Leeds United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2020/2021

GoldFour4

Seathrun66 wrote: »

Apologies but I gotta disagree. Apart from an ageing Hernandez we don't have a creative midfielder and thus De Paul, Campaña, Majer or Nández in that role would lead to even more chances for us and take the pressure off Bamford & Rodrigo playing deeper than they need to be.

And why don't you see Shackleton as cover for Klich? He's done a job whenever it's been required, 30 mins or more in the last two games.
Forshaw is presumably gone though I'd love to be proved wrong. Excluding Forshaw (and including Dallas & Struijk who can play in that role) we've got eleven midfielders in the first team squad. Though I concede that it's very winger-heavy.

Left-back and creative midfielder the only two weak spots for me. Not expecting much change in the January window though.

Shacks is great for an energy boost but he’s lacking a bit of physicality. For what it’s worth I think Bielsa is trying to get Rodrigo to play a sort of Pablo role this year and that it’s probably what he views as the longer term solution.

I’m not sure what way the attack would be adjusted if someone like De Paul was to join - possibly Harrison to the bench and some work around in formation then? It would be a big player to try fit into the team.

Jimmy Two Times

Seathrun66 wrote: »

Ten points off the top of the table, twelve points off relegation. I'll take that going into 2021.Happy new year everyone.

100 %, what a roller coaster of a year 2020 has been.

Started with the slightly lucky 1-1 with West Brom followed by the brilliant away day and magnificent first half at the Emirates which promised so much for the remainder of the season.

Next up, the horrible run of Wednesday,QPR,Wigan and Forest ( albeit with the Millwall comeback giving some light relief ) , Kiko's howler against Brentford before we finally got the recovery going with the five wins and five clean sheets before lockdown.

Then we were worrying about whether we'd get to finish out the season as there were plenty of calls for it to be declared null and void with all the horrible imlplications for us with the futures of Kalvin and Bielsa possibly being called into question.

Out of lockdown and on to Cardiff where all the doubts reappeared before we survived an iffy first half to put Fulham away.

Got over a tricky game at home to Luton before the tumultuous six wins from six games,end to the season culminating in Emile Smith Rowe hammering the final nail into West Brom's coffin to see us promoted that Friday at tea time.

Sorry for going on a bit,but I'm a bit emotional about it all.

MOT

Jimmy Two Times

Jimmy Two Times wrote: »

Next up, the horrible run of Wednesday,QPR,Wigan and Forest...

Will always remember the Wigan game. Didn't see it, was canvassing in Clonakilty in the General Election for a complete outsider. Figured, well at least Leeds would succeed. As we were going around estates my brother was texting me saying it wasn't going well, it was like the season before etc. Left Clonakilty thinking ah well, you have to be philosophical about losing.

2 weeks later, Holly Cairns got elected. By the following month, Leeds were in control of the Championship after 5 wins...

Couple of sources saying Atletico are looking at Rodrigo now Diego Costa is off the books.

Now, it's almost certainly idle speculation, but given the impact of Raphinha I wonder if they did come calling would Leeds be tempted to recoup their outlay. They could then spend it on a more specialised central midfielder...

event

Paper talk.

That's the type of thing that would get MB to leave.

Carcharodon

Deleted User wrote: »

Couple of sources saying Atletico are looking at Rodrigo now Diego Costa is off the books.

Now, it's almost certainly idle speculation, but given the impact of Raphinha I wonder if they did come calling would Leeds be tempted to recoup their outlay. They could then spend it on a more specialised central midfielder...

On a financial basis, I would be very tempted, he is no spring chicken so now is the time to cash in but the way we play and how Bielsa likes players to get up to speed, it wouldn’t make sense on a football basis right now in my opinion.

Carcharodon

Carcharodon wrote: »

On a financial basis, I would be very tempted, he is no spring chicken so now is the time to cash in but the way we play and how Bielsa likes players to get up to speed, it wouldn’t make sense on a football basis right now in my opinion.

It's all idle speculation, but he way Phil Hay describes the summer transfers, Rodrigo was brought in when Raphinha was not on the market, and when he later became available it was a chance that was too good to be missed. So Rodrigo is now moved to centre midfield to accommodate Raphinha. If they sold Rodrigo to fund the acquisition of a centre midfielder like de Paul, even if it takes him time to get up to speed, they may feel it's better in the long run rather than moving wingers around.

event

Carcharodon wrote: »

On a financial basis, I would be very tempted, he is no spring chicken so now is the time to cash in but the way we play and how Bielsa likes players to get up to speed, it wouldn’t make sense on a football basis right now in my opinion.

Hes the same age he was when we bought him

I'm confused, selling him after 6 months? In January?

