The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 14th January) - Can Leeds afford to wait to strengthen?

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Friday 14th January, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road..


Can we afford to wait?

Leeds haven't signed a central midfielder since Lewis Baker on loan during the Summer of 2018. The last permanent addition was Adam Forshaw 207 weeks ago. With just over two weeks left of the transfer window, do Leeds need to strengthen their squad (particularly in midfield) or can they afford to wait until the Summer to start the rebuilding process?

Many clubs in the bottom half of the top flight have been significantly busier than ourselves this month. Whilst we can all agree that it's more difficult to find targets in January, are the club gambling with our top flight status by waiting?





Leeds in hot pursuit of Oldham starlet

Leeds are closing in on Oldham Athletic defender Benny Couto, according to the Telegraph. Portugal-born Couto has broken through the youth ranks at Boundary Park this season, and become a first team regular. He is 18yo, and predominantly plays as a left back.
A fee of around 1 m is expected to be enough to tie the deal up, with Couto expecting to be loaned straight back to Oldham to continue his development.





Rodrigo unlikely to feature at West Ham

Leeds journalist Phil Hay has doubts whether Rodrigo will be fit enough to feature against West Ham on Sunday. The soon-to-be 31yo has been sidelined with a heel injury since the end of November, and will need to regain his fitness before Bielsa throws him back into the first team. Since arriving at Elland Road 18 months ago, Rodrigo has featured only 38 times, and has nine goals to his name. According to Hay...

There was a bit of talk earlier in the week that Rodrigo might be ok. But Rodrigo hasn’t played since the end of November so given Bielsa’s track record, it would be a little bit of a surprise to see him get bombed in straight away at West Ham. It’s pointless trying to guess Leeds’ injuries until Bielsa’s press conference is held.

Duo sign professional deals

Youngsters Kris Moore and Harry Christy have penned professional contracts at Thorp Arch. The pair have been in impressive form for the under 18's, and have both been rewarded with two and a half year terms. Centre back Moore has featured 14 times for Leeds’ Under-23s in Premier League 2 and has been named on the bench by Marcelo Bielsa for the first team three times this season. Shot stopper Christy has been first choice between the sticks for the under-18s, making 12 appearances this term.

[Chilli D]

It sounds like no-one from our current injury list will be available this weekend and add Llorente's suspension to that, we are in deep shite.
I expect Dan James will be given the CF role.
The team will probably be something like;

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Hjelde
Firpo
Raphinha
Dallas
Forshaw
Klich
Harrison
James

Absolutely no idea if we will sign anyone, nothing seems imminent.

[HarryofOz]

Many clubs in the bottom half of the top flight have been significantly busier than ourselves this month.

Southampton

1 in, 5 out

Crystal Palace

1 in, 2 out

Brentford

1 in, 2 out

Aston Villa

2 in, 5 out

Everton

3 in, 1 out

Watford

4 in, 1 out

Burnley

0 in, 3 out

Newcastle

2 in, out

Norwich

0 in, 5 out

[mentalcase]

It sounds like no-one from our current injury list will be available this weekend and add Llorente's suspension to that, we are in deep shite.
I expect Dan James will be given the CF role.
The team will probably be something like;

Meslier
Ayling
Koch
Hjelde
Firpo
Raphinha
Dallas
Forshaw
Klich
Harrison
James

Absolutely no idea if we will sign anyone, nothing seems imminent.

Other than Leo, that is a full team, no worries.

[Scoobychief]

theres no way we can afford to wait before we strenghten, it doesnt matter whether everyone is fit or not, the likes of klich, roberts, forshaw, they need replacing as long as they are picked for games it will always be a problem, we need quality in those areas now not wait until the summer because it could be too little too late, also think we need a striker. so no we cant wait, but knowing us we probably wont sign anyone, were almost halfway through the window and its too quiet.

[Ratscoot]

Morning EB et all

listening to TSB yesterday they were talking about transfers all the so called activity based on what "pundits" and certain websites are saying and most of it is click bait. They also said there's a possibility we might not sign anyone as most of our injured are apparently expected back by the start of Feb so will only miss the Hammers and Geordie games.

For example if we brought in a Striker potentially he would be available for both of the above games but would Bielsa play him, then in Feb we'd have Bamford, Roberts, Rodrigo and Joffy back so he'd now be competing with 4 other strikers that Bielsa trusts and is loyal to?

IMO we need a replacement Pablo and a Striker that can score goals but the chances of getting them in this window our record isn't great for January signings

[Leeds1000]

Can we afford to wait?

I may be wrong but i don't hear the sounds coming out of ER that we are about to splash the cash, and that's what would be needed to get the quality to take us to the next level. Covid, injuries and now the Saudis mean this window was always going to be difficult. It looks like Youth and one day emulating Leicester will be the carrot dangled to keep us all happy for a few seasons yet. If we sell Raph, Phillips & Meslier in the summer we will have money for Orta to burn.

