The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 29th December) - Leeds need to be humble and realistic of our means

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 29th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


We need to be humble and realistic of our means

In an article written this Morning by Phil Hay, The Athletic journalist applauds Leeds for wanting to replicate the Leicester City business model, and insists that the Whites need to be practical, and live within their means. The importance of stability is also a critical factor. Whilst the Foxes have had to part with some of the biggest stars in order to balance the books, they would only allow one 'major exit' per transfer window, and only when it suited them.

Hay also confirmed that Leeds have had no contact with Bayern Munich regarding the availability of Raphinha, but backs-up claims from recent media reports that Radrizzani is negotiating a new long term contract with the Brazilian International. Currently, Raphinha's contract runs until the Summer of 2024, and Leeds are keen that when they are ready to sell one of their biggest assets, that they get the best price

Leicester City’s attempt to operate as a rational selling club is based on two principles. The first is to bargain hard for a high or inflated price. The second is to pick the best time to trade. Their nerve in negotiating means players and rival teams often get the transfers they want but only ever on Leicester’s terms. They were open for business but always with caveats: two others being that the summer was the window in which departures made the most sense, and no single window should see more than one major exit, which protests against instability.

Leeds were nonplussed by the claim, published by TNT Sports (regarding Raphinha departing for the Allianz Arena), because they have received no contact or approach from Bayern. On the contrary, they have been discussing a new contract that would improve Raphinha’s wage and extend his terms at Elland Road beyond their current end date of June 2024.

In the week leading up to Christmas, Forbes magazine ran an interview with Radrizzani discussing his ownership of Leeds, his partnership with minority stakeholder 49ers Enterprises and his outlook for expanding in an uber-competitive English league. He touched on Leeds’ strategy of player recruitment and accepted that somewhere down the line, they would potentially cut their cloth. Radrizzani spoke of selling “maybe one or two key players and (buying) other talents coming up, like Leicester did. We need to be humble and realistic of our means so we grow gradually, step by step.

How important is Sunday's game?

Burnley visit Elland Road on Sunday will be about a lot more than local bragging rights according to many on Social media. The Clarets, like their West Yorkshire adversaries, have had a poor start to the season, and languish in 18th position, two places, and five points behind the Whites.

Due to an outbreak of Covid, Sean Dyche's men have not kicked a competitive ball since the 12th December - a goalless draw against West Ham. That changes tomorrow when they visit Old Trafford. Although Leeds have a five point advantage over Burnley, Bielsa's men have lost two more games than Burnley and have an eleven goal inferior aggregate!

Is Sunday's game a must win? Would a draw suffice? Who wants Manchester Utd to win tomorrow night?





Leeds not interested in Nketiah

According to Phil Hay, Leeds are not interested in rekindling their relationship with Eddie Nketiah. The former England U21 ace spent five months on loan at Elland Road during the first half of the 19/20 season, but due to a lack of game time, the 22 year old was recalled! Hay was also asked about Saints midfield ace James Ward-Prowse.

Ward-Prowse is a terrific player who will surely move on from Southampton eventually. The sort of player I’d like to see at Leeds. From what I’m told, Leeds don’t intend to go back for Nketiah.

Leeds United board were not happy about selling Jansson

It has been revealed that the Leeds Utd board were not happy about selling former fans favourite Pontus Jansson to Brentford for 5m, but felt they had no choice but to back Marcelo Bielsa. The two reportedly fell out following the Leeds v Aston Villa game (April 2019) after Bielsa ordered his players to allow the visitors to walk the ball into the net. The Swedish International made a half-hearted attempt to challenge for the ball. This incensed Bielsa. The writing was on the wall a month later following the play-off Semi Final against Derby County. Jansson had returned from injury, and was upset not to be playing, although fully fit, and made his feelings clear to the Argentine. According to Phil Hay...

Bielsa wanted him gone and Brentford’s offer was the only one on the table. It worked out but it has to be said that the board were anxious about selling him for £5m. They just felt they had to back Bielsa.

[rab_rant]

Christina Fieldmouse here, tea lady to the Leeds United boardroom, always made sure that I had plenty of bourbon biscuits and Earl Grey tea, and for special occasions a few cream puffs, and chocolate eclairs.

Remember it well when Marcelo told the board to get rid of Pontus.... came as a shock... especially when the fee was only 5 million. lovely young fellow that Pontus, couldn't get enough of my cream crackers with a nice bit of cheddar.

The board was all concerned about a replacement and Marcelo said we should get Ben White... the board were aghast, Andrea said Ben who... nobody had ever heard of him. Still he came in and did a good job got us promotion... loved his chocolate digestive did Ben.

