Good Morning. It's Friday 19th November, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Referee and VAR official indefinitely suspended for missing Raphinha assault CONMEBOL have announced the indefinite suspension of the referee & the VAR official who took charge of the midweek Argentina - Brazil match. The South American football federation are furious that both officials missed Otamendi's vicious elbow which left Raphinha requiring stitches. “The performance of the Principal Arbitrator Andres Ismael Cunha Soca Vargas and the Arbitrator VAR Esteban Daniel Ostojich Vega, appointed for the aforementioned game, were technically analyzed by this Committee, concluding that they committed serious and manifest errors in the exercise of their functions in the development of the match, punctually in the following situation. “Minute 33: Violent Conduct of Player #19 Nicolas Heman Gonzalo Otamendi (ARG) against an opponent putting at risk the physical integrity of the same with the use of the arm in the face. “As a result, the CONMEBOL Arbitration Committee resolve to suspend the arbitrators Andres Ismael Cunha Soca and Esteban Daniel Ostojich Vega for an indefinite period in the exercise of their functions in competitions organized by CONMEBOL.” Some may feel that the punishment imposed on the duo is harsh, but could it be that poor refereeing in the Premiership simply goes unpunished too often? Would you like to see similar bans imposed in this Country? please log in to view this image Shackleton's agent hints at January exit Jamie Shackleton's agent Hayden Evans has hinted that Jamie Shackleton could leave Elland Road in January. The 22yo impressed Bielsa whilst filling in at right back when Luke Ayling was out injured for a sustained amount of time. Understandably, now that Ayling is about to return to the fold, player and agent are anxious not to drop back to the bench. Evans said, “It [Shackleton situation] has to be reviewed come January and see how many minutes he’s got. We can have the discussions with Victor [Orta] and say that our player isn’t playing more.” Radrizzani has made it clear that there are going to be some tough decisions next Summer. Although it's a small squad, Leeds will need to clear the decks in preparation to bring in fresh talent. Should we keep Shackleton? What's his best position? please log in to view this image Helder Costa can be like Cristiano Ronaldo Angola boss Pedro Gonçalves has spoken of his admiration for Helder Costa (he wasn't drunk), after the 27yo pledged his allegiance to the Central African nation. He scored on his debut against Mo Salah's Egypt last week, and played an instrumental part during their 2-2 draw. Things are starting to go well on loan too. The much criticised winger has broken through into the Valencia starting line up after a string of positive performances. According to Gonçalves:- “Helder Costa, respecting everyone, can be like our Cristiano; he’s our star. “I’m delighted with his behaviour and attitude. He acts like one of us and has adapted with personality and humanity. He hasn’t arrived saying ‘I’m a star’. He has given his all and is a reference for the emerging values of this country.” Fair play to the lad, nobody can knock his attitude. Have Leeds fans underestimated Costa? please log in to view this image
I've stuck up for Costa throughout. We bought him as a left winger, played him on the right and his stats compare favourably against our other wingers/creative players per minute. He wasn't the best defensively but was willing to work back. The reason he was looked at as a bad player was his price tag. We spent more on James and are still waiting for an impact. Rodrigo stats aren't much better than Costa's. He'll do a job for someone. It won't be Valencia by the way. They are in financial turmoil and unless they sell 3 or 4 big hitters will not be able to buy him. They are already under transfer embargo. Hopefully he impresses enough to get a move somewhere else. It's never going to work out at Leeds now. Shack should go out on loan for 6 months. The lad needs games.
I think there is a referee review board that looks as decisions in Premier games but it's just ex referees. In my opinion there should be a panel of ex-players and ex-referees so that the impact of a decision or not making a decision can be assessed as well as how players draw a foul.
