The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 14th September)

Good Morning. It's Tuesday 14th September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Square pegs in round holes for Newcastle clash

After Marcelo Bielsa's refusal to call out Sheffield-born referee Craig Pawson for red carding Pascal Struijk at weekend, Leeds will be down to their bare bones in defence for the next three games. Pawson doesn't have the best reputation with the Leeds faithful, especially after officiating the play off Semi final against Derby in 2019, but the Leeds maestro has made his decision.

Struijk's suspension coincides with injuries to Llorente and Koch; leaving Liam Cooper as Leeds only recognised centre back. Whilst many would love to see Charlie Cresswell make his long awaited debut, the gaffer is likely to switch Ayling to centre back, with either Shackleton or Dallas covering at right back! It's not by any means ideal. Friday's clash at St James' Park is anything but a forgone conclusion. Leeds sneaked a 2-1 victory back in January, but with 50,000 Geordies behind them, the atmosphere will be very different.

The defensive trio are also set to miss the League Cup game at Fulham, and the visit of West Ham to Elland Road. We know our visits to the Capital don't usually end well, whilst West Ham were one of the few teams to do the double over us last season, and that's when we were playing well!

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Llorente's injury caused by over training or not warming up properly
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An injury prevention expert, who has worked for Premier League clubs has blamed the coaching staff at Elland Road for Llorente's latest injury!

The Spanish International pulled his hamstring after just 30 minutes of the Liverpool clash to the dismay of thousands of Leeds fans. Whilst it's fair to say, the former Real Sociedad defender has been injury prone since arriving in the Premiership, the unnamed expect believes the situation is more complex than that!

“That does not reflect well on Leeds or their staff,” “The job of the staff – the fitness, conditioning, sports science guys – is to get the players fit to play and keep them out there. “There are some injuries you can’t legislate for, like the Harvey Elliott one today, but top athletes should not be breaking down with muscle injuries in the first half of matches."

“It means they are being overloaded in training, over-worked or not warming up and preparing properly.
“Something has gone wrong somewhere and Leeds will be embarrassed it has happened again to Llorente.
“Everyone will look from the outside and think he is ‘injury prone’ but it is more complex than that. “Ultimately it is the manager’s decision on whether he thinks players are fit to play, and once they’re selected they should not be pulling hamstrings in the first half.”

Are the players overtraining? Last season, the players were the fittest in the entire Premiership, this term, they look slightly jaded, and off the pace!

Fortunately, the injury is not as serious as first thought. Speaking from his Instagram account, the 28yo said:
“Yesterday was a tough day due to the defeat at home and the injury,” “But there is no time to regret. It’s time to work harder than ever. “Fortunately, I have nothing serious, and I will be back soon. Thanks for all your support.” Regrettably, you can't hurry hamstring injuries!

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100 m wages this season

Leeds wage bill this season is expected to top the 100 m mark for the first time in their history according to an Elland Road insider. The unnamed source also revealed that Rodrigo is their highest earner, taking home £100,000 a week!

This is a far cry from the £31 m outlay from the Championship title winners two seasons ago! It's not just our record signing that is on big bucks. Most of those who were promoted with Bielsa have been rewarded with long term contracts and significantly increased terms!

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What is Rodrigo's best position, and why is he not performing?

Which players have disappointed the most this season so far?

 

Jeez Ell you do post some shyte at times with these unnamed specialists. Trust me nobody at Leeds is earning anywhere near £100k per week and Ridrigo will be lucky to see over £50k per week and Paddy is now just behind him. The real wages were published on here a few weeks ago so this gobshyte quoted needs fkg off.

Its also a fact that our medical team at Leeds under Rob Pryce is probably one of the best in Europe and has detailed data on every individual player and what every muscle in every players body is doing and what its capable of doing. As an example of your specialists statement please read anything written in the YEP or anywhere else about Llorente’s injury, where its stated that Llorente nocked his thigh by impacting his leg into Manes leg. So not a hamstring injury and impact injury, so not a bad injury and he may even be available Friday. This specialist is about as good as Kelly thicktwat who knows about Bielsa burn out

morning by the way

 

We really should have contested Struijk's red card and Radz should be doing that, not sure we would win the appeal though. Pawson is a poor ref and I'd be very happy never to see him officiate any of our matches again.
Newcastle fans are supposed to be organising a protest for this game, tennis balls on the pitch and 20,000 whistles are what's been talked about, although neither will have an impact now the cat is out of the bag, not sure how any of this will help the players in the game though. It seems quite a few of the Toon are resigned to being in a relegation battle with the possibility of going down, it really is a game we need to be winning.

