The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 1st October)

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 1st October, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Bellamy full of admiration for Leeds skipper

Wales manager Craig Bellamy was full of admiration for Leeds skipper Ethan Ampadu during his squad announcement for the upcoming international fixtures, highlighting the midfielder’s maturity, leadership, and importance to the national team setup. Speaking to the media, Bellamy emphasised just how impressed he has been with Ampadu’s influence, particularly given his relatively young age. “His leadership skills, for someone so young, is beyond impressive,” Bellamy noted, underscoring the qualities that have seen Ampadu handed the armband at Leeds and trusted as a key figure for Wales.

Beyond his leadership, Bellamy also praised his technical ability, singling him out as the kind of player who can dictate play in the deep midfield role. It is a position Bellamy regards as crucial, both for controlling games and providing balance, and he was quick to stress that Ampadu perfectly fits the mould of a modern defensive midfielder.

While the Premier League season may only be six games in, Ampadu has wasted no time in establishing himself as an indispensable linchpin, in front of the Leeds defence. His influence is starkly reflected in the team's newfound resilience. Barring a difficult afternoon at the Emirates, Leeds have conceded a mere four goals in their other five matches—a statistic that serves as a powerful testament to the skipper's organisational prowess and unwavering dedication.

“His leadership skills, for someone so young, is beyond impressive. “But he’s just a talented player and has the — I know you hear me like broken record — but he definitely has the profile I like in a six.
“And, also, the big part of this as well is we need depth in that area. So, when Ethan is out, you have to have that depth. Now, we’ve been able to expose that as well in being able to give players the opportunity.

“Because we haven’t had Ethan. But, for me, it’s such a key area of the pitch for how we play. And Ethan is a top level performer in that area. So, hopefully, everything comes off and he’s able to meet up with us Sunday.
“Because, these two games, with the intensity that’s going to come, the angles we’re going to need to create, the speed that we’re going to have to create those angles at, he is definitely a player that is able to do that.”

please log in to view this image

Will Leeds be able to strengthen in January

For years, newly promoted clubs entering the Premier League from the Championship have often been cast as relegation favourites before a ball is even kicked. Survival, rather than success, has usually defined their campaigns as they adapt to the unforgiving pace, quality, and financial disparity of the top flight. Yet this season has brought a refreshing twist to that familiar narrative.

Leeds and Sunderland in particular have looked far from overawed, determined to prove they belong among England’s elite. Their early resilience has forced a shift in perspective. Instead of targeting points against the “new boys,” established top flight outfits could find themselves dragged into the relegation equation.

For mid-table clubs who often assume safety by default, the fight to stay up could become far more complex and nerve-racking. No longer is simply finishing above the promoted clubs a reliable insurance policy. This shift suggests that avoiding relegation may now demand greater consistency and ambition, even from seasoned Premier League outfits like West Ham, Wolves and even Brentford.

If the trend continues, the hardest battles for survival may not be fought against the newcomers, but against rivals who have grown complacent in the belief that their experience alone would guarantee safety. Leeds have the opportunity to strengthen in January, but do Leeds need to sell before they can buy?

Managing Director Robbie Evans stated that Leeds had spent everything they could during the summer transfer window. This suggests they may have to sell players before they can buy, which would mean parting with one of the best players. AO Tanaka fits within that bracket, but it remains unclear whether he has the physical attributes to make it in the top flight.

Only Ampadu (£30m) and possibly Struijk (£20m) are likely to fetch offers good offers, but selling them would be counter productive. Meslier, Harrison and Gruev are surplus to requirements, but would be unlikely to generate much more than £10m between them. Wilfred Gnonto could fetch good money, but his 40% sell on clause would make any deal pointless.

please log in to view this image

 

Morning all. We're not doing anything in January. It's been explained over and over, cue January thread shortly of over 200 pages. The more I look at this current team, I can't help but feel we look comfortable in the Pl and the signings have been outstanding. Kudos to all those involved in the work to bring them in. Any word on when planning application for redevelopment is due to be ratified?

