The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 11th October)

Good Morning. It's Monday 11th October, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Gear up for a major midfield addition

Leeds Utd journalist Phil Hay believes Leeds are gearing up for a major new addition in midfield, but will have to wait until next Summer to make it happen! Whilst he agrees that Leeds are light in midfield, they will only turn to the January transfer window if they are struggling near the bottom of the top flight, come the new year!

"I’m not convinced the club will do much in January unless the league position is causing acute concern. Victor Orta has long seen the mid-season window as offering poor value for money and the club are less and less convinced that January arrivals work for Marcelo Bielsa". "From my perspective, if the season is in hand at the turn of the year, then I’d hold off and gear up for a major midfield addition when the season ends. I think we can all see that it has to be done".

please log in to view this image

Long wait for redevelopment plans at ER

Any hope of pressing on with plans to redevelop Elland Road into a 55,000 all-seater stadium have been benched until the end of the season, only partly due to relevant planning permission being approved. This will be frustrating for over 20,000 fans, on the waiting list for a season ticket! The news was delivered by Phil Hay, who replied to a fan saying it was 'most likely' that Leeds would wait until top flight football was secured for another season before pressing ahead with the clubs ambitious plan!

Hay went on to say: "Planning and so on is still at a very early stage. There’s a definite commitment to expanding to 55,000-plus by redeveloping the north, west and south stands but it’s a major project and it won’t happen in a flash. The last time Angus Kinnear spoke about it, he indicated that the process would begin in earnest at the end of this season — not the actual building work but the process itself".

"Realistically, expansion has to be done. The waiting list for season tickets is massive (more than 20,000) and Leeds think that with a stadium twice the size, they can bump their annual revenue over £250 million. They’re doing very well on one commercial front this season — shirt sales will be not far off 300,000. Peter Lowy (who joined the Leeds board in June) was in the directors’ box for the West Ham game and is very much involved, particularly on the stadium redevelopment side".



Opportunity for Shackleton following Ayling surgery

Luke Ayling has undergone knee surgery, and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks. The 30yo was injured during the latter stages of the 1-1 draw at St James Park just over three weeks ago. On a brighter note, it will give Jamie Shackleton a sustained run in the team, and an opportunity to shine. Unfortunately, the likes of Cresswell, Gelhardt and Summerville will have to make do with bit parts this season as Phil Hay explains:-

"I asked this question about Charlie Cresswell last week, with Llorente and Pascal Struijk returning from injury and suspension. Bielsa said that ideally, he’d prefer to put the pressure on the more experienced players (which is why Llorente started against Watford despite Cresswell playing well in the two previous matches)".

"For players like Joe Gelhardt, Crysencio Summerville, etc it will probably be bit-part roles. But looking at Jamie Shackleton in the past two games, perhaps the door might open for him at right-back now, especially with Luke Ayling undergoing surgery on his knee. In terms of who is developing well, Lewis Bate is really catching the eye. As Bielsa said, he can thread a needle with his passing".

please log in to view this image

 

Morning all

I bang the drum for Gelhardt and know he will be given a go soon, maybe in a cup game. I also know he will take his chance because he is too good. Summerville showed what he can do yesterday scoring a brilliant solo goal that reminded me of Eddy Gray in his pomp weaving in out of 4 players and slotting home. So Joffy and Cresswell and Summerville will play a part this season especially as we have a small squad. Lewis Bate is another who I believe will get a chance.

 

Morning all,

Really fills me with joy watching Shack come in and do so well. I have felt for a while that there is a proper player in there.

I initially thought he could play a big role in midfield, his pace and energy really complementing Phillips.

But Aylings injury has given him the chance to highlight his talent at RB. I have nothing against Ayling but if Shack keeps putting in the same performances it is going to be hard for him to get back in.

This is a perfect example of the evolution of the squad. The older players who got us up slowly being replaced by younger players.

 

I agree with Phil Hay about January but lets not forget that if someone becomes available they will snap him up even if he wont be Bielsafit for a while. I do believe a top marquee signing is on the cards in the summer but things to consider:

• Will Lewis Bate establish himself before the summer
• Will Bogusz make it impossible to get rid of
• Will Roberts be out on loan or will he started performing.

 

Bate i am hoping will be our january man. Some players need just the one chance as pascal showed. I just hope they don't hold back.

 

Its a good shout because for me Cody Drameh is better than Shaks and a natural RWB but seems to be behind Shaks on experience. But we have an aging crew which has Charlie Cresswell pushing Cooper, Bate and Shaks potentially pushing Klich and Dallas….

 

The thing is though Bielsa says every player should be able to play in two positions. Shakleton never gets a run in midfield which to me given his size and potential ability is his natural position.Bielsa protects the younger players by not putting them in the starting line up. This could back fire on the club as players like gelherdt do not need wrapping in cotton wool.Ayling is done now and i expect him to be a sub at best. We need younger fitter and faster.