Totally agree about Helder Costa. He played in virtually every game during our promotion season and did reasonably well in the PL with a few goals & assists. Not a world beater by any stretch of the imagination but a half decent performer who was hardly ever in the treatment room
Good on them, if that was in the UK we wouldn’t have any officials left but I don’t think they’d do that here. It seems like they want to protect the refs rather than hold them accountable for bad decisions. Shackleton and Roberts would be helped massively by going out on loan as they’re always on the fringes. Get some game time and come back a better player or show how good they are and get a good fee for them. We need to be improving the first team if we want to keep improving so we need to be looking at starters and getting better so some of our current players drop down the pecking order and on to the bench. I think since Raphinha it’s easy to late hate on Costa but anyone in our promotion winning team will go down in history in my eyes and he did a very good job. He also got a few goals and assists last since which is more than James and Harrison at this point. I wish him well.
Perhaps Costa is more suited to a more laid back way off life and will flourish in the Spanish league with someone, he did well in the championship but I don't think he was top class prem league and that's hopefully where we want to be...he won't be short of offers, god luck
Harrison for me which is why Costa has been shipped out first. I think I’ve already seen enough in James to suggest he’s a better player and one that will be starting over Harrison once Bamford is back as he presses well, doesn’t lose the ball as easily and has more pace than Harrison but that’s natural progression and we’ll see more of it as time goes on.
On the Hayden Evans interview I listened and he wasn't threatening to take Shaks out, he was disappointed that Shaks got injured when he did because he was flying and would have got a lot more game time, but Ayling is coming back now and he will move back onto the bench now. Shaks is at that age 22 when he has to play more and he trusts Orta and Bielsa so will wait and see what happens in January and what Bielsa wants. Same interview was revealing too as Hayden was asked what his players talk about between themselves and are they worried about our form. The answer was that the players are all happy as Larry, they are all confident and have no worries. The players are blown away by the skills of Rodrigo and Raphinha, and although Rodrigo hasnt shown his true worth on the pitch yet the players are in awe of him. Raphinha is exactly the same but is doing it on the pitch every game. It was a great interview and revealing so well worth a listen
Shackleton for me is not going to reach the required standard to be a first team regular. Happy for him to stay as a valued squad member but if he feels leaving would progress his career then good luck to the lad. Hopefully we haven't given him a wage which means he's priced out of a move to the championship as that's where he needs to be playing. Oh hang on a minute, maybe we should keep him after all.
I agree. He will fall short on ability. However, the way to prove that he can play at a high standard consistently is to go and play 50 games elsewhere. I don't see him progressing by bench warming for us. Just send him on loan to Huddersfield for the remainder of this season and the whole of next and see how he does.
Afternoon all… If Costa was still here I’d be saying give him a start ahead of Harrison, Shackleton can leave, I don’t believe we’d miss him and it’s probably time for Klich to end his time with us too. A huge decision needs to be made on Forshaw, it’s a no win situation really as we’re simply gambling will he remain fit yes or no.
that Otamendi elbow on Raph was nasty and calculated ... why haven't CONMEBOL banned Otamendi? Shack has the ability, but he seems to lack the self belief needed to make a dent in this team ... Costa lost his confidence when Harrison and Raph started tearing it up last season, these things happen to players ... you can't hide in the Prem, the days of a Stoke team full of physical giants battering opponents in the hope of surviving are long gone ... once you question your ability you will struggle at this level
Afternoon all, I fully believe Shack is more than capable of being a very good squad player for us. The question is is he happy to play that role or does he want more playing time? Is it better to be a squad player at Leeds in the prem under Bielsa or a first choice at Huddersfield or Swansea or the like in the championship?
thing is, will Shack be an automatic first choice at Championship level? it's not that simple, specially if he's at a club under pressure to get promotion ... that's when selection becomes a real problem, and starting is definitely not guaranteed
Depends on the player. There's plenty of young lads happy to sit on Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool benches and raking in a fortune.
Good point Billy. To be honest that's why I always favour permanent transfers out for whoever Bielsa deems isn't up to scratch. None of this try before you buy nonsense, let other clubs take a gamble like Spurs did on Jack Clarke. We might regret one now and again but ideally the academy needs to pay for itself by generating a healthy income when the opportunity is there.
