Leeds (A) 6/8/22 - Build-Up & Match Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

If Adama is fit and still here I reckon we'll play him up top, which always goes well...

-----------------------------------Sa*----------------------------

Jonny----------------Collins------------Kilman----------Ait-Nouri

----------------Moutinho--------------Neves-------------------

-------Gibbs-White-----------Podence------------Neto----------

-------------------------------Adama--------------------------------

*I assume he will be fit

They struggled badly without Phillips last season (and now he's gone for good) and Raphinha was a huge part of their attacking output. As opening day away fixtures go it's about as soft a landing as we could have asked for. But given we haven't sorted out a functional XI with 10 days to go, I'll take a point right now.

Pretty good record at Elland Road.

2021/22: L 2-3 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2020/21: W 1-0 (H), W 1-0 (A)
2017/18: W 4-1 (H), W 3-0 (A)
2016/17: L 0-1 (H), W 1-0 (A)
2015/16: L 2-3 (H), L 1-2 (A)
2014/15: W 4-3 (H), W 2-1 (A)
2012/13: D 2-2 (H), L 0-1 (A)
2006/7: W 1-0 (H), W 1-0 (A)
2005/6: W 1-0 (H), L 0-2 (A)
2004/5: D 0-0 (H), D 1-1 (A)
2003/4: W 3-1 (H), L 1-4 (A)
1997/8: W 1-0 (A, FAC)

 

[Kenny]

Sa is back in training. As is Semedo I think.

Better view on the fit players after the Sporting game on Saturday

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

I love Adama more than most on here, but cannot see him as a 9 alongside/in front of Pod and MGW. I would have thought Donk in midfield with MGW Pod and Neto as a fluid front 3.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Podence as a striker would be laughable I'm afraid. He hardly ever scores and we'd lose it every time we tried to clear the ball. In fact, see last season vs Leeds at home after Raul got sent off for details.

 

[PuntsWolf]

I’d imagine it will be MGW false 9. Maybe we should resign Otasowie

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I’d imagine it will be MGW false 9. Maybe we should resign Otasowie

Big Alf or no deal

 

[Deano]

Not convinced we have the right personnel to make a fluid front 3 with a false 9 work tbh, when we have seen it in the past or when we have had a weaker presence up top (Fabios first season) without some form of focal point to the attack the ball comes back at us too much.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Fuck Podence, or MGW or Traore as 9s, false 9s etc.

We should be signing a fucking striker, that's the end of it, anything else shouldn't even be entertained.

 

[The Bear]

I haven't heard that Traore is training, but Hwang is, so I'd expect him to be up front. Even though he's missed some of pre-season.

As long as it isn't 5'1" Podence or sodding Dendoncker.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

As long as it isn't 5'1" Podence or sodding Dendoncker.

The acceptance of this is already there

 

[Lycan]

If we still haven't signed a striker by the start of the season the selection will be a bottle job of either playing Dendoncker in a 4-3-3 or playing an extra Centre Back in a 3-4-3 instead of actually replacing Raúl. Hwang/Neto/Adama/Podence to play through the middle and have a predictably terrible game.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Our issues before have been we are so bad at progressing the ball forward we’ve resorted to hoofs to a small guy up front. From pre season friendlies we look better in that regard, albeit against poor opposition. So if we can actually control the ball in the middle of the park then a false 9 can work playing it into feet and runners in behind. That’s why it actually looked better when Raul went off to an extent.

Traore and Hwang won’t work though because there touch is wank.

Ideally you sign a forward with a good touch, presence and eye for goal (Pre injury Raul), but even Chris Wood went for £25m who is 30 and couldn’t buy a goal. We just don’t seem to want to Spend the money to buy these players.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Cornet is right there for £17.5m, it's documented fact...

But we still won't do it.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Is his touch any good though? Looked a competition winner at times and then good at others. His good work looked more runnimg channels, dribbling and chasing lost causes rather than a more refined #9

 

[Deano]

Yeah I don't rate Cornet tbh from what I've seen.

 

[Lycan]

Give Bruno £17.5M and a few weeks and Cornet will be lining up at left back.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Is his touch any good though? Looked a competition winner at times and then good at others. His good work looked more runnimg channels, dribbling and chasing lost causes rather than a more refined #9

Just saying £25m isn't the benchmark. We don't have to spend that.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Just saying £25m isn't the benchmark. We don't have to spend that.

Yeah I was just saying we not spending anything significant. In the hypothetical world Ivan Toney was available for £17.5m we wouldn’t do it.

 

[AndyWolves]

Borja seems like a very decent option if Chelsea would loan him out

 

[Kenny]

Borja seems like a very decent option if Chelsea would loan him out

They are happy to loan him out but don't want to sell.