Leeds United v Wolves - MATCH THREAD - Cooper pulls up during warm up!

[Ellandback1]

Leeds United v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Monday 19th October 8.00pm| Elland Road | Live on Sky Sports


Wolves are the visitors to Elland Road on Monday following the two week International break during which the Whites saw two key players pickup injuryies. Liam Cooper (Scotland) and Diego Llorente (Spain) both picked up groin strains, Cooper had passed a fitness test and was due to start but pulled up during the warm up. Pascal Struijk looks set to step into the centre of devence alongside Robin Koch. Lorente will have to wait at least two weeks to make his Leeds debut.

Leeds currently occupy 8th place in the Premiership, with 2 wins a draw and a defeat on the opening day of the season against Championship Liverpool. The Whites would love to collect another 3 points making it 10 from 15, moving them up to thirn in the table but will need to overcome Wolves. Nuno Espirito Santo's side sit 5 places below Leeds with 2 victories and two defeats.

Veteran midfielder Pablo Hernandez has recovered from injury, and will return to the squad, he will feature on the bench alongside Tyler Roberts and Raphinha. Rodrigo gets the nod up front after an impressive second half performance against Manchester City. Are Hernandez opportunities going to be limited this season? Does he have more of an impact coming on, with 30 minutes left? Marcelo Bielsa has given a strong hint that new signing Raphinha will be in the squad on Monday when quizzed earlier.

I think so. It’s difficult to say three days from the game because many things can happen, but if it was today he would be in the group. His adaptation has been very quick, instant. For this, I thank Victor Orta for a player who can adapt very easily to our style of play.

Nuno Espirito Santo has revealed Fernando Marcal is back in group training though is not fit enough to make the side. Wolves had to wait on Covid-19 tests for goalkeeper Rui Patricio, full-back Nelson Semedo, midfielders Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho and forward Daniel Podence who had all been away with Portugal, for whom Cristiano Ronaldo this week tested positive for Covid-19. All have been given the all clear and will feature.

The two sides have faced each other 97 times in the past, Leeds coming away with 42 victories to Wolves 33 victories. The sides last met during the 2017-2018 Championship season when Wolves won promotion to the Premier League. Wolves took the spoils on both occasions with a 4-1 victory at home and a 3-0 victory at Elland Road. Wolves have won just two of their nine Premier League games played on a Monday (D2 L5), beating Crystal Palace 2-0 in July and Sheffield United 2-0 in September of this year. Monday will be Leeds United's thirteenth home appearance on Monday night football in the Premier League, they’ve won 7, drawn 3 and lost 2. Most recent was a 3-2 win at home to Leicester City in April 2004.


Leeds Starting XI
Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Struijk, Dallas, Phillips, Costa, Rodrigo, Klich, Harrison, Bamford

Subs: Poveda, Alioski, Roberts, Casilla, Dias Belloli, Hernández, Shackleton

[Leeds1000]

Its a difficult one to call for me. Wolves have a few solid PL seasons under their belt and have turned into a strong PL side with one of the best new managers around for me. Wolves have lost a few key players in Doherty and especially Jota but have bought a couple of big expensive players in to replace them, so are in a bit of a transition themselves.

For us i can't see Cooper being risked, so i think we will see Stuijk & Koch in the middle again. We now have a abundance of attacking flair and talent coming off the flanks and i personally can't wait to see Raphinha. As for the master Hernandez i think MB will bring him back slowly and then use him predominantly for the 2nd half of matches, like last year. There's no better player to be coming onto the pitch when we need the dynamics of a game changing and a psychological push.

Having said all that i'm on the fence with a score draw.

[gessa]

Really don't want to see Ayling at CB over Stuijk tbh.
If Cooper is touch and go and with Llorente out for 3-4 games, I'd rather he wasn't risked.

[faaip]

Shocking to lose to a championship team on the opening day of the season

[andrewjohnsmith]

Really don't want to see Ayling at CB over Stuijk tbh.
If Cooper is touch and go and with Llorente out for 3-4 games, I'd rather he wasn't risked.

Unless Cooper does make a sudden return, I'd be certain Strujik will play at the back.

