Leeds United Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2024/25

jonnreeks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122186532#Comment_122186532

Will the manager move on?

championc

You'd expect conversations between the 49ers and Farke about strategy yesterday. They would surely want to know why we played them twice, and never learned from those games.

whiterebel

Farke came into this season with one hand tied behind his back. The delays with the handover hurt us badly in the transfer market as did the remains of the Orta loan rats. People constantly expected him to be able to change games, but with who? It wasn’t like he had a Pablo or Klich to come on and give us different options.

I’ve said it before - James, Gnonto, Jimmy, Anthony are all interchangeable. Bamford better than Piroe at holding it up, Joel better finisher. Such a pity Bamford wassn’t able to participate. Archie isn’t able to come into midfield and change a game YET. So we swap Firpo and Byram, Archie and Roberts. Gruev, and Kamara. The only player we have that is truly different is Joffy, and he hasn’t got a run in how long? Maybe Farke should have been a bit more adventurous with him and Joseph, but why change a winning team, which we had for so long.

This is a complete freak to not go up with 90 points. Typical Leeds, break or match the wrong records.

I have said it here, and I still think it may be the best thing to stay down and get rid of another year of the loanees. Get money for Harrison, Jimmy and Gnonto if they want to go. We can’t sell Rutter unless we get the £30M we paid otherwise we have a huge hole in PSR, even with depreciation. Farke needs to be given the resources to build his own squad, even the most pessimistic Leeds fan should be able to see how he was handed the majority of that team.

Ceist_Beag

Agree with all that whiterebel. Farke has the summer now to work with the owners and put his own squad together.

Let's start with the positives. We have a very young squad (average age is just over 24). I think this did cost us towards the end of the season as we lacked experience and nous when the pressure came on, but the experience should stand to the lads so I would hope they will be stronger next season for it. If we could add a bit more experience and get in a couple of players were we're lacking then we should be very confident going into next season.
Financially, it's likely we need to sell at least two players for big money, given the apparent delayed debts that are now due. Summerville is an obvious one, he looks very much like a player who won't wait. Gnonto is probably next in line. I don't see that we have to sell Georginho (given the length of his contract) and I really hope we can persuade him to stay but ultimately it will come down to how much we need to take in to balance the books and what offers are made. We should get a decent fee for Harrison if we decide to sell him given how he performed for Everton this season.
So if we look at the squad, there's no need for wholesale changes here.

GK: Meslier, Darlow, Klaesson
RB: Gray, Shackleton, Roberts?
LB: Firpo, Byram
CB: Struijk, Cresswell, Rodon?
CM: Ampadu, Gruev, Kamara
RW: James, Gnonto
LW: Summerville, Anthony?
AM: Rutter
ST: Bamford, Piroe, Joseph

Likely to be moved on by Farke
Cooper, Perkins, Gelhardt

Out on loan - all of these are unlikely to return or likely to be moved on for those whose loan was cut short
Drameh, Greenwood, Gyabi, Harrison, Poveda, Wober, Koch, Llorente, Kristensen, Roca, Aaronson

At the back, if we can sign Roberts I think we're ok at fullback but we're a bit short at CB, even if we sign Rodon. Another CB would be good, especially as Farke doesn't seem to trust Cresswell.
In midfield, as already stated, we need more goals here. Maybe Szmodics is an option but I'm not convinced, his record prior to last season was very average. Obviously if we sell Summerville and Gnonto and Anthony leaves then we're down to just James on the wings so this will need recruiting.
Up front, I saw enough from Joseph to suggest that he could do next season what Summerville and Georginho did this season. I'm not saying we don't need another striker, I already stated I think we do, but I do like the look of the lad.
I don't think Piroe is good enough but he's still only 24 and did score goals this season so he is probably worth keeping as an option off the bench. As for Pat, he will continue to divide opinion but personally I'd keep him now that we're remaining in the Championship. He's not good enough for the PL but is worth having at the lower level.

