please log in to view this image Leeds Utd v Crystal Palace Tuesday 30th November@20:15 | Elland Road Patrick Viera's Crystal Palace are the visitors to Elland Road on Tuesday evening as Leeds look to build up points in preparation for a turbulent Christmas fixture list, but it won't be easy against a side who only lost their third game of the season on Saturday (at Villa). Similar to Leeds, the Eagles have become the draw specialists in the top flight. They have thirteen ties between them. Bielsa will need more than a point against Palace and Brentford (on Sunday) with their festive fixture list consisting of Chelsea, Citeh, Arsenal and Liverpool. Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling are both expected to play for the U23's on Monday evening against Manchester City's youngsters. Even being optimistic, they may make the bench! Joe Gelhardt was an unused sub during Leeds dire performance in West Sussex at the weekend; let' hope Bielsa was saving him for Tuesday night! The Argentine needs to decide whether to keep faith with the out of sorts Junior Firpo or recall the versatile Struijk. The visitors will be without Joachim Andersen and James McArthur (both thigh strains) whilst Nathan Ferguson is still recovering from a long lay off. Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze are both pushing for a starting role having impressed recently.
We all know how important three points are, I give up trying to predict Leeds results as we no longer know what sort of team are going to turn up on the day.
2 home games and the fans will be the 12th man. Bielsa this morning was asked what he thought of Potter getting booed and he said he couldn't comment but Leeds fans know how to respond to the endeavours of the team. The fans will not be booing this week
I was hoping Joffy would start tonight but apparently he was supposed to do 45 minutes with the U23s yesterday along with Bamford. He didn’t play as there was an injury to Hjelde meaning another sub had to be used. Guessing we’re going to see Roberts starting up front. Drameh is nursing an injured knee hence why he never featured. With Joffy having not played maybe Bielsa will be tempted to give him more game time than he would have been considered for if Roberts is indeed selected and fails to perform
Joffy and Cresswell sitting on the bench and getting no game time for the u23's must be annoying for them, I imagine they just want to play football.
This will probably get jumped on by a few who feel we should never knock Bielsa as he knows best, or it will be twisted that I want Bielsa out (I want clarity, early decision) but he has made some shocking decisions lately. I don’t like Phil Hay myself but this was in a tweet he posted: Phillips at CB. Phillips to CDM. Phillips subbed. Dallas at CM and then RB then LB. Firpo at LB and then subbed. James up front, James on the left, James switching to the right. You could see the frustration in Bielsa’s body language. Not working.” I mean this wasn’t all the chopping and changing, I still can’t get over James starting as a striker when we have Joffy but Tyler was the one ahead of him. I’ll stop there as it’s just repeating everything that was said on Saturday but yes I agree, the likes of Joffy and Cresswell are having their progress severely hampered. I know WJ called it total football the other day, I see his angle but for me it’s poor starting decisions that the rest of us could see wasn’t going to work. If Dallas starts at RB tonight and Firpo LB it won’t surprise me in the slightest. The only change will be Harrison dropped and Tyler starting up front
Palace and villa games are on amazon so sign up for a free month trial and you get 2 leeds matches for nought.
I did xbpod but I'm not sure if they will show it outside of GB. I've paid a tenner for Premier sports through Now Tv, so as it's an Irish station I hope I'll be ok.
Wonder what is going on in Bielsas head today. Who will he play in what position. The why of his selections we will never know. Will he play pascal at left or right back. You never know as he has become the tinkerman 2.Any ideas guys if forshaw can manage two games not far apart. Some of the selections have been forced on him. But he did want a small squad but a bench of u23s is no good. Will Roberts start tonight and score for fun.
Just to be clear, I didn't say we played total football. I was simply adding my 2p re. the square holes argument, mentioning that no-one ever diss'd the concept of square holes when it was clearly working so well for the Dutch back then.
My team for tonight would be as follows:- Meslier Dallas. Llorente. Cooper. Struijk Phillips. Forshaw James. Joffy. Raphinha Rodrigo Reason for that selection:- The back four is balanced and extra height with Struijk for set pieces, Benteke could be an handful, also Zara but I think Dallas can sort him. Phillips and Forshaw to be holding MF and thwart Gallagher out creating down the middle. James and Raphinha to get at them wide and interchange. Rodrigo to be as high as possible, be on there last man’s shoulder, Joffy to play off of Rodrigo, be on edge of box for any pull backs from the wingers, shoot on sight. Let Palace worry about our attacking, take the game to them, don’t let them breath, please Mr Bielsa play our players in there positions this is a massive game tonight.
Has anyone notice that Lewis Bate and Joe Gelhardt have become 33/1 to be selected for England for WC in Qatar??? I think a few bob on Forshaw getting on the plane could be fruitful !!!!
I'd have Meslier more central in his goal. If he stands far on the left, he'll leave the right exposed!!!