The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

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Ellandback1
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The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by Ellandback1 »



Good Morning. It's Tuesday 18th February, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Cooper - Whites are in good shape mentally and physically

Leeds Captain Liam Cooper believes the White are in good shape mentally and physically to see out their remaining 13 games and remains confident that Bielsa's men will finish strongly. This comes after a recent interview with former player Pontus Jansson who claimed he was “mentally and physically tired” during last season’s run-in.

We always believe. We are confident in the way that we play, in our philosophy and we will keep going. This run-in is so important and we have got to be bang at it every week. We’ve just got to keep chalking the games off. Approach them in the right way, stick to the way we play, and what will be at the end of the season will be.

We’ll be giving everything as we do every week with the intensity and fitness levels. The boys are so fit, we recover well. We’ve got a week until the next game (at home to Reading) and we’ll prepare properly for that

This contradicts Coopers concerns he shared with former Striker Michael Bridges during Leeds pre season tour of Australia where Michael Bridges was quoted as saying...

I was speaking to a few of players, (including) Liam Cooper the captain… they just felt after Christmas they’d almost run out of energy, the way they’d been playing football,

Thoughts?





If you were Manager.....

Which of the following players below would you show the back door to should Leeds get promoted?

Which of the loanees apart from Ben White, if you had the option whether or not to sign them (regardless of any agreements Leeds have with their parent club) would you sign up / let go? The valuations are courtesy of transfermarkt.co.uk.

If you had to trim 6 players from the squad, who would they be?


Illan Meslier, Goalkeeper, £4.50m
Kiko Casilla, Goalkeeper, £2.70m
Will Huffer, Goalkeeper, £90k
Elia Caprile, Goalkeeper, £90k
Liam Cooper, Centre-Back, £5.40m
Gaetano Berardi, Centre-Back, £450k
Ezgjan Alioski, Left-Back, £4.05m
Barry Douglas, Left-Back, £3.15m
Leif Davis, Left-Back, £90k
Luke Ayling, Right-Back, £2.25m
Stuart Dallas, Right-Back, £1.80m
Kalvin Phillips, Defensive Midfield, £9.90m
Jordan Stevens, Defensive Midfield, £90k
Adam Forshaw, Central Midfield, £4.50m
Mateusz Klich, Central Midfield, £2.25m
Jamie Shackleton, Central Midfield, £2.25m
Mateusz Bogusz, Central Midfield, £90k
Jack Harrison, Left Winger, £3.60m
Hélder Costa, Right Winger, £10.80m
Pablo Hernández, Right Winger, £1.80m
Ian Poveda, Right Winger, £-
Jean-Kévin Augustin, Centre-Forward, £12.60m
Patrick Bamford, Centre-Forward, £5.40m
Tyler Roberts, Centre-Forward, £3.60m


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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by HarryofOz »

Will we need to strengthen the squad if we get promoted? No doubt about it. Will it happen? No doubt about it?

But before you start calling out that individual players are not good enough for the Premierhips, take a note of the following players

Gary Kelly, Ian Harte, Lucas Radebe, Mark Viduka, Alan Smith, Eirik Bakke, Dominic Matteo and David Batty.

Why do those players have in common?

They were all in the squad that was relegated in 2003-04.

But another thing that they have in common, is the role they played in our success in the years leading up to that fateful season.

On a side note the likes of Paul Robinson, Aaron Lennon and James Milner were also part of the relegated squad, and all have achieved success at the highest level.

So the problem was not those players, but the strength of the squad overall (and no doubt off the field factors as well).

So you may think that Player X or Player Y or Player Z is not good enough and should be punted, but while they may not be the stars of any team in the Premier League, that doesn't mean that they cannot play their part. That surrounded by higher quality team mates, they won't do a good enough job for us in the Premier League.

Give them a chance to prove themselves first.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by mothbanquet »

Good point Harry. There are a couple I'd comfortably see the back of, like Forshaw and Douglas. Not that I necessarily think they're poor players but we've had so little need of them whether through form or fitness that we just wouldn't miss them if they went.

Regards the tiredness, another whole year of conditioning will instantly mean this season is a different prospect to last. And I believe in the validity of first hand information as opposed to hearsay.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by weasel »

Great post Harry and every time you see a team relegated there seems to be plenty of interest in their players.

You could also list our 1992 title winners who finished the following season 17th. Players that were good enough to finish 4th then 1st were suddenly only just good enough to avoid relegation.

Sheff Utd have players in their team that were with them in League 1 just 3 years ago, journeymen pros who now don't look out of place in the premiership.

Good teams often have players that are underrated by fans/media but are vital cogs in that team and only really appreciated by managers and teammates. Dallas is a great example for us as a player most fans didn't really appreciate yet he has been vital for us this season. The manager trusts Dallas and wanted him in the squad/team. The same manager that didn't really trust a player, Pontus Jannson, that most of us thought was good enough for the premiership.

Happy to let Bielsa make the choices.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by BGwhite »

mothbanquet wrote:Good point Harry. There are a couple I'd comfortably see the back of, like Forshaw and Douglas. Not that I necessarily think they're poor players but we've had so little need of them whether through form or fitness that we just wouldn't miss them if they went.

Regards the tiredness, another whole year of conditioning will instantly mean this season is a different prospect to last. And I believe in the validity of first hand information as opposed to hearsay.
I'd see the back of Roberts as well and anyone else who hasn't brought much to the table (not the treatment table) over the last 2 seasons. It seems we recruited some who don't need much inviting when it comes to 'picking up injuries'.

