Match Day Thread Leeds Utd v Bolton

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Leeds Utd v Bolton
Tuesday 14th [email protected]
Carabao Cup
Streaming links to follow

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Hi Folks,

Bolton are the visitors to Elland Road on Tuesday evening in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

The Trotters have had a good start to the season beating West Brom at the Hawthorns on the opening day of the season and holding Bristol City to a 2-2 draw at the weekend.

It looks like they have spent wisely during the Summer.

Clayton Donaldson-------Sheffield United----------Free
Stephen Duke-McKenna---------Everton---------U21 Free
Jack Hobbs----------Nottingham Forest--------Free
Jason Lowe----------Birmingham City--------Free
Josh Magennis--------Charlton Athletic---------Undisclosed
Pawel Olkowski---------Cologne--------Free
Erhun Oztumer---------Walsall--------Free
Joe Pritchard---------Tottenham Hotspur-------U21 Free
Yanic Wildschut--------Norwich City---------Undisclosed
Marc Wilson--------Sunderland--------Free
Luke Murphy----------Free agent



Bielsa has a big decision to make regarding the starting line up.

Does he choose the fringe players or a blend between the first and the second XI?

Will we see Blackman, Baker, Bamford and Harison make their home debut's?

Should Blackman take over from Peacock-Farrell after the youngsters howler on Saturday?

How important us the League Cup this year?

 

Cup is always important and Bielsa dont like losing. I expect most of the starting 11 to be players who were on the bench as he wants all 22 players fit and raring to go all season and slip into the system whenever needed. Bamford, Blackman, Harrison, Pontus, Pearce, Shackelton, Roberts should all play? I reckon the team will be busting a gut to dislodge the starters from the last 2 games

 

Play the reserves.

Leeds United should have ZERO interest in this cup. Same with the FA cup.

Either will just be a distraction if we get a cup run going.

 

Also, our new style is very physically demanding. There is a fear the players will run out of steam by the end of the season....why make them play any more games than they have to ?

44 league games to go.

No other game is important this season (unless we have to seek promotion to the EPL by the play-offs).

 

Evening Poly, that is exactly my fear.

 

Evening Doc, Did Shackleton play left back in pre season?

 

Bielsa covered this in one of his post match interviews. It will mainly be the players who have not started in league games, with one or two first choices.

I believe he wants to win, but he also want two players in each position with a real chance of playing. Anyway he said it would mainly be players who did not start in first two games

 

That's a sound policy, I've always thought that a club should have as many subs on the bench as they want. I don't see the point of restricting a team to just 5 or 6 players on the bench. The potential is there for the opposition team to gain a real advantage if you lose a player through injury.

 

Has to be a reserve team. We’ve plenty of two league games a week coming up that players will struggle with due to the new style. I couldn’t give a toss if we go out of both cups in first round anyway. Even if we got to a semi final it proves nothing. Teams above us ie pl teams only play their reserves sides anyway except victimpool who are always desperate for silverware

 

Ive always been totally against playing reserve players for cup games and maybe for the first time ever I’m going to agree, time for the reserves for this one but mainly because of the style of win for our first two games and secondly we had a very strong bench for both games, Bielsa is right, we need them match fit and match sharp as they will be needed this season.

A Bamford super show and bang in a few goals and Bielsa will have a nice headache...

 

Playing young reserves shows disrespect to the competition but playing the likes of Pontus and Bamford makes sense

 

When I say reserve, I do mean every player that was on the bench, scatter in a few first team 11 like Douglas and Alioski rest the likes of Klich and Hernandez

 

Soooo..

Only two blanks to fill in

 

He doesn't do hiding the team from the opposition does he (remember the Dennis Wise debacle). it's more, here's my team spend a couple of days ****ting yourselves over it

 

Ayling & Cooper?

 

Am I to take from this that Phillips is indispensable? Everyone else from Bielsa's quote hasn't started yet. Interesting.

I'm going to have a stab at his team, although, tbh, Gawd knows what to expect - Pontus at CF, anyone?

............................ Blackman
Shackleton... Jansson ... Cooper ... Pearce
............................. Phillips
Roberts .......... Baker ... Klich ...... Harrison
........................... Bamford

Have to admit, the #10 perplexes me. Is Baker up to it? I don't know enough about him.

 

I think it might be Ayling where you have Shackleton and Shackleton for Klich

 

Seems a bit of agamble playing Klich and Phillips again but hey who am I to say hes wrong. Nessy and LDB playing for the U23s now, would he drag them off at HT.

 

Bryce Hosanah isnt playing for the kids tonight and he is maybe worth a punt at RB tomoz so Shaks can play wingback. He could be injured of course?