I have often thought that you can tell a lot about football players from the biscuits he chooses to eat. Dan is a marshmallow and Kalvin peanut brittle.

They are looking for somebody to strengthen the midfield, if I had my say I would tell them to get somebody who likes ryvita crispbread... and a Horlicks drinker... just like David Batty was. Big Jack was a Bovril man himself

From my experience that would sort out a lot of their problems

[Byebyegeegee]

It’s alright to say “we need to be humble and realistic of our means so we grow gradually, step by step” but being relegated after 2 years in the top flight is not “growing” in my book. I suspect Radrizani is trying to excuse the poor business done last summer, which a lot of us suspected was not going to be good enough, and is now coming home to roost. Or does he call being back in the Championship, perhaps a yo-yo club at best, “growing”.

A home game against Burnley is, of course, a must win game. I really do think that if we can’t beat Burnley at home then the writing is on the wall - Championship here we come.

The problem with the Jansen sale was not the fact that we sold him so much as the fact that we sold him so cheaply and to one of our main rivals at the time and, as it turns out, still one of our main rivals now. There is no doubt in my mind that at the time he was worth 2, 3 or even 4 times as much as we got for him.

[Carrick Dave]

If we become a yo-yo club for the next 2 years it would still represent progress compared to our position prior to 2 years ago - growing.

As it happens I think we’ll avoid that scenario and stay up, but I wasn’t that keen on the PL before promotion and I’m not that enamoured by it now either - it’s financially & politically driven, leading to covert corruption at the FA and on-pitch bias from a very poor pool of officials in favour of the “big” clubs.

A win against Burnley will go a long way to securing our PL status for another year. Apart from the money we’re better suited to the Championship at the moment in terms of playing staff though, like it or not. We don’t have the resources to buy the quality required to challenge for Europe or win trophies domestically, hence why Raphinha will most likely move on in the summer - his ambition is greater than our short-term potential. So maybe Radz is right when he says we need to be realistic in our means.

I was gutted when Pontus left, I loved having him at the back for us. His character was so Leeds - not perfect, spiky and unpredictable but you always felt he gave 100% to the cause. Sad the way things panned out, but if we’d kept hold of him at the expense of Marcelo we probably wouldn’t need to be worrying about retaining our PL status this year.

All just my take, but hey ho.

[White Riot]

Transfer Strategy
I would have thought that if we're going to follow the Leicester model then we need to invest whatever funds are generated from transfers wisely. From what we've seen so far of Rodrigo, James and Firpo, I wouldn't say that the 65 million that we spent on those three was a wise investment.

For 65 million I would have expected at least a couple of quality players, when you consider what we paid for Rapjinha, Struijk and Meslier.

Rodrigo has either been injured, sick, or failed to impress so far, so that's a big chunk of our transfer budget we've blown for not much in return.

James seemed like a panic buy, rather than buying what we actually needed an ACM. James has pace and a good work rate, but it's another symptom of Bielsa's madness that he's continually played a pint-sized winger at centre-forward, when we have a natural striker and goal-scorer in Joffy available.

Firpo may come good, but his positional sense is zero and he loves a yellow card.

I would hate to think we'll sell our crown jewels and then waste the cash we've generated on over-priced poor quality players, as that would be a further step towards the Championship.

Burnley
An absolute must win match for us. We've managed to score 6 points from our last eight matches, which, despite all the excuses, is relegation form if it continues. Hopefully, we have some of our injured/ill players available. I imagine Dyche will be more than happy to make it a battle of attrition, with Burnley continually fouling us, wasting time, cheating, moaning to the ref, and generally spoiling the match.

If we can beat Burnley we will put ourselves on the path to safety. But if we lose then we're gonna be right in it for the rest of the season. Newcastle and Norwich look certs to drop, so this is a real opportunity for us to distance ourselves from the bottom three and put a nail in Burnley's coffin.

Nketiah
Not for me thanks, we have better already on the books in Joffy. Lacazette and Aubameyang have spluttered all season, but Eddie has still not been able to force his way into Arsenal's striking role. I'd rather we invested the money in John Swift, where we're severely lacking.

I watched Palace v Norwich yesterday, and thought Will Hughes was brilliant in midfield, he shielded the back four, tackled like a demon, and was the starting point for a lot of Palace's attacks. I don't think he usually gets a match, but Conor Gallagher was unavailable. How can Palace pick up players like Hughes and we can't? We've invested poorly in this squad and we've seen the results of that poor approach this season.

Jansson
That was a steal for Brentford. Bielsa should have been man enough to patch things up with Pontus, who was actually just doing the job he's paid to do. FIFA and co can stick their fair play awards where the sun doesn't shine.

