Good Morning. It's Tuesday 11th January, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Greenwood injury leaves Leeds without any striking options Leeds fans were left gobsmacked after it was revealed that Sam Greenwood picked up an injury in Leeds 2-0 defeat against West Ham last Sunday. The 19yo joins fellow forwards Rodrigo, Bamford, Gelhardt and Roberts on the treatment table, leaving Leeds without any striking options for the foreseeable future. Bamford was set to return to action against the Hammers, but picked up a yet to be identified injury which will keep the 28yo out of action for the foreseeable future. With Pascal Sruijk, Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton, Kalvin Phillips, Junior Firpo and Charlie Cresswell also all sidelined, it will mean that Leeds will be without eleven players for the visit of West Ham on Sunday. please log in to view this image Bielsa drives his players to the limit There's an interesting piece penned by Phil Hay in 'The Athletic' this morning. He examines Leeds unprecedented and ever-growing injury list, and firmly lays the blame with Bielsa and his team of coaches. Whilst it's easy to point the finger of blame in the direction of the coaching staff, we must remember that the Thorp Arch medical department have access to the latest tools and data to monitor the physical exertions of the players. You have to accept that over a season you will lose players to injury, and sometimes bad luck can amplify these scenarios, but when the injury list is consistently hovering around double figures, something needs to change! Has three and a half years of intense SAS like training finally caught up with the players? "Leeds United would never class muscle strains or ailments caused by fatigue as a game of chance. The clue is in the term fatigue, and like any professional medical department worth its salt, they have tools and data to monitor the physical load their squad is carrying." "In theory, a physio can see a hamstring pull or something of that nature coming because the physical stats a player compiles during training and games warn of it in advance. The so-called red zone is where the risks multiply." "Some injuries are out of the blue, some might be wear and tear. What is not in dispute is that in a typical week, Bielsa drives his players to the limit and rarely cuts corners. Many clubs collate their annual training hours for submission to FIFA and Leeds’ total is invariably well ahead of most of the European field." "The picture of intensity painted at Thorp Arch has never been a facade. It had to be this way for Bielsa’s methods to work and it will be this way until his last day, but the environment he creates is purposely on the edge, leaving the possibility that one day it will tip over." please log in to view this image U23's Hammered Mark Jackson's U23's took a second half battering at the Rush Green Stadium, the training ground of West Ham Utd last night. The young Whites went toe to toe with their East London counterparts in the first half, but found themselves out of their depth in the second. The game ended 3-0, leaving Leeds without a victory in ten league games. They have conceded 38 times in their sixteen games. please log in to view this image Leeds linked with Lazio flop Various media outlets are suggesting that Leeds want to sign Lazio striker Vedat Muriqi on loan. The 6ft 4' Kosovo International has been a flop since arriving at the Stadio Olimpico sixteen months ago from Fenerbahçe for almost €20 m. In 34 appearances, the 27yo has netted once. Hull City have also been linked to Muriqi, but have now turned their attention elsewhere. Lazio are keen to offload Muriqi, but they would prefer to sell him, whereas Leeds are looking for a loan deal. If recent speculation is true, Leeds are only interested in loan deals this transfer window! please log in to view this image
Morning all Bielsa will play James out of position up front, I think I’d see what Raphinha could do myself as he’s been trying too hard out wide. Best option would be to have signed a new attacking player, or proper number 10 we’ve only had three years I guess it’s not long enough….
Morning, Don’t know much about this Muriqi from Lazio. Hopefully nothing in it because his stats are terrible. If the only other club interested in him are Hull it’s a totally uninspiring transfer link if true.
If it's us and hull then surely we would be in the box seat .......if true hopefully the stats are from someone who has a vendetta
The Muriqi thing may seem strange but Sarri at Lazio now and he plays with a false 9. He has a player like Imobiliei who scores for fun but he isnt a No9 hes more of a Bamford type player but prolific. Muriqi has been a goal scorer and his last 2 seasons in Turkey saw him score a goal every other game and even for Kosova he is scoring at International level every other game too. A few former Italian and Turkish internationals have said he scores Peter Crouch type goals because hes 6’4” but has great feet and control and also scores goals like a smaller, stockier striker? Anyone would be a help right now
It could be Djokovic. The Serbs and Kosovan's have a chequered past, and apparently Djokovic has some time on his hands.
11 days into an urgent transfer window and nothing, not a sniff of a deal yet? Could be great news around the corner as secrecy at ER is great these days, but fk me its frustrating
There’s a can to be carried for all these injuries and it’s about time someone took responsibility If the powers that be don’t pull their socks up I can see a fire sale at the end of the season
Cole Palmer and Kayke are worth multi millions but still play for Man City U23s. Palmer was close to being MoM last weekend for City in the FA Cup and scored a great goal too. Kayke has just landed from Brazil costing around £17m, a lot for a kid but wow what a talent. Pep is supposed to worship Bielsa, why isnt he offering him a couple of his players who would benefit from getting prem experience. These 2 are good enough to play in any team in the prem now
This is now getting beyond a joke: Leeds United striker Sam Greenwood is the latest victim as the club’s injury crisis deepens. The 19-year-old, who made his first start for the Whites in Sunday’s FA Cup defeat at West Ham, has posted on Instagram, external to say he picked up the unspecified problem at London Stadium. It means all of United’s strikers are on the sidelines, with Patrick Bamford (hip), Rodrigo (heel) Joe Gelhardt (ankle) and Tyler Roberts (calf) also out.
Time for an outbreak of Covid at ER. Top six teams have tried to cry off with fewer players out. The Pool outbreak was convenient and short lived.
Given the amount of i juries and training regime at Leeds would you loan us any players?. Can clubs afford to have players crocked playing stupid murderball. When Llorente made his ill fated comeback last season he lasted ten minutes. Mr Bielsa was giving him two intense sessions a week. The lad was probably knackered warming up.
Muriqi. I've seen bits of him. To be fair he is better than we have available at the moment but if I'm honest I'd rather just bring Edmondson back and play him. There's not much in it between the two.