Lunacy

GoldFour4

Unchanged team for today’s game.

I’d be delighted to come out of it with a draw - Kane and Son on the counter could be very difficult for us.

Hijpo

Expecting a game like united

purple hands

It's London. Draw would be fantastic.

event

Klich needs to hit the target there

10000maniacs

Ayling nervous at the back. Needs to settle down.

10000maniacs

Bamford should have got more on that header. At least on target.

stryker mcqueen

What a chance for Bamford, should score

purple hands

A few decent chances, but Spurs coming into it a bit more.

10000maniacs

Penalty for Spurs

whiterebel

Stupid challenge by Alioski. And we had looked so comfortable.

event

Gonna be tough now tbh, they are set up to play on the counterattack

We concede way too many fouls in dangerous positions

purple hands

Poor clearance from Meslier compounded by a silly challenge.

Looked fine before that. I'd still fancy us to score.

Seathrun66

Thought that was just outside the box. Alioski certainly didn't go into the box, not even on the line.

event

Raphinha hasn't been great and same with Rodrigo.
Passing very slack from both at times, probably not used to the volume of games

10000maniacs

2:0 Son.

whiterebel

Good effort by Harrison. Playing well in Fairness. Great movement.

purple hands

That's clinical, harsh scoreline

Seathrun66

That was much too easy. You've got to assume that our first-choice CBs could deal with that.


Well and truly park the bus time for Jose.

stryker mcqueen

Have we ever played this well and been 2 nil down before

event

Ah well.

Not too bothered. We all said that if could get 9 points from Burnley, WBA, Spuds and Brighton that would be brilliant.

Still on track for that. Just hope its not a hammering

event

whiterebel wrote: »

Good effort by Harrison. Playing well in Fairness. Great movement.

Been one of our best players this year tbh

10000maniacs

Meslier needs to work on his distribution. Laid it on a plate to Spurs for the first goal.

Ceist_Beag

event wrote: »

Ah well.

Not too bothered. We all said that if could get 9 points from Burnley, WBA, Spuds and Brighton that would be brilliant.

Still on track for that. Just hope its not a hammering

Agreed. I think we have played quite well. Two mistakes cost us which is always the risk against players of this quality. We could have scored a couple ourselves.

GoldFour4

There’s goals to be had for sure so hopefully an early one back in the second half and we’ll see what happens.

Not much can be done about that Son goal - brilliant finish and the perfect cross. First goal very frustrating- poor pass from Meslier okay but silly challenge from Alioski.

jacool

For the first goal, its not actually a penalty, but surprise surprise, Peter Walton says its "on the line", despite the evidence.

whiterebel

Seathrun66 wrote: »

Thought that was just outside the box. Alioski certainly didn't go into the box, not even on the line.

I'd agree, as do all in the BT studio.

The Golden Miller

What's the point of VAR, when they can't make a basic decision correctly?

10000maniacs

Ah crap its 3:0 from a corner

Ceist_Beag

A push on Bamford missed by the ref. Damage limitation now but would you be surprised if it finished 4-2? Just on the talk about Rodrigo, it would be absolute madness to even consider selling him, he looks class and is, imho the replacement we need for Pablo.

Zaph

jacool wrote: »

For the first goal, its not actually a penalty, but surprise surprise, Peter Walton says its "on the line", despite the evidence.

He admitted that there was probably contact on the foot outside the box, but then said the penalty was given for the contact on the thigh in the line. It's like he was trying to justify the VAR decision and not criticise a ref. Pointless having him there if that's all he's going to do.

10000maniacs

Well done Kalvin. Stopped an open goal from Son there.

whiterebel

These missed 5 yArd passes are killing us. This could be another 6 if we're not careful. Spurs are clinical.

10000maniacs

Pablo on. Hopefully he can do some magic.

purple hands

Gone very sloppy this half. Doesn't help that Spurs are fresher.

Won't get too down about this though, Spurs should be challenging for top 4 like.

10000maniacs

We are putting them under a bit of pressure now, but Spurs too good at the back.

NuckChorris1

10000maniacs wrote: »

Pablo on. Hopefully he can do some magic.

Only one not afraid to shoot. Everyone else wants to make a pass instead.

Seathrun66

Seems like we could be here for another two hours and not score.

event

If only Pablo was younger. Hes magic

10000maniacs

NuckChorris1 wrote: »

Only one not afraid to shoot. Everyone else wants to make a pass instead.

I think we are a top class striker away from being as good as this lot.

Zaph

Kalvin out for the next game. That was a bit needless.

purple hands

****. Yellow for Kalvin. Think he misses Brighton now.

GoldFour4

We badly need some of the CB back now for Brighton. At least there’s the FA cup In between