The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 16th March)

Good Morning. It's Tuesday 16th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Gelhardt stars in U23's win

Leeds U23's picked up their 11th win in twelve games at Thorp Arch yesterday as Mark Jackson's youngsters went 13 points clear in Premier 2 league.

Gelhardt opened the scoring from the penalty spot after being upended half way through the second half. Charlie Cresswell doubled Leeds advantage before half time heading past the bar codes static keeper from a well executed corner.

Newcastle narrowed the advantage in the second half, but Leeds win never looked in doubt.

After the game, former Leeds left back, now pundit Ben White spoke of his admiration for Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt.

“Joe Gelhardt’s been the standout,” “Head and shoulders the best player for me today. Just everything about his game: the way he gets involved, the little touches.

“But then, he’s not afraid to mix it up physically because look at the size of him, in terms of stature: he’s not very tall, he’s not very big, but the strength. He just loves playing football. You can tell he just loves his game at the moment. He’s been a massive positive.”

Is the 18yo ready for the first team?

please log in to view this image

Orta keen on Dutch ace

Victor Orta is keeping very close tabs on Crystal Palace attacking left back Patrick Van Aanholt. The 30 yo is in his final three months of his contract at Selhurst Park, and can leave for nothing.

The Dutch International signed for the South London outfit in the 2017 January transfer window from Sunderland for 14m. Since then, the former PSV / Chelsea youth player has made 121 appearances for the Eagles, netting 13 times. The emergence of Tyrick Mitchell has seen Aanholt in and out of the starting line up this season. The experience that Van Aanholt could bring to the Leeds side could be invaluable. He certainly is a step up for Alioski, who is due to sign a pre-contract with Galatasaray shortly.

please log in to view this image

Swedish International on Leeds radar

German media outlet 'Kicker' claim that Werder Bremen defender Ludwig Augustinsson could be heading to Elland Road this Summer.

Just like Van Aanholt, Augustinsson is out of contract this Summer. Bremen are keen to get a cut price deal agreed rather than lose one of their biggest assets for nothing.

Leeds were interested in signing the 26yo before Covid. Since then, they put their plans on hold. Now that the rules are being relaxed, Leeds have reignited their interest in the Swede.

Augustinsson has won 30 caps for Sweden. He is a specialist free kick and corner taker.

please log in to view this image

 

Morning,

I doubt there's any truth in the Van Aanholt rumour. Defensively suspect, and if he's not good enough for Palace he's not good enough for Leeds.

Would rather keep Alioski tbh. Or promote Huggins or Davis.

If we were to sign a Palace player Zaha would be excellent. Especially now he's literally taking a stand against this taking the knee bollocks.

Would've said Eze but he wants to stay in London.

 

Morning all

Agree with Forza

Elland you need to edit your piece because Ben White has said nothing about Gelhardt however Ben Parker did. Another thing he said was that Gelhardt actually looked like a first teamer getting some minutes in after coming back from injury. He looked a class above Poveda, Berardi and Koch

With regard to new signings this Summer I suspect players out of contract will be great as long as they are players Bielsa wants, so I suspect we will be going after a couple of expensive players. A good example of a bargain freebie is someone like Draxler from PSG who is worth around £50m and his salary of £180k pwk is well cheap when you look at it in the round. Draxler will not now happen by the way because hes signing a new deal, it was an example.

 

Morning all

A top quality LB is a must for next season. Van Aanholt will be 31 in August, I agree with Forza I definitely can’t see us being interested.

 

Watched the 23s yesterday and if Bamford is injured Gelhardt should make the bench. Would be good to see him before the end of the season but fully expect him to be involved next season. Probably initially in the cup games up front or as a no.10. I also suspect Drameh to be pushing Ayling next season and play in the cup games and I think Cresswell looks like he'll eventually replace Cooper. Having seen Huggins and Davis I think we'll be buying a LB rather than using the youth and I could see one of those 2 leaving in the summer, most likely Davis.

Van Aanholt is a no from me as he's too old now unless Bielsa sees Huggins being first team ready next season. No idea about the Sweden international.

