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13 May 2026 17:14:03
I think another interesting angle that all clubs are probably looking at is targeting players not likely to be at the World Cup. Whether their team hasn't qualified or they aren't going to be selected.
The scheduling for some clubs has been insane. Take players like Cole Palmer a prime example. He might have suffered from Chelsea's managerial merry-go-round. But last summer they had the Club World Cup, the summer before that, the Euros.
I'd literally be leaving out any players we expect to go to the World Cup for our final two games (for our own sakes not their countries) , so they get a bit of an extended break now and then late return to pre-season.
I once borrowed a book on Man U's treble season, and Ferguson cites one of the most important things he did was giving certain players holidays in the middle of the season (not when they were injured) , just recognised they were on fumes.
I think he did this with Gary Neville and Peter Schmeichel among others after the 1998 WC. Ofc they had the depth to do that then.
Teams play a lot more these days though physiology management is also a lot better. But for players who expect to have featured at the Euros, CWC, and now the WC it has to take its toll.
I'm sorry Wales didn't qualify for the WC, but Darlow, Rodon, Ampadu, etc will not have tournament fatigue by the start of next season.
I just think targeting players who's minutes aren't overtaxed is a very smart play and an important 'marginal gains' angle in a major tournament year.
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13 May 2026 19:28:15 Hopefully we are looking to get Hayden Hackney from Boro. Only a year left on his contract, I think, so definitely under 20 mill. Good, good player.
13 May 2026 14:24:04
What does anyone think of buy low bids for one of the following two players (both hit by injury but undoutedly talented and probably just need the right change of scenery) .
Harvey Elliot (Aston Villa, on loan from Liverpool)
Obviously had the ankle injury from Pascal sometime ago, but super magnaminous about it (said it was a freak accident) . Indeed, Emery has said it's more a tactical fit for Elliot and the fact there was a £35m clause that could be triggered. Not being worth £35m is no disrespect. Emery also said despite the difficult situ, Elliot has always trained well, worked hard, and it's not his fault.
He's obviously a good player, fits a position where we need improvement (CAM/ 10) and sounds like a player that would just 'get' the camaraderie. Ofc at the right price, as always.
Matt O'Reilly (Brighton) . Very similar in that he had a nasty ankle injury, but has had enough football since then that he should be good with a full pre-season.
MelbourneWhite added Mcatee as a shout and I kind of shot it down as he hasn't had a good season. If I'm throwing these two out there, and I think Mcatee would be in a similar price bracket, worth considering him too.
Of the three I'd prefer Elliot the most.
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13 May 2026 16:14:13
Can we carry anyone else? I am not sure that's a good idea. We need players that are fit and ready to go. Poor old Ben White. Hope he will get back soon. Shame he will miss the World Cup. Wish you a speedy recovery.
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13 May 2026 16:18:54
I always liked Elliot at Liverpool. He often came on as a sub, but he usually added some drive and determination to the team. He's had a wasted year, for whatever reason, but I don't think he'll stay at Anfield. £35m is too steep, but I think he'd be an upgrade on Aaronson.
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13 May 2026 16:30:55
I don't know whether Elliot having the middle names Daniel James is a good omen or not.
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13 May 2026 16:55:04
Yeah, fair Whiteman, about the injury concerns. I'm not sure we're 'carrying' them as such. I just think, for us right now, there are a few routes to finding Prem quality players.
Risking foreign talent panning out in the Prem (quite successful with Stach and Gudmundsson last summer) .
Buying low on talented players with injury history (DCL as a free agent) .
Buying talent from the Championship who hadn't massively been successful in the Prem before (Bogle) .
I think I've sort of answered the question. For £30m we can roll the dice on 2 or 3 foreign league players. I just think the deeper the squad gets, the more we can afford to take a risk on a few injury-prone players. We've managed Okafor and DCL quite well, for example, and Stach, Longstaff and Gruev have all had solid spells out.
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13 May 2026 17:17:54
I'd take Elliot in a heartbeat at the right price.
13 May 2026 11:25:01
Regarding recruitment: what can be done now?
I know the window is not open yet but can we, for instance, enter a gentleman's agreement to come just as soon as it does open?
Can we put in place some legally binding agreement to come? Just not register it with the Prem.
What can't we do — agree or just register?
