The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 15th October) - Raphinha steals the show for Brazil

[The Subhuman]

The article raises a question whether the lack of investment last Summer will be a contributing factor if our stars make a hasty exit next year!

We're dropping points because of it.

We have one (scoring) striker in Bamford (who is still sidelined btw and won't be playing tomorrow). We don't have a backup (that Bielsa will use).

We're dropping points because of the injuries not because we didn't spend another 100M the transfer window... We did spend around 65 M don't forget...

[mentalcase]

Agreed.

Also If he provides as much this season as last we will have no worries staying in the Prem.

Just hope he don't go to another premier team if he doe's go, reckon he will like, cause other than PSG and Munich, most other teams on continent seem to be struggling for cash, especially in the £100 million region we ought to be demanding.
If it's prem club I hope it's city above the other lot.

[Mountain]

Imagine how Rapha feels now he's on his way back to play with players who are yet to realize that the ball needs to go in the net to score. Must be really exhilarating for him.

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I think the constant "he must be frustrated about playing with Leeds, frustrated with the calibre of his colleagues, frustrated with the transfer policy" is a bit unfair on him. He may be perfectly happy at Leeds, at a club that took him from relative obscurity to starting for Brazil, a club where he is well paid, a system that seems to suit him, with one of the great managers.

It's highly unlikely Leeds will overtake Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool and others during his contract duration. If he ups and leaves for one of them, so be it.

[1964white]

We're dropping points because of the injuries not because we didn't spend another 100M the transfer window... We did spend around 65 M don't forget...

Yes, Llorente has been a massive loss.

Struijk undeservedly suspended for three games.

Bielsa has had little opportunity of playing the pair as our CB unit, hopefully that will materialize in the next few games.

Our top goalscorer Bamford has also been a major loss particularly as the rest of our players apart from Raphinha struggle to score goals.

[Cjay]

Very prouf of Raph, he has earned his chance for his country and taken it.

Its a shame we probably won't get to build a team around him.

Maybe if last summer we had gone for De Paul and Cunha and shown proper ambition and stopped talking about consolidation we could have done so.

Ultimately the Leicester model that this ownership wants to use has a ceiling, a really frustrating one as a fan but hey ho.

Unfortunately our recruitment has never been on par with Leicester so the chances of us replicating their success is slim imo.

I hope Radz takes the pound signs out of his eyes where Raph is concerned and looks at the bigger picture.

At his current trajectory Raph will be a starter for Brazil soon, the World Cup in Qatar is next winter 2022, if Raph has a good world cup his value will sky rocket

Part of the Leicester model is knowing when to sell, that isnt this summer imo.

[Ellandback1]

We're dropping points because of the injuries not because we didn't spend another 100M the transfer window... We did spend around 65 M don't forget...

We have only had our fair share of injuries, but so has everyone else. Man U, Liverpool and Newcastle had more players out than us, but as we have a small squad, when we get an injury, it shows a lot more

We needed a midfielder and a second striker as a matter of urgency (imo)

I'm not trying to say 65m is peanuts, but when you're on a successful run, it's easier to keep it going as confidence is so high. We looked all over the place in pre-season, and that wasn't addressed. We managed to get our act together by Wet Ham.

[Ellandback1]

Yes, Llorente has been a massive loss.

Struijk undeservedly suspended for three games.

Bielsa has had little opportunity of playing the pair as our CB unit, hopefully that will materialize in the next few games.

Our top goalscorer Bamford has also been a major loss particularly as the rest of our players apart from Raphinha struggle to score goals.

Again, its hurting us badly when we get an injury, as the squad is so small

[Ellandback1]

Raph was never planning to see out his contract EB. Look t his past trajectory and that is obvious, he saw Leeds as a step into the PL limelight, has worked his socks off every game to get noticed, has produced it in spades and has deserved his call up.
But the only way Raph was staying with us was if he was average. Thankfully from that first little trick he did when he came on at Crystal Palace last year we have watched him sparkle. Leeds are no where near in a position for European football never mind actually being a threat in that area. I just hope that when he does leave we cash in big and he goes to Spain.

