The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 10th March)

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 10th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road.

Adiós Casilla

It's becoming evident that Leeds Goalkeeper Kiko Casilla is heading for the exit door after the former Real Madrid shot stopper posted a cryptic message on Instagram yesterday.

“I’m slow to go because I believe in changes.

“And I hope and I endure and I keep. But one day I get tired and without saying anything I leave everything and go. “Believe me that once I get tired I won’t come back again, because I give everything before I leave.”


He recently lost his place on the bench in favour of 19yo understudy Elia Caprile. The young Italian also replaced his Mediterranean team mate at the recent U23 game against Wolves last week.

It's been a turbulent time for Casilla. He lost his No1 jersey to Illan Meslier last season whilst serving an eight game ban for an alleged racist remark against former Charlton Athletic on loan forward Jonathan Leko, and has now fallen off the first team radar.

Surely, this is the end of the road for the 34yo.

please log in to view this image

Alioski off to Galatasaray

Leeds Utd journalist Phil Hay has confirmed that Leeds utility player Ezgjan Alioski will almost certainly be heading for the exit door this Summer. The North Macedonian Internationals contract runs out in the Summer, and there are no signs that he wishes to extend his tenure in West Yorkshire.

Back in January, Bielsa said the ball was in Alioski’s court in terms of a new contract but Leeds wanted him to stay. No progress has been made since.

Hay said, “There’s been no agreement with Leeds so far. And given that the club are thinking about left-backs for the summer, he’s got a big decision to make. Getting close to 30.”

please log in to view this image

Do Leeds need to find their striking boots?

I think we all have been impressed with the amount of goals the Whites have put away this season. Only six clubs in the entire Premier League have scored more (Leeds have scored 43).

If you thought that Leeds have capitalised on their chances in front of goal, you'd be wrong.

Even though Bamford is the 4th highest goal scorer in the top flight, he missed the most guilt edged chances in the top flight with 17, with Timo Werner 2nd on 16, Chris Wood third on 14 and Che Adams fourth on 12.

His team mates are no better. Leeds rank third for 'big chances missed' with 41 wasted chances in front of goal!!!

Do Leeds need to find their striking boots, and is Bamford good enough to lead the line?

 

Morning,

What amazes me is that Coco is surprised he's been deemed surplus to requirements. It's as though he feels he been harshly treated. Does he really not realise that his multiple inept performances cost him his place in the side and that he only has himself to blame?

Deluded twat of the highest order.

 

Morning all,

So yesterday a lot of fans on twitter were declaring they never want Alioski to play for us again if he is going to the Turkish scum this summer.

I challenged this. I totally understand the hatred towards that club and fully support it but I see no reason why Alioski has to take on our hatred. He is possibly about to sign the last big contract of his career and is looking to set up his family for life. Who are we to begrudge him that?

He signed for us a lot of years after the tragic events of that night in Instanbul. We have not played them since he signed either. Can we expect him to have become so part of our club in his time here to risk his future?

I believe it would be different if the likes of Milner & Delph who as Leeds fans probably feel the same as us but Alisoki gets my blessing to do what's best for him.

 

As much as Kiko has been a bit of a liability at times he was still a massive part in our success in the championship as he got many clean sheets and made some good saves for us. We've been out of the top flight for such a long time we owe a lot to the players that helped us achieve promotion and they'll all have a special place and go down in history. Just a shame how Kiko's time has ended.

Think Alioski would be a really good squad player for us but would understand if he wanted to leave not being guaranteed first team and us bringing in a new LB. He's a good player to have around the squad for morale purposes as well and had some really good performances this season but if we want to improve we need better in the starting 11. I will be gutted to see him go and he'll go down as a legend for me.

Phil Hay stated a potential 5 new incomings. With it looking likely that Kiko, Alioski and Hernandez to be leaving who will be the other two? Does Forshaw count as an outgoing as he is a player lost. I could also see Costa or Roberts being one or two of the other outgoings. Which leads me to think we'll be looking at buying a GK, LB, CDM, CM, LW/RW.

 

Morning all

On Alioski I agree with hemese

On Kiko I agree with Forza

However this does actually show there is going to be some bigger changes than some thought, this Summer:

• Alioski
• Forshaw
• Kiko
• Pablo
• Berardi

5 first team players who will be gone this Summer means 5 new signings coming in or maybe 4 plus a promotion from the 23s? There is also the prospect of some of the 23s and maybe some who are out on loan being sold off too. So a lot to think about and maybe Bielsa has seen enough of Roberts to get rid of him too?

is Elia Caprile good enough to replace Kiko? i hope he is because that would save money by promoting him. Caprile has been watched whilst in Italy and was one of Bielsa’s first buys as we had to pay money for him. Bielsa watched him at Wolves last week and promptly dropped Kiko?

Leif Davies or Niall Huggins could replace Alioski with ease as both better footballers and both faster. But a new first team Lb would still be needed too.

Berardi leaving is already sorted with the promotion of Struijk

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Forshaw didn't go. We know bielsa loves him and if he thinks he is going to be for I could see him keeping him around as a squad player.

For me the five leaving will be -

Aliosji- could be a good squad player but understand him wanting to go to be first choice somewhere.

Kiko- good riddance

Berardi- pleased the club did the right thing giving him a year and hope he will see a few minutes in the prem before he goes.

Pablo-goes onto the legends list but his time here is up.

Either Roberts or Costa- both playing for their place in the squad at the moment. Both hot and cold. One week we can make an argument for the next an argument against. Could this see them both be going?