Jimmy Two Times

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122190322#Comment_122190322

Don't disagree with any of that and don't have a problem with anything that happened during the season. Every team has a bad run during any given season and it's just really unfortunate that ours came along just when automatic promotion was within touching distance.

I think Farke did a great job getting us to 90 points from where we started. I just wish that he had had the cojones to go for it from much earlier yesterday rather than wait until it was too late.

Jimmy Two Times

@Carcharodon

Did you go to the Kezar ?

Kingp35

Bamford won't be going anywhere. He has 2 years left on his contract and he's on approx 70k a week. No team is going to take on those wages.

Carcharodon

yea, hadn’t been there in years, hasn’t changed lol

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122190427#Comment_122190427

Absolutely. We posed no threat in the first half so continuing with the same until the 66th minute made no sense. As others have said James made an immediate impact and with an entire half could possibly have altered the scoreline.

Archie wasted at right back. He may not have contributed more in CM but it was worth a try. He was also afraid to cross the ball and passed it back when there were 6/7 opportunities to hit in a cross.

I’d trust Farke to get us up next year. He has the time to plan and will have the resources so hopefully the finalised squad isn’t delayed until August. An exciting season, but what a limp finale.

downthemiddle

It still hurts.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192804#Comment_122192804

The ONLY saving grace for me is that we didn’t lose to a stupid refereeing decision. Downes should have had a card very early, and maybe he’d have got a second eventually, but it’d have made sod all difference. The ref was also lenient with us at times.

I could also do without the MU social media memes, but they’re undoubtedly bored by now.

.

2smiggy

no doubt we will lose a few of the better players, and are up against 3 relegated teams with at least premier league quality players, next season. It won't take long to slip into the dark days of 2004 onwards

OutTheGap

The relegated clubs aren't as good as other years. Sheffield United are a mess, Kompany is leaving Burnley. Rob Edwards is a decent manager but you wouldn't fear Luton that much. We would have easily stayed up last season with the 31 points we got the season before under Marsch/Gracia/Allardyce!

I think teams like Sheffield Wednesday and QPR will improve from last season. A lot of clubs in the Championship will have good coaches. That's my worry about Farke. He was outdone tactically a few times during the run-in (particularly by Russell Martin). He didn't seem to have a plan B if the likes of Summerville and Rutter were off form.

championc

The debate is really as to whether he had the players to give him a Plan B ???

Ceist_Beag

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122196494#Comment_122196494

Agreed, that was my thoughts as well. He didn't seem to trust players to make a difference so really only operated on a squad of about 19 players. A lot of the replacements were like for like. As a few of us said before, the one different player we had on the bench (Joffy) was clearly not trusted by Farke. Hopefully this summer we will recruit a few players who can make a difference and who can allow a change in approach if needed.

championc

Anthony has been a disappointment. Joffy really at a crossroads in his career you'd think. Needs game time for his own career. Also, no room anywhere for Shackleton

Ceist_Beag

Decent explanation of our financial situation on Twitter here.

Basically he concludes that we need to probably bring in £40-50m this year and probably push to have it done before the end of June so that it reflects the end of year accounts for this year. Given that Everton are pushing to loan Harrison again next season, there's a chance we won't get a fee for him. I think I speak for all of us when I say "don't sell Archie"! So realistically you're thinking Cree and Gnonto will go and they should achieve the necessary income. The flip side to this though is, do we delay any purchases until after the end of June in order not to offset any sales?

championc

Where do parachute payments come into things ?

Ceist_Beag

From my limited understanding of it all they don't come into the P&S calculations. Obviously they will help paying the credit card bill as Paraag so nicely put it but are not relevant to the constraints within which we have to operate as per the P&S rules. Of I course I could be wrong!

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122198608#Comment_122198608

If true that makes no sense whatsoever. It’s an essential part of our budget. If not taken into account by the EPL/EFL then it definitely would be on appeal at CAS.

