please log in to view this image Leeds Utd v Wolverhampton Wanderers Wednesday 7th March [email protected] Streaming links to follows Good Morning / Evening Everyone Button down the hatches, Park the bus, get 10 men be=hind the ball - Wolves are in town! Even the most optimistic amongst us (and I'd put myself in that category) will not be looking forward to Santo's men coming to town. Lets talk about the Leeds team that started at the Riverside Stadium: Wiedwald As Boro showed on Friday night, he is very short of confidence especially whether or not he should come and collect crosses and long throws. I can imagine that between now and the end of the season all teams will be practising their long throws into our box. He will be scared witless of fumbling the crosses. Berardi Not the player I thought he was. At least he'll always give 100 percent Anita Wasn't he Arnold in Different Strokes? An absolute liability. Amazed he helped Newcastle to Promotion the previous season. Jansson and Cooper Thought they were both solid. Obvious both had little faith in their keeper. Would smack it into row Z for a corner than let Wiedwald get hold of the ball. Phillips and O'Kane Wrong combination to sit in front of our defence. It should have been Forshaw and Viera all night long. No bite, could not keep hold of the ball and little vision going forward. Saiz Tried to do everything single handed. Poor second half once Alioski came off. Alioski Typical Alioski - plenty of effort but lacking the Saiz-esque skills to either deliver a decent cross from open play or beat his man. Did not deserve to go off at half time. Dallas Did ok, but not someone who is going to change a game, Cannot believe he was given a new 3 year contract 3 or 4 months ago. Lasogga Can't complain. If he had the service the opposition had, he would have got on the scoresheet. Subs Forshaw did alright, though I was disgusted that he was laughing and joking with the Boro players at full time. Viera did ok. Ekuban was poor, but was not given any service. Wolves have sat at the top of the summit of the Championship for the majority of the season, a stark contrast on last season when they finished eight places below Leeds last season in 15th place. How have Wolves changed things around? This is how much they have spent: Players in PLAYER FROM FEE DATE Barry Douglas Konyaspor Undisc. 01 Jul, 2017 Duckens Nazon Tondela Unknown 01 Jul, 2017 Ruben Neves Porto £15,800,000 08 Jul, 2017 John Ruddy Norwich Free 10 Jul, 2017 Will Norris Cambridge U Undisc. 11 Jul, 2017 Oskar Buur Aarhus Unknown 01 Sep, 2017 Rafa Mir Valencia Undisc. 03 Jan, 2018 Ben Stevenson Coventry Undisc. 31 Jan, 2018 Total: £15,800,000 Players they have loaned in: Players loaned in PLAYER FROM START Willy Boly Porto 08 Jul, 2017 Ruben Vinagre Monaco 20 Jul, 2017 Alfred N'Diaye Villarreal 31 Aug, 2017 Diogo Jota Atl Madrid 25 Jul, 2017 Benik Afobe Bournemouth 31 Jan, 2018 Leo Bonatini Al-Hilal 01 Aug, 2017 They have sold / released 11 players and have sent 12 players out on loan. Literally, it looks like they have started from scratch! Perhaps Wolverhampton is a great place to live - Nooooooooooo..... In fact Wolverhampton are ranked as the 77th best place to live. Saying that would you believe Leeds are only ranked 61st. (Hull and Bradford are bottom 137th and 138th). Can Leeds get anything from this game?
I thought the starting 11 last time out with O’Kane swapped for Forshaw was our strongest available. We can’t do much about the keeper unless we try PBF but if it’s too soon for him do we destroy a youngsters confidence? Anita/De Bock I don’t know who is worse, I think we just have to resign to the fact we have too many weak areas and it’s hurting us. 3-5-2 maybe with Alioski and Dallas wide doubling up defensively? I don’t know, I’m just grasping at straws as nothing seems to be working.
Being serious for a moment, the way we are playing at the moment I think you are being overly optimistic. I don't give us a chance in he-l of getting anything out of this game, not being negative just realistic.