Rodrigo certainly has ability but he just isn't a fit in the team, I did think he'd want to go in the summer but other than deputising for Bamford in Cup games or injury he really doesn't seem to have a role to play. I think we'll see Roberts start Friday but hopefully Klich gets his place back instead.

 

That there is the real question. Agree with this because Bielsa promised us an upgraded, super-fit Rodrigo and Bielsa is replacing him every game? We saw him score goals for fun from midfield at the end of the season, and to be fair he has had a couple of chances which he should have scored from this season. Why is he being singled out, why has he not been given a chance alongside Klich? Have we been so bad compared to training that we are cutting him out if play. It makes no sense why he isnt being involved as he should be

 

Some say I am the voice of truth and justice!

If I can get people to react, and debate then its great!

 

Do we know what Roberts best position is?

 

Mainly a left winger for Valencia. He had one season up front on his own and scored 16 goals.

 

I know all articles can be taken with a pinch of salt, but there are three separate sources that state Rodrigo is on 100k a week at Leeds.

100m a year at Leeds is worrying. It would be good to see what other clubs are paying out annually.

 

Bench or left back.........in the changing rooms.

 

Rodrigo would be best suited playing as the front man but he is never going to oust Bamford. He should start on the bench and be the other option when things are not going well.

Moscowhite on the square ball pod made a good point regarding dropping Rodrigo from the starting line up. While Roberts is not everyones cup of tea we have looked no worse in games when he has replaced Rodrigo. Is it time to give him a start and a chance to earn his place?

I think Roberts may not be as technically gifted as Rodrigo but Roberts definitely offers more on terms of work rate and in this side that could be more important.

 

When he joined, he was quick to mention that he isn't an out and out goal scorer. Plus I'm guessing the Premiership is stronger than La Liga.

 

Are you Jim White from Talksport ??

 

I think the PL have more strength in depth than La Liga.

Rodrigo gets in some decent positions and should have scored on Sunday but its not like he is on his own missing chances this season. We've been terrible in front of goal.

My main issue is that Rodrigo doesn't seem interested in his defensive duties in this system. He simply let Matip walk through with the ball for the first goal. Watch it again....it was a disgrace.

 

Yes, Derby

 

How many Premier League teams would play Tyler Roberts? Not many
How many Premier League teams would play Rodrigo, quite a lot.
Would Barcelona want to buy Roberts from Leeds like they did Rodrigo, not a chance.
Would Spains Number 9 walk into any La Liga yes he would, but no Roberts wouldnt

We need some sanity in this debate and accept that Rodrigo for whatever reason isnt doing what he has been asked to do or cannot do what Bielsa wants him to do. Something needs to give or we need to sell him and get our money back, or Bielsa has to insist that players do what he wants them to do which will make Rodrigo intregal to the plan.

 

I do think Rodrigo is the better player but isn't fitting our system at the moment. That's the argument in Roberts favour.

 

Please ask me a question on how to plat piss!!!!!

 

I am so surprised that the club (not Bielsa) has not challenged the sending off of Sturijk, the young lad needs support over all of this, he was very upset with what happened and i personally think that he need supporting at this moment in time.
Leaders are only as good as the troops they lead and they show full commitment to there leader, if the troops loose confidence in there leader then all hell breaks loose amongst the ranks.............just saying Mr. Bielsa.

 

It seems that the Dutch will win the battle to get Pascal to play for them rather than Belgium. We saw on Sunday VVD spend time consoling Pascal and yesterday Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten are fuming that he was sent off at all because bith said it wasnt a foul. Last night there was an identical challenge and Gary Neville screamed “look exactly the same tackle, a foul given but no card and it wasnt a foul anyway but Ill accept that but no card