The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tue 4th Dec)

Good Morning Everyone

Luke Ayling is making steady progress following his knee injury he sustained at the end of October in the game against Forest.

Head of Medicine and Performance Rob Price has revealed that Ayling is now out of his leg brace, and is already back outside as he looks to rebuild his fitness once again.

Speaking to the OS this week, he explained.

“He’s doing really well. It was a significant injury he got and he was braced up until four weeks so he’s only been out of that brace for just over a week now. He’s already outside doing stuff with Reuben our rehab fitness coach and he’s progressing as well as we could hope at this stage.”





Pawel Cibicki has completed the season long loan at Norwegian club Molde, where he has scored three goals in 13 games, and is now back at Elland Road.

Rumour has it, the 24yo is being eyed up by a number of MLS sides.

Should Bielsa let him go or see if he cam work his magic on the former Swedish International?





Reports over the last 24 hours have suggested that Leeds are preparing a move for Jeremain Lens.

According to Turkish news outlet Fotomac, the Whites sent scouts to Turkey to watch Lens in the Europa League last week.

The Dutch international only signed permanently with the Turkish side in summer after impressing on a season-long loan after a woeful spell at the Stadium of Light.

Lens is a versatile forward. The 31 year old has impressed since his move to Besiktas.





Leeds have been drawn away to QPR in the third round of the FA Cup on 5th January.

Is the Cup an unwelcome distraction or a chance to show case our youngsters.

In seasons gone by, our form has dropped directly after the 3rd round.

Thoughts?

 

Morning all, mad rush so will check in later

 

Morning all

Was hoping for a good draw but to face Shteeeve again in London is crap, so should make for an interesting game this week.

I posted a piece yesterday about the Jermain Lens story in the transfer sticky above and Davy added a link about he may have an attitude because of his relationship with Moyes at Sunderland. He did however have a great time at Fenerbache when sent out on loan and that forced Besiktas to buy him

 

Morning all always want us to do well in the cups but with this squad and injuries and the fact we are challenging I'd rather give it a swerve. Unfussed about cibicki, put a couple of good balls in for us, hope we aim for better. I'm sure the gaffer has kept an eye on him either way

 

Good Morning to matt and co from a slightly sunny Bardsey
Great result last night and well done To Davy and Matt for predicting the result they won't be singing bye bye Leeds now will they
Our biggest priority is a keeper and a good one Heaton perhaps and cover for CB I think Cooper is average at best
Maybe Doc can provide Video of Lens too old for me and failed at Sunderland Issie must be given a chance soon

 

Whilst I understand the concern about BPF, and I will admit he's probably average at best, I don't see the priority for a replacement keeper as much as some others do ( we do require a second keeper to provide cover as a minimum I will admit). Maybe I should quantify that a little in saying that I would prefer our financial resources to be spent elsewhere.

Despite all the failings that posters have been pointing out (some of which I agree with and some I don't), you have to remember that we have had a very unsettled defence, 6 different partnerships at centre half already, wingers having to play in full back positions, and a young inexperienced ok keeper, who is going to make mistakes, we still have the second best defence in the league. That would suggest that rather than looking at individuals, and their deficiencies, we should be concentrating on the team as a whole and how that may affect the team dynamic.

BPF is weak with high balls, Milky mentioned yesterday about the lack of height in our team, which is maybe highlighting this fact even more, and yet I don't see the same type of nervousness in our defensive players with BPF, as they had with Felix last season, who also struggled with high balls.

Most of the names I've seen as potential replacements are what I would call "steady" keepers, and whilst maybe as individuals that is the type of keeper we would like to see, how would having that type of keeper affect the more positive style of how the team plays.

As for Lens, whilst he has scored 3 goals in 5 Europa League appearances, in 1 1/2 seasons at Besiktas, he's played a total of 33 games, starting 18 of them, scoring 2 league goals and having one assist, and whilst his age doesn't concern me (Wilko signed plenty of players to do a job for one season), I don't think he is what we need, when taking into account the financial package is is likely to require, as I don't see him playing at a higher level than the Championship over here.

 

Morbid you just don’t Understand fella. The average age of the posters on this site is 103. They want us to sign a proper keeper wearing full ankle boots and a cotton jersey.

A sweeper keeper is the cupboard where the wife puts the hoover.

They don’t understand the importance of distribution or how few keepers can help retain possession like bpf does and how integral it is to our style of play... how it helps us dominate possession and how that reduces the amount of attacks the opposition has.

Now would it be great if bpf could do all that AND not make any mistakes? Of course it would and he’d be worth £50 million.

We”ll be getting a loan or cheap back up in jan... partly for that reason and partly because we don’t have a pot to piss in

 

Morbid you have an opinion on Jermaine Lens which could be correct but you really need to supply a full picture rather than the first wiki page mate

18 games this season and 5 goals and 1 assist, which isn't bad a for a winger.?

Previous:
PSV 96 games and 34 goals
Dynamo Kiev 49 games and 10 goals
Sunderland (prem) 20 games and 3 goals
Fenerbache 25 games and 4 goals

 

Good job us youngsters bring the average age down then

 

As far as a keeper is concerned and this last week has been great for keeper mistakes even last night at Guisley. Pickford howler, Henderson howler and at least 3 morebecause mistakes usually mean conceding a goal and everyone of those at the weekend did just that. I prefer to minimise the likelyhood therefore my view is we need a better, more experienced keeper

 

Errrr Doc thanks for making an assumption on my behalf.

I didnt look at the wiki, I looked at soccerbase and who scored, and was only interested in what he had done at Besiktas, considering Elland said that Lens had impressed whilst at Besiktas.

My post was to point out that for someone who is impressive at his present club, he doesn't appear to have done much that is impressive.

What he did 4 or 5 seasons ago, I'm not that interested in, its what he is doing at present, in a league that is probably no better than the Championship is however more relevant.

I agree that he has impressive stats for the Europa league, but his league form doesnt really add up to the impressive form that Elland made in his post in my opinion, im more interested in why he has only started 5 league games this season and made 4 appearances from the bench in the league.

Also just to clarify I have no opinion on him, I'm just looking at his current stats, and feel underwhelmed, as he would probably demand a higher wage than any of our present players

.

 

They're just jealous we've seen more success and proper non PC football...

 

And he would still make mistakes

 

Yeah, and I remember Gary Sprake (mind you only because he was Welsh)......

 

Be good to get Ayling and the others back asap, games coming thick and fast now.

Cibicki would be as effective as Harrison but would rather Clarke over both of them. If we can get money for Cibicki, i think they will and should take it.

Silly season coming up, we'll be linked with no end of players in the next 4 weeks or so.

We do seem to drop off after the New Year, going back to the O'Leary years, not sure why. Would be nice to have a good cup run but not at the expense of promotion.

 

He does have more winners medals than the whole Cardiff team out together

 

That wouldn't be difficult.

 

I love the FA Cup and like you I'd love a good run and I would never wish us defeat, but maybe in the long run it would benefit us if we went out. Maybe give some of the youngsters a run, but not to the same extent as Monk did, when we were embarrassed again.

 

You'd like it more if it were the Marston's Pedigree Cup