The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 28th November)

Good Morning. Its Thursday 28th November, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


If Nketiah stays, don't expect any transfer activity in January

Phil Hay has been talking about potential Leeds signings during the January transfer window, and unfortunately its not good news.

The usual suspects of Dwight Gayle, Matěj Vydra and Jarrod Bowen were quickly struck off the Leeds fans wish list for the following reasons:-

Almost certainly, Dwight Gayle will be going to Nottingham Forest in January.

Matej Vydra messed Leeds about last Summer (and due to the lack of game time he has had in the last 18 months, wouldn't be able to keep up with Bielsaball).

Hull forward Jarrod Bowen would be an amazing signing, but with a lack of cash and financial fair play getting in the way, the deal would seem extremely unlikely.

The Ex Yorkshire Evening Post Chief football writer went on to say that if Nketiah stays in January, he doesn't think Leeds will make any signing in January.

please log in to view this image

Nketiah resumes training today

Eddie Nketiah is set to return to training today following his lower abdominal injury. The on loan Gooner has a ratio of a goal a game for the England U21's and was set to start his first league match of the season when injury struck!

Due to his age and overall fitness, it is believed that the 20yo will be fit for selection next week against Huddersfield!

Should Bielsa change the tactics so to involve Nketiah from the start?

Will Bielsa give Nketiah the start he was promised, if so, will he drop Bamford?

There are only seven games to go until the New Year! How many starts between now and the New Year would you imagine Nketiah will start?

please log in to view this image

Boro win for the first time since mid September

Saturdays opponents Middlesbrough won their first match since mid September in what can /only be described as a dire game.

The only goal of the game came on 54 minutes when Ashley 'thank god Leeds didn't sign him' Fletcher capitalised on a glaring mistake and rolled the ball into an empty net. This led to a frenzy of activity on social media including 'the club had turned a corner' and 'bring on Leeds'.

Whilst I'm not saying Boro are in trouble, I did hear that Gazza has just arrived at the Riverside Stadium with a fishing rod, and a bucket of chicken!!!

please log in to view this image

 

Morning super Leeds fans.

Good news about Eddie. Don't think he'll get a start for a few weeks at least unless Bamford gets crocked.

Glad Boro won last night. We've got a habit of halting other sides long runs without a win, now we don't have to.

 

Morning all. Id better keep quiet about our transfer window for fear of upsetting one or two or even incurring the wrath of a mod maybe. Couple of our main rivals showed great form last night even if Bristol were terrible. Anyone expecting us to run away with promotion need to have a rethink. Scrambled 1-0 wins and maintaining our great defensive record will be key. Hoping Boro don't nick a first goal Saturday as it'll be some job to break down their then eleven man defence

 

Eire, my dear man, how could you think, after so many years, anyone would be running away with promotion talk. Don't keep quiet about the transfers in January, they can be book marked you know

Evening All

 

I wonder what kind of reaction Woodgate will get from the Leeds faithful?

We definitely need some height, a set piece taker and a rock solid centre back in January.

Phil Hay was saying that our goal to cormer ratio is actually 140 - 1. The worst in the division!!!

 

Still second though

 

Morning all

Hope Eddie stays and would love to bet that he had his lower abdomen injury shagging. Nobody goes home after training and then discovers a groin strain that is so bad needs taking to hospital. Naughty Eddie must have been celebrating his first start and fell off a wardrobe in his harem

Think it may be pointless doing a transfer rumour sticky if Phil Haye is correct, so everyone I hear about will just get lobbed into the daily threads. Love to be surprised though with a new striker who really does score goals. I know they are looking but lots depend on Eddie and Arsenal and remember Arsenal are in trouble and may also need a new manager soon.

I think the top 3 now will be the top 3 at the end of the season. Lets hope the wheels stay on this time, but Roberts is now injured again and turning into a sick-note. Can he come good for a few games in March and April? will Douglas still be here to help out late in the season, Will Berardi learn his lesson

 

We have Ben, I really think he is the best centre back, back in the league. As for a set piece taker, when is Douglas back, but he possibly needs to revisit Ollivanders

 

Approximately 2% of corners end in goals, so if we score 3 goals from the next 60 corners we'll be back on track

Saw one example from 2017 that Man City had scored 4 goals from 259 corners (1.5%)

I didn't realise the percentage of corners that result in a goal was so low - for all teams.

 

It is that low, so getting all excited about it is just a waste of energy. You could argue what is best…….lump the ball into the box or just take it short and play as if it did not happen

 

I'm surprised we don't do that more often. A short corner taken quickly would seem to suit our game.

 

Good Morning to Matt and co from a wet Bardsey
I agree it looks like WBA and Forest will be in the top 3
Forest are going to get Gayle so they mean b usiness I hope AR has learned his lesson and invests in a CB and striker in Jan

 

If Forest get Gale then I think they'll be in the mix. Along with Fulham they would be the 4 teams vying for the top 2 places. However I wasn't overly impressed with Fulham when I saw them against QPR and Forest are no world beaters. I think if we can keep our form then it's between us and WBA.

A mate of mine pulled a stomach muscle shagging his bird many years ago (he was going around for ages thinking his appendix was about to burst). I agree that Fast Eddie probably did the same thing!!!

 

Morning troops. Someone's said it out loud.

https://www.footballfancast.com/cha...ried-as-they-once-again-rely-on-a-late-winner

West Brom don't need to wait till the death to score, they often do it in the first half and look more likely that us to pick up 3 points in every game, like Naarwich last year.

Are we delusional? Is history repeating itself and we are ignoring the obvious?

Discuss.

 

We could do with scoring one or two goals a bit earlier but really we can't do much more than keep averaging at least two points per game and the rest will take care of itself.

Not too bothered about WBA. If they played Fulham or Forest, as it stands a West Brom win would suit us more.

It's all about increasing the gap from 3rd place. A 19 point gap with 6 games left would do

 

Agreed, I think we would benefit taking short corners more than just putting it into the box

 

Watched the U23s try different things at corners where its actually ended with goals. One great goal was the corner taker passed it 20 yards down the touch line for this player to square it first time to the edge if the box where it was smashed in. 2 quick touches boom. Think they treid this in the first team and it didnt get to Pablo before a defender had rushed out.

another technique was instead of putting the usual corner in was to smash it low and hard towards the the space between penalty spot and goal. Anything can happen and better odds as we dont have big units to find

 

I don't expect any signings in the transfer window even though we'll be up the creek if White, Phillips, Hernandez & Bamford sustain long term injuries, particularly Ben & Kalvin.

Sorry to be negative but how the hell do you replace those four when the ones behind them are not as effective?

 

Agree on Gayle, one of the top championship clubs will sign him excluding us of course.

If Fulham employ a top manager that could harm our challenge

 

If Bielsa starts playing Nketiah between now and January I reckon he'll stay. Why would he want to go to Bristol City when he could stay here and be involved with a promotion challenge? Imagine the experience he'll gain being stuck in the middle of that. Or he could go back to Arsenal and not play at all. I think he'll stay.