The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 5th February)

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 5th February, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road.


Whelan - I do not care how they play, as long as they win

Following their latest defeat at the hands of Wigan, Soccer pundit, and Leeds fan Noel Whelan has come out and stated that he doesn't care how Leeds play as long as they win!

“I am taking none because we lost,”

“We are not in the business of going, ‘That was a nice pass’, we are in the business of getting three points and this is the business end of the season now.

“I do not care how they play – scruffy, flowing, bitty. I do not care. There are no positives to be taken out of a game when you have just lost Wigan at home, in front of 35,000 people after dominating possession and creating umpteen chances and then give away a poor goal. No.

“I will take positives if I see a reaction in the game at Nottingham Forest. That is when I will take my positive – if they bounce back.”

Do you agree with him or not?

The former Leeds striker went on to say that Bielsa made crucial errors during Saturdays defeat.

“We are 1-0 down against Wigan, we are looking and crying out for something a bit different,“[Helder] Costa was not having the best of games. It would have been the perfect opportunity to bring Poveda on.

“Something fresh, something different. It would have lifted the spirits, lifted the crowd, lifted the atmosphere but [Poveda was] not used. I cannot get my head around it.

“The biggest one was obviously Augustin not being on the bench. It is just ridiculous. The best way for any player to get settled into a club is to get right into it. Wigan at home, to showcase him to the fans.

“Did they think they were going to win that comfortably? Because that is not Championship football

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Dozens of free agents still looking for clubs

The transfer window may have closed, but the are still dozens of players who have been released by their former clubs that Leeds could snap up for free?

Bearing in mind that only 14 Leeds players have played 5 or more games for the club, it suggests that Bielsa may not have complete faith with the rest of the squad.

With 16 gruelling games still to go, are there any players below (assuming they are fit) that you would add to the team?

Younousse Sankhare - Age: 30 - Position: Left wing - Released by: Bordeaux (November 2019)

Ki Sung-Yueng - Age: 31 - Position: Centre-midfield - Released by: Newcastle United (January 2020)

Tom Carroll - Age: 27 - Position: Centre-midfield - Released by: Swansea City (January 2020)

Nemanja Nikolic - Age: 32 - Position: Striker - Released by: Chicago Fire (October 2019)

Vladimir Weiss - Age: 30 - Position: Winger - Released by: Al-Gharafa (December 2019)

Ivan Strinic - Age: 32 - Position: Left-back - Released by: AC Milan (August 2019)

Martin Olsson - Age: 31 - Position: Left-back - Released by: Swansea City (May 2019)

Ignazio Abate - Age: 33 - Position: Right-back - Released by: AC Milan (May 2019)

Cheik N'Doye - Age: 33 - Position: Midfielder - Released by: Birmingham City (May 2019)

Romain Alessandrini - Age: 30 - Position: Winger - Released by: LA Galaxy (January 2020)

Ross McCormack - Age: 33 - Position: Striker - Released by: Aston Villa (May 2019)

Vurnon Anita - Age: 30 - Position: Full-back - Released by: Leeds United (May 2019)

Diafra Sakho - Age: 30 - Position: Striker - Released by: Rennes (January 2020)

Ondrej Mazuch - Age: 30 - Position: Centre-back - Released by : Hull City (May 2019)

Sebastian Prodl - Age: 32 - Position: Centre-back - Released by: Watford (January 2020)

Yohan Croizet - Age: 27 - Position: Attacking midfield - Released by: Sporting Kansas City (September 2019)

Diogo Amado - Age: 30 - Position: Centre-midfield - Released by: Al-Gharafa (November 2019)

Benoit Poulain - Age: 32 - Position: Centre-back - Released by: Kayserispor (January 2020)

Ross Wallace - Age: 34 - Position: Right wing - Released by: Fleetwood Town (September 2019)

Giuseppe Rossi - Age: 33 - Position: Striker - Released by: Genoa (July 2018)

Jordon Mutch - Age: 28 - Position: Midfielder - Released by: Gyeongnam (July 2019)

Alan Hutton - Age: 35 - Position: Right-back - Released by: Aston Villa (July 2019)

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Edmondson's future in doubt

With Ryan Edmondson ruled out of action for 8 weeks following knee surgery earlier this week, many Leeds fans have taken to social media to to express their doubts whether the 18yo Harrogate lad will have his contract renewed in the Summer?

Does Edmondson deserve a new contract?

Has he been unlucky not to feature at all for the first team?

Is he likely ever to get first team action?

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Morning all. Whelans comments spot on

 

Morning All, Whelan should try using his mouth to talk

 

I just wish failed striker Whelan would just STFU.

Sadly, this is not the first time this season I've had to say that.

