The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 13th November) - Leeds plot Firpo successor

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 13th November and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Leeds plot Firpo successor

Leeds interest in Archie Brown, the left-back from Gent, appears to be intensifying as the Winter transfer window draws near. With Junior Firpo expecting to return to Spain next Summer, the Whites are looking for a long term successor for the No 3 shirt. At 22, Brown still has bags of potential whilst closing in on 50 appearances for the Belgian Pro League giants.

His contract with Wouter Vrancken's side doesn't expire until 2027, but that has not put off potential suitors from England, including Leeds to track his progress. Brown has real pace, and is physically strong on the ball. He loves to get forward down the left flank whilst also taking his defensive duties seriously. Not sure where this leaves Isaac Schmidt, unless they keep him as a utility player

The Whites are also believed to be keeping tabs on Sunderland full-back Dennis Cirkin, though much will depend on whether the Black Cats can keep up the pace at the top of the Championship come January, and are willing to negotiate on their £15m appraisal.





Fans divided by Rothwell influence

Since being given his chance to shine, Bournemouth loanee Joe Rothwell has more than covered his costs at Leeds Utd. The former Manchester Utd rookie was thrown into action following injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilea Gruev alongside fellow new recruit AO Tanaka. Together they have provided better attacking statistics than the defensively minded first choice pair, prompting murmurs that returning where they left off may not be as straight forward as once thought, even though many fans still see Rothwell as a temporary stop gap!

If Leeds do make it back to the top flight, they will need experience, and with over 250 first team appearances Rothwell offers consistency, reliability as well as mastering set-piece duties. Failure to build properly, and callously get rid of the stragglers can be costly, as Southampton, routed to the bottom of the Premier League are finding out! Rothwell is surplus to requirements at Bournemouth, and will be a free agent next Summer. Is he doing enough to win a permanent deal should Leeds win promotion this season?

[CUSSIE01]

Morning EB, I reckon Firpo will be gone at the end of the season regardless of where we finish. A good Championship player but if we get promoted he isn’t good enough defensively and if we don’t get to the Promised Land he probably won’t want to stay so the club are doing the right thing in looking at replacements now.

Joe has done a great job in stepping up when we needed him and will give DF a welcome selection headache when Amps & Gruev come back. As for a possible Premiership place in the squad it all depends on the 69’ers ambitions and how much they’re willing to spend to bolster the team but we’re not going to be able to buy a whole new squad so will most likely have to rely on players like Joe on the bench.

[Sean_Nile]

Rothwell has yet to embrace the fine Leeds tradition of on-field aggression. Unlike Firpo, who has at least managed to lob a few unorthodox "headers" at his opponents, Rothwell seems to think Leeds can rise to glory through a scandal-free style of play. He needs to be educated in the playing style and tactics of Giles, Bremner, and Charlton, who was not opposed to standing on peoples toes to prevent them jumping for a header at a corner.

Now, one might say he's letting the whole city down by not adding a bit of edge, perhaps a nudge here and there, a cheeky scuffle. It appears as a player he has not been coached in the dark arts of blind siding the referee to take advantage. He needs a gentle reminder of Leeds’ proud legacy of fiery intensity.
But alas, there he is, staying on the right side of the referee, and where’s the fun in that? He is not Batty boy. The swift runs, pirouettes and Jeté jumps would be more at home at the Royal Ballet than Elland Road

[mentalcase]

Morning all.
Yea get rid of firpo for me, if we get promoted he's nowhere near good enough for the step up, but he won't be on his own on that account.
Sunderland won't want to sell to us, just like they kept hold of Kai whatsischops.
Rothwell is doing fine, also a lot more experience than people realise, good squad player, but at the moment, him and Tanaka are literally dragging the whole team forward, whereas Ampadu and the crab like Gruev don't.
Nice to see the "dead-ball" touch EB, at least some of us see it.

