The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 4th May)

Good Morning. It's Tuesday 4th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Bielsa defends Bamford decision

Marcelo Bielsa has defended his actions for substituting leading scorer Patrick Bamford on the hour mark at the Amex Stadium last weekend. Leeds leading scorer started the season on fire, netting ten times in 15 appearances. Unfortunately, with four goals in his last 19, it has become clear that opposition defences have found a way to cut off his supply route.

Asked if there was anything the striker could have done differently, Bielsa replied :-

“No, I think not. “We had a problem in the creation prior to the ball reaching Patrick, where he had no influence and he could not receive the ball in positions where he can cause harm to the opponent.

“When we can't overlap out wide and when we can't give the pass from the centre from a closer distance, it is difficult for him to shine.”

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U23's finish the season in style

Leeds U23's finished their season in style with an emphatic 5-2 win over play off hopefuls Burnley at Thorp Arch. This leaves the young Whites 13 points clear of second place stoke who have two games in hand.

Leif Davis, Gaetano Berardi and Rodrigo all received 45 minutes game time in their quest for fitness. Leeds finished the first half on top with Cody Drameh grabbing his first goal of the campaign after good work by Rodrigo.

Jamie Shackleton, Crysencio Summerville and Stuart McKinstry came on in the second half, as Leeds turned the screw. Huggins, Summerville and a brace of spot kicks from Greenwood put the game beyond doubt for the West Yorkshire youngsters. (Greenwood's brace means he finishes the season as top scorer with 12 goals, with Gelhardt, who was injured, on 11).

Skipper, Charlie Cresswell spoke to the media following Speaking to the media after the junior Whites' final game of the season, Cresswell was delighted with his team's effort.

"We knew we got to treat the league fairly," the 18-year-old defender said of the 5-2 final day victory, a game in which he almost scored a bullet header from a Stuart McKinstry corner.

"I should've scored, yeah, rattled the post didn't I? I had a bit of a laugh about it to be honest, I walked back and was like 'Charlie how have you not scored that?' Oh dear but never mind, move on.
"But I think we've done ourselves proud," he added, before commending the coaching and analysis team for their part in the title success.

"Jacko [Mark Jackson] and all the staff, the amount of analysis, the time they spend on working, it's mental."
"We just see it as one big club. "We'll probably be in tomorrow, straight back to training, helping the first-team for their next game, trying to push for a matchday squad as well. "When we're here, we're training with the first team every day, we're training with Marcelo [Bielsa] and the first-team. When you're training around better players, you become a better player."

Cresswell understood the competitiveness between Greenwood and Gelhardt, with both players wanting the accolade of Golden Boot winner. The 18yo had to intervene when Summerville and Greenwood clashed over who would take Leeds first spot kick. "Sam and Joffy, can't keep them apart those two. Everyone's got personality, everyone's got character in the 23s, we're just a really strong group."

"I knew Sam [Greenwood] was on for top goalscorer so I just said; 'Hey Cry, listen Sam's going for goalscorer' and he wasn't having it, so just had to grab the ball."

Who, from the U23's will make it onto the big stage? Who should go out on loan, and who is ready to make the first team? Will Bielsa give the youngsters a chance to shine?

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Kent Snubs Leeds advances

Rangers forward Ryan Kent has all but extinguished Leeds hopes of signing the 24yo this Summer. The former Liverpool academy player has been on Bielsa's radar since arriving at Elland Road in the Summer of 2018.

Whilst the lure of Premiership football must be an attractive proposition to anyone, Champions league football and another Scottish title features heavily on Kent's mind.

He told Sky Sports “It’s nice to be linked with other football clubs, the big clubs, but you’ve got to understand the duty of where you’re at and as long as I’m at Rangers I’ll always give 100 per cent to the club. “I love this place and it’s done so much for me. As long as I am here my mind is solely focused on Rangers.

Is the Champions League a motivation? Massive. “It’s the biggest stage in club football and to be able to test yourself against the best players and teams in the world would be quite special.”

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Morning all...

Are we really interested in Kent? If so it’s time to move on, one snub is bad enough but two?

I’m still hoping we get to see how near to being first team ready a handful of those u23s are before the season ends. I’ve a feeling Bielsa will play Shackleton, Forshaw and Berardi before we see them though

 

Morning all

Ryan Kent is a gobby scouse and Liverpool got rid of him for £7m. At the same time Liverpool were demanding £25m for Rian Brewster, £20m for Harry Wilson. leeds offered £10m last Summer but Rangers wanted more and we didnt go back in for him. Story that we have now offered £15m is hard to believe and anyone who doesnt want to come can stay where they are. I hope he has a good Champions League with Rangers but cannot be arsed worrying about him.

 

I'm not sure that statement is a snub, just saying he loves it at Rangers and as long as he's there, he'll give his all.
Rangers will have to come through the qualifiers for the CL, and as Celtic have found that's not easy. So no guarantee he'll be playing anything other than those. He did play fo a CL club in England who deemed him not good enough.

 

Yeah it's getting embarrassing with the Kent link, I don't blame him staying at Rangers. He will get European football every year, he's in a good side, the only thing is he won't be tested week in week out because a part from a few teams it's a weak League IMO. I hope WJ is asleep at the moment.

