The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Saturday 15th January) - All drama over Cody’s loan but Forshaw signs new deal

[YorkshireSquare]

Good Morning. It's Saturday 15th January, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road..


All drama over Cody’s loan move

Most Leeds fans were surprised when news of Cody Drameh’s loan move emerged. It’s not that the young right back wouldn’t benefit from some first team football but with the injury crisis at Elland Road opportunities were starting to open up. Drameh made his debut for Leeds on 26th October against Arsenal in the FA Cup, five days later he made his Premier League debut against Norwich City. He has gone on to make a further two league performances for Leeds and although missing from the matchday squad against Burnley with the injuries in the squad more gametime was surely a prospect. Marcelo Bielsa certainly made in clear in his pre West Ham press conference that he thought it was the wrong move…

I did not think he needed to play games elsewhere. He was a player who was very necessary with all of the absences we have. He preferred to go and play outside of Leeds. In a situation with opportunities for youngsters has increased clearly, in this case, Drameh would prefer to experiment outside our team. I consider that position valid and I do not think it makes sense to oppose him. What I imagined as a great opportunity, he imagined it in a different way. It's more important what he thinks than what I think. I don't think it's convenient to impopse in a situation where a player does or does not want to belong.

Given Bielsa’s comments could this be the end of the road at Leeds for Drameh? He had been touted as Leeds United’s future right back but given his preference to ‘experiment outside our team’ despite his recent first team appearances are there signs the player is not happy about his development under Bielsa at Leeds?





Adam Forshaw signs new deal until 2023

Adam Forshaw has signed a new contract with the club keeping him at Elland Road until 2023, the club also has an option to extend by a further 12 months. The midfielder has had a tough couple of years, with his hip injury keeping him out of action for 22 months. Following surgery in America, a lengthy rehab process and several setbacks Forshaw made a successful comeback in the Carabao Cup victory against Crewe Alexandra at Elland Road last August. His first game since Charlton Athletic in October 2019 back in the Championship.

Forshaw has made 11 appearances in the league this season. After substitute appearances against Southampton and Norwich he played a full 90 against Leicester and had been a near ever present in Marcelo Bielsa’s midfield since due to our injury crisis and the Argentinian has been pleased with his performances…

His level of performance is the same as that prior to the injury. Prior to him stopping playing, he was at a very good level. Two years later, he has been able to play at a very high level at a higher level of competition - that is not common. He made big efforts to be able to get back to this level and I am sure that he is enjoying it.

How vital has a fit Forshaw been this season? Despite his performances do we still need to strengthen in midfield this transfer window?





Max Dean scores beauty to give U23s victory

Leeds United U23s faced Wigan last night, with Max Dean scoring a scorcher to give Leeds a 2-1 victory and a much needed three points. Nohan Kenneh scored a thunderous volley to give Leeds the lead before Wigan grabbed one back to make it all square at half time, but it would be Max Dean show stole the show on the 65 minute mark. Dropping his shoulder, Dean nutmegged the Wigan defender before cutting inside and finishing in the top corner from 30 yards out.

Given Leeds United injury issues up top, could Dean be in line for a first team call up? At only 17 Dean is still young but is proving he can perform at U23s level. With the injuries to Roberts, Gelhardt and Greenwood could Dean (a natural goalscorer) offer something a bit different from the bench? Do you think he is good enough?

[mentalcase]

Said all I need to say about Cody, maybe he'll be back one day when MB has gone, maybe not, he may just fade into obscurity without the tutelage of a top manager !
Not surprised about forshaws contract, tbh, he has been ok, although it isn't hard to shine at the moment in a struggling team, shame he can't score a few, shame non of the team can.
Wonderful goal from Max, absolute wonderful, don't expect to see him anywhere near the first team mind, maybe Cody has put a halt to things regarding cheeky kids.

[1964white]

Drameh may regret his decision to go out on loan to Cardiff though it should be good experience for him. If Cody struggles down there, where does that leave his career? Didn't he leave Fulham for similar reasons or did we poach him?

Forshaw's contribution has been immense, especially with Kalvin unavailable, Klich out of form & Dallas having to cover in both full-back positions.

We still need to strengthen our midfield possibly with a decent loan signing in the current window, with a quality goalscoring midfielder signed in the summer.

Wonderful strike from Max Dean & a good prospect however this season in the PL is far too soon for him. We all witnessed how Greenwood struggled last Sunday.

[The Subhuman]

Greenwood had a good game imo...

[The Subhuman]

Good win at Wigan with what looks like a bit of a thrown together team again, we hand them their first defeat of the comp.

[Mountain]

If Cody Drameh thinks his career is better served at Cardiff under Steve Morison than at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa, good luck to him. Maybe he doesn't like the pressure to perform that comes with playing at a higher level for a bigger club and a better manager.

[Ratscoot]

Oh my god how good must Cody be that he knows much more than Bielsa and that he feels Couldn’t Hit a Barn Door Millwall Morrison can improve him to the level he feels he should be playing - that’s gonna be League 1 then

Really pleased for Forshaw after the last few years and just shows how good and genuine our Board is in supporting through his injury nightmare.

Great, fantastic goal but needs to do that every week to get near the team this season

[Byebyegeegee]

I’ve intimated previously that the timing of Drameh’s loan move is baffling as of right now, due to all our injuries, he would have been almost guaranteed 1st team appearances. I suppose he is thinking longer term, that when we are back to anything like full strength his chances will inevitably be limited again. It seems Bielsa is not particularly amused by the situation and I think Cody will have to go some to ever have a chance of playing for Bielsa again.

I consider Forshaw’s contract extension a stopgap measure because, whilst I admit that he’s done ok since his return, we will need far better players than him if we have ambitions of progressing beyond our current position.