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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by onemoreslogan »

Morning Ell and everyone

The only one I would drop as the moment is Forshaw, who I won't believe will play at a high level again until he does so with someone else. Shame, because he brings a physical element that we need more of on the roster. The rest, while perhaps not PL quality, could all be useful in some capacity, so until we signed a convincing replacement I wouldn't cut any of them.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by Irish Ian »

Morning Folks.

All this promotion talk

Anyhow.

Obviously having 4 keepers is one too many..

I think the question would be what would we need in the prem?
Answer that question and then you can replace who may not have the game.
I cant really comment on most of our U23s as most havent had game time to convince me of anything

Need a CF so Roberts and Bamford to leave and big money spent on a Mark Hughes type to come in and play with Kev. £40M
Cooper to go and be replaced with a ball playing giant. A Virgil van Dijk clone. £40M
Left back, Ali and Douglas to leave to save money.

That is 5 but cut cut cut
'
"Football is about the people and the players,” he said. “Then there are those who will mingle in the middle: the coaches, executives and journalists. That last group represents the worst part about football" Marcelo Bielsa
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by Gandalf »

I think that Sheffield United have showed us the template, by keeping their core squad from the Championship, and adding a little bit of quality where needed. Remember that their back five (Except Egan) were with them in League 1. JKA and Poveda are unknowns at the moment (although JKA is an ogligation to buy, if we are promoted). We will buy Harrison and Costa (starting to show us what he can do). Huffer has been overtaken, so he will go. Dallas has overtaken Douglas, so he can go. Berardi is out of contract in the summer, as is Stevens. So, we would need a CD (Ben White) + possibly one more (Cresswell is making rapid strides), an attacking midfielder, the engache that Bielsa has been missing since Saiz (Hernandez may or may not retire) and possibly a striker. Goalkeeper situation may change if Kiko is banned and takes umbrage, and / or Meslier does not show his obvious potential when replacing Kiko.

Having written all that, Bielsa will probably say we go with what we have, and who am I to argue.

Anyway, we are counting our chickens here, so let's get up first.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by onemoreslogan »

Gandalf wrote: Tue Feb 18, 2020 10:51 am Anyway, we are counting our chickens here, so let's get up first.
Yes. Less counting, more hatching.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by rrfierce »

Funny how 2 results can change everyones mentality. After the loss to forest the team was being branded mentally weak and we were lucky to be making the play offs. Now 2 decent results on and we're mentally strong and are discussing premier league squads!
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by The Subhuman »

I don't think the vulnerabilities that took us on that poor run have gone, but I don't think we're mentally or physically tired last season or at any point this season. I doubt we will be
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by rab_rant »

Before the c**k crows you will deny me three times.
NEVER LORD BAMFORD!!!!

Humans often say what is expedient. When you are tired, you are mentally weak and burnt out. When you are winning, you are as sharp as a tack and fully energised.

Pontus comes out with an analysis saying the reason Leeds fell away last season was because HE was tired and couldn't concentrate... couldn't think straight when given the simple instruction to let Villa score a goal.

It is all mind games and propaganda... Brentford needs to get Leeds's knickers in a twist and the way to do it is to hark back to last years failure and suggest it is a case of history repeating itself.

Cooper has done the right thing in denying his Australian comments and refuting the claims of Pontus. None of it bears critical analysis and most of the pontifications are just soundbites that sound good at the time, and are espoused to give reasons for performances, or to give a tactical advantage.

Aye aft hand yer story tell when wae a bosom cronie, but aye keep something tae yersel' yid scarcely tell tae onie.

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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by Cjay »

Coops is hardly going to come out and say "yep we are knackered and terrified" so I take what he says with a pinch of salt, personally I worry about the mental fatigue and strength not physical but we shall see.

Certainly improved performances recently from him and the team credit for that.

To early to really talk about who we should or shouldn't use if promoted, certain players I don't think are Premier League 1st 11 quality but until we get to the Prem no need to talk about it.

2 I would let go because of fitness concerns are Forshaw and Roberts, those I am happy to name because it isn't necessarily a quality thing, just both of them seem to be made of biscuits. Forshaw's hip injury, I cant see him being able to play at the Premier League level again and if he is unlucky maybe not even Championship sadly.

Roberts is far to fragile for his age, shouldn't happen that young and I would look to move him on.

Aside from them wont comment until we are promoted, tempting fate and all.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by LUFC_BOS »

Reading this topic , been too long with this club to even consider promotion.

As they say over here, it aint over until the fat lady sings.

Admire the confidence of some, but have been too grizzled over the years.

Enjoying this season , some of the best football being played in the country. Joy to watch us play. All you can ask for really.

MOT
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by The Subhuman »

What exactly have Roberts injuries been? I'd keep Roberts for sure as he has a lot of talent, looks a natural footballer and once he clears the injury issues he could play for year without relapse ..
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by Sara »

Leeds are going up...

The Book of Pontusifications.
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by The Subhuman »

like
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by Irish Ian »

faaip wrote: Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:58 pm What exactly have Roberts injuries been? I'd keep Roberts for sure as he has a lot of talent, looks a natural footballer and once he clears the injury issues he could play for year without relapse ..
Tyler has had cracked shin.
Knee
Hamstring
Muscle strain.

As far as I know.
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"Football is about the people and the players,” he said. “Then there are those who will mingle in the middle: the coaches, executives and journalists. That last group represents the worst part about football" Marcelo Bielsa
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by The Subhuman »

Well broken bones are broken bones...unless he has brittle bone disease that's not something to worry about. Hamstring strain and muscle strain happen, bad luck nothing more. The knee could be an issue going forward depending on the injury but doubtful
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Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 18th February) - Leeds are in good shape mentally and physically

Post by Cjay »

At the very least if we get promoted id loan him to a Championship club for the season.

He was injured when he arrived and has missed roughly a season of games injured since he has been here.

He needs to prove his fitness imo.
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