 

January will depend on league position and/or injuries. If we look ok we’ll do nothing. If we’re in ‘the zone’ we’ll panic buy and then sell whoever we have to in June to meet PSR. It’s kicking the can down the street but it would be the only real option.

 

Be just Sunderland this year

Oh and didn't realise Brighton played Prem in 93

 

Had a look at the championship table this morning and interesting to see how the relegated three and Sheffield are doing. Blunts bottom but only Leicester decent. Ipswich and Southampton barely averaging a point a game. They really were boxing above their weight last season

 

I watched Marseille v Ajax last night to see what we missed with Igor Paixao.

Two goals in the first twelve minutes and an assist in the second half.....doh!

Okafor had better be good.

 

If we ‘spent everything we could during the summer’ I don’t believe we were actually in for Paixao because the money wouldn’t have been there. Think it was more a case of Leeds giving the impression of going big when in reality there wasn’t any chance of signing him.

Not too fussed tbh as Okafor looks decent.

 

Good morning all

 

Of the 12 teams in the best ever start table above where we are now, 8 are no longer in the PL

 

9 if you change Brighton to Blackburn in 93

 

I kind of get that argument but then think about the amount of time we wasted on it instead of doing real business and also we sort of showed our hand that we were willing to spend up to £40m on him or Muniz and then that linked us with Dob Uk yada yada yada. However whatever crazy strategy we had blew up in their faces

 

Maybe we’ll spend January trying to sign Dob Uk yada yada yada so. Is he any good

 

If you believe the prune the club wheeled out who said we spent everything we could, then the only way we buy or loan anyone is by selling. The only players we will be able to sell are Amapadu, Struijk, Tanaka, Gnonto or Gruev or Piroe. Meslier walks on a free, nobody will give us cash for Harrison….. one final word on this though if Nmecha or DCL get injured we show the striker strategy was also stupid

 

I think day one of the transfer window we hoped to get a larger fee for Wober. We also budgeted at least £8m for Meslier, possibly £12m for Jack - Add those figures with the Okafor fee then we possibly was in for him

 

I actually do believe him. Accounts will show how close we are to pic so no point in lying. As others have said, the ones we can afford to sell are worthless apparently and anyone worth money is vital to us. Anyway most clubs are feeling the pinch of par and only interesting loaning players. Seems to be few parting with real cash. Im beginning to believe this per may eventually have a levelling effect if we can survive a few seasons to catch up

 

We clearly were in for paxaio… we would have likely needed to sell something this window or next June to cover it. Books don’t need to be balanced now. Thats where the spin comes in.

 

So as unpalatable
As it would be, does it look like selling Harry as the only option re raising the psr ceiling

 

If someone is mad enough to pay £40m for him… possibly! Depends what we need to spend in Jan. If it’s someone like Wilson with only a few months left on his contract we might not need to flog anyone. I presume/hope they’ll still be trying to get a few mill here and there for the likes of Mes in January.

 

The big question must be asked about players who had a value but were not offered new contracts or a simple extension. We know they were going to be surplus to requirements but surely allowing them to run down into the last year gave the players the power and we watched them all leave for no cash. Yes we got them off the wage bill but we didn’t recoup their book value. Countless clubs wanting Joffy, but he waited to get his loan deal with Hull and that meant a free transfer next summer and a big pay day for him. Meslier allowed to run the clock down, Gyabi allowed to leave on a free transfer to Hull and we got a 40% sell on clause which is future cash not now. Nobody wanted Bamford for cash, Greenwood went to Poland and we got a few quid for him.mwe have been shown to be mugs in the tranny market.

 

For all his positives, Farke seems to clash with those surplus to requirements. Cresswell, Joseph, Joffy, they all have a different story to tell than the reports that come out of the club, Bamford too