Marching On Together

Saturday 21st August 15:00 | Elland Road


A jam packed Elland Road will be home to Leeds opening game of the season against Everton on Saturday afternoon. The Whites will want to forget the mauling they received at Old Trafford last weekend, and are boosted by the return of Kalvin Phillips. The inspirational England midfielder was benched against the Reds as Bielsa decided the 25 year old was not in peak condition following his late return from international duty. Junior Firpo is set to make his Elland Road league debut following his £13m transfer from Barcelona but Diego Llorente is still sidelined with a thigh injury. He is responding well to treatment and could be back in contention in a fortnights time.

We know that Bielsa does not like to rotate his starting line up but with Phillips and Firpo back in contention he will stick with the central defensive partnership of Cooper and Strujik. Bielsa usually favours a right foot/left foot combination and young Strujik did look uncomfortable playing on the right hand side of the defence but he will retain his place ahead of German International Robin Koch. Firpo starting means Stuart Dallas is free to return to midfield alongside Klich in the middle of midfield. Rodrigo is dropped to the bench.




Everton will be full of confidence having comfortably beating Southampton last weekend. Manager Rafael Benitez is unlikely to tinker too much with the starting line up, he will still be without Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Ben Godfrey, Andre Gomes and James Rodriguez. Though forward Moise Kean is available again, having missed the win over Southampton because of covid-related reasons. Everton are aiming to remain unbeaten in their opening two Premier League matches for the 10th successive season. They last lost their season-opening away league fixture in 2010-11, when beaten at Blackburn Rovers.

Both league meetings were won by the away team last season. The away side had won just one of the previous 27 top-flight matches between the teams. After 36 league visits to Elland Road without a victory, Everton have won two of their past three away games at Leeds. Leeds' only defeat in their past 16 opening home matches of a top-flight season came against Sheffield Wednesday in 1996-97. They haven't lost their first two games of a top-flight campaign since 1980-81. Raphinha could become just the second Leeds player to score in three consecutive appearances against Everton in all competitions. Peter Lorimer did it between November 1975 and January 1978.

I'll be there and will be expecting a massive upturn in proceedings from last saturday.
A big partisan crowd, hopefully the players wont bottle it, will be great to be back.

The lads will be out for blood, in front of that ER crowd I think we'll get a result.

Two very tight games last season and I expect the same this time. I hope we can nick it but wouldn't be surprised at a 1-1 scoreline

Shame about Llorente but I'd rather we rested him until after the international break.

I'm hoping MB will go with:

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Cooper
Firpo
Phillips
Dallas
Klich
Raphinha
Bamford
Harrison

Subs:
Klaesson
Struijk
Cresswell
Rodrigo
Costa
Roberts
Shackleton
Gelhardt
Summerville

White Riot wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:52 am Shame about Llorente but I'd rather we rested him until after the international break.

I'm hoping MB will go with:

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Cooper
Firpo
Phillips
Dallas
Klich
Raphinha
Bamford
Harrison

Subs:
Klaesson
Struijk
Cresswell
Rodrigo
Costa
Roberts
Shackleton
Gelhardt
Summerville

same

no phillips, no possibility of even getting a result imo

danhirons wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 11:53 am same

no phillips, no possibility of even getting a result imo

Yeah, we could get another running if KP is left out again

White Riot wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:52 am Shame about Llorente but I'd rather we rested him until after the international break.

I'm hoping MB will go with:

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Cooper
Firpo
Phillips
Dallas
Klich
Raphinha
Bamford
Harrison

Subs:
Klaesson
Struijk
Cresswell
Rodrigo
Costa
Roberts
Shackleton
Gelhardt
Summerville

I would have Struijk in over Cooper, he's two footed. If Phillips does play then it will be interesting to see who MB goes with out of Koch & Struijk. He won't drop Coops just yet.

Benitez on Bielsa, transfers, and covid.

https://youtu.be/0U4kPjlX3WQ

Leeds1000 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 20, 2021 3:51 pm I would have Struijk in over Cooper, he's two footed. If Phillips does play then it will be interesting to see who MB goes with out of Koch & Struijk. He won't drop Coops just yet.

Yeah, he'll stick with Cooper and he did have the most successful tackles in the EPL last week, equal with Canos. Struijk also got roasted for pace by Greenwood. But I prefer to keep faith with Struijk as he's our future. Koch and Struijk may need a confidence boost after last weekend, and playing in their natural positions with KP protecting them could provide that.

This has probably already been mentioned, some of our newer members of the squad have never played in a full ER.

Would love a win before a full house today! Make it happen boys. MOT.

My biggest fear today is will the lads cope with a vociferous croud should things not be going to plan. A defeat today and already the daggers will be out. Praying for a win .

Sent from my moto g(9) plus using Tapatalk

Will need a far better performance than we have managed all pre season and vs Manure.

Hopefully a full house will inspire the players.

Could have the opposite effect of course.

Players need to justify the piss poor transfer window somehow

The first ninety minutes are the most important.

B. Robson

Phillips has got to play - come on Leeds

rab_rant wrote: ↑Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:36 am The first ninety minutes are the most important.

B. Robson

The last nine minutes of injury time are the most important.
A. Ferguson (allegedly)

Get a second goal before the opposition equalise's is very ,very important. ( D. Blanchflower).
And he knew the way to success.

No Robin Koch at all leaving us with the mis-matched defensive partnership again. Kalvin back, Firpo starts. Rodders not starting