Good Morning Everyone Hernandez has travelled with the Leeds squad to face Preston at Deepdale tonight. There is a strong chance the 33 yo will feature at somepoint, though he is unlikely to start. Speaking at the presser yesterday, Bielsa said: “There’s a possibility that Pablo can’t play the game. Roofe will go in his position if Pablo can’t play. “He received a kick in the last minute of the previous game. It’s looking positive but we aren’t going to take any risks if him playing makes his injury worse.” “He (Roofe) had a lot of time without playing and the minutes he had at Birmingham were minutes without much space to play in,” Bielsa said. “To improve his performance level he has to play. We can’t verify his level in training but he’s done a lot of work to come back in very good physical condition.” Leeds United's Under-23s made it 10 games unbeaten with a 3-0 victory over the Tractor Boys Bielsa made a number of first-team players available for the clash at Elland Road with Gaetano Berardi, Adam Forshaw and Izzy Brown all starting the fixture. Goals from Adour, Berardi and a 17th goal of the season from Edmondson made it look easy work for the Whites! Does Edmondson deserve some game time with the senior squad? What now with Brown, are we going to see him play at all for the first team? Leeds pundit Noel Whelan has suggested two changes he would make tonight:- “We need goals, so I’d go a bit more attacking by bringing Roofe and Clarke back into the side, with possibly Tyler Roberts and Jack Harrison making way” “Harrison had a really poor game against Birmingham and that’s one area Bielsa could look to change. “Roofe is a fantastic player and our leading scorer, and I’d play him as the number 10, with Clarke out wide. Clarke is the most natural wide player we have, a proper winger who can glide past players. “I would keep Bamford in the team even though he is a striker low on confidence. Roofe can drop deep and link with the other players, and he an Bamford together could create problems.”
Morning all... Bielsa knows best but I hate Roofe in at 10 for me it is Roofe or Bamford up front, I’d have started Roofe let him run at the defence and wear them down then 30 minutes to go bring Bamford on. I’d also roll the dice start Brown and have Roberts ready to come on, a bench of Roberts and Bamford could be game changers, starting both Bamford and Roofe leaves us far fewer options. If it isn’t working and you want to take off Bamford and push Roofe forward or Roofe is not fit enough or not at the races and needs subbing then we’re exposed if the other takes a knock having used up both strikers.
Morning all Think WJ will back Bielsa by not having Edmondson in the 1st team yet. I have watched Edmondson come back after an injury, and he looks leaner and fitter every time I see him, but he's a bit like Beckford without his pace and needs a lot of chances. Last nights goal was well struck but the keeper made a mare of it, and Edmondson had a few chances again. He is learning however and think he will get a chance in pre season. Interesting to see the squad tonight as Berardi and Jordan Stevens were whipped away at half time from the U23s in a mini bus for Preston, and our wonderkid 17yo Bogusz wasnt even selected so either injured, rested or in tonight's squad.
Morning all. Not bothered to try think this one out. Just hope the days passes quickly and we perform. Cant afford anymore qpr or birmingham performances whoever is playing
Absolutely right,Defeat tonight & a Sheffield win at Birmingham tomorrow,then i fear that would be game over as far as auto's are concerned,especially with our inferior goal difference.I am so nervous now for the remaining matches i can barely look at the results,as i fear we could have just blown it in just those two matches against QPR & Brum But would i have taken this at the beginning of the season,you bet your Leeds United arse i would. BTW a good nervous morning to you all
I would also have taken it Southern. Unfortunately though Southern the only success that counts in the Championship is promotion for the big clubs or survival for the Millwalls. If we dont make it, well likely be starting over again and no idea who will stay or go. Its all about results now. Six scrappy or lucky wins would do the job, dont care how much possession or about chances created, just results now
Biggest miss of the season for me was the January transfer window and I dont mean Dan James. R a few months Orta was in Greece and Spain particularly looking at 4 players. 3 of those players were ex Bielsa players, 1 striker and 2 wingers. The Wingers were in Spain and both Spanish Internationals who are fast, skilful and score goals. Both were interviewed and praised Bielsa. All went quiet and then both signed for other Spanish clubs The 2 strikers were both prolific and in the case of Prijavic Orta had been in contact with him and his club for almost 18 months especially has he was banging goals in and scored 38 in 54 butthings cooled so Prijavic signed elsewhere. Esequil Ponce cores goals. He was discovered by Bielsa and comes from the same village Rosario that Bielsa and Lionel Messi come from. Bielsa took Ponce to Newells Old Boys and back home was called the new Batistuta. Bielsa took him to Spain on loan from his new club Roma....... A striker with goals would have been massive since January
Do you think problem may have been we might have been offering them the same ridiculous financial package as was offered to Swansea. If it was then I cant see many clubs jumping at that
Morning all from Elveden forest in Suffolk. Off tree trekking later and trying hard not to think about the game tonight. Last thing I need when standing at the top of a tall tree is to dwell on results. Luckily I will be clipped on so even if I decide to throw myself off I won't go far .
Not sure mat ut in the case of the Spanish players both were out of contract this Summer so would have been fairly cheap? Prijavic signed a new contract when the Leeds Utd deal didnt happen last Summer, so would have been £6m minimum Ponce is still a Roma player but they have 3 top strikers so will never break through and why he is still out on loan. His contract runs to 2020 so it should have been simple to get him with a recall option in the event that Djzeko gets injured he can be recalled? I believe a deal should have been possible but...
Why oh Why do we always make such heavy weather of signing someone,other clubs appear to spot someone make a deal then that's it done & dusted,but us oh no we spot someone make an offer,dilly dally for weeks/months,then nothing.This just may be our undoing this season
Just looking back & i know it's just water under the bridge now,but the Chris Wood transfer to Burnley of 15M,i think we all thaught,what a great bit of business that was,or was it ? what would he have been worth to us now, his knack of scoring,unlike the Bamford misses would probably got auto's tied up by now. I know i sound like mr doom & gloom but i know it's not over by a long way yet,and we might still do it,but we need our strikers to start hitting the back of the net,beginning tonight,as someone else said were fast running out of second chances.
Sounds as though some are sharpening their knives just in case we mis out on promotion. The blame game could be about to start. I'm keeping my powder dry for the moment.
Just trying to be realistic,as Sheffield atm show no signs of wobbling i thought they would after the Bristol result,And their win at Preston surprised me almost as much as the manor of our defeat at Birmingham,so quite simply if our strikers are still gonna fire blanks it's play offs for us.Oh & btw Preston are on a poor run of form as of late so i'm not going to add any more to that sentence
Totally agree. I don't like to make excuses but we would virtually be home and dry with somebody who could convert a decent amount of the chances we create instead of missing the number we do. It is so frustrating as like others I feel that if we **** it up this season it will be real struggle to challenge for top slot for a while to come.
Southernwhite Would Wood be able to cope with Bielsaball? Hes a big lump not speedy enough to do what Bamford does who can be in defence, midfield, out wide and racing to get into the box. I may be wrong but being mobile and allusive is important in our system. A full pre season and weight loss programme may allow him to do that though and remember fatty Evans said which I just remembered. He said he put Wood on a crash diet and got him fully fit for the first time and Leeds fans would see the real Woody...... he was right Wood started scoring and looking the part
Trabzonspor have agreed to pay Leeds €1m for Ekuban and they have also agreed personal terms with the player. This means we get a few quid for barndoor Caleb. One down and around 15 to go
Good point Doc,But if hypothetically i/we could have the choice of Bamford or Wood up front tonight who would we chose ?
