The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 12th March)

Good Morning. It's Friday 12th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Traore price slashed to 30m - Leeds fans take to social media

A year on from their 100m valuation, Wolves have decided to put Adama Traore in the shop window, slashing his price tag to just 30m.

Many Leeds fans have taken to social media, expressing their desire for the club to sign the former Barcelona youngster.

Traore can play as an attacking midfielder or winger. His close ball control is exceptional, as is his areal ability. The Spanish International has real pace. In fact, he is the second quickest player in the entire Premiership, 0.01 second behind Kyle Walker. He is also in fine physical health (its like looking in the mirror). Unfortunately though, without a goal or an assist all season, the Midland side have decided to try and recoup the 18m they paid for him, and have some left over.

Is he Bielsa's type of player? - Probably not! According to WhoScored, his passing is below par, he loses the ball whilst in possession too often, he doesn't defend and his recent finishing's have been as good as Noel Hunt! (What were we thinking)

Former White Noel Whelan disagrees,

“He’s one of these players who is explosive, powerful and direct,” “Marcelo Bielsa likes wide men. He doesn’t necessarily go out there and buy loads of centre-forwards but what we’ve seen is him going out there and getting wide players.

“He likes these players who have quality, who can run in behind, who can hurt defences, who can do the hard work off the ball as well. “I do think that he’s one of these players that has always popped up on the radar. That’s no coincidence. Obviously, there’s some admiration there from Marcelo Bielsa.

“I don’t think anyone in a Leeds United shirt or any fan would argue that they wouldn’t want him at the football club. “When you’re looking at players who are good to watch and can make a difference, he’s up there. It’s only a year ago that Liverpool and Manchester United wanted him.

“They’re the calibre of players that we’re definitely looking for who would improve the squad.”

Would you like to see Traore at Elland Road next season?

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Bayern Munich join race for Raphinha

German giants Bayern Munich have thrown their hat into the ring, declaring their interest in Leeds winger Raphinha. They are joined by Manchester Utd and Liverpool as well as a host of European clubs who have the Brazilian on their wish list.

Former Rangers and Scotland boss Alex McLeish believes that Raphinha's agent will be speaking to other clubs behind Leeds backs about their star winger.

“We know the game, we’re not stupid. I’ve never met an agent in the modern-day who wasn’t trying to sell his client. “Whether there’s been no interest directly to Leeds about Raphinha, you would think that there’s been some talk.

“These guys will be getting phone calls and they’ll probably be making phone calls as well. “That’s the way the game works and the way that the industry works. It’s the way probably all industries of this kind of magnitude work.”

Whilst obviously Leeds want to keep their best players, their scouting team, led by Victor Orta do have the ability to unearth some real gems, if given the money to do so!

We all want Raphinha to stay, but at what price, if any does it make it financially sensible to sell him?

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Should Leeds be doing more to look after former legends

We've all seen the brilliance of the Leeds squad from the Revie era; I think you'll agree they were untouchable. Unfortunately, as time has gone on, we have learnt that they aren't indestructible.

We have seen the sad demise of legends such as Billy Bremner, Norman Hunter, Trevor Cherry, Paul Madeley and of course big Jack Charlton.

These legends played in a completely different ere, when the game was not ruled by money. Unfortunately, this meant that the players of yesteryear earnt just a small fraction of what they do today.

With old age comes ailments and financial hardship. We've recent seen Peter Lorimer moved to a Hospice, after battling long term illness. He is only 74. Brendan Ormsby (60) suffered a stroke in 2013, leaving him unable to speak. Since then, he has battled cancer and a heart attack. His wife is his full time carer. Gordon McQueen has dementia. The list goes on.....

Should the club do more to look after their legends of the past?

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Morning all

Traore is not coming to Leeds, trust me.

Raphinah is going nowhere trust me.

My reaction to the 3rd point in this post about the Legends is this. Yes they were playing in a different era and when the clubs had the power as employers, rather than player power of today. I dont condone the old owners like Manny Cousins or Doug Ellis, but I dont condone the todays agents and the PFA as there should be a nice easy middle ground for the benefit of clubs, players and fans.

We cannot hold Radz responsible for past club employees, we cannot hold him responsible for a football industry which includes the owners past and FA administrations or indeed FIFA, but you can hold the PFA as responsibke because its the players union that is responsible for these players. Jockeys have a benevolent fund and that should have been the way football union dealt with problems. But they have a bloke in charge who gets paid multi millions in wages and expenses and has done nothing for 30 years. The man is a leech like Blatter and has feathered his own nest. Yes he is being forced to retire but wow this twat has raped his membership for decades

 

Morning all,

This time last year if you had said Traore was available for 30 mill I would have snapped your hand off. This season his stats do not exactly jump off the page. I would probably still take him though, would love to see what level of player Bielsa would turn him into.

 

Morning all

Traore = muscled up Hadi Sako

 

Sounds like he'd fit right in

 

Traore is a no from me. He's quick so would be good on the break but not sure on his defensive capabilities and he's stats this season say it all. He doesn't always start for Wolves and they are below us. I think we will go in for a winger this summer as we need some competition and/or a replacement for Costa/Harrison/Poveda but think the money would be better spent in Europe or even the Championship. I'm a big fan of Olise and Ejaria who I think will be playing PL football next season whether it's with Reading or not remains to be seen.

Selling Raphinha would show our real intentions. You don't challenge for the top 6 by selling your best players so he shouldn't go for any price but I'd say he's got to be worth between 80-100 million in today's market so a valuable asset. Need to build on the likes of Raphinha, Rodrigo, Phillips and get similar quality/talent in all positions.

 

Well it’s taken long enough
Reports coming in
Chris Wilder is on his way out of
Sheffield
I for one won’t shed any tears

 

Every now and again just for a laugh I look at Mark Lawrenson’s
Predictions
This week he has us down to beat Chelsea 2-1
Can’t make my mind up if I should be elated by this or is it the kiss of death

 

Now your predictions make sense

 

You got any tips?

 

Anyone who listens to the Phil Hay show will have heard the discussion on draws and Bielsa’s history getting draws. For me you have to look at Pep and Bielsa in the same mould, yes Pep has much better players and plays a variation of Bielsaball but there are plenty of similarities and based around “Moneyball type of data”. Looking at the last 120 games for clubs in the Premier League, and comparing it with Bielsa’s 120 games at Leeds you find that Man City are bottom of the league for draws with only 7% and 2nd bottom is Leeds on 15%. If you then look at the bottom of the actual league you find teams having lots of draws and fewer wins, and Leeds having lots of wins in comparison and only 2 draws. Yes I agree we ave deserved a draw in a few games this season and the extra points would have been welcome, but the Bielsa philosophy and now Peps is to take 3 points rather than try for 1. Bielsa’s career has been forged around winning and always trying to win and he devises a way to attack and win and exactly why his teams always play great football. So pundits would be wise to do the analysis of actual data before just coming out with sweeping statement like Leeds cant defend

 

yes but also we cannot stick the ball in the net.so would have got some more draws this season in the games i watched.

 

Me neither, that’s one horrible self centred cnut.

 

He's done a great job.

Only think that is missing is the Premier league issuing legal proceedings against the Blades for not being competitive in this league.

The amount of times Blades fans rubbed our noses in it, or any time our name was mentioned, show real hatred and distain.

Didn't see that really from Leeds fans, not even this season.

 

Princess Megan in 10 years after ANOTHER buffet....

 

it will be cheaper to sack him than buy some decent players.whoever takes the job will be on a loser but still be paid big money.

 

that's out of order.....

 

PG