ER -Accident & Emergency latest Injury news .......

[WTF11]

eah yeah shame on me, hardly needs investigating: All the players from last year playing better at a higher tempo, we are at least 3 players short of senior players for a 46 match season

As for getting promoted and becoming like a Platic Utd, we have always been different, even in the mad days of O'Dreary and Ridsdale, who seemed to be buying players daily at one time. Its the fans who set this club apart from others

All promoted clubs who want to stay up, need to add quality. The expectations on this club should we get back to the top are much higher than most other clubs. Tottenham is a great example of not wanting to splash the top wages and still competing, with plenty of homegrown players in their squad

Hmm, we're short of 3 players yes? Yet Norwich, who are just ahead of us if you hadn't noticed, are able to sustain the campaign (so far I warrant you that) with a squad of 28, compared to our 33. Even allowing for some of the lesser played names (Miazek, Shackleton, Stevens), Norwich are doing what they are doing (and yes, different style of play) with a smaller squad. I ask again, is there something that could/should be done to limit injuries, even if that requires some modification to tactics. Not much point playing wonderfully entertaining football (and we haven't always done that this season), if all the best players get crocked in the process, and we fall off a cliff results-wise like we did last season, but this time for different reasons.

For once we agree on something, that the fans set Leeds apart. But it's not the fans who would be setting the scene for what happens to the squad if we get promoted, its Radrizzani, and whilst he might be different from our recent past set of charlatan owners, he isn't much different from other owners of Championship and PL owners who see their club as an investment vehicle, rather than a sports club of any sort. In that respect he is MUCH better than those who have preceded him, and I doubt if he would ever make the blunders the likes of Ridsdale made. But it's a double-edged sword, if you regard the club as an investment rather than something you love without question (owner vs fan), then you make decisions based on ROI, not out of a desire to see the club give opportunities to those from the Academy (or candidates for the Academy). I'd like to think he will "get" Leeds even more than he does at the moment, and take that feeling forward should we get promoted, but I have doubts.

Oh, and Spurs a "great example"......."with plenty of homegrown players in the squad"???????

Err, a 1st team squad of 34, and of those 8 are English or Welsh. 1 hasn't appeared this season, one has played in the 1st team 16 times over the last two seasons, and one has played all of 5 times this season. So 5 English/Welsh players playing regularly in the 1st team squad. Yeah huge opportunities.

[Tichi1]

"I would love to see some of this current squad in live action...but to be honest, I'd be prepared to sacrifice that if it was the choice of that or Premier League success the following season!"

I'll get the usual suspects jumping all over me, but I'd prefer to see the players in the current squad given the opportunity to show what they are capable of in the PL (as they would be the players who got us there, and as its been said elsewhere, this league is THE toughest to get out of), rather than see us hoover up players from the four corners of the globe and become a Sh1tty, or Chelski, with barely a single British player in the squad, never mind the 1st team

I reckon the current squad would get battered by the top 6 and have a reasonable chance against the rest - I agree we should simply stick with this lot and add about 3 class additions - no more.
It might be a risk and we might get relegated but I can't stand the thought of having a team of players no one has ever heard of - kissing the badge then clearing off when a decent offer comes in as per most of the premiership.

Stick with what we have with just a few quality additions for me - assuming of course we get up which I think is far from a certainty yet.

[WTF11]

I reckon the current squad would get battered by the top 6 and have a reasonable chance against the rest - I agree we should simply stick with this lot and add about 3 class additions - no more.
It might be a risk and we might get relegated but I can't stand the thought of having a team of players no one has ever heard of - kissing the badge then clearing off when a decent offer comes in as per most of the premiership.

Stick with what we have with just a few quality additions for me - assuming of course we get up which I think is far from a certainty yet.

A-f00king-men 👍👍👍

[asturianblanco]

Maybe they should investigate then revert to training and playing like last season

id star that if only i could!

[WTF11]

id star that if only i could!

Well at least you're consistent BB, one of these days you'll manage an original thought (or maybe not).

[OldWhiteTaff]

We all know very well the dangers of over-stretching money-wise, and there is absolutely no doubt that the step up from the Championship to even a mid-table PL squad (Everton, Leicester, West Ham etc) is huge, so to try and compete straight after a promotion is a huge financial risk. Fulham spent around £100m in the summer, and they're now bottom. I wonder how they'll cope if they get relegated? So the best bet has got to be give the existing squad a chance, with a small number of judicious signings. That way, even if relegation does follow, you're in a much better position to compete for an immediate return, and slowly build further. It's got to be managed correctly, otherwise it could be the start of 2004 all over again...................

And anyway, surely it's a bit premature to be talking about how best to handle promotion???

[WTF11]

We all know very well the dangers of over-stretching money-wise, and there is absolutely no doubt that the step up from the Championship to even a mid-table PL squad (Everton, Leicester, West Ham etc) is huge, so to try and compete straight after a promotion is a huge financial risk. Fulham spent around £100m in the summer, and they're now bottom. I wonder how they'll cope if they get relegated? So the best bet has got to be give the existing squad a chance, with a small number of judicious signings. That way, even if relegation does follow, you're in a much better position to compete for an immediate return, and slowly build further. It's got to be managed correctly, otherwise it could be the start of 2004 all over again...................

And anyway, surely it's a bit premature to be talking about how best to handle promotion???

Agreed, judicious investment rather than the kind of splurge that Fulham (and others) have indulged in.

As for discussing something that may or may not happen, isn't that what the forum is for?😉

[MrsORichSenior]

....... with our League position,window approaching,a young squad on lengthy contracts,an owner with a flexible plan,a Coach/Manager at last who demands respect and fans wanting more (despite injuries) promotion HAS to be discussed as any players in have to be of PL quality and better than what we've got.

Dubious that those calibre of signings will be available 'tho,IMO, and would they fit into a very tight knit unit that Bielsa has created would also be an issue that Mr Orta should well know about after the Boro stint he had which turned sour at the very same point in their destiny over 'better improvement' of players coming in on fancy salaries to match alleged reputations.With on and off the pitch player's antics being scrutinised in today's game daily it'll be some big decisions that'll be on the agenda now for sure .............. but we want successs at what 'cost' ?

Something worthy of debate,IMO.

MOT

[OldWhiteTaff]

Hah yes, fair point WTF :-)

And yes, absolutely Mrs O - "but we want success at what 'cost' ?" - success a la Wolves, or West Ham or Man City??? Which 'model' would be most appropriate for LUFC?

[MrsORichSenior]

Tom Pearce suggesting he'll be back soon I hear from folks - no foot brace on,involved again and back at TA daily ......... then mingling with Xmas shopping.

This squad has a hell of a bond on/off the pitch with so much respect for others,most are educated and obliging too which we all should savour as we may not ever have such a close knit team again.