The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 22nd April) - Go for it against Bournemouth or have half an eye on Wembley?

[YorkshireSquare]

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 22nd April, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...

Go for it or have half an eye on Wembley?

Tonight’s trip to the Vitality Stadium will be no walk in the park. Bournemouth are on an extraordinary run of 13 Premier League games unbeaten. Just ten days ago they went to the Emirates and beat Arsenal 2-1, a result that underlined just how dangerous they can be. This is not a side that will do Leeds any favours. Remarkably, despite their run, Bournemouth haven't won a home league game since January, so it wouldn’t be a total surprise if Leeds could nick something. Leeds are also unbeaten in eight consecutive away games in all competitions, a run stretching back to St James' Park in January.

The big question is whether Farke rotates with Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley looming large. It's a fascinating tactical quandary, do you go for it and try to secure a future in the Premier League, or do you look after key bodies? Farke has set the team out to start off positively in the last two games, it’d brought results, and you'd back him to name a strong side and go for it given the momentum. But would you be surprised to see one or two familiar faces rested with Wembley in mind?

Is Noah Okafor our most important player right now?

There's a strong case to be made that Noah Okafor is the most important player at Leeds right now. The former AC Milan man has scored five goals in his last five league games, including a brace in the famous 2-1 win at Old Trafford. Both of Leeds' away league wins this season have come in matches where Okafor has been on the scoresheet. In a team built on hard work and organisation, Okafor may have had his work rate questioned in the past, but he is the one providing the moments of genuine quality that are turning draws into wins.

Farke clearly sees the danger in letting Okafor get carried away, though. The German was measured in his praise this week, urging the Swiss forward to stay "humble and hungry" and reminding him that the attacking players need to think beyond goals and assists; pressing, workload off the ball, helping the wing-backs. It's the kind of man-management that suggests Farke is determined not to let his hot streak go to his head. Whether it's a quiet warning or simply good coaching, it tells you Okafor is now central enough to the team that keeping his head in the right place matters. Is Okafor one of your first names on the team sheet right now?

How many more points do we actually need?

On paper, Leeds are in a very comfortable position. The Whites sit on 39 points, eight clear of Tottenham in 18th place. No side in Premier League history has ever been relegated after reaching 39 points by matchday 33, so statistically it's virtually done. Opta currently gives Leeds just a 0.43% chance of relegation following the win over Wolves, which is about as close to zero as it gets. With five games remaining, you'd think a single point from the trip to Bournemouth or at home game against Burnley would be enough to make it official. Realistically, 40 or 41 points should be the magic number.

The real question is whether the teams below us can make a late charge. Spurs have taken just six points from their last 15 matches and have still not won a Premier League game in 2026. Under Roberto De Zerbi, they led Brighton 2-1 before Leeds old boy Georginio Rutter broke Spurs hearts with a stoppage-time equaliser, leaving them two points behind West Ham with five games to play. Overhauling an eight-point gap in that time would be a near-miracle given their form, and West Ham haven't been convincing enough themselves to suggest they can do it either. Leeds still have to face both of them before the end of the season, but hopefully we'll have done enough by then to make both games a formality.

[YorkshireSquare]

I say we go for it early on tonight, it's served us well for the last two games. Okafor being key to that.

Difficult to know what West Ham and Spurs might do, unlikely they will both go on the kind of run they haven't done all season but I'd like another three points!

[Irish Ian]

Morning all.

Tonight has almost no jeopardy attached to it.

Nmecha up front if fit, or Piroe.
Bournemouth like a game of basketball so play Gnonto too.
Rest Aaronson as Sunday will probably go to 120 minutes.

[Madron]

There's a good chance we might get nothing even with our best starting line up.
I'd rest a few for the big juicy peach on Sunday.
You never know Willy, Longstaff etc might pull off a shock.
Maybe even give Buonanonte a start

[Clitheroe White]

Tonight we should go for it and get this put to bed, but if we don't win that's ok too.

For me 1 win and we're safely home and feels good we got there positively. Whilst a couple of draws will also do it I'd rather see us romp past the post.

For what it's worth I still think we will win 5 out of 5 remaining league matches.

[1964white]

There's a good chance we might get nothing even with our best starting line up.
I'd rest a few for the big juicy peach on Sunday.
You never know Willy, Longstaff etc might pull off a shock.
Maybe even give Buonanonte a start

I'm unsure if Farke will rest a few.

[YorkshireSquare]

For what it's worth I still think we will win 5 out of 5 remaining league matches.