Ceist_Beag

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122198673#Comment_122198673

It's entirely possible I'm talking out of my hat here (it wouldn't be the first time) as this stuff confuses me no end! 🙃

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122198863#Comment_122198863

No idea either and I’ll undoubtedly get a migraine trying to research it. 😀

Ceist_Beag

Red Bull officially on board now. I wonder does any of this tie in with the settlement for JKA. Don't ask me how this affects our P&S though!

GoldFour4

they are buying a part of the club as well as being front of shirt sponsor.

Very lucrative according to Phil Hay.

Jimmy Two Times

Your man Branthwaite from Everton linked with Salford Reds with a price tag of € 60 - € 70 million.

For me, this epitomises everything that's wrong with the game these days and in particular with the EPL.

You've Everton who broke the rules just so they could be half way competitive, now needing to sell possibly their best player just so they can avoid potential administration.

You've that other shower who have wasted hundreds of millions on average players but can still cherry pick the best players from the struggling teams ,thus making those teams less competitive and widening the gap between the elite and the rest.

I don't know what the solution is, maybe let every team spend as much as they can generate and see where that gets us but I do know that it's a long way from where we are to where they are.

Maybe that Super League wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Ceist_Beag

Completely agree Jimmy but this filters all the way down as well. For example Everton, who broke the rules remember, will now be looking for another loan for Harrison, thus depriving us of a fee to improve our P&S, knowing full well that Harrison won't want to play for us in the Championship. So their financial constraints are causing us financial constraints. And lest we feel sorry for ourselves, we're in a much better position than most Championship teams.

The whole structure is geared towards the wealthy clubs right now and as you say, it's worse it's getting. The poorer teams are left looking for academy players from the wealthy to give them an opportunity to grow their value for the wealthy clubs.

downthemiddle

Can we loan our dross to Leipzig for exorbitant fees now?

Kingp35

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122201073#Comment_122201073

I'm a bit worried about this deal. If it was purely a shirt sponsor then I would have no issue with it but the minority stake is worrying. Red Bull tried to buy us back in 2014 under Cellino, they obviously still have some interest in us. We have all seen what they've done to other clubs that they have bought. If that happened to Leeds then I would be done with the club.

I'm hoping this isn't a Trojan Horse deal, a little foot in the door so when the 49ers go to sell that they are best placed to take us over.

Modern football really is depressing.

whiterebel

not sure if this is good news. Maraathe can say what he likes about not changing things, but what happens when the 49ers sell up? RB will hardly change the habit of a lifetime…..

Jimmy Two Times

Not strictly Leeds United related but just want to mark the passing of Rob Burrow.

I'm sure most are familiar with his story and all of the incredible work done by his family, friends and sporting colleagues, in particular Kevin Sinfield, to raise huge money to fund research into the horrible disease that is MND since his diagnosis.

A great competitor on the field for the Rhinos and an inspiration off it once he became ill.

This has hit me hard and put last weekend's Wembley debacle into perspective.

RIP Rob.

Neewollah

Very appropriate Jimmy. Loved watching Rugby League when the Rhinos were at their peak and Rob played a huge part in that. Like yourself have found his story and passing very emotional and have followed his battle closely in recent years. He was an amazing athlete, human being and role model to so many in the face of such adversity. Hopefully something will come from all the work, fundraising and publicity he has done along with Kevin Sinfield and others over the last few years to make a difference to others families affected by this horrible disease.

Jimmy Two Times

New contract offer for Cody Drameh.

Byram stays, Cooper and Shacks in talks.

Interesting.

Zaph

Full list of players not staying at the club:

Charlie Allen

Luke Ayling

Lewis Bate

Keenan Carole

Stuart Dallas

Cuba Diboe

Scott Godden

Ian Poveda

Morten Spencer

Harvey Sutcliffe

Dani van den Heuvel

downthemiddle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122231529#Comment_122231529

Drameh! Why? Surely he has a move to Barcelona lined up at this stage.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232194#Comment_122232194

Should have been our right-back this season I reckon. Better than Byram and Ayling. Presumably this comes from Farke and he’s a man who know the players in this division. A great move if we get him back and Farke will give him assurances that he won’t have the crap he had under Marsch.

