The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 17th September) - Wilks rips Leeds apart & Phil Hay gives full transfer update

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. Its Thursday 17th September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Wilks rips Leeds apart

Leeds were knocked out of the Carabao Cup last night following a tense penalty shootout which the Tigers won 9-8. This was after Alioski spared Leeds blushes by scoring a last gasp equalizer, only their second shot on target against our League 1 neighbours.

Former academy player Malik Wilkes looked the most dangerous, and it was the 21 year old that put Grant McCann's side ahead in just 5 minutes, albeit from a wicked deflection off Cresswell which gave Casilla no chance. After the game Bielsa said...

It wasn't a very good game from our team, we didn't defend well or attack well. We would have liked to have continued in the competition, I am sad we were eliminated, I feel responsible for the defeat.

With our preparation for this game we thought that we were going to do more than we did. When a coach picks a team… I picked the team thinking they would have enough to beat Hull but when the team didn't have enough to beat Hull, I feel like I am responsible for the defeat.

The team was built with players that should have shown a better performance. The deficiencies in the team were because they couldn't gel together.

Phil Hay gives full transfer update

With 18 days until the transfer window slams shut, Former Chief Football writer for the YEP, Phil Hay gives a full update as to where Leeds presently stand in the transfer market!

Leeds like De Paul but you'll have noticed that since the name first emerged, they haven't piled in to get a deal done. They've been holding off and likewise with Gvardio.

The money is there in the sense that the budget would stretch but in both cases it's a judgement about whether the money is worth spending. De Paul will cost £35m unless Udinese lower their asking price. Gvardiol is £20m and he wouldn't be first choice (although that could still be an excellent investment for the future). Gvardiol is still possible but Bielsa was very taken by Struijk at Anfield.

As for Harry Wilson, Orta is always hugely keen on him but Bielsa hasn't sanctioned a move for him yet. I get the impression that Bielsa thinks more of Ryan Kent.

Is our young talent as good as we think they are?

Having been outclassed at home to Hull, obliterated by Accrington Stanley and embarrassed by Stoke; many Leeds fans raised their concern regarding the strength of squad at Elland Road.

We saw the Whites get ripped apart last night. Only Poveda, Shackleton and Aioski (imo) gaining any respectability from the game. Last Thursday we witnessed our multi million pound U23's get trounced at Stoke. Former Borussia Dortmund Gabriel Kyeremateng grabbing all four goals for the Potters - not bad for a freebee! Our worst defeat however was when Bielsa decided to switch our 23's for the u18's to give the more experienced players game time against the first team. Sure, their was an enormous gulf in age between the two teams but with the talent on display to conceded 7 without reply against a team tipped for relegation back to the fourth tier is unacceptable!

Thoughts?





Will it be Wilson, will it be Kent - You'll have to wait and see

Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta are at loggerheads as to which forward they should sign. We all know that Bielsa has had his eye on Rangers and former Liverpool forward Ryan Kent since he arrived at Elland Road two years ago! However, Leeds Director of football Victor Orta prefers Harry Wilson. Which one would you like to see at Elland Road?





Bielsa criticised for making Casilla Captain

Marcelo Bielsa has come in for criticism last night for making Kiko Casilla Captain for their Carabao Cup tie against Hull. The 33 year old shot stopper has been out of favour at Elland Road since he received an eight game ban for (probably) using racist language towards Jonathan Leko a year ago! Should Leeds have terminated the Spaniards contact when he received the ban or are you of the belief that because the guilty verdict would not have stood up in a British Court of law, people should get behind Casilla instead of criticising him? Phil Hay gave an update on the Casilla situation...

Casilla increasingly looks like he's staying. No offers of note, he's on a fairly sizeable wage (£35k a week or thereabouts). Also, there doesn't seem to be any rush on Bielsa's part to move him on and Bielsa has complete autonomy when it comes to managing the squad.

[mothbanquet]

Let's get the Kiko thing out of the way first. He was found guilty of using racist language, but not of being a racist. That's an important distinction. He served his sentence, the matter should be closed. That judgement provided by people with access to far, far more information than us have should be enough - he made a mistake and has paid for it. I'm not so high and mighty that I'm going to consider someone persona non grata for making a mistake, if that logic was applied to me then I'd have no friends left in the world.

Now I've calmed down a bit, I can see pretty much everyone was right about last night. Bielsa is taking all the blame personally, which is to be expected. Yes, I know he picked the team thinking they would be enough to beat Hull. Honestly, I thought they should've done too. Lack of pre season and match sharpness is also a strong factor, and he should've known the effect it would have. I'm not denying any of that.

