The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th January)

Good Morning. It's Tuesday 18th January, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road.


No truth in Belgium U21 rumour

Reports that Leeds are close to signing Belgium U21 International Nicolas Raskin have been rubbished by the Yorkshire Evening Post. Various media outlets including the Sunday Mirror suggested the combative midfielder is close to signing for the Whites in a 6m deal, but according to Graham Smyth from the YEP, there is no truth in the rumour. The 20yo applies his trade with Standard Liege, representing them on 47 occasions since signing for them in 2019.

“A report in a national newspaper has suggested the Whites are set to sign the 20-year-old this week in a £6m deal, but according to his camp no talks have taken place and the suggestion from Leeds is that he’s not one of their top targets for January.”

please log in to view this image

Leeds fans annoyed by Burnley's antics

Annoyed Leeds fans lit up social media last night after it was announced that Burnley had been successful in postponing yet another top flight game. Premier League officials pampered to the Clarets request to adjourn the visit of Watford tonight due to Covid, and an injury crisis. Sean Dyche's team now have five game in hand over some other clubs.

Leeds have been forced to field makeshift line-ups all season due to an unprecedented, and ever-growing injury list, and even had to name eight of their U23's for the bench on Sunday, yet Bielsa refuses to complain.
The Whites are currently 11 points, and five places clear of Burnley.

please log in to view this image

Leeds plan Ram raid

Leeds and Newcastle Utd are locked in battle over Derby County midfielder Jason Knight. Although only 20, the box to box midfielder has already made over 100 appearances for Wayne Rooney's side. Although the Rams will not want to lose one of their most inspirational players, their financial position does not give them any choice. The administrators at the club will take what they can get, whatever their importance to their survival hopes.

Leeds definitely need to bolster their midfield, and even though Knight is barely out of his teens, he shows the stamina and maturity to make it at the highest level. If he were to come to Elland Road, it is believed he would predominantly become a squad player, but definitely a signing for the future.

please log in to view this image

Boro star on Leeds radar

Leeds are lining up a bid for Middlebrough right back Djed Spence, according to Sky Sports. The versatile wing back (predominantly right back, but can play left back) is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest, where he caught the eye of many during their 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup.

He rose through the junior ranks at Fulham, before signing for Boro in 2018. He is 21yo and has bags of potential. As Spence has already represented two clubs this season, he wouldn't be able to play for Leeds this season, yet sources at Sky Sports announced that Leeds have made an enquiry over the 10m rated player.

please log in to view this image

 

Jason Knight is pretty solid. I think he has captained Derby on occasion too so has good leadership values too. Is he good enough though?

Burnley are a **** of a club. It's about time they went down a couple of divisions and renew their rivalry with Bradford.

 

I think I have worked out why Victor was getting so agitated recently.........

 

Looks who's watching.......

 

Morning all

I think Burnley are a disgrace to football. The club is the pits, the manager is a bully, their players are thugs and they have no moral compass. You only have to go back to the way Dyche and Co treated Bamford when he was sent there on loan. This season Burnley should have points deducted for failing to put a team together. Paul Robinson said last night Leeds should have had their last 6 games postponed due to lack of players, but just got on with it. Dyche sent some players out on loan and sold Wood so his player numbers are down. Arsenal sent some players out on loan and because they also had 4 players in AFCON they asked for their match to be postponed too. Leeds have had 12 first team players injured but got on with it. These other clubs have 30 players plus in their squads and get matches cancelled whilst we put 15yo schoolboys on the bench. Ginger cnut

 

Morning all

With TV pundits like Souness calling out clubs postponing games it’s a good thing. This is where the likes of Smyth, Pope and Hay should be writing some factual articles about how Leeds are coping and question why others aren’t.

Once the media get their teeth into it more TV pundits will jump on the bandwagon and it will force action. Tweets fired into trash radio like talk sport.

I love Bielsas attitude I wouldn’t change it for the world but we have chairmen capable of doing interviews and asking why are these teams allowed to keep postponing games.

On another note, surely Burnley creating a back log is a good thing? They’re going to be edging towards two games a week, injuries to key players and tired legs will wreck havoc for them?

 

Perhaps we should remember that we also postponed 2 games and at an absolutely vital time as we were pretty much in freefall. The 2 weeks we had off over xmas certainly seemed to help as we come back stronger and recorded back to back league victories for the first time this season. If we'd had to play the Liverpool & Villa games and suffered defeats who knows how things would have turned out.

All ifs, buts and maybe's for sure but even though the postponements were justified I think we should recognise that they were also beneficial to us.

 

Let them postpone as many games as they like. They'll have to play them eventually. I'd rather the points on the table than having to play catch up. I really think this may work against them and they could be relegated. Morning all by the way.

 

That's true but we don't want other teams that still have to play them getting an advantage either.

 

TBH I'm only bothered on us picking up points and beating the teams below us for starters. I don't think teams playing Burnley will have an advantage, because Burnley will be fighting for survival and will try and make it as difficult to play against. I don't see Burnley rolling over and letting teams beat them. Our next match although not season defining is one we really must not lose.

 

One thing i did notice on Sunday was Bielsa being sarcastic towards the officials and VAR analysts, he started applauding them after Klich's goal was disallowed !!
They do say people can be bullied and pushed around for only so much and eventually they retaliate, hope so about time Amigo and Radz better back him up.

 

Good Morning from a chilly Bardsey
I was more thanpleased with the result atWHU it means that we are undefeated in the league this year
How much did the new boy cost from Celtic?Doc

 

Welcome back Leeds60, how are things with you.

 

shako I am getting better I am now 12st having dropped from 16st to 11 stI have been in St james for several weeks but slowlybut surely I am getting better

 

Fair play and great to hear that. Although I won't bloody recognise you the next time we get a chance of meeting up. Keep up the good work.

 

Reported to be around 1 million plus add ons regarding appearances, international call ups etc.

Looks a bargain.

 

100% agree. Maybe if things work out, himself and Cresswell are our future central defenders

 

Hey Mike glad you’re feeling better mate. We will pay in the region of £1m if the kid achieves his targets over the next couple of seasons. I imagine most have already been achieved as he has now played quite a few minutes for the first tea. A snip and as the Celtic academy coach said when we got him, Hjelde is the closest thing to Virgil Van Dyken England. High praise but so far he looks solid and when he went to Celtic as a 15yo he was sent straight into the reserves as a ball carrying midfielder. He played as a LB in the SPL last season for Ross County on loan so looks like another gem so far

 

It seems we were the topic of conversation on talk sport this morning, a tick in the box for Bielsa and full of praise for him and Leeds going ahead with the West Ham game

 

Cascarino was full of praise for Rapha in the Times yesterday. Says he's a much better player than Grealish, wonder how much he's worth so?