Has he got a chip on his shoulder because we got rid (as he was a failure?). His scoring record was abysmally poorer than those he chooses to criticise - 7 in 48 games! Even current midfielders score more! Wonder what he's say about a striker as bad as him?

 

Morning all...

I don’t know if I dislike Whelan the most or Hay, Whelan was never much good but feels he should criticise everything, Hay tweets the obvious or the news after it has bolted.

I guess they’re both just doing their jobs. If we were playing poor and scraping a result he’d moan, we were unlucky against Wigan.

 

Morning all

 

Whelan is very passionate towards Leeds, I fully understand where he is coming from, to have had both new recruits on the bench would not have done any harm, in the sense it may have got players more on there toes, Costa should have been subbed for Poveda with at least 20 mins left, I suppose I am also getting fed up of the same thing week in week out, it needs to be mixed up a bit not only with tactics but with players as well, for instance Casilla has had more than enough chances, now is the time for him to be replaced by the French lad, so Amigo let’s see if you turn it around, make critical changes where needed, please please don’t fall into the same trap as last year Amigo, those faithful fans deserve PL football next season.

 

Two things from the weekend, if VAR was in the Championship we would have had a penalty as the Wigan defender definitely used his arm to block a cross in the second half, and Benrama would have been red carded for his "assault" on the Hull player.

 

Good Morning to Matt and co froma dull Bardsey
Whelan is very passionate about the cluband I like that
Edmundson will come good so give him a news contract
The new recruits have been cosseted long enoughlets see what they can do asthey can't be much worse than the players they are replacing

 

Well Whelans is absolutly right. It is great to watch tippy tappy football, but at the end of the day you need to score goals to win the game. And if we again fail to get promotion, then I`m sorry to say that Bielsa will go down in history as a epic failure.
Just to be clear on one thing. There is nothing in this life I want more than Bielsa to take up

 

Here is just a thought!!!
I wonder if some selected refs have the odd bet on results? this can be done by having friends or close relations placing the bets on there behalf, maybe I am just too suspicious BUT there has been some dire decisions made against us this season and as we all know the EFA are a set of bent bastards anyway.

 

Sometimes wonder about our players, with odds of 7-8 to one and our keepers efforts

 

Midweek thoughts from the Jamster;

Firstly I've been thinking about absent friends,

Doc
Marcos
Billy's Statue
Glory

Are there any others that I've missed ?

Whilst it's great to have some new posters join recently I can't help but long for a united forum with everyone back in the fold.

Another thing on my mind has been VAR.

After having ny first experience of something similar at the Rugby league on Sunday I have to say it leaves me cold. Literally and figuratively, you wait and wait for a decision that sometimes is still inconclusive (at least on the big screens) and whilst all this is going on the players stand around losing rhythm and intensity. Honestly it was awful, but RL fans seem accustomed to it and are very accepting of the decisions reached, that's probably down to the longevity that it's been used which I find interesting. My conclusion being if we keep VAR in football then it will become the norm and then there will be no reverting back to how it was, VAR sucks the joy out of sport and if we as fans don't wish to see it in football then an organised protest is the only way to make the authorities listen.

The powers that be are more concerned with the potential for added value that VAR brings to media (TV) rights holders than to supporters who attend events. A couple more seasons and the debate around VAR will end and it will be here for good.

 

Good morning everyone
I know about Glory,but where are the others ? Particularly Doc

 

I have to say I like Whelan and I love the craic that he has when commentating. Regardless of what he spouts and what he did or didn't achieve as a player, he is one of us. A Leeds Utd supporter and therefore IMO has every right to have an opinion, just as all of us have. Yes he sometimes say's things we don't agree with, sometimes he thinks he knows more than Bielsa. But I think its only because he's passionate about the club. I also agree that I'd rather win playing scruffy at this stage of the season, than have most of the possession and chances and lose or draw.

Regarding Edmondson(sorry about spelling) if we don't go up, Bielsa will be gone and players will be sold, so he may get his chance then.

 

The wrist slashers got to Doc and so he's taken a break. Although he did say he'd be back after the window closed on transfers.

 

VAR also ****s up my bets...........

Regarding our lost comrades(I promised myself I wouldn't comment) three of those names are absent because they want to be and we all know the story with Glory( who I believe said he wasn't interested in being unbanned) I apologise if I picked that sentiment up wrong.

 

Your empathy is duly noted.

Probably time I had a break as well.

Chin-chin and see you all whenever.

 

Doc remains very active on twitter

 

I'm sorry you feel like that Jammy, I was only stating the obvious and I might also add that those three who have left the forum on their own bat I got on well with them and I've met them in person as well. They are all welcome to come back if and when they choose and that includes Glory, but that's for the mods to decide.