But again, if I saw maximum effort from the lads then they would've been absolved. I didn't and they aren't. Alioski flat out admitted they were lazy and sloppy. There's no excuse in this club now for not running into space, for not running onto a pass, for just standing there expecting someone else to do the work. I saw way too much of that last night and it was a shock because we're just not used to seeing that sort of thing. I can't fully blame the young uns, mental strength and stamina comes with time and experience, but that's where the seniors on the pitch should have stepped up and taken charge. They looked worse than the youth players.

Poveda was exciting, dazzling at times. Folk saying he's too lightweight, got pushed off the ball - that only started happening towards the end, when he was probably thinking "Why the hell am I the only one putting effort in?" For the best part of the game he was beating his man with ease, beating two men with ease, even got cornered by three of theirs and still managed to find a pass to Shacks. With Ayling behind and Klich at his side, he wouldn't have been touched all night.

Kent or Wilson? Don't care, Bielsa will turn them into something else entirely so it's silly judging by current standards.

[Byebyegeegee]

We have lost 4 games out of 4 so far this season in all competitions, I hope losing isn’t becoming a habit!

Ryan Kent or Harry Wilson? If Marcelo wants Kent and Victor wants Wilson, then give me Kent any day.

[Eireleeds1]

Last night was a disgrace. We got what we deserved. Showed neither the opposition or the competition any respect. Even a rubbish Villa team made the final last season thanks to fielding a strong team in each round and a lucky draw. We had a very winnable third round draw coming up against West Ham. Do we now repeat this in FA Cup third round. I love Bielsa as much as anyone but he dropped a massive clanger last night. At least well have the minimum number of fixtures to contend with this season and can hopefully get going with a win against Fulham. Casilla for me? No comment

[The Subhuman]

Wilson is better than Kent for sure, played at a higher level as well. But Bielsa will only work with one of them it seems so I'd have to say Kent I guess.

[The Subhuman]

Not commenting on the performance last night except I saw the 11 and thought this is Hull's game to lose.

[Irish Ian]

Morning Folks. Kent won't be coming we should forget it.

On Saturday I thought we were light defensively on the bench. At 3-3 I'd have hoped to shore us up but there wasn't any options.
Last night illustrated how off we were, but these are the kids who won their comp two seasons back....

Last night also I thought the mix was wrong.
Two inexperience should be linked to not only experience but ability.
Kiko
Alu
Douglas and probably Roberts soon are all subs. Bit part players unless injury strikes, I reckon we needed a bit more help for the young uns.

[billysboots]

Bielsa is disappointed with the early exit, he wanted to use this competition to try out fringe players in a competitive environment.

[mothbanquet]

We have lost 4 games out of 4 so far this season in all competitions, I hope losing isn’t becoming a habit!

An oversimplification, mate. Different games with different circumstances and even different teams. I'll reserve that mindset for after we've played Fulham. The league, ultimately, is the be all and end all.

[weasel]

Let's get the Kiko thing out of the way first. He was found guilty of using racist language, but not of being a racist. That's an important distinction. He served his sentence, the matter should be closed. That judgement provided by people with access to far, far more information than us have should be enough - he made a mistake and has paid for it. I'm not so high and mighty that I'm going to consider someone persona non grata for making a mistake, if that logic was applied to me then I'd have no friends left in the world.

Now I've calmed down a bit, I can see pretty much everyone was right about last night. Bielsa is taking all the blame personally, which is to be expected. Yes, I know he picked the team thinking they would be enough to beat Hull. Honestly, I thought they should've done too. Lack of pre season and match sharpness is also a strong factor, and he should've known the effect it would have. I'm not denying any of that.

But again, if I saw maximum effort from the lads then they would've been absolved. I didn't and they aren't. Alioski flat out admitted they were lazy and sloppy. There's no excuse in this club now for not running into space, for not running onto a pass, for just standing there expecting someone else to do the work. I saw way too much of that last night and it was a shock because we're just not used to seeing that sort of thing. I can't fully blame the young uns, mental strength and stamina comes with time and experience, but that's where the seniors on the pitch should have stepped up and taken charge. They looked worse than the youth players.

