcelona. Athletico Madrid, Barcelona and a few more Spanish clubs are chasing him along with Southampton, Liverpool, Newcastle, Man City and Leeds Utd. He has said he wants to play in the Premier League and its said that he has agreed personal terms with Victor Orta. Espanyol are demanding €1m which has been knocked back by all involved as he can walk away in the Summer. It does seem that Orta is on the point of agreeing something with the club sonthat Mateo can come to Leeds in January? He would be the U23s replacement for Joffy if it comes off. Anyone else sick of the way some football pundits are forever pushing their political viewson their social media or TV shows. I am sick of Rashford seeing himself as the champion of starving kids in a country where we have zero starving kids, just some shyt parents. Gary Neville cannot help himself mentioning “in a world where Boris is PM that x and Y can happen” Lineker has been a socialist lefty for years but we are all expected to pay his fat wages. I just wish they would STFU and do what they get paid to do
If he’s really that good isn’t it worth paying the €1m now to secure his services but sending him back to Espanyol for the rest of this season? Agreed. Sanctimonious lefty twats like those three make me want to vomit.
Forza I believe the clubs are agreeing a fee of €580k which means we get him now if Espanyol release him from his contract and he becomes a free agent. Not sure of the ins and outs but they just want to get something for him rather than him walking away £400k seems a bargain
Love your weekend threads and contribution in general Doc. But keep the politics to the gammon thread eh ? Let's stick to Leeds United.
So Raphinha, Phillips and Junior all fit for Sunday means we now have options of using Dallas in the middle instead of Klich. We should also have Forshaw available for that role too if required. We also have a couple of spare wingers as Raphinha will take the right and probably James the left leaving us Summerville and Harrison on the bench. Who starts up top will be between Rodrigo and Gelhardt. A strong bench will probably see Struijk Roberts Harrison,Summerville, Klich, Cresswell and Greenwood. Injury crisis almost over with Bamford and Ayling due back anytime soon and also Koch. About time we started performing again please
Think Bielsa will start with both Rodrigo & Roberts. Rest of the team picks itself if Shackleton fit, with Drameh to stand in if not. Meslier Shaks Llorente Cooper Firpo Phillips Roberts Dallas Raphinha Rodrigo James To be fair that's the team I'd pick as well...clever lad that Bielsa.
I thought Forshaw did okay against Arsenal I was pleasantly surprised, I’d be tempted to bench Dallas and start with Forshaw if anyone’s not pulling their weight swap them with Dallas. It might be Firpo feels the pace and doesn’t last the 90 so again Dallas to come on fresh.
Agreed that Forshaw did ok although I'm not a fan of his to be honest. So if he does get back in the team what exactly will he add to make us better ? My personal opinion is that he looks good but it's all showy stuff in and around our own half with nothing going forward.
Before his injury, Forshaw used to play DM for us as a KP stand-in. Like everyone else who's tried, he was good at the defensive stuff, but not the creative aspects. Bielsa then played him as a #8 for a long run leading up to his injury, & it was a revelation, as I remember it. He got better as the run continued, then sadly got injured.
Wish Forshaw had been given longer the other night, surely he must be close now to being able to do a full game. We were worse when he went off. Getting him back to somewhere near what he was would be brilliant and ease the season. However I reckon he needs to do it before Xmas because he is out of contract in June….
That's where we have struggled this season though. We lose possession in our own half as the rest of the team bomb on. That showy stuff from deep allows us to counter better.
Decent starting 11 but Firpo will only do 45mins, no Gelhardt even on the bench, Summerville will swap with McGurk for the 2nd half and Cresswell will change for Hjelde in the 2nd half. Max Dean needs to step up
Agreed he played as No' 8, so similar to Roberts, Klich or Dallas now. Remind me how many goals he's scored for us again please.
No idea. As he was never signed as a goal scorer, I'll guess that he's scored as many as Roberts this season. Than again, so have I!
So in your opinion, a player who you describe as a revelation in the No'8 role is not expected to chip in with a few goals ? Good job...as he's never scored for us.
Well another dogshyt night for the 23s after taking ghe lead at ER in front of 9,000 fans. We take off Cresswell at half time and Summerville and the wheels fall off ends 2-4 to Arsenal. Max Dean isnt Joffy and fair play to him for scoring tonight and Sam Greenwood who was playing at 10 but we cannot compete in this league with one hand behind our backs
You seem frustrated by the fact we can't put out a strong U23 side at the moment Doc. Whilst I understand it's hugely important for us is to stay in the higher division the fact so many (from last season) are breaking through into the first team must surely trump a run of poor results for the U23's ? At the end of the day it's what the academy at all age groups is about and ours is bearing fruit.