Are you a Leeds fan?

[1964white]

Morning all.

Tonight has almost no jeopardy attached to it.

Nmecha up front if fit, or Piroe.
Bournemouth like a game of basketball so play Gnonto too.
Rest Aaronson as Sunday will probably go to 120 minutes.

Piroe???

[Tom the Cat]

Take the game to Bournemouth from the start and try for an early goal - if we sit back we will almost certainly loose. Another point will almost certainly avoid relegation which must be the prime objective. Getting to the Cup Final would be great but would be the icing on the cake, not the cake, if you see what I mean.

[1964white]

Piroe???

We need plenty of energy against a vibriant Bournemouth team.

[weasel]

Would field a strong line-up tonight with 1 or 2 changes at the most. I doubt the players would want to be rested unless they had knocks. They will want to completely alleviate all relegation fears and whilst even a win wouldn't mathematically do that it would need an extraordinary turnaround for us to go down with 42 points. A draw would be a fantastic result too and edge us closer.

Not losing is a good habit to get into regardless of the opposition, the compatition, the neccesity of it etc. Am sure the players would rather go into the cup semi final on the back of a good result than a poor one, regardless of what team was fielded.

Beat Bournemouth and there is absolutley no reason not to then completely focus on the cup match and give it their all. Lose to Bournemouth and if other results go against us then even though we will still be in a good position it will still be in the players minds during the cup match.

[Chilli D]

It isn't in Farke's nature to rest players. I'm expecting him to go with his strongest side tonight and possibly makes changes on Sunday. Remember, Perri has played all the FA Cup games so he will almost certainly start at Wembley.

[billysboots]

I would like another 3 points tonight so a strong team for me, we can go into the game on Sunday more relaxed.

[Clitheroe White]

Are you a Leeds fan?

Love it - yes but an optimistic one. Joking aside we seem to have found a flow, be free of fear and pressing teams so well. I genuinely won't be surprised if we win most or all of our remaining matches.

[Sean_Nile]

Leeds are falling apart again, For years, the phrase “Leeds are doing a Leeds” carried the emotional weight of a storm cloud over Elland Road.

It meant chaos creeping in just when clarity was needed, a stumble at the worst possible moment, a kind of footballing déjà vu that fans knew all too well.

But under Daniel Farke, that phrase has been quietly rewritten. What once signalled collapse now feels like the prelude to resilience. The tension is still there, the drama hasn’t vanished, but instead of folding under pressure, this Leeds side seems to sharpen in it, turning those familiar moments of doubt into something far more dangerous for their opponents.

It’s less a tactical tweak and more a cultural inversion, a shift in the club’s emotional DNA. Where “doing a Leeds” used to hint at failure lurking around the corner, it now suggests a team that bends without breaking, that thrives in the very scenarios that used to undo them.

Under Farke, adversity has become a kind of fuel rather than a trigger for collapse. So when the old phrase surfaces now, it carries a different energy entirely... not dread, but a strange, growing belief that Leeds might just pull off something improbable and walk away stronger for it.

The mentality has changed, let Leeds do a Leeds but in this new way, grabbing the victory against the odds.

[ruttermania]

There has been a lot of criticism at times when Farke has spoken about the importance of maintaining the squad spirit and evaluating the character of potential buys with that in mind . There is a resilience and belief which originates from DF and is imbued into the squad particularly with the leadership of Ampadu . Those who pooh poohed the comments and thought it was simply cover for the ownership not splashing the cash for the sake of it might look at that again. There are several very expensively assembled squads in the mix for relegation where there is a total lack of character and spirit .Indeed our next FA Cup opponents exemplify the failings of a recruitment process which fails look at that vital indefinable character which is essential for success but can't be captured in the stats. Keep the run going, start tonight with the same energy and verve as the last few games and anything is possible.

[Orange Box]

Surely we have reached the point in the season where we have the energy the go strong for two games in five days? In the Championship they are already 10/11 games further played than us, and we handled that no problem last season.

To steal a phrase - go big or go home.

[The Subhuman]

We just play the game as a normal league game, best team we can put out.. then ditto Sunday

[YorkshireSquare]

Do you give Rodon plenty of minutes with a view to him starting Sunday?

Or do you stick with Justin in the back three?

[The Subhuman]

Do you give Rodon plenty of minutes with a view to him starting Sunday?

Or do you stick with Justin in the back three?

Yes, if he's fit, he plays.