 

On top of the players going out we must sort out the lack of chances taken so key replacement will need to be Pablo’s replacement. Yes we have Rodrigo but as yet he is only seeing the odd chance fall to him, whereas most seem to be to the likes of Harrison who has taken 6 goals but failed many more times. Klich has done hardly anything this season when you consider he has scored a minimum of 8 per season for the last couple if years. Costa has missed chances too, so just from the middle we need Rodrigo to see more chances and a new midfielder who can replace Klich when required.

Another striker to put pressure on Bamford is a top priority, but it will have to be one of Orta’s gem finds because a known top striker will not come to Leeds to sit on the bench. So another find like Raphinah or it could be Sam Geenwood or Joe Gelhardt, but unless they get a chance this season we will not know if they can do it

 

Roberts in a Bielsa favourite. I can see him maybe going out on loan.

Berardi
Casilla
Alioski
Hernandez
Costa
Last throw of the dice with Shackleton and Leif Davis. They're both 21, not youngsters any more. There are plenty of teenagers playing first team football in the Premiership. Perhaps send them out on loan.

One point I'd make. None of our loanees have set the World alight in the lower leagues, though Bielsa has never really given any of them the taste of first team football apart from Shackleton and Struijk which was forced upon him as there was nobody else. He has now turned into a proper first team contender!

 

Stevens came off the bench 3 or 4 times last season het it didnt work for him in L1 with Swindon and now in L2 with Bradford he cant get a game. Edmondson is playing L1, not scoring but playing well, however not a Bielsa type so think his time is over too. Hosannah cannot get fit so maybe he will be gone but Gotts doing well in L2 Salford and McCalmont doing well with L2 Oldham. These 2 may warrant a loan to a Championship side. Then you have the likes if Kun, Mujica and Bogusz in Spain?

 

I can see Shack staying due to his ability to play rb as well as cm.
No mention is ever really made of what we would do if Ayling were injured. We all talk about strengthening lb but are we strong enough at rb if Ayling were injured or suspended?

 

What about Bagusz. He was great first season for the U23's. He has hardly set the World alight on loan.

 

If Ayling was injured, we have Dallas, Huggins, Shackleton and Berardi

 

Yeah I think all the players we've loaded out will need to be sold bar Gotts and McCalmont who I think need another loan to the Championship and if they don't set the world alight in the Championship can also be sold.

This is a good point actually. Maybe it's looked at the Dallas and Shacks can play RB? Also, Drameh in the 23s looks decent too. I think RB might need to wait until next summer and Ayling is getting older. Can't remember Ayling's last good game at RB either, cost us a few goals this season.

 

[QUOTE="foolee, post: 14703692, member:

his is a good point actually. Maybe it's looked at the Dallas and Shacks can play RB? Also, Drameh in the 23s looks decent too. I think RB might need to wait until next summer and Ayling is getting older. Can't remember Ayling's last good game at RB either, cost us a few goals this season.[/QUOTE]

Berardi is going most likely. Shack and Huggins will be good cove . Dallas is an option but more important in other positions.
I believe next season to be Aylings last as first choice and we will look to bring in a new rb next summer the same way we are bringing in a lb this year.
Nothing against Ayling at all but I just think this will be the natural evolution of the squad away from the championship players to the team that wins us the league in a couple of years.

 

That was always a position Berardi slipped into but as well as Shacks we have Cody Drameh who cannot be far away

 

I think we are stuck with costa and maybe harrison will be seen as 10 million wasted. So they may not sign him and spend elsewhere.
Alioski not up to standard but the club (bielsa) may say different. So left back needed urgently.
Forshaw can go along with pablo and klich. A classy midfielder is needed and Dallas can be used as a utility squad member.
Kiko of course is a gonner so goalie needed too. Cant wait to see the back of him.
Come to think of it two mids are neeeded as we are lacking in that area.
So that leaves a proper striker with the physical attributes to mix it with the bigger prem defenders.

 

Man City striker - G Jesus
Man Utd Striker - A Martial
Leic City Striker - J Vardy
Chelsea Striker - K Havertz
W Ham Striker - M Antonio
None are big lumps
None are above Bamford for goals

Yes he misses too many, he admits that, but his head never goes down. He still puts the hard work in and gets into position.

I understand some don't like him but he's been great for us this year.
Successful teams don't play with a big lump of a number 9 any more.
Even Kane has become more of an inside forward.

 

Sorry to jump right back on my bandwagon but I get very frustrated with the desire to change everything after a couple of poor results. It's our first year back. We've been very unlucky with injuries and the fkn London Hoodoo hasn't gone away.
I didn't get to see the game as I was working but from what I heard we played well. We squandered chances or could have got something. West Ham have been flying and the way they play is exactly the way to play us. I didn't expect anything out of the game and I'm relieved that we turned up and gave them a game, even in London.
This year is about survival and I'm certain there is a plan in place so I don't want to overreact.
I can't see us getting much out of Chelski and then we're off to London again.
Some could be suicidal by then so we all need to go to our happy place for a couple of weeks.

 

A yeboah/Jordan hybrid will do

 

Bielsa has never used a big lump up front and never will. He likes a striker to be mobile pacey, hard working defending from the front and a target man who also scores goals. Bamfords only failing is his strike rate %. Up until a 3 games ago his average was really good and Im sure it will be again before long. But as a club we only have Paddy and having only Roberts behind him scares us all to death. Last season Bamford was pulled off and Fast Eddie replaced him and he actually had a good strike rate but wasnt able to do what Bamfird does so we need somebody who can