Singing from the same hymn sheet here. I don't think there's any doubt, based on Eck's remarks, that Weidwald is on the way out. Just not sure when. You've nailed his quandary re. Double-Barrel. I've said elsewhere that at best he'll be #2 next season. But being a #2 means that you've got to step up when required. Now is his chance. Time to play with the big boys. If he doesn't grasp the opportunity, then he's no use to us next year as a #2, far less a #1. I'm guessing Eck will try him out, but the thought has entered my head that if Lonners is available, he may spare the youngster the baptism of fire against Wolves. We definitely have a problem with the full backs. They offer little going forward, and their defensive qualities leave a lot to be desired - and both FB positions are being targeted often. I do wish we'd recalled Coyle. He would make a difference. The wild card for me is Pearce. His time must come very soon for promotion. Like Double-Barrell, Eck will need to pick his time carefully with him too. This is a promotion I'd love to see. I'd also consider playing Dallas at RB again. Offers a lot more there than Anita or Berra, and frankly, offers more there than on the wing for us. I don't think he offers the threat on the wing that others do. He's more of a defensively-minded RM player to me. Finally, let me bowl a googly at you - Pennigton at RB? He's played on the right when we've used 3 at the back, and he got forward a lot (too much for a 3!). Got a good engine, and it would not surprise me if we explore that option - unless Eck is looking at a 3 at the back. Another wild card is Alioski, but don't think it will happen. Midfield? Hmmm. I've been wondering about 3-5-2 also. We can't begin to think about it with Berra & Anita IMO. Possibly De Cock if he turns up as De Bock again, and deffo Pearce & Dallas (and Coyle/Ayling next season). So who would be the middle 3? Forshaw. I've been underwhelmed so far, but he shows promise, so put him in. Vieira? Nope, unless last season's Vieira turns up. How many times have we waited on that this season? I'd rather play his brother. O'Kane? Off the boil. Out. Marmite Phillips? Always a champion for him, I must concede that he appears to have ran out of steam. Out for the rest of the season, methinks - but we might have to play him as we're short of 'diggers'. Think we may have played him too much, as we did Vieira last season. Bottom line? We either play Forshaw with a flair player & an off form digger in the middle 3, or we go with Forshaw deeper, & 2 flair players. I don't know enough about Forshaw to understand if the latter is a non-starter or not, and my guess is that Vieira will get the nod. Klich might have got the nod if he's been around. Controversial, eh? So, Pablo or Saiz in the middle? Bigger question is who plays alongside Soggy. If it's Ruth (my choice), then Pablo might get benched if his injury is anything less than 100% fixed. Depends very much on what the game plan is. So let me stick my neck out, & pick a brave formation for the Wolves match (although I think it'll wait until later, tbh). .............Bailey Double-Barrel ........Pennington...Pontus...Cooper Dallas...Vieira...Saiz...Forshaw...Pearce/De Bock ................. Ruth...Soggy Tin hat firmly in place. Open fire!
This is the sort of game Wolves will think all they have to do is turn up,we will probably end up turning them over,Leeds to win 3-1,now howes that for being optimistic,can anyone beat that . I would also try PBF,now if he let in six ,the manager could put an arm around him,and say never mind lad good performance,just think how many felix would have conceded. The defence is shot to pieces confidence wise at the moment,i personally think it wouldn't do any harm to at least try the lad,after all he's gonna have to dip his toes at some point.
See your point regarding the keeper situation If fit, I’d go with that starting lineup but drop Vieira for Hernandez and I’d have Ekuban alongside Lasogga. It seems we only have Hernandez who can deliver a decent corner. I’d instruct Hernandez to remain back around the center circle looking for the killer pass, Forshaw on defensive duty and Saiz a roaming role.
7 or 8 years ago when Ian Harte came back to English football, and signed up for Carlisle we certainly missed a trick by not signing him. Yes, the lad has no pace but he was a very intelligent footballer had an amazing cross on him and was one of the best freekick specialists in English football even now.
We need a specialist freekick taker. We also need somebody can deliver with Chris say a really long throw. Remembers the European Championships? Iceland make that work
Brizzy you might want to ease back with the banter a bit. While your mates were here they diluted your output and you get a bit more grace and tolerance.. I can see complaints from others if you don’t tone it down
