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The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 10th June)

Discussion in 'Leeds United' started by ellandback, Jun 10, 2021.

  1. esteponawhite

    esteponawhite Well-Known Member

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    #61
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  2. ristac

    ristac Well-Known Member
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    If we don’t finish at least one position higher I think Bielsa will walk away at the end of the season feeling he’d took us as far as possible. I believe Bielsa will have two players or positions in mind, maybe another winger if he concedes Costa and Poveda are not genuine challengers for a start. I’ve got to agree with you, I’d be happy to have a consolidation season but the problem with that would be Philips, Raphinha and Llorente wanting better things
     
    #62
  3. Whitejock

    Whitejock Well-Known Member

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    Hope you're wrong about Bielsa. I have the feeling, though, that if we finished in a poorer position next season, he's the sort of man who'd blame himself for it, & stay until whatever was wrong was fixed.

    I'm not exactly enthralled by Costa, but Poveda is a different case for me. Compare his performances now to Costa or even Harrison in their first year. He's been getting bit-part game time. Not once has he had a good run in the team to build his confidence & understanding. People might be right about him not being up to standard, but surely the boy deserves a good run before being chopped. Look at the chances Roberts has had - and he's still blowing hot & cold - at best!
     
    #63
    ristac likes this.
  4. Doc

    Doc Well-Known Member

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    One of the constants in football and someone you can rely upon to give actual facts is this guy. I suggest you follow him because he really does know whats happening. This is the first time he has mentioned Leeds this summer, so no smoke without fire and encouraging on Bielsa too
     
    #64
  5. wakeybreakyheart

    wakeybreakyheart Well-Known Member

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    I predict that Bielsas coaching team will sign with him... Before pre season training starts. I also predict that this Sunday will be a scorcher.
     
    #65
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  6. FORZA LEEDS

    FORZA LEEDS Well-Known Member

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    The story so far
    Born in Rotterdam in 1999, Lang was raised by his stepfather, former Morocco international Nourdin Boukhari, who played for Ajax between 2002 and 2006.

    He developed his skills in Feyenoord’s academy as a child before making the switch to their rivals Ajax when he was 14. Lang soon starting turning out at youth level for Jong Ajax and the Netherlands’ Under-16s, progressing up to the Under-21s.

    Aged just 20, the winger swiftly made the headlines, becoming the first player to score on their first Eredivisie start for Ajax in over 60 years in a 5-2 comeback victory over FC Twente.

    In spite of the eye-catching full league debut, things weren’t plain sailing from there; Lang opened the scoring in a 4-3 Dutch Cup victory over Telstar, but he received quite the dressing-down from his coach, Erik ten Hag, amid reports that he was disobeying instructions from club captain Dusan Tadic.

    “You need to shut your mouth and just listen!” Ten Hag was pictured shouting at the youngster from the touchline. “Stop it, it’s our match, not yours!”


    The following month, Ajax brought back former academy graduate Ryan Babel on loan from Galatasaray, with Lang deemed surplus to requirements for the remainder of the campaign. He was loaned out to Twente for the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign, which was soon cancelled and rendered void by the pandemic.

    Shortly before the close of the 2020 summer transfer window, Ajax agreed to loan Lang to Belgian side Club Brugge for 2020-21 and a €6million permanent deal will be rubberstamped in July. While Lang will join Brugge permanently this summer, the club may decide to make a quick healthy profit on their investment.

    It’s at Brugge where Lang has begun to shine on a consistent basis, scoring 16 goals and registering 10 assists in 33 appearances in all competitions, including a goal against Zenit Saint Petersburg in the Champions League group stage.



    Playing style
    It would make sense for Leeds’ director of football Victor Orta to have noticed Lang’s skill set, given that the versatile right-footed attacker offers something different to their current wide options – Raphinha, Jack Harrison, Ian Poveda, Helder Costa – who are all left-footed.

    Brugge coach Philippe Clement has tended to use Lang on the left side of his three-man attack, but he hasn’t been afraid to utilise him in other areas, with the odd appearance at centre-forward, on the right, and deeper across the midfield.

