Leeds Utd U23 Premier League 2 Div1 - Sticky

Red card Cresswell.

2nd yellow and a stupid challenge.

 

Or paddy starting

 

Could be but not sure he'll start, thinking he'll get the last 30,

 

He'll learn

 

Here we go again though. Gelhardt has now scored the opening goal and taken off ready for the first team on Sunday. Lets hope we can see this one out fora change

 

Drameh replaced so he too can be ready for Sunday and guess what we are now 1-2 down after kicking the shyt out of Leiceste, but we being outplayed yet again. Sick of this crap because this is all down to Bielsa

 

Yes we get beat again because the 23s are not able to play their best team

 

In my opinion we were bossing the game until Cresswell's red card. It was a totally unecessary challenge 60 yards from his own goal and gave the referee no option but to send him off for 2 yellows.

Young Charlie has got to take responsibility for that and and as Shaks said learn his lesson.

 

It's the under 23s, second string, reserve team, bunch of kids, call it what you want.
Don't get worked up by the results they are among the country’s finest and not getting spanked.
Preparation for the 1st team is what it's all about.

 

Yeah but to get into a relegation battle defeats the object of progressing. We could get relegated quite easily now.

 

Who's first team are they getting ready for?. We waited 10 games for forshaw and suddenly bielsa plays him. Nine of the mids given plaudits by doc got a look in. Gelherdt got pushed out by roberts which says it all about favourites to me. Klich can only last 30 mins now. Perhaps testing for covid has wrecked his stamina.
I agree with doc and cannot see the sense of being relegated. You must prepare by playing the best.

 

I can't see the sense of being relegated either, but I'm talking about the 1st team. Much as I love the u23s, the first team will suffer if the u23s are given more priority, and if that means the u23s take a hit, then so be it. Placing any more emphasis on the u23s is wildly negligent if it's the first team that's going to suffer for it. And they would. We are heavily reliant on them for the first team's success.

 

I agree to a certain extent but the cause of the whole club being in decline comes down to only having 18 first teamers in the squad. We had 9 of them missing at one stage, then 7, then 6, then3. But having 5 of the 23s actually being contenders to play for the first team, means your best 5 players from the 23s are not playing and thats half your best team out. Then you draft in a few kids from the U18s and then the U18s are now short so they bring in some of the U16s. In effect you have the first team, the 23s, 18s and 16s all fielding weakened teams. So first team struggles and the 23s who were battling it out for top of the league a few weeks ago are now down the bottom of the league fighting to stay in it.

I think even Bielsa now realises that only 18 first team players is not enough in the Premier league. 2 more would vastly ease things and allow fewer 23s to be required.

Everyone is now back except for Koch so surely we can put out a better 23side from now on. Be great to see Koch and Cresswell playing together and Greenwood and Joffy showed what they can do last night when on the pitch together. Summerville and Drameh are a handful down the right, McCarron and Miller down the left. McGurk and Bate in the middle with Kenneh and Jenkins. A few games with a full team means survival, because remember the last time they played together the smashed Liverpool 4-0

 

I hear what you say, but let me crystallise the situation by asking a question - what would hurt more: the 1st team or the u23s being relegated?

 

Yeah only one answer to that

 

Final paragraph on Mateo Joseph Fernandez story:


Joe Gelhardt hasn’t been available every week for Mark Jackson and the under-23s due to his first-team commitments, and that has seen their form slip. With Joseph now arriving at the club in just over three weeks time, the academy should have a talisman to call upon every single week. After scoring a hat-trick against Barcelona last season, the young sensation clearly has an eye for goal and he will be needed by the under-23s.

 

Doc, any reason for Joffy not being on the bench today?

 

Htook a dead leg before half time. I assumed he was taken off to save him for today, but maybe he was rested and the knockmwas worse?

 

U18's live on LUTV tonight in the Youth Cup.

Coventry 0 - 0 Leeds

Half way through the 1st half.