[Chilli D]

I don't know anything about Archie Brown but I see he was a product of Derby's youth set up before moving to Lausanne in Switzerland.
Dennis Cirkin on the other hand is decent but being able to get him will depend on us getting promoted and Sunderland not.

I've been impressed with Joe Rothwell so far. Very rarely misplaces a pass and gets forward with surging runs. He's doing a good job alongside Tanaka so DF will have a selection headache when Ampadu and Gruev return, not to mention Guillavogi.

[Ellandback1]

HAPPY 81ST BIRTHDAY TO A REAL LEGEND

[Ellandback1]

Morning all.
Yea get rid of firpo for me, if we get promoted he's nowhere near good enough for the step up, but he won't be on his own on that account.
Sunderland won't want to sell to us, just like they kept hold of Kai whatsischops.
Rothwell is doing fine, also a lot more experience than people realise, good squad player, but at the moment, him and Tanaka are literally dragging the whole team forward, whereas Ampadu and the crab like Gruev don't.
Nice to see the "dead-ball" touch EB, at least some of us see it.

It used to be so exciting to watch players like Harte and Dorigo take set pieces...

[mentalcase]

HAPPY 81ST BIRTHDAY TO A REAL LEGEND

Indeed, happy birthday to him, one of only 2 managers in my lifetime to win the top division of the time, proper legend.
I know, lets forget him and talk about someone who won the division lower down, oh, he did that as well.

[andrewjohnsmith]

There are many in our squad that would be questionable at premier league level. Since you can't overhaul a full squad over night, you have to work with many of them. Firpo and Rothwell most likely won't be part of that squad. Rothwell is on loan. Firpo's contract is up.

Happy Birthday to Sgt. Wilko!

[Ellandback1]

There are many in our squad that would be questionable at premier league level. Since you can't overhaul a full squad over night, you have to work with many of them. Firpo and Rothwell most likely won't be part of that squad. Rothwell is on loan. Firpo's contract is up.

Happy Birthday to Sgt. Wilko!

Rothwell will be a freebee at the end of the season!!!

[1964white]

It used to be so exciting to watch players like Harte and Dorigo take set pieces...

It wasn't pleasurable watching Ian Harte defend.

[1964white]

There are many in our squad that would be questionable at premier league level. Since you can't overhaul a full squad over night, you have to work with many of them. Firpo and Rothwell most likely won't be part of that squad. Rothwell is on loan. Firpo's contract is up.

Happy Birthday to Sgt. Wilko!

We have some good bench players for the PL.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Rothwell will be a freebee at the end of the season!!!

Our central midfield plans next year start with Ampadu, Gruev and Tanaka (under contract). If we're still championship, Rothwell would be a good addition. If we're in the premier league, we should be signing better than what we already have.

[andrewjohnsmith]

We have some good bench players for the PL.

"If" we get promoted, we should be looking to add players that are better than what we already have. Rothwell and Firpo would only be bench players. Which makes little sense in re-signing them.

[Ellandback1]

It wasn't pleasurable watching Ian Harte defend.

Yeah, his lack of pace was disturbing. He did really well late in his career as a centre back / midfielder!!!

[Ellandback1]

Who should we keep?

[mentalcase]

It wasn't pleasurable watching Ian Harte defend.

No it wasn't, but a lot of that wa down to kewell refusing to backtrack and help him out.

[mentalcase]

"If" we get promoted, we should be looking to add players that are better than what we already have. Rothwell and Firpo would only be bench players. Which makes little sense in re-signing them.

Where have we said this before though AJS, same old story with our owners, lets try wing it and see where we are later, then blame it on the manager etc etc.

[1964white]

No it wasn't, but a lot of that wa down to kewell refusing to backtrack and help him out.

Neither could defend.

Harte had the pace of a Scarborough donkey.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Who should we keep?


squad.jpg

Assuming promotion, it really comes down to contracts. We will lose anyone out of contract and anyone here on loan. Everyone else should form part of the squad. Replacements for those we lose should be better quality than we have already.