    In his debut season in the Belgian Jupiler League, he’s hit the ground running as one of its most potent attackers, a standout player as Brugge finished the regular season top of the league with a 16-point lead.

    Lang ranks ninth for goals and seventh for assists in the Belgian top flight, joint-top for goals and assists per 90 minutes (1.08) alongside Genk’s prolific centre-forward Paul Onuachu, and top for shots on target per 90 minutes (1.80).

    Creative and quick, the 21-year-old is adept on the counter-attack and effective at progressing the ball up the pitch by carrying the ball. At Brugge, he’s increasingly shown an awareness of how to exploit space, often timing his runs well to receive the ball in behind.



    What’s been said
    – “He showed (his talent) today and I am very happy with that,” said Ten Hag after Lang’s Ajax hat-trick.

    “We really needed that at this stage. We are having injury problems in Noa’s place. He shows (his ability) during training and during the reserve matches. And today he has also clearly shown it at the highest level too.”

    – “He mainly clashed with the older players in the group. If I had been a routine, I would have supported such a talent, hugged, and told him what to do and what not to do,” his stepfather Boukhari told Telegraaf, regarding his issues at Ajax. “Noa does not have an easy character. But at Ajax they should know that these are often the exceptional players who can decide matches for you.”

    – “At the moment, Lang is without a doubt the best player in the league, I think. Pure class,” acclaimed Belgian football pundit Filip Joos told Extra Time. “His technique is not normal. Lang is constantly on the move, he glides across the field, he likes to dribble, but he will always play at the right time.”

    What he’s said
    “I went from fighting for the title to fighting versus relegation. We have to fight for every yard here. At Ajax, you have so much ball possession and here I’m often trying to win the ball back,” Lang said of the learning curve during his short loan spell at Twente.

    “I’m a lot calmer now, especially in my head. I’ve learned to fight for the ball and the team. I know I’m a good footballer but there are so many more aspects to the game which I’m learning here. I hope I can learn even more and be a better player when I return to Ajax.”
     
    #66
  7. ristac

    ristac Well-Known Member
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    Was just reading about him moments ago, I’d be amazed if Bielsa okayed this signing. He is currently being investigated for singing Antisemitism songs and the line I read was “He always makes the back pages but more often than not for the wrong reasons”
     
    #67
  8. FORZA LEEDS

    FORZA LEEDS Well-Known Member

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    If we're in for him then Bielsa has already okayed it. He probably thinks the positives that Lang would bring on the pitch outweigh the negatives off it - and he'd eradicate those issues.
     
    #68
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  9. ristac

    ristac Well-Known Member
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    I’d hope so but I’d be amazed if we sign this player. Pontus and Izzy spring to mind, Saiz another and the pulling out of signing Benrhama because he was not humble enough. Bielsa just didn’t do these type of players.

    Sadly the majority of modern footballers who ooze class and creativity all seem to come with a certain arrogance that needs to be handled. If we sign this player and Bielsa can handle him and get the best out of him great.
     
    #69
  10. Doc

    Doc Well-Known Member

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    If Bielsa and Orta have done their work you can guarantee that the player will be a good fit on the pitch and in the dressing room. Remember at this stage the facts are that Leeds are trying to get him, doesnt mean they will succeed
     
    #70
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  11. Leedsoflondon

    Leedsoflondon Well-Known Member

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    Do we need another winger?
     
    #71
  12. Doc

    Doc Well-Known Member

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    Well Buelsa loves wingers and insists his wingers are heavily involved in build up play. We have been let down by Costa and Poveda still hasnt done the biz?
     
    #72
    foolee and FORZA LEEDS like this.
  13. SIDDAS

    SIDDAS Well-Known Member

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    Bielsa loves a winger or 6 lol.
     
    #73
    ristac, Leedsoflondon and FORZA LEEDS like this.
  14. ristac

    ristac Well-Known Member
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    They’ll have done their work and I’m betting Bielsa has analysed the “problems” he has had and said no. He looks a good player but we’ll see
     
    #74

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