Good Morning. It's Wednesday 27th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Wales heartache and the knock on effect for Leeds
Wales were cruelly denied a place in this Summer's Euro 2024 finals, after being knocked out in a penalty shoot out by Robert Lewandowski's Poland last night. After 120 minutes of gruelling football failed to separate the two sides, the play-off would be decided from spot kicks. Unfortunately for Dan James (Wales fifth penalty taker), Szczęsny guessed the right way, and sent Wales crashing out of the competition.
Joel Rodon (120 mins), Ethan Ampadu (120 mins), Connor Roberts (84 mins) and Dan James (50 mins) all find themselves back in action in 48 hours time, when Leeds go to Vicarage Road hoping to keep their automatic promotion dreams alive. What kind of condition (both physically and mentally) will they be in? Leeds will almost certainly be without Junior Firpo (returning from a 14 hour flight from Peru) and Georginio Rutter (keyhole surgery last week); can they afford to do without their Welsh contingent? Connor Roberts picked up a knock, which led to his 84th minute substitution.
'Bulletproof ' Ampadu has been an inspiration
Ethan Ampadu has been an absolute inspiration since joining the Whites last Summer from Chelsea for £7m. He has started every league game this season, amassing an incredible 3420 minutes of game time. He has been substitution just once this season (in the league), in the dying minutes of the Boxing Day defeat at Preston, yet still averages 90 minutes per game.
His ability to switch roles mid season from midfield to centre back (when Pascal Struijk got injured) has left Whites fans in awe. Since joining Joel Rodon at centre back, fourteen games ago, Leeds have conceded just three times! Such devastating form could make it difficult to recall him back to midfield when Struijk returns.
For a footballer with the attributes to fill either position [centre back and midfield], what to do when the answer to the question of which suits him best is ‘both’? Thirty-eight games into Leeds United’s season, Daniel Farke is no better placed to settle the debate. Ampadu, for several months, was rock solid at the base of his midfield but since January, he has been part of a defence which is as close as it gets to being impossible to penetrate. The discussion about him is the toss of a coin.
The past eight months have been a test of how bulletproof Farke’s first signing for Leeds is and no respite is coming. In pursuit of promotion, Farke might need Ampadu to push through and compile an ever-present Championship term. Nothing at Leeds is more certain than Ampadu’s name on the teamsheet, but an absent Struijk would make his form and durability critical for the matches that remain. Like Ben White, who started and finished every league fixture when Leeds last won promotion in 2020, Ampadu has a knack for going through contest after contest without looking like the elastic is about to snap.
Joseph sends Spain three points clear in Euro qualifiers
Matteo Joseph's 88th minute winner was all that separated Spain and Belgium (U21's) last night. He had only been on the pitch for five minutes when he broke the deadlock, sending his team three points clear of nearest rivals Scotland in group B of the Euro U21 qualifiers! Joseph 20, has only recently pledged his allegiance to Spain, having represented England U20's ten times, scoring three times. His mother is Spanish, whilst his father (Emile Heskey's cousin) is English. During a recent interview, Leeds Manager Daniel Farke claimed Mateo Joseph had 'opened the door' to the Leeds United first team - now it is up to him to go through it!