[Mountain]

We're in the first half of the season. I think the constant panicky "this is a must win game" stuff is far too premature. It's always important for teams in the bottom half to beat others around them, but if it's a loss or draw the season does not end. There's a lot of important players coming back from injury, I presume the Burnley game may again see some young inexperienced players. Piling the pressure on them with must win talk is unhelpful.

[mentalcase]

Transfer Strategy
I would have thought that if we're going to follow the Leicester model then we need to invest whatever funds are generated from transfers wisely. From what we've seen so far of Rodrigo, James and Firpo, I wouldn't say that the 65 million that we spent on those three was a wise investment.

For 65 million I would have expected at least a couple of quality players, when you consider what we paid for Rapjinha, Struijk and Meslier.

Rodrigo has either been injured, sick, or failed to impress so far, so that's a big chunk of our transfer budget we've blown for not much in return.

James seemed like a panic buy, rather than buying what we actually needed an ACM. James has pace and a good work rate, but it's another symptom of Bielsa's madness that he's continually played a pint-sized winger at centre-forward, when we have a natural striker and goal-scorer in Joffy available.

Firpo may come good, but his positional sense is zero and he loves a yellow card.

I would hate to think we'll sell our crown jewels and then waste the cash we've generated on over-priced poor quality players, as that would be a further step towards the Championship.

Burnley
An absolute must win match for us. We've managed to score 6 points from our last eight matches, which, despite all the excuses, is relegation form if it continues. Hopefully, we have some of our injured/ill players available. I imagine Dyche will be more than happy to make it a battle of attrition, with Burnley continually fouling us, wasting time, cheating, moaning to the ref, and generally spoiling the match.

If we can beat Burnley we will put ourselves on the path to safety. But if we lose then we're gonna be right in it for the rest of the season. Newcastle and Norwich look certs to drop, so this is a real opportunity for us to distance ourselves from the bottom three and put a nail in Burnley's coffin.

Nketiah
Not for me thanks, we have better already on the books in Joffy. Lacazette and Aubameyang have spluttered all season, but Eddie has still not been able to force his way into Arsenal's striking role. I'd rather we invested the money in John Swift, where we're severely lacking.

I watched Palace v Norwich yesterday, and thought Will Hughes was brilliant in midfield, he shielded the back four, tackled like a demon, and was the starting point for a lot of Palace's attacks. I don't think he usually gets a match, but Conor Gallagher was unavailable. How can Palace pick up players like Hughes and we can't? We've invested poorly in this squad and we've seen the results of that poor approach this season.

Jansson
That was a steal for Brentford. Bielsa should have been man enough to patch things up with Pontus, who was actually just doing the job he's paid to do. FIFA and co can stick their fair play awards where the sun doesn't shine.

Cracking post.
I'll only add, thought Bielsa should've been sacked after the villa debacle, nobody is bigger than the club, we set the precedent then, and now he rules the roost.
I've given up on commenting about transfers, we all know where we are lacking, but nobody, especially the recruiting team do nothing about it, instead buying pet-projects we don't need.
Burnley will be a tough one, but , it's certainly winnable, and a win at all costs will push us all higher with more confidence.
See how many more cards we get to theirs.

[Mountain]

Cracking post.
Bielsa should've been sacked...
...pet-projects...

[mentalcase]

Proper journalist aren't you fella, taking it all out of context, but hey ho, why tell the truth when you can sensationalise.

[Mountain]

Proper journalist aren't you fella, taking it all out of context, but hey ho, why tell the truth when you can sensationalise.

I wasn't sensationalising. I was laughing at the idea that Bielsa should have been sacked before the playoffs, and the constant pet project repetition.

[White Riot]

Cracking post.
I'll only add, thought Bielsa should've been sacked after the villa debacle, nobody is bigger than the club, we set the precedent then, and now he rules the roost.
I've given up on commenting about transfers, we all know where we are lacking, but nobody, especially the recruiting team do nothing about it, instead buying pet-projects we don't need.
Burnley will be a tough one, but , it's certainly winnable, and a win at all costs will push us all higher with more confidence.
See how many more cards we get to theirs.

Cheers MC

When we appointed Bielsa it seemed conditional that we would just meet his demands, whatever they are.

So there's an assumption that Bielsa is always correct and nobody else could do any better. Which I don't accept as being correct.

From his past record it already seemed to be an expectation that if you questioned any of Bielsa's decisions, or failed to agree to ant of his requests, then he would spit the dummy out and walk.

We appointed Bielsa and accepted that we were painting ourselves into a corner.

[Ellandback1]

[1964white]

Burnley

It's a must win game, screw up either the Burnley/Newcastle games & we are doomed imo! To be honest if we drop points again against these two clubs who are below us, we deserve to go down, no excuses acceptable.

