Leeds United Q and A - ownership picture, Cody Gakpo chance, transfer issues and predicted finish
and live on Freeview channel 276
The Whites sit ninth in the Premier League after six games and Jesse Marsch has had plenty of evidence to back up the positivity he’s brought to the table since arriving to replace Marcelo Bielsa.
New signings Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson and Marc Roca have caught the eye, while Luis Sinisterra is starting to show that the goal threat he posed in Holland will follow him into the English top flight.
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Hide AdMarsch’s squad for the Brentford game boasted more experience on the bench than any in recent memory and senior players like Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper are on their way back from injuries to rejoint he fray.
But big questions remain, not least after that deadline day and the confusion that arose over how much Leeds were able to invest in a striker this summer.
We took 37 of your questions on all manner of Elland Road subjects, including the stadium itself and Leeds’ plans for it.
Leeds United post-transfer window Q and A
Key Events
- Leeds made big squad changes in the transfer window
- Deadline day was messy and dramatic
- Jesse Marsch’s new era is well underway but inconsistency has struck
- Big questions for the ownership
@lufc_opinions: Do you think there’s any chance that James was let go as Marsch believes Summerville is the better player and sees him more in his plans, with narrow wingers I personally don’t see how James fits in the current set-up.
While there were financial considerations - Daniel James’ wage frees up significantly more cash than Crysencio Summerville’s would - it was evidently decided that James was expendable. Summerville is seen as a big prospect and to me he seems like a player more likely to make something happen in the final third. What’s more, Summerville’s game time expectation will be lower than James, who has a World Cup to think about. Of the two of them, James would be less comfortable sitting on the bench, you would think. And given that Jack Harrison, Brenden Aaronson and Luis Sinisterra are plainly going to start most games, it’s difficult to see where the minutes James would want were going to come from.
If one of James and Summerville had to go out, then you can understand why it was James. It’s more difficult to understand why anyone was allowed to leave the attacking line at all, when a senior striker wasn’t added, though.
@GrantPerkinss14: Is there still a push for the U21s to be promoted this year or has it taken a back seat?
There are some incredibly talented youngsters playing in the Under 21s this season, including new boys Sonny Perkins and Darko Gyabi, and everyone at Thorp Arch will have the idea of going straight back up from the PL2 second tier. What may hold them back is the lack of depth in defence - winger Keenan Carole and midfielder Alfie McCalmont have had to play left-back and it wouldn’t take many injuries at all to force Michael Skubala into the Under 18s for cover.
@DeckyQuinn: In your opinion have leeds made huge mistakes in not signing a first team striker and left-back?
It can’t be deemed a mistake until it proves so, but they’ve certainly taken a huge risk with the strike force. Left-back is, at present, slightly less of a concern because Junior Firpo, Pascal Struijk and Leo Hjelde can all cover that position. But I was surprised that a young left-back didn’t come in for the 21s at the very least.
@stevia_nutrient: Why did Marsch get a straight red and not a yellow card?
It was obviously felt that his behaviour and/or language crossed the line between yellow card and red card territory. It was quite spectacular, how far he went, and I’m not sure he was surprised at the colour of the card.
@lukeharrison_96: Any further updates on Dallas recovery process?
Everything we have been told of late has been positive, but that’s not to say he’s going to be back any time soon. It’s a long, long recovery process that will take months yet for him to complete. The good news is that there have been no noises about complications or serious set-backs, which could easily have been the case with such a serious injury.
@JordyP1993: What’s your ideal Download Festival line-up for the anniversary next year?
Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Slipknot, Bring Me the Horizon, Deftones, Architects, Against Me!, While She Sleeps, Skindred. That would keep me happy.
@Ash_LUFC_: If you were strapped down to a chair and you had to watch 24 hours of Harry Hill’s TV Burp, Strictly Come dancing or Naked Attraction what would you choose?
What happened to you Ash? Why are you like this?
Harry Hill’s TV Burp. Obviously.
@Eoinyboney88: In your opinion which Nu Metal band would best describe the attitude around the squad?
American Head Charge.
@thebl_masri: Who ultimately owns the power in a negotiation, in your opinion: A) the club B) the player C) the agent. If it’s a couple - who?
The last few years in football have suggested it’s the player, but in most cases you can’t really separate them from the agent. If the agent is at all worth their salt then they represent what the player wants.
It is nice to see examples of clubs refusing to bow to player power when a ‘bigger club’ comes calling, or holding out for their valuation rather than what is being offered.
What we saw in the summer with Leeds was the kind of difficulty you run into when a player only wants to go to one specific club. Leeds needed to sell Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha to finance their summer recruitment, so walking away from the negotiating table was not really an option - not if they wanted a happy dressing room or a bigger squad, and in each case there was only one realistic buyer.
In those kinds of circumstances, the buying club, even one with the financial difficulties Barcelona were in, knows they have a strong hand.
@MaherLUFC: Lee and Joe resurrected The Inside ER pod. Are you intending to feature as a guest?
Joe and I did indeed resurrect the Inside Elland Road Podcast this summer and although I was away for a couple of weeks, I made a return last week to record on transfer deadline day. Sadly, transfer deadline day rendered the episode almost entirely useless and we had to can it.
We’ll be back on this week and then every week.