The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 19th March)

Good Morning. It's Friday 19th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Forshaw is back

Is is a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, its Adam Forshaw; and he's back in training at Thorp Arch. The midfield maestro was spotted in the background of a recent training video, by eagle eyed Leeds fans.

Forshaw has been dogged by injury since September 2019 (BC). What was thought to be a routine hip rotation injury has dogged the 29yo ever since. The medical team led by Rob Price (head of medicine and performance) and club Doctor Rishi Dhand explored every option, to try and treat him. Eventually, the decision was made for Forshaw to go under the surgeon's knife.

In March 2020, he travelled to the Steadman Clinic in Colorado, where Dr Mark Philippon, an expert in utilising arthroscopic hip surgery, operated on the former Everton apprentice. Dr Philippon has treated hundreds of athletics across the NFL, NBA and NHL

After being out of action for so long, do not expect to see him in the starting line up anytime soon. If we see him this season, it will be a bonus!

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Bielsa has the strike force he wants

According the Daily Mirror, Bielsa does not intend to invest in a new forward this Summer. The 65yo feels Bamford, Rodrigo and Roberts give Leeds all the ammunition they need up front. It's hard to argue. Bamford is the third top scorer in the Premiership with 13 goals so far. As a team, they have found the back of the net on 43 occasions.

Bielsa said: “Tyler Roberts, Bamford and Rodrigo can all play as a centre-forward and Rodrigo and Tyler can also play behind the centre-forward. “They are all options and throughout different stages of the campaign, they have given positive responses.”

“Rodrigo arrived at the start of the competition and didn't manage to do pre-season with us,” said the Leeds head coach. “It took him four weeks to become a starter and after playing his best game, which was the game against Aston Villa, he became sick.

“He was ill for 20 days and after that, it took him a month to get back to his best again. “He played 10 to 12 games at a medium to high level before he picked up an injury, which put him out for five weeks. “For me in particular and Leeds as his club, we have seen what Rodrigo is capable of. For me, he is a great striker who when he finds his best form, is a very dangerous forward and very useful.”

Does this news concern anyone?

Will Leeds be able to replicate their scoring ability next season? Let's not forget that they have missed the most guilt edged opportunities behind Citeh and Liverpool.

If an offer of 23m ewere to come in for Rodrigo, would Leeds be stupid not to take it?

What about Roberts? Many thought he would be on his way this Summer!

Can Bamford do it again. Would a fee of 25m tempt you to sell him?

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Morning all.

Bielsa saying he doesn’t intend to invest in a striker this summer, does that mean he is staying? If he does stay then that’s fine, if he goes and we get a new man in charge I’d bet money on us buying a new striker.

Roberts has improved a bit in recent games but along with the rest of our attackers we miss far too many chances at this level. Next season I’ll feel it is a case of consolidate our position if we don’t improve on the Bamford, Roberts, Costa, Harrison, Poveda and Rodrigo combinations or if one of the U23s doesn’t come through in a blaze of brilliance

 

Maddness to sell Rodrigo and yes I am as frustrated as anyone that he hasn't been box office gold every game he plays, but come on hes in a strange country, at a strange time when he cannot even get out and go shopping. He has had bad luck with injuries and being ill with covid for 4 weeks means he got it bad. Bielsa says he is one of the best strikers/No10s in football, so who do you listen to, Bielsa or Wakey?

Not buying a striker is a worry, but that means either Roberts is being groomed, or it means promotions from the 23s. Comparing Roberts to Bamford is a joke on data comparisons as Bamford has scored 13 in 28 and Roberts has scored 7 in 69. Yes I agree with Bielsa that Roberts is capable of playing as a 9 but how long can we wait for him to find the net. He needs to see a pass instead if going for glory he needs to stop fluffing his shots and needs to learn how to link. If he stops being greedy and make the pass he will stand a chance. Bamford last season scored 16 and only 1 assist, this season already 13 but 5 assists, so Roberts can improve. Rodrigo as a 9 would score more than Roberts and Bamford if given the same chances Bamford has had this season, yet Bielsa prefers to have Rodrigo causing damage and creating behind Bamford. He calls it unsettling defences and midfields, unbalancing the opposition and being able to overload in areas of disruption. Makes sense and I reckon next season we all see the best Rodrigo can do

 

Most GUILT EDGED MISSES

 

According to the Daily Mirror we won't be buying a striker. How the f*** do they know what goes on in Bielsa's mind.
More click bait, they've about as much clue as me and I know FA.
So no need for us to get our knickers in a twist what will be will be

 

Don’t disagree with much of your assessment doc, certainly on Rodrigo.
Re Roberts, we can’t really compare his goal record to bamford, when one is playing as a striker and one isn’t.