 

Morning all

Two seasons ago I had huge hopes for Shackleton then he slipped off the radar so it’s great seeing him take his chance. Let’s be honest, Ayling hasn’t set the field alight this season.

In regards to Midfield we’ve needed more strength and depth in the middle ever since we lost Saiz and since then Pablo has also left the building. With a few players getting ever older it stands to reason that it’s an area that needs fixing.

Maybe the ground redevelopment being delayed is a good thing, let’s get enough points on the board this season ensuring we’re playing PL football next season first

 

The wierd thing about the midfield is that 3 transfer windows ago Bielsa wanted a midfield player, so they got Cuisance. We know what happed then but instead of getting option 2 midfielder we bought Raphinha at the last minute because he became available. Good business yes, but 3 windows on and we still havent brought in that midfielder, why? Prices quoted too high? Or did Bielsa hope he could get a full season out of Pablo but that backfired? Is he now waiting for a kid to shine? We know he was dezzy for Gallagher but turned us down and still we never went for option 2? Doesnt make sense unless we hoped for a loan deal ghis summer rather than pay?

 

Shacks deserves a chance he's waited donkey's for it. If he continues to pull out the performances its his position to lose when Ayling comes back.
Midfield we all know we are short
As on the u23's the lads on the fringes it's massive seasons for them they won't want to be playing U23 football next season.
the more players we sign the more it pushes one of these u23's further down the list.
These lads this season and next season will have to force current 1st team players out of the 18 simple as that.
Yes the kids are on the bench now but when Ayling,Forshaw,Koch,Bamford all come back that's 4 places gone from the 18.

19 so called first team players when all fit
Meslier-Klassen
Ayling-Shacks-Llorente-Koch-Cooper-Struijk-Firpo
Phillips-Klich-Dallas-Forshaw.Rapha-Harrison-James
Rodrigo-Roberts-Bamford


The main pushers from the u23's so far 5 players.
Cresswell-Drameh-Summerville-Greenwood-Gelhardt

Then we have another bunch with the likes of Bate,McKinstry-McCarron and even more with potential coming through.
Yes some will go on to play u23 football again next season but i bet my last pound none of them 5 above will want any of it.

How many will actually make the 1st team squad? They all won't as if they do half our current first team will have to go in time.

It's a nice position to be in but eventually something will have to give.
Then we have lads out on loan to add further confusement.

 

Klaesson really replaces Elia Caprile who is out on loan, so is an U23 player with VanDen Hueval mainly U18s, so Bielsa keeps his 18 first teamers.

I have a feeling Greenwood may be sold or loaned out next season

 

It never hurts to get the first team regulars on their toes.

Currently they know that they don't have competition for their places

 

I wonder if we could get away with playing 6-6-3

 

Im hearing that Steve Bruce will be sacked today, is that fair? Similar number of points as Benites got, similar number of goals yet not spent what the Spaniard did.

 

I think Bruce said a few days ago that new owners usually want to bring their own manager in so I think he was expecting it tbf.

The fans are on his back a bit, new owners won't give him a fair go and he will get a full pay out to walk away. Sounds like a decent scenario to me.

 

Personally I think there's a debate to be had about Mike Ashley's ownership.

The vast majority of Newcastle fans think he's been an absolute disaster and have campaigned vigorously for him to leave. My view is he spent enough to keep them in the PL (average position 13th during his tenure) but refused to spend the extra £100 million a season (plus wages) that might have seen them finish Top 8.

Both times they did get relegated he backed them fully and that enabled them to bounce straight back. Now I'm not saying he was the perfect owner by any stretch of the imagination but they have no debt and I believe always paid the fee for incoming transfers in full.

Compared to Bates and Risdale (chairman not owner) I'd say Mike Ashley wasn't too bad at all really. Anyway my final point is now that Newcastle are in bed with the Saudis that's probably them done for all eternity as it's unlikely they'll ever be sold again. It's also entirely possible that in the fullness of time the Newcastle fans will wish this takeover had never happened.

That's just a hunch, but I'm glad it's not Leeds.

 

I personally think he is a terrible manager, the new people will want a crowd pleaser in, someone with a good record. They’ll want a coach or manager that will attract the targets. The first decision the new owners have to make is who is going to steer the ship, they need to get that right first by making a statement of intent.

 

We're all assuming they're going to spend like PSG but it's entirely possible that they won't. At least not yet, why for example have they allowed Staveley and the Reubens to have a 20% share and will they be expecting them to chip in pro rata on any financial backing they give to the club ?

Agreed about Bruce though...jeez can you imagine if he was manager of Leeds

 

I think they were thinking foreshaw would save them some cash on a midfielder. It’s known as management by hope.

phil hay hardly sticking his neck out… marquee midfielder next summer

we’ll need at least 1 when the Yorkshire pirlo heads off for champions league.

 

I see that derby are appealing against their points deduction claiming it was caused by covid!
What a bunch of low lives they are.