please log in to view this image Leeds Utd V Crewe Alexandra Tuesday 24th August@19:45 | Elland Road Division one outfit Crewe Alexandra are the visitors to Elland Road on Tuesday evening in the second round of the Carabao Cup. David Artell's team have had a miserable start to the season losing there opening three games of the season against Portsmouth, Oxford Utd and Accrington Stanley. The sides last met in September 2008 during their League 1 days. Goals from Delph, Sheehan, Douglas, Beckford and Robinson secured a 5-2 victory for the Whites on the day! Crewe beat second division Hartlepool 1-0 in the first round to set up the tie with Bielsa's lads in West Yorkshire. We can expect to see many changes to the XI that draw against Everton at Elland Road on Saturday with Klaesson, Cresswell, Costa, Shackleton, Forshaw, Summerville, Gelhartd and Greewood all expected to get game time!
I remember Brian McDermott (I think) saying "the fans are going to enjoy watching him play" . Actually, never really minded Murphy tbh - bit of a nothingness amongst a lot of other nothingness at the time!!
Today’s U23 lineup surprised me, looking at who played today I’m expecting a very strong starting lineup against Crewe. Shackleton Costa Forshaw Rodrigo Summerville I think they’re nailed on starters, after that I’d not like to call it, surely Meslier will be in goal after Klaesson played today
Not sure what you're surprised by Rich. Bielsa always plays all the senior players who don't usually start in the Cups. He then pads it out with a couple of first teamers and a couple of U23's and it ends up being a bit of a mish mash and we get beat. We'll win tomorrow though and then go out in the next round.
I was surprised Klaesson and Drameh played today, Gelhardt too as I assumed the first two at least would get a full 90 against Crewe and Rodrigo/Roberts maybe 45 minutes each
U23s line-up did surprise a bit, then again Bielsa may just throw them all in against Crewe ... I really hope Leeds give it a right go, but it's the players who need to turn up and get cracking from the first whistle ... a full house is brilliant, and the Crewe players may well find it tough going in the Elland Road atmosphere under lights ... Leeds fans clearly want a cup run, they're definitely going to do their part ... get into them quickly, a nice early goal to pile on the pressure and further drain their confidence ... Crewe lads may well be flagging by the 70th minute, hopefully a big win is on the cards
Well Koch is already back in Germany so expect Cresswell to play some part and also expectung Summerville who also only played a half today. Roberts, Rodrigo, Costa, Forshaw and remember Poveda has now gone out on loan so you could see McGurk or Amari Miller
I hope he doesn’t play a full shadow team tonight. I’d like to see the U23s that might be near to the first team playing with some of the experienced first team regulars as otherwise we tend to go out. It early in the season so we should still be building match fitness. I’d be tempted to play the new signing in goal. Drameh at RB with Cooper, Cresswell and Firpo. KP, Dallas, Geldhart (if fit), Summerville, Harrison and Rodrigo
I'd swap costa for Harrison, no need to risk jacko getting injured otherwise pretty much what should be in......no poveda because he has gone to the championship as I think it's his level he seems to have swept down the pecking order from being a constant sub to out on loan....trouble?
Think the lineup will be very close to Meslier (new GK played the whole game last night I think?), Shackleton, Struijk, Cresswell, Firpo, Phillips, Summerville, Roberts, Forshaw, Costa, Rodrigo which is a strong team that should be beating Crewe.
I think you’re probably right on the lineup. I guess my point is that when we do this, put a team out with a load of players that haven’t played or trained together expecting them to play like the first team we keep getting knocked out. I’d rather play some of the better U23s with some of the first team to see how they fit in. I also think it gives them a better chance of looking good and ready to step in when needed.
We had an U23s match yesterday remember so players like Gelhardt, Greenwood, Drameh, Bate played the whole match. Summerville only played 45 so too did Charlie Cresswell and I think he will play a part tonight because Koch has been allowed to go back to Germany to sort his injury out and then be available for German selection when squad is announced. Bielsa feels its better for the player who will play no part tonight or at the weekend to be looked after back home? This is the same problem we have had for the last 2 seasons. We tend to use U18s to play in the EFL Cup (coming soon) because the U23s who are mainly only 18yo are needed to play U23 fixtures a day before or a day after the cup games. Our squad isnt big enough and by using the U23s as part of the squad hurts us in cup comps The 23s were beat yesterday because the best defender in the league and captain, was only playing in the first half. We sacrificed yesterdays result by playing a couple of U18s in CB key roles. Last season we had Cresswell and Casey as two giants in defence and this season we have Cresswell when not needed by the first team and either of 2 U18s promoted to the 23s. Hjelder will be great when he arrives and the experience the two U18s get is great, but cup comps still causes us problems at U23 level
We should go with Saturdays team as they all need to get that bit fitter and we don't play again until Sunday. Hang on I think I'm still asleep zzzzzzz
As far as I concerned, ability and unfilled potential aside, if you take a pay cut to stay at @LUFC and give everything for the shirt, at a time when the club is a shambles… you deserve a warm welcome back to ER! A tweet regarding Luke Murphy, hope the lad gets a warm reception.
Comfortable win for us tonight, first clean sheet of the season, 3-0 up at half time foot off the gas second half final score 4-0