KP. Only reason he is still here is his personal love for Leeds and perhaps that will be reward enough.

Meslier has a long way to go to be a top keeper. He would be an idiot to leave and be and be an understudy elsewhere.

Re transfers....all the clamour was for midfield not a striker. Also Bamford could have left last summer, as could Mes and Raph we are told. But they didn't.
Also it takes many transfer windows to rebuild. And seeing the January one rarely works at Leeds it takes more patience.

I just seem to read that whatever the story is it is somehow linked to us not recruiting well last summer. Even if we had splurged big it means nothing if those players cant stay fit, fit in, etc.

I understand what you're saying pal, but look at it this way.

We were three wins away from 4th place, and the Champions League.

We were 4 wins away from 3rd place and the Champions League.

We're not talking about changing the laws of physics, suble chances.

A good midfielder and a second striker may have made the difference in a league where such fine lines are the difference between winning and losing.

[Irish Ian]

I understand what you're saying pal, but look at it this way.

We were three wins away from 4th place, and the Champions League.

We were 4 wins away from 3rd place and the Champions League.

We're not talking about changing the laws of physics, suble chances.

A good midfielder and a second striker may have made the difference in a league where such fine lines are the difference between winning and losing.

Maybe but imagine what the club would have had to have done to adjust to a European campaign this season.
That would have been a recipe for disaster.
We aren't ready for that.
Remember last time and what happened to the club.

Small steps.

[The Subhuman]

We have only had our fair share of injuries, but so has everyone else. Man U, Liverpool and Newcastle had more players out than us, but as we have a small squad, when we get an injury, it shows a lot more

We needed a midfielder and a second striker as a matter of urgency (imo)

I'm not trying to say 65m is peanuts, but when you're on a successful run, it's easier to keep it going as confidence is so high. We looked all over the place in pre-season, and that wasn't addressed. We managed to get our act together by Wet Ham.

They have but we were down to our CB 6 at one point and I'd be amazed if other teams had those issues and on top of that we were starting a different partnership every game. The way we play is fast break, high press football and the key to that is continuity. We need players to play string of games even if we do lose a key player

[Ellandback1]

Maybe but imagine what the club would have had to have done to adjust to a European campaign this season.
That would have been a recipe for disaster.
We aren't ready for that.
Remember last time and what happened to the club.

Small steps.

But the cash generated by finishing third or fourth would have more than paid for the additional players needed.

We're talking the difference about beating Wolves and Brighton twice.

[Ellandback1]

They have but we were down to our CB 6 at one point and I'd be amazed if other teams had those issues and on top of that we were starting a different partnership every game. The way we play is fast break, high press football and the key to that is continuity. We need players to play string of games even if we do lose a key player

Our players are pushed to the limit, and with Murderball on a Thursday morning, then a game on Saturday, I do worry that the team will be more susceptible to injury.

[rab_rant]

Brace for Raphinha
[

[mentalcase]

Looking at that he'll be off to PSG

[The Subhuman]

120 mill

[Carrick Dave]

I imagine Radz sat up to watch Raphinha playing for Brazil with his calculator in one hand, c**k in the other and grinning like a Cheshire cat

Nooooooooo. FFS Riot, that image will take a bit of shifting, I hope I never bump into Radz in a kebab shop, I'll just bust out laughing.

[White Riot]

Looking at that he'll be off to PSG

I'd prefer to keep Raphinha, but if he goes to PSG would be less painful than an English club.

[BGwhite]

Neymar will have put the word in to his boss already

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[Leeds1000]

Brace for Raphinha


That second one was made in Leeds...... Last season.

[mentalcase]

I'd prefer to keep Raphinha, but if he goes to PSG would be less painful than an English club.

Agree, also as BG says, Neymar would have had a natter with him.