Leeds in hot pursuit of Oldham starlet.

See above. Rolling the dice for players to come good in a few years time won't keep you in the PL long imo. I would say Joffy is the most talented of all the recent break-thru's and he barley gets a game. I like the idea in principle but is it practical? time will tell.

[Chilli D]

Other than Leo, that is a full team, no worries.

It's not a bad team on paper I agree MC.
I'd be a lot happier if either Bamford or Joffy were available. Then I'd bench Harrison and play James on the left

[Carrick Dave]

Shouldn’t the question be “Can we afford to strengthen?”

[Baldbloke]

I'm resigned to nobody coming in in this window.
Bielsa will only sign and play them if he wants them, and the majority of injured are back soon anyway and there's enough talent in the squad when everyone is available to keep us from relegation.

However the summer window is where they need to spend and sell to ensure PL longevity whether Bielsa stays or not

[YorkshireSquare]

It is probable that Pascal, Rodrigo and Bamford are options to return.

[Byebyegeegee]

It’s a telling statistic that we haven’t signed a midfielder for 207 months (4 years) and there’s no doubt that that is the area we really do need to strengthen, and since Phillips got injured it’s become even more apparent. Although half way through the month with no movement it would appear that Radz is quite content to take a chance on us staying up as we are.

Someone on this forum (can’t remember who) said it’s like he’s playing Russian roulette with himself and bearing in mind we need to remain in the Premiership for him to get his big payday, I can’t disagree.

I don’t know which one of those lads in the photo is Kris Moore and which is Harry Christy but one of them looks way older than 18 and has a striking resemblance to Victor Orta!

By the way Chilli that team picks itself there really are no other options, although Dan James will never make a centre forward/striker.

[The Subhuman]

No problem with no one coming in. I do think we're very short on wing backs and would like a 10 but I don't think we have to buy to stay up.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

I would say we are short on wingers, and should bring in at least two.

[The Subhuman]

We have a small question mark against Firpo and whomever plays the 10 (Gelhardt may already be the solution) but the other 9 are locked in quality starters when fit including it seems, 5 good CB, 4 good wingers if required

I think the back 4 becomes rock solid one we get the same back 4 playing week in week out

[The Subhuman]

I would say we are short on wingers, and should bring in at least two.

**CONGRATULATIONS**

YOU ARE THE MILLIONTH POST JOKING ABOUT WINGERS

Doesn't get old at all

[White Riot]

I would say we are short on wingers, and should bring in at least two.

Exactly, let's do that again, who needs a striker, or an ACM, when we can shove a square peg in a round hole

[Ellandback1]

It’s a telling statistic that we haven’t signed a midfielder for 207 months (4 years) and there’s no doubt that that is the area we really do need to strengthen, and since Phillips got injured it’s become even more apparent. Although half way through the month with no movement it would appear that Radz is quite content to take a chance on us staying up as we are.

Someone on this forum (can’t remember who) said it’s like he’s playing Russian roulette with himself and bearing in mind we need to remain in the Premiership for him to get his big payday, I can’t disagree.

I don’t know which one of those lads in the photo is Kris Moore and which is Harry Christy but one of them looks way older than 18 and has a striking resemblance to Victor Orta!

By the way Chilli that team picks itself there really are no other options, although Dan James will never make a centre forward/striker.

207 weeks, not 207 months. That would be 17 years

[White Riot]

It’s a telling statistic that we haven’t signed a midfielder for 207 months (4 years) and there’s no doubt that that is the area we really do need to strengthen, and since Phillips got injured it’s become even more apparent. Although half way through the month with no movement it would appear that Radz is quite content to take a chance on us staying up as we are.

Someone on this forum (can’t remember who) said it’s like he’s playing Russian roulette with himself and bearing in mind we need to remain in the Premiership for him to get his big payday, I can’t disagree.

I don’t know which one of those lads in the photo is Kris Moore and which is Harry Christy but one of them looks way older than 18 and has a striking resemblance to Victor Orta!

By the way Chilli that team picks itself there really are no other options, although Dan James will never make a centre forward/striker.

No, Leeds cannot afford to wait to strengthen. We didn't effectively recruit this summer and are suffering because of that.

Orta looks like he's been photoshopped into that picture

Absolutely shocking that we haven't recruited a midfielder for four years.

I did say at the start of the season, that if KP, or Raphinha, have a long term injury then we're up s**t creek.

We also have no effective back up for Meslier, so best pray that he doesn't get injured too.

As I said the other day, who'd have thought that Forshaw would be our most durable player this season

[White Riot]

207 weeks, not 207 months. That would be 17 years

Feels like it mate