At last we can get back to league football again, after the 3rd pointless International break. What did it achieve? Well it clearly showed how useless Southgate is, it clearly showed how dangerous the breaks have been due to previous lockdown, this lockdown, no close season and a full football diary. Injured players has now reached a high point and even the scousers who already had Van Dyke out now have another 5 out. Leeds have had Alioski Dallas, Llorente, Cooper and Rodrigo through covid. As we near the transfer window again the media are already bigging up the size of our chequebook and the players who were named in the Summer are being lined up again apparently. My own view is that we will not bring anyone in unless it was agreed at the end of the last window and not enough time to complete it. Or its someone Bielsa likes and they came available. Otherwise we dont like new players in January as Bielsa demands full Bielsaball and we wont have enough time to integrate them. So 2 questions: Will we bring in anyone Has the International Break rewarded anyone other than Southgate
I don't think we'll go out looking but like you say, if someone becomes available who's already on Bielsa's radar then we might at least enquire. I've always been a fan of doing all your business before the season starts but we took advantage of the crisis at Valencia and with the world how it is, who knows what other clubs will be looking for quick cash flow. I think there'll be plenty of vultures looking at some of the struggling European clubs.
I agree that it's unlikely that we'll be signing anyone else in January. Apart from the reasons mentioned, I think the other, and possibly more likely scenario is that we might pick up a rash of long term injuries & have to go looking. Might sell off the remaining outcasts without losing too much, hopefully.
Agreed and hopefully we will see Bhoy finally gone along with Nessy and Grot. I think we now have the next generation of CBs signed up to take over from our 3 International CBs. I think we have enough wingers but still lack that creative midfielder, the replacement for Pablo. Yes Rodrigo is filling in but hes really our No9 filling in?we also have the next generation of striker too with Greenwood and Gelhardt, we also have full backs..... can one of the 23s grab the creative midfield role I think its too early for any of them
I think it was known we wanted an attacking midfielder/10 in the summer and nearly signed one. Bielsa has said the he sees Raphinha as a winger. So I imagine it’s still considered that we’re in the market for a ‘cuissance’ type. Whether it’s Jan or the summer may depend on who’s available. Any other buys will likely depend on form, points and injuries... as it does at most clubs.
I see Noel The Mouth Whelan is saying Steve Gerrard is brilliant and ideal to take over from Bielsa. Wtf is he on and how can that actually make sense. Not won anything in a 2 team league and was so poor last season it changed to a 3 team league. Rangers look better this season so far but Celtic have been shyte, so paleeeease leave it out and come back when Gerrard has won something and shown a style of play and tactical nouse that warrants him on a list. Bielsa, Orta, Radz and Kinnear have already compiled a list last Summer. Bielsa is the man who agrees or not agrees with who is on the list and most of the people who are on it were put there by Bielsa. If Gerrard is on it I would be surprised
Regarding the academy and hot prospects like Cresswell etc we're still waiting for a significantly talented player to break through who could be deemed top or even PL class. That particular list starts and ends at Kalvin Phillips. Yes we've hoovered up some great young talent like Meslier, Struijk and Poveda but they didn't come through our academy and the same can be said about Gelhardt and Greenwood should they make the step up to the first team. Is it that the local talent is now not up to scratch, or are we focusing too heavily on other clubs youngsters (who we recruit around age 18) in the hope they train on ? Shackleton and Jack Clarke are both local lads who came through our academy so maybe the talent is there but sometimes gets lost, waylaid or hopefully in the case of Shackleton simply hampered by injury. As fans do we even care where our players come from ? Probably not as Billy, Eddie, Lorimer etc weren't local lads but still bled Leeds United.
Brighton 1 up. As much as I hate villa could use them winning this one to keep the four point gap between us Brighton.
Not disagreeing with you but the reason wenqre buying in talent was simply because Bates, GFH, Cellino sold it all. So I remember people on here kicking off about us buying kids like Halme, Struijk, Diaz etc, but its the only way to bring the academy up to scratch. 3 seasons ago our academy was near the bottom of everything then Corberan got them going and then Bielsa came and we integrated them. We won the league and the National league and we won the U20s and U18s. Our U18s basically now fill the U23s and we have home griwn kids playing for England at all age levels. We now have a bunch of kids who are 18,19 and 20 who will either be sold for big money or will make it big at Leeds. Nohan Kenneh has been getting rave reviews again for his England U20 performances. He is probably one I guarantee will make it as PSG are already chasing him. Cresswell, Casey bound to make it but without Halme, Struijk and Diaz they would be nowhere.....