There's the possibility it could be a back 3 Ayling-Koch-Strujik with Harrison and Costa dropping deeper.

[gessa]

Unless Cooper does make a sudden return, I'd be certain Strujik will play at the back.

There's the possibility it could be a back 3 Ayling-Koch-Strujik with Harrison and Costa dropping deeper.

That's a possibility but high risk i would think.

[Cjay]

Wolves play 3-5-2 so will be a back 3 presumably?

Wolves are the first counter attacking side we have faced, discovered quickly that the possession based style they used in the Championship didnt work so adapted.

However they apparently are trying to go back to that this season.

I hope they do against us because imo we will beat them if they do. If they try and go toe to toe with us imo we would win.

If they go counter we may be in trouble.

We wont do it but id like us to play on the counter like West Ham did vs Wolves.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Wolves play 3-5-2 so will be a back 3 presumably?

Wolves are the first counter attacking side we have faced, discovered quickly that the possession based style they used in the Championship didnt work so adapted.

However they apparently are trying to go back to that this season.

I hope they do against us because imo we will beat them if they do. If they try and go toe to toe with us imo we would win.

If they go counter we may be in trouble.

We wont do it but id like us to play on the counter like West Ham did vs Wolves.

That's my thought too. Ayling in a back 3 with KP as cover. It pushes Dallas into that free midfield role and allows Harrison and Costa to attack from wing back. I think it was Sheff U where we did that. I also understand that Traore has been playing wing back so it would help to push him into more uncomfortable positions.

[mothbanquet]

Seen all their games so far and they look seriously hampered without Jota and Doherty. They don't have half the creativity and up until the West Brom game, their sole tactic seemed to be lump it up to Jimenez on the counter and hope for moments of magic. Which there have been but he's seriously missing his strike partner.

That said they're still obviously dangerous and will adapt as the season goes on. I just don't think they'll do it in time for us. I've gone for us to win 3-1 but would still be happy with a draw. They're still a good side.

[1964white]

Really don't want to see Ayling at CB over Stuijk tbh.
If Cooper is touch and go and with Llorente out for 3-4 games, I'd rather he wasn't risked.

We lose Luke's attacking qualities down the right flank when plays as a CB

[Muppet the Cat]

Is that a Rufous Bush Chat down at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, or is Nuno working on a special formation for Monday?

[Cjay]

Push Wolves back from the 1st minute and screen Jimenez.

Take him out they wont get out, without Jota he is vital for Wolves to build attacks from.

So take him out and press high they will have problems imo.

Personally dont rate Neto or Podence compared to Jota.

[gessa]

Is that a Rufous Bush Chat down at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, or is Nuno working on a special formation for Monday?


_114948370_mediaitem114948369.jpg

These Wolverhampton doggers have no shame

[Muppet the Cat]

These Wolverhampton doggers have no shame

Stan Collymore territory

[gessa]

Stan Collymore territory

Their leader

[Irish Ian]

For me our season really starts here.

First four were against either contenders for top four or relegation material. We did well then came the International break.

It is against the likes of Wolves. Leicester and Villa we will need to test ourselves, which will reveal our true potential. This time next week will I feel give us a truer sense of where we will finish in the table.

[Smudge3920]

For me our season really starts here.

First four were against either contenders for top four or relegation material. We did well then came the International break.

It is against the likes of Wolves. Leicester and Villa we will need to test ourselves, which will reveal our true potential. This time next week will I feel give us a truer sense of where we will finish in the table.

Spot on mate... exciting time's...full of confidence here

[White Riot]

I've watched a bit of Wolves this season and they look decidedly average to me.
Koch has looked more comfortable and confident and Strujik is a really exciting prospect.
I think we'll smash them.

[John in Louisiana]

For me our season really starts here.

First four were against either contenders for top four or relegation material. We did well then came the International break.

It is against the likes of Wolves. Leicester and Villa we will need to test ourselves, which will reveal our true potential. This time next week will I feel give us a truer sense of where we will finish in the table.

Agree wholeheartedly.

We will feast on the bottom dwellers and struggle against the top few. How we do against 5 - 15 in the table will define our season. This game is the first of those.

[John in Louisiana]

Don't look now, but we could go second in the table with a win tomorrow.