Poveda was exciting, dazzling at times. Folk saying he's too lightweight, got pushed off the ball - that only started happening towards the end, when he was probably thinking "Why the hell am I the only one putting effort in?" For the best part of the game he was beating his man with ease, beating two men with ease, even got cornered by three of theirs and still managed to find a pass to Shacks. With Ayling behind and Klich at his side, he wouldn't have been touched all night.

Kent or Wilson? Don't care, Bielsa will turn them into something else entirely so it's silly judging by current standards.

Excellent post agree with all of it.

I am watching the case in France with interest where Neymar has accused a spanish player of racism. For me it is too easy for someone to say someone is racist without needing any proof. Don't forget that in the Kiko case out of all the players on the pitch, the officials, any subs warming up, ball boys etc only 1 person heard something that they thought was racist. Not even with the aid of lipreaders could they actually say he said anything racist. It is flimsy to say the least and if Kiko's teammates or Bielsa thought he was racist then they would have got rid of him. Now we have the case where Neymar is suggesting he was racially abused and it will be interesting to see what happens.

[Ellandback1]

Excellent post agree with all of it.

I am watching the case in France with interest where Neymar has accused a spanish player of racism. For me it is too easy for someone to say someone is racist without needing any proof. Don't forget that in the Kiko case out of all the players on the pitch, the officials, any subs warming up, ball boys etc only 1 person heard something that they thought was racist. Not even with the aid of lipreaders could they actually say he said anything racist. It is flimsy to say the least and if Kiko's teammates or Bielsa thought he was racist then they would have got rid of him. Now we have the case where Neymar is suggesting he was racially abused and it will be interesting to see what happens.

Weasel, I completely and utterly agree with you 100 percent.There is not one Court in this Country that would have convicted Casilla because they can't convict on probability, only facts.

[rrfierce]

I'm more concerned about kikos ability than whether he's racist. He contributed to the hull goal by giving them the ball . He played better second half, but he's a backup keeper at best that always prone to error.

The rest of the team had shockers including bielsa. He did it last year at Stoke with the same result.

You cant change every player and expect the. To gel , that team will probably never play together again and nor should it.

Hopefully this prompts is to spend some money as our fringe players are simply not good enough. Not investing will almost certainly mean we go back down.

[Irish Ian]

Kent won't be a Leeds player.
We wouldn't cough for him last time.

[Sara]

I wouldn't mind Wilson. His dead ball skills are exceptional, something we lack, and I expect Bielsa world get more out of his general game. He seems like a hard worker, so should continue to improve.

[mothbanquet]

I wouldn't mind Wilson. His dead ball skills are exceptional, something we lack, and I expect Bielsa world get more out of his general game. He seems like a hard worker, so should continue to improve.

I feel the same Sara, not really sure where all the criticism comes from honestly. Thought he looked best (or one of) of a bad bunch when he played for Bournemouth last season.

[lufc1304]

Despite the boss favouring Kent, I'd prefer Wilson too. Has Prem experience, good dead ball skills and Liverpool's previous reluctance to sell him suggests they think he has something.

[weasel]

I'm more concerned about kikos ability than whether he's racist. He contributed to the hull goal by giving them the ball . He played better second half, but he's a backup keeper at best that always prone to error.

He played a good quick fizzed pass but the player it went to stood watching as if they'd never seen a football in their life. Same pass to Dallas or Harrison and they take it and drive us up the field like we did many times with breakaway goals/chances last season.

[Chilli D]

I'm one of the few on her who rate Kent. Admittedly he's only playing in the SPL but he's quick and scores goals. I'd be happy if we got him.
Wilson looked good when he played Derby bot didn't stand out last season. Plus I don't know if I can forgive him for setting up the winner in the play off game.
I'd still prefer Rhian Brewster though if Liverpool are prepared to let him leave.

Last night was embarrassing and hugely disappointing but its gone now and as others have said, the league is the main priority.
I hope a stronger side is fielded in the FA Cup, whoever we are drawn against.

[mothbanquet]

Last night was embarrassing and hugely disappointing but its gone now and as others have said, the league is the main priority.
I hope a stronger side is fielded in the FA Cup, whoever we are drawn against.

I've got a funny feeling Bielsa will be taking last night to heart. I don't expect the whole first team but I doubt he'll leave it to chance next time.

[onemoreslogan]

Guys, y'all need to settle down.

Fullham is a must win game if we are going to stay up. Playing starters to beat Hull three days prior would be madness. The lineup that did play could have done better sure, but it is very tall order to play with any rhythm, coordination, or chemistry when they've never been together in a competitive match before. They did well to come back and take it to pens.