International Break - It hurt us last time around but this time it’s a blessing. Phillips and Rodrigo back, Llorente a few days closer to being available. I can’t comment on the quality as I didn’t watch either game. January Window - I don’t believe we’ll sign anyone unless Bielsa is ready to give up on Forshaw and Pablo, you could throw Roberts into that mix. There might be a few bargains to be had, I don’t think many clubs were expecting for Covid to run on as long as it has, saying that we too probably budgeted for fans to have returned by now
Good shout Rich and from what I gather Forshaw will be playing for the 23s and will play at least 4 but maybe 6 games. In fairness Bielsa likes him and he was according to Bielsa the best Leeds player until injured. Ould he be the new January player maybe? He can play anywhere in the middle and did DM? the way things are going I can see Corberan getting sacked at udders even though they are playing fantastic football they get beat. Today they went to Stoke and played them off the park (Stoke promotion candidates) but got beat 4-3 after having 70% of the play. I hope they are patient with him? But that doesnt make him a fav for the Leeds job? Players like Ryan Kent being bigged up again because he sacked his agent? Is he really good enough, ok if Bielsa wants him but we did offer £10m and it was knocked back, he now has a £20m release clause is he worth it, is he our midfield dynamo. Rodrigo De Paul again mentioned but not happening, plus everyone else we didnt buy
After posting the above when I mention Ryan Kent I noticed WJ had posted on yesterdays breakfast thread so went to have a look and read this Something has been lurking in my mind since the summer that I've not seen anyone pick up on. Remember we were in for Rangers' Ryan Kent? The bit that seemed to elude most was the mystery of who revealed that he had a £20m buyout clause. A mystery indeed. Very few would know about this, so who would want to encourage another bid that they couldn't resist? I had no idea, other than to assume it was his agent. Then I read this article today. Doesn't tell you the answer, but perhaps if you read between the lines .... https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-announce-159m-loss-ibrox-23044368 Btw, do the FFP rules apply in Scotland? I thought theydid.
Looking again at the Ryan Kent situation, I wouldn't buy him for £2, far less £20m. I've been watching Scotish football on the telly this season (didn't have the full Sky Sports before), and I have to say that he's played really well in some games. However, as the season progresses, I don't see it as much. Indeed, I might argue that his performances have dropped since the window closed, but haven't watched him closely enough to confirm it. I didn't realise that he'd sacked his agent. I guess some might suggest this is because it was him that revealed the £20m clause, extending the unsettling TW rumour mill. It's possible, but it might equally be that his agent didn't get him the PL wages he was after. Apparently he's on £20k pw, which is nothing compared to PL wages. I definitely get the feeling though that we should leave well alone, without even contemplating the footballing qualities he offers. It's everything else that's a problem imo. A lot to discuss about this guy, but for me, he's burned his boats with us & I hope we never, ever sign him. If we do, I'm guessing he'll be off the moment another club offers him another fiver a week. EDIT: Stumbled on this clickbait site ... https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-transfer-news-kent-19320779
Heres another International bollox the England U19s played Derby U23s on Tuesday and beat them 8-0, why what was the point. Cresswell started and Sam Greenwood and Joe Gelhardt both came on in the 2nd half and both scored, but why?
A complete waste of time and a pointless exercise, probably arranged at the behest of gormless Southgate and Shrek the granny shagger.
Absolute joke that England U19s had no match as opponents pulled out, so why not cancel the get together. Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd refused to allow their kids to go as there was no match. Guess what Leeds U18s got beat 5-0 by Liverpool as we were light on players. Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd are the top 3 in the league. Hopefully a lesson here for the club?
What's everyones view on the 5 subs rule ? We only have a small squad but that means more of the U23's would be required for the bench and it might just help them develop faster. Obviously game time would still be limited but even 5 or 10 mins here and there could make a massive difference to a young player. No doubt though that extra subs would give an advantage to the clubs with the largest squads. On balance I'd say I'm in favour, developing our talent is probably the best way for us to progress and at the end of the day it's still 11 v 11. Given the amount of injuries and the fact the EFL have now changed to 5 subs surely it will just be a matter of time before the PL changes it's stance.
Thought the same with the full side when the New Zealand game was postponed they just had to replace with the pointless Ireland game.