 

Have to agree on Huggins because he was dire yesterday compared to what I usually see. I have been bigging up Huggins for months but all I saw yesterday was a guy tripping over his own feet. Young, learning etc, but in the top flight we cannot have a performance like that. Bobbly pitch yes, scrappy game of bits and pieces yes and I believe he was being double teamed to stop his threat, but he didnt beat it....

 

Agreed, I've seen him look very good a few times but struggled yesterday and lost his man for their goal so needs more time to grow. If you're a player in the 23s and want to be in the first team you need to be consistently better than most of the 23s and look out of your depth like the first teamers do when they play for the 23s. I know he's getting back to fitness and only young but I don't see that much in Poveda if I'm honest, think he's a bit greedy and doesn't have much end product in the 23s which I think cements the need for another first team winger. Especially with how inconsistent Harrison and Costa have been lately.

 

Agreedand when I watched Llorente play for the 23s he was awesome, took control of everything and was by far the best player on the park even scoring a great goal and a 30 yard drive that hit the bar. Koch yesterday was ok but not like Llorente so Koch not up to speed yet. Poveda looks brilliant but then either does too much or misses a simple chance with a weak shot or a bad cross. Summerville who didnt play yesterday may just be a better option. Berardi has had his time and some huge tackles yesterday but will not make it back to the 1st team except maybe as a goodbye for 15 mins

 

I think for Koch is was his first minutes back and it looks like we're experimenting with him at CDM so he can fill in when Phillips is injured. Think he did okay and it would be great to have backup in the squad as it'll be difficult to get a player to come in to play 2nd fiddle. Going on this seasons performances I think Koch is behind Llorente, Struijk and Cooper at CB. Berardi looked good but we've got many CB options now so unless we have another unlucky bout of CB injuries he won't play apart from to bow out like you've said.

 

Don't think we'll be after a specialist LB in the mould of a Cresswell or Chilwell as Bielsa likes his players to be able to adapt and play in more than one position.

If as looks likely Alioski leaves I can see Bielsa converting Harrison to LB, replacing Alioski's role in the squad.

Harrison and Raphinha (or a new winger of equal ability as Raphinha) on the left flank would frighten the life out of the oppo's RB

 

Its not Bielsa's way to promote from within. Struijk only got his rewards as there was absolutely nobody left. Poor Leif Davis. He will just fade into the background.

 

If we could get Nketiah for 20m would you sign him?

 

Hmmm so tiny harrison would do well defending corners then. He would have to be lifted like in rugger. Actually i do not think we should sign harrison as he is not worth the asking price. Way over rated and over valued.

 

That was the trouble with Douglas he could only play LB but was short on pace to be a LWB and wasnt able to play anywhere else. Harrison has been tried at LB for the 23s a couple of times but not very good mate. Nowhere near the quality of Davies or Huggins so either Davies or Huggins improve fast or we need to bring someone in. I’m comfortable with having Drameh as cover for Ayling and Shacks has played there too but can he tackle like Drameh?. Drameh has been played at LB LWB, LCB, RCB RB and RWB and never had one bad game

 

No

 

Yes and he has been lauded as the coach who brings younger players through. It's been the same old champ players he has favoured for so many games.

 

Could fast Eddie do the hard yards that Bamford does? Not sure but I watched Gelhardt yesterday chase everything and make tackles all over the pitch and even saw him chase a player from their box to just outside ours and he win the ball. He also scores goals so for me I would give him a chance before I shelled out £20m, seems to make financial sense

 

To be fair to Bielsa though our younger players haven't been good enough, as has been proven when they've been let go/loaned out.

Maybe at his previous clubs the younger players were a better quality than ours.

They may look good to us in the u23's but he can obviously see they won't make the step up.

Must admit I can't see what he sees in Poveda though - he doesn't look ready at all.

Pretty sure Gelhardt is lined up for a first team squad place for next season. Can see why he's holding back on introducing him just yet. We need to be mathematically safe first.

 

Harrison to convert to a LB??? Isn’t he right footed, and in my eyes not a very consistent one at that, here you are Pep he’s yours!!!!

 

I’ll keep my ideas to myself in future just trying to think how Bielsa thinks sometimes tbh

Oh and Harrison’s left footed