 

Morning all,

There is no doubt that Kent is very talented but there seem a lot of red flags against him. Liverpool selling him on the cheap, Leeds not only going in with the one offer last time and also his attitude. So its a no for me.


As for Bamford I still think his biggest problem at the moment is teams marking him out of the game. Between playing as the lone striker and teams finally seeing him for the threat he is he now finds himself marked by two CB's. In the last few games before Saturday arguably some of the best CB's in the league and then on Saturday by two big men at the back. Maybe Bielsa needs to work out how to get him more support.

 

I know I'm stating the obvious, but that game would have suited Raph, their defenders would have been ****ting themselves.

 

Let's be honest you always look good in Scotland. It's defo a place to showcase your stuff if you have a glimmer of ability and your career is stalling or needs a pick me up.
As on his piece on the Champions League it's true yes. but not with Rangers sadly. they never get far enough to test themselves against the best teams and players in the world.
Ryan Kent I'm not sure about I for one isn't gagging on him signing I think there is a lot better out there.

As on the u23's I'm really excited about the next move for some of these. Really excited in what Bielsa does.
coming from bits from the club Bielsa has went through every youth player with a fine combe let's trust his judgement on when and if they make the grade.
It's been a great season for them but lets look at the big picture they still have a long way to go in there Journey to being Premier League players.
A u23 game is a long way away from a Premier League game. Getting on a Premier League bench is an achiement in itself.
It shows Bielsa sees the talent.
to me he's getting them comfortable in the environment so when they are needed they don't freeze.
Mixing with the 1st team, getting them noticed, building up relationships.
It's a big ask to jump straight into a Prem Game. eyes are suddenly all on you from the TV to getting pulled apart by pundits if you have a bad game, it could quite easily kill a young player before he even starts his career. You don't get this with the U23's
Listening to Bill and Coops on podcasts they felt so out of place when starting their debuts and careers in the big time. Coops even said he felt he was a boy against men on his debut and was so out his depth.
I'm sure if they are good enough which I'm sure some are. Bielsa has already picked up on that bringing them to his bench. he's breaking them in. he will know when it's time.
There is so much more to it than just throwing them in as once they step onto that Premier League pitch they are exposed to a total different world on and off the pitch.

 

These comments reflect my own views:


Rodrigo looked really sharp in the 45 minutes he got in yesterday’s win and he set up the opening goal for Cody Drameh.

A few jinks, a couple of feints and step-overs will hopefully have done enough to prove to the watching Marcelo Bielsa that he is ready to start against Tottenham.

It’s been a season to forget for Rodrigo but he is a genuinely world-class player who needs to find his feet at Elland Road.

He was a regular in the Spain starting XI before his injury problems and while he might have blown his shot at the Euros, his Leeds career is there for him to grab.

Former Leeds ace Michael Bridges said he was a “sensational signing” and we still think that can be the case.

The game against Tottenham is tailor-made for him, and with Tyler Roberts proving wildly inconsistent and lacking any end product, Rodrigo should start in the no.10 position.

 

SIDDAS comments are valid but I would also add that there are some really really good teens who play for clubs in the Premand I include Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Wolves and more and they are only 17yo. In Seria A, La Liga the same and in Germany you tend to find many teenage English players at Dortmund, Leipzig Bayern Munich. If kids are good enough they are old enough. I see Gelhardt being more than good enough to be Bamford's substitute. I also see Drameh as Aylings replacement when required.

 

Agreed and where he should have gone last game. He was wasted up front. Bielsa should have put Roberts up front and made him work.

 

Good point regarding Bamford but that’s where the next three attackers should come into it and be finding the space and where someone from CM should be taking up positions of threat.

Harrison, Costa, Klich, Roberts they’re all very off form, strange how it’s hit them all jointly. When one player has an off day you can cope, when 3-4 have one together it’s a disaster

 

For me Harrison, Costa & Roberts have been inconsistent too much recently. There have been moments of brilliance from all three but struggling to find a run of good form.

 

Unless he is injured Rodrigo needs to start every game now, Koch as well. We need them both well and truly settled in, they need to be ready for a good preseason. If Rodrigo gets a little run it will hopefully set him up ready for next season.

We don’t need to play Klich or Roberts again this season, we don’t need to play Alioski or Pablo either. This season it was DONT get relegated, that’s job done so let’s get an early start for next season’s preparations

 

How will Alioski cope with Bale? Not well so for me play Davies because he cannot play worse defending than Alioski, plus he has pace to spare

 

Deserved a double yike that comment did.
Good afternoon everyone

 

Well hopefully Bale won't cheat to win a peno.

 

I've been really impressed with Huggins.

Who's better Leif Davis or Neil Huggins?

 

For me Huggins seems the real deal anywhere on the left and spent more time at LB than anyone in the 23s. Davies seems to have gone backwards this season but has put in a couple of decent recent performances. He only got 45 minutes yesterday so think he is lined up for first team bench but maybe starting? Imagine Alioski facing up to Son or Bale at speed