Pleased that the under23s are back to winning ways, it’s taken a while. But at only 17 young Max is well behind Gelhardt and Greenwood (who never really got into the game at all against West Ham) for promotion to the 1st team.

[Chilli D]

I hope Cody Drameh's decision to go on loan to Cardiff is just youthful ambition rather than a falling out with Bielsa but it certainly seems like a discussion of some sort was had.
It could have a chain reaction effect with others wanting to do the same. In two months time when most of the first team are back (hopefully) they may feel their chances of progressing lie elsewhere.

Pleased for Forshaw, he's never going to be world class but he deserves it after battling back from two years of injury hell. There must have been times during that spell when he wondered if his career was finished.

[YorkshireSquare]

It could have a chain reaction effect with others wanting to do the same. In two months time when most of the first team are back (hopefully) they may feel their chances of progressing lie elsewhere.

About taking your chance when the opportunities arise isn’t it. Struijk took his chance and is now a highly regarded part of the first team, Joffy won’t be playing much U23s football any more, definitely played himself into the picture.

The one I feel is in limbo a bit is Cresswell. He’s definitely good enough but lots of players ahead of him so opportunities are limited.

[DavidH]

The "wanted" side effect of Drameh's decision, is that it may make Bielsa consider using the under 23's more in situations where he only has first-team square pegs for round holes. If he keeps potential graduates perpetually sitting on the bench, without at least giving them a proper try, there may be other "defectors".

[BGwhite]

Said ages ago , use them or lose them. At this stage of their career the kids just want to play and if it means going to another club then that's what they'll do otherwise they'll just be treading water especially with Bielsa in charge. There's no chance to prosper at Leeds unless there's an injury crisis and once that's over with its normal service resumed. I guess there will be many more exceptional talents leaving by the end of summer particularly if Bielsa is still manager .

Sent from my moto g(9) plus using Tapatalk

[Chilli D]

About taking your chance when the opportunities arise isn’t it. Struijk took his chance and is now a highly regarded part of the first team, Joffy won’t be playing much U23s football any more, definitely played himself into the picture.

The one I feel is in limbo a bit is Cresswell. He’s definitely good enough but lots of players ahead of him so opportunities are limited.

Yes, I worry about Cresswell YS.
He should have been played a few weeks ago but Bielsa chose to move Ayling to CB.

[The Subhuman]

About taking your chance when the opportunities arise isn’t it. Struijk took his chance and is now a highly regarded part of the first team, Joffy won’t be playing much U23s football any more, definitely played himself into the picture.

The one I feel is in limbo a bit is Cresswell. He’s definitely good enough but lots of players ahead of him so opportunities are limited.

First team or first team squad? ... Everyone fit, does Struijk start? Kalvin starts over him at DMF, Koch and Llorente and probably Coop at CB. LB might be his best way in or a second holding mid maybe.

For me he replaces the captain as the left sided CB next to Koch, Llorente and Coop on the bench. But that's just how I'd play it

[mentalcase]

Drameh may regret his decision to go out on loan to Cardiff though it should be good experience for him. If Cody struggles down there, where does that leave his career? Didn't he leave Fulham for similar reasons or did we poach him?

Forshaw's contribution has been immense, especially with Kalvin unavailable, Klich out of form & Dallas having to cover in both full-back positions.

We still need to strengthen our midfield possibly with a decent loan signing in the current window, with a quality goalscoring midfielder signed in the summer.

Wonderful strike from Max Dean & a good prospect however this season in the PL is far too soon for him. We all witnessed how Greenwood struggled last Sunday.

As I remember it was a bit of both, I expect he was (falsely) promised he would be in good stead for the right back slot as his career progressed, however, with MB's insistence in putting other players in that position when Ayling was injured, it didn't sit well with Drameh who obviously feels like he's going backwards in the U23s.
He was described as a fantastic talent for the future when we got him, he and his agent feel let down.
Anyway, we still have a chance of getting him back if we choose, his career at 7 winless games for Cardiff continues.

[YorkshireSquare]

First team or first team squad? ... Everyone fit, does Struijk start? Kalvin starts over him at DMF, Koch and Llorente and probably Coop at CB. LB might be his best way in or a second holding mid maybe.

For me he replaces the captain as the left sided CB next to Koch, Llorente and Coop on the bench. But that's just how I'd play it

Squad currently, though it can't be long befoe he is one of the first choice centre backs

[The Subhuman]

Squad currently, though it can't be long befoe he is one of the first choice centre backs

You'd think but there was a stat recently how bad we are without Llorente, we know Koch is class, Coop surely plays when he's fit and while MB is here, he's his captain. Then there's Cresswell and Hjelde breathing down his neck

Struijk's best chance maybe is to beat out Firpo for the LB position or displace Kalvin, pushing Kalvin to the 8

[YorkshireSquare]

You'd think but there was a stat recently how bad we are without Llorente, we know Koch is class, Coop surely plays when he's fit and while MB is here, he's his captain. Then there's Cresswell and Hjelde breathing down his neck

Struijk's best chance maybe is to beat out Firpo for the LB position or displace Kalvin, pushing Kalvin to the 8

I'm not sure how Bielsa regards Cresswell, seems to think of him as someone to come on to deal with big lads

[The Subhuman]

Think he regards him as he does all the kids, as kids that need slow introduction to the big league

[Carrick Dave]

We need to keep, play and progress Struijk, Hjelde & Cresswell into the first team over the next 2 years as they are the long-term future.

In that time-frame Coops is gone, along with Forshaw, Klich & Stuart Dallas, offering options for Koch in midfield.

I have a bad feeling Kalvin might be offski too - hope I’m wrong.