Seathrun66

Football commentator of the week - Damien Delaney, France v Canada:

‘They’ve got a fine coach in Jesse Marsch, did a great job at Leeds United……’

Nailed it Damo. Nailed it.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122239090#Comment_122239090

Don't diss him, sure were 12th in the league for non-penalty xG when he got the boot, a right kneejerk reaction with that in mind

Kingp35

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232686#Comment_122232686

There is zero chance he'll ever play for us again, he's nowhere near the required standard. He's being offered a new contract as he is under 24 and we will be due compensation when he signs for someone else as long as we have a contract offer on the table.

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241166#Comment_122241166

You’re undoubtedly right though a pity I think as I feel the lad has huge potential. Am aware that view isn’t shared by many (any?) here.

Kingp35

He definitely had potential, I'm not sure what has gone wrong for him. That half an hour against Ipswich was one of the worst performances I've seen from anyone in a Leeds shirt. I think he was done after that and wouldn't play for us again.

Ceist_Beag

So what do people think on the talk of Aaronson being part of the squad for next season? YEP are reporting that Farke has confirmed he will be part of his plans. Personally I would welcome him back if (and it's a big IF) he is prepared to roll up his sleeves and give it his all. He already stated he wanted to stay with Berlin so it's hard to know where his head is at. But if he is fully committed to us he would be a real asset next season and could be the type of player we need.

championc

AFAIK he has been a flop in Berlin. So he has no choice but to grasp whatever olive branch he can find in order to rebuild his career. In his current state, he wouldn't have a hope of getting near his National team I would have thought

Jimmy Two Times

Don't disagree, especially at Championship level.

Defo happy to give him a chance.

whiterebel

Drameh should be ok at this level, you would think. He would seem to fit Farke’s set up with an attacking full back. Byram is better defensively. Only problem is that him and Firpo on the same team could leave us exposed in the defence. Farke needs Aaronson to stop falling over at every opportunity, and play the ball. Pablo and Saiz were well ble, and weren’t exactly built like the hulk.

10000maniacs

Aaronson is lightweight. Bringing him back is Leeds going backwards. He falls over like a feather. How many times did he score for us? Every shot seemed to go into the stand. Same with Union Berlin. His final ball is amateur level.

Farke needs to look at our defence high priority.

We have a mid table defence.

I include the keeper when I talk about defence. Meslier doesn't inspire confidence. Doesn't boss the area like he should.

jonnreeks

Are many so call 'Star Players' jumping the Leeds ship with the reality that the club has to prepare for another year in the Championship!

Gnonto, Gray, Summerville etc.

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122244948#Comment_122244948

The realities of PSR/FFP. We need to sell to stay out of trouble and to be able to buy other players.

Carcharodon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122244611#Comment_122244611

I agree but also want to act as devils advocate. I had very high hopes for Aaronson, he looked so good at times when he came first but definitely fell off big time, couldn’t adapt to physicality, I still think he has talent which could be enhanced and used by the right coach but Iam not exactly confident, he always gave 100% which is more than some players could say when we got relegated.

Meslier is a unique situation, he obviously has serious w and potential but got thrown into the deep end early, he has done well over all but definitely struggles on crosses. Might of been better if he got to this level more gradually so he could learn his craft without a big spotlight

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122242554#Comment_122242554

He’s in the squad for the Copa America starting next week, also likely to play in the friendly against Brazil tomorrow. It’s a risk taking him back but he’s got creativity that could work well in the Championship and Farke will know how to use him.

Jimmy Two Times

We've no choice but to take him back apparently. We'd make too much of a loss if we sold him due to what he cost and the length of his contract. Would impact our FFP etc.

On a rather sad note, the one and only Phil Hay is moving on to pastures new within the Athletic and will no longer be covering our games.

18 years covering our games, first with the YEP and then the Athletic.

Big shoes to fill.