Nketiah

Always thought it was a tenuous link, just as are the majority of the players we are touted with.

Transfer market

Summer signings looking poor right now, only time will tell if they prove to be their worth to LUFC this season or in the future!

Pontus

Crazy decision to get rid of our best defender, a complex, competitive, character who was Leeds through & through until we sh*t on him. Ah well, the decision came back to haunt us as we conceded four goals in the play-offs at ER.

I'm so pleased PJ led Brentford to promotion, our insane action was just the motivation Pontus needed.

The same thing occurred with Pablo, another fan's favourite. Managers have to work round players who show passion in heated moments, just as red nose did at scum, not totally discard them like a piece of rubbish.

I'm still fuming, tbh.

[The Subhuman]

[BGwhite]

Last paragraph is spot on 64. There's more to management than just throwing your weight about and evidently your dummy if something upsets you. Man management is all part of it and clearly Bielsa doesn't understand this.

Sent from my moto g(9) plus using Tapatalk

[1964white]

It’s alright to say “we need to be humble and realistic of our means so we grow gradually, step by step” but being relegated after 2 years in the top flight is not “growing” in my book. I suspect Radrizani is trying to excuse the poor business done last summer, which a lot of us suspected was not going to be good enough, and is now coming home to roost. Or does he call being back in the Championship, perhaps a yo-yo club at best, “growing”.

A home game against Burnley is, of course, a must win game. I really do think that if we can’t beat Burnley at home then the writing is on the wall - Championship here we come.

The problem with the Jansen sale was not the fact that we sold him so much as the fact that we sold him so cheaply and to one of our main rivals at the time and, as it turns out, still one of our main rivals now. There is no doubt in my mind that at the time he was worth 2, 3 or even 4 times as much as we got for him.

We're on the same wavelength, Byebye

[1964white]

As it happens I think we’ll avoid that scenario and stay up, but I wasn’t that keen on the PL before promotion and I’m not that enamoured by it now either - it’s financially & politically driven, leading to covert corruption at the FA and on-pitch bias from a very poor pool of officials in favour of the “big” clubs.

My sentiments too, Davy

You only have to see the reaction from the media creaming over Newcastle's future since their takeover.

[1964white]

Transfer Strategy
I would have thought that if we're going to follow the Leicester model then we need to invest whatever funds are generated from transfers wisely. From what we've seen so far of Rodrigo, James and Firpo, I wouldn't say that the 65 million that we spent on those three was a wise investment.

For 65 million I would have expected at least a couple of quality players, when you consider what we paid for Rapjinha, Struijk and Meslier.

Rodrigo has either been injured, sick, or failed to impress so far, so that's a big chunk of our transfer budget we've blown for not much in return.

James seemed like a panic buy, rather than buying what we actually needed an ACM. James has pace and a good work rate, but it's another symptom of Bielsa's madness that he's continually played a pint-sized winger at centre-forward, when we have a natural striker and goal-scorer in Joffy available.

Firpo may come good, but his positional sense is zero and he loves a yellow card.

I would hate to think we'll sell our crown jewels and then waste the cash we've generated on over-priced poor quality players, as that would be a further step towards the Championship.

Burnley
An absolute must win match for us. We've managed to score 6 points from our last eight matches, which, despite all the excuses, is relegation form if it continues. Hopefully, we have some of our injured/ill players available. I imagine Dyche will be more than happy to make it a battle of attrition, with Burnley continually fouling us, wasting time, cheating, moaning to the ref, and generally spoiling the match.

If we can beat Burnley we will put ourselves on the path to safety. But if we lose then we're gonna be right in it for the rest of the season. Newcastle and Norwich look certs to drop, so this is a real opportunity for us to distance ourselves from the bottom three and put a nail in Burnley's coffin.

Nketiah
Not for me thanks, we have better already on the books in Joffy. Lacazette and Aubameyang have spluttered all season, but Eddie has still not been able to force his way into Arsenal's striking role. I'd rather we invested the money in John Swift, where we're severely lacking.

I watched Palace v Norwich yesterday, and thought Will Hughes was brilliant in midfield, he shielded the back four, tackled like a demon, and was the starting point for a lot of Palace's attacks. I don't think he usually gets a match, but Conor Gallagher was unavailable. How can Palace pick up players like Hughes and we can't? We've invested poorly in this squad and we've seen the results of that poor approach this season.

Jansson
That was a steal for Brentford. Bielsa should have been man enough to patch things up with Pontus, who was actually just doing the job he's paid to do. FIFA and co can stick their fair play awards where the sun doesn't shine.

You say it all, mate

[1964white]

Great song, are we on the wrong thread

[The Subhuman]

nope