He’s been a bit unlucky of late... hit the bar, two struck out for someone else being marginally offside.

Who knows if he’ll cut the mustard, there are plenty of multi-million pound strikers who don’t score in the Prem, let alone 10’s. What I see with Roberts is a young lad, injury free for the first time in ages, essentially learning on the job. Yes he’s had quite a lot of games over the last few years, but often as a sub and it’s been stop start. I see green shoots of improvement in him this year. Some don’t.

Do we have time to experiment and see if he improves in time? Well that’s bielsa’s call.

 

According to HITC they have Bielsa making comments about Huggins saying he can play LB, LWB, RB, RWB and anywhere in midfield. If true this sounds like a player who Bielsa thinks a lot of. New Dallas maybe

 

Sides that create the most miss the most. What’s relevant is % of big chances missed.

We probably top that! Last season we were really profligate in front of goal. Early on this season we were very efficient but normal service has been resumed of late. Let’s hope we reverse the trend tonight.

 

Well done Charlie Cresswell, Sam Greenwood and Joe Gelhardt

 

Good to see Forshaw back in training, never good to see a player go through this much time on the side lines. No idea if he'll ever play for Leeds again but hope he can get his career back on track.

If true about the strikers I wouldn't worry as he is right. Bamford should be the no.1 based on this season, Rodrigo should be a definite starter once fit and if he plans to keep Roberts then he could be back up. It wouldn't be my choice but Bielsa knows better than me. This also gives the opportunity for Gelhardt and Greenwood to break through. If we bring in the new strikers then our plan with Gelhardt and Greenwood have essentially failed. Personally wouldn't sell Bamford or Rodrigo regardless of the price. Money doesn't always buy quality or goals, you only need to look at Joelinton to see that and you can see Rodrigo has the talent and intelligence, I think he's just been unlucky with various injuries and the system isn't easy to come into. The only expection for strikers would be for Haaland which won't happen.

Also, if it's the case that Bielsa doesn't want to strengthen up top but Phil Hay has mentioned 3-5 signings it looks increasingly likely that we'll get a LB, CM and Winger with the possibility of getting a GK and 1 other?

 

Is it Comic Relief today?

According to the Daily Mirror..... according to HITC

Am I missing something?

Oh, and, morning, afternoon, evening all!!

 

Oh and even though we're in the top 3 for missed chances then it means that we're creating chances which is good. Man City are top of the league and have missed the most chances so alongside good company and they've got the best players in the league/world?

 

Afternoon all. I really hope this is the game to exorcise the London curse.
You've got to create chances to miss them. I'd be much more concerned if we weren't creating any. Do the stats about guilt edged chances missed include hitting the woodwork, the goalkeeper making a great save or the ball being cleared off the line? I've seen a load of them from us this season.
Roberts is definitely improving and when Rodrigo had a bit of a run in the team I saw what he offers, especially his link up with Raphinha. Once we have a settled team, which we haven't come close to yet, it will be interesting to see who Bielsa starts.
I'd like to see Llorente, Koch or Dallas alongside Philips in the middle to give the full backs more freedom to get forward.
I'd like to see what a fit Forshaw can offer. He was a quality player.
Come on Leeds!!

 

I wouldn't get too worked up about Forshaw. We've been here before with him & against all expectations, he broke down again, hence the op. Would love to see him back, as he would be like a new signing down the middle if he recovers fully. If. Big if, imo.

As a matter of interest, everyone seems to talk down Bamford's conversion stats, which are admittedly poor on paper. But since we're talking about cover coming from Roberts & Rodrigo, does anyone know what their chance conversion stats are? Sure, the number of chances are lower, but you would expect the conversion rate to match that of Bamford at the very least. I fear that they may not even be close, particularly in Roberts case.

Anyone know these stats? I suspect they may make us uncomfortable.

 

Rodrigo has only started 4 times and has made 8 appearances off the bench and has 3 goals and 2 assists, wheras Roberts has had 17 games mostly off the bench but zero goals and 2 assists. But remember some of these Roberts games he played as a No9 too

 

Robert

Roberts makes me cringe every golden miss he acheives.

 

Aye, I know those stats, but it's the conversion rates I'm interested in. If either of the 2 stand-ins stood in for Bamford & got the same number of chances that he does, what would their conversion rate get them? I suspect Roberts & possibly Rodrigo would fail to match Bamford's poor conversion rate. Indeed, I think there are few strikers in the game that could come in & better Bamford's conversion rate. I admit this is subjective, hence the need for the conversion stats.

 

Looking good now for the kids as Stoke were beaten by Villa today, which means only one more win required to win the whole thing