I feel there is certainly money to be saved by gambling early and securing targets before any World Cup appearance.
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13 May 2026 13:25:42
If I remember correctly the Ed's confirmed you can reach an agreement with club and player to buy but just not register yet. Spose would be at a premium fee.
As someone previously stated. Unless we looking at someone not involved in the World Cup, faff all will happen until after. Unless maybe they have a nightmare World Cup of course.
12 May 2026 22:51:17
Agree 100% with your analysis of the Leeds v Spurs game, very succinctly put.
Regarding the Arsenal v West Ham VAR issue, I believe the answer is to be found in the audio exchange between the Ref and VAR, which is probably why West Ham have requested access to it.
1. Was it a foul? Clearly it was.
2. Did the Ref see what happened, and decide not to disallow the goal? Then it was not a clear and obvious error, and the goal should have stood.
3. Did the Ref not see clearly what happened, and only change his ruling after seeing the VAR replays? Then the goal was correctly disallowed.
Finally, unless the Ref and VAR had access to camera footage we did not see, I see no good reason why the decision took 5 minutes. One good change to the VAR rules for the future might be to say that if a decision cannot be reached in, say, 2 minutes, then the on field ruling stands.
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{Ed001's Note - thanks JR. I agree with you, especially on the time limit on VAR, though I would have less time personally. The beauty of football was its tendency to just flow, which is being destroyed.}
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12 May 2026 23:07:47
Yes, I really thought 1 minute should be enough, but only said 2 because I was unsure when the period should start. If it starts when the announcement goes up on the stadium screen, then I'd stick with 2, but if it starts when the ref is called to the pitchside monitor, then 1 should suffice.
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{Ed001's Note - I just want it to be as quick as possible and anyway, if it is clear and obvious it should only take seconds to see.}
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12 May 2026 23:24:34
True!
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13 May 2026 12:44:23
Went to see Bulls v Rhinos at Easter, and both sets of fans were bitterly complaining about the time it takes for the video ref to make a decision. Sometimes, several minutes. He's sprinted 80 yards, with no one near him, but we'll still look at the grounding from 8 different angles. They want a time limit as well. If you can't make a decision within 60 seconds max, then the ref's decision is upheld.
Just in the same vein, I've seen a post somewhere, but don't think it was on here, re DCL being brought down in the area v Spurs but no penalty because he was deemed to be offside. The upshot was that the original frame used for when the pass to him was made was incorrect, and if the right one had been used he would have been slightly behind the defender and not offside.
1
13 May 2026 13:28:33
Saw same post. Apparently there is a margin of error for offsides and it was used to grant Liverpool a goal earlier in season. Read it's like only 5mm or something. But that's down to whoever is on VAR. Bring on AI ffs. These clowns are too emotional.
12 May 2026 18:42:26
Well siblings, in the words of Imhotep, death is just the beginning. We have been there and suffered it. The rebirth is upon us, decent owners, ambition, ground improvements, a strong and unified unit.
If we can't have optimism and hope now, when can we? The future is Bright, the future is White, UTWDTP, laze on the beach and dream, cos without a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true 😁😁😘.
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12 May 2026 20:44:01
Staying up was massive and a tad unexpected.. The confidence from the FA Cup run spilling into league form, with the unexpected 3 points away win bonus at Man U, all crucial.
Along with the Elland Road ground expansion to 55, 000 capacity now definitely and finally commencing.
All good news.. Best news. Huge developments.
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12 May 2026 22:14:53
Staying up was massive, but I'd not say that it was unexpected. Yes, we all feared going straight back down, but equally thought we had enough to stay up, and so it proved. Onwards and upwards.
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12 May 2026 22:29:50
JR, at the beginning of the season, I hoped and expected Leeds might finish above Burnley and Sunderland.
The unexpected part is Leeds finishing above more than one of the established EPL sides, West Ham, Spuds and Wolves, which was required to stay up!
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12 May 2026 23:28:24
And mebbe Palace & Newcastle by the end. 🤞
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13 May 2026 12:57:31
For me, the Cup run added confidence for our league form, and the team spirit was there for all to see. Despite the semi-final disappointment, the league form has been maintained and safety secured with three games to go. Farke has answered his critics and thoroughly deserves to carry on if he wants to. I predicted on here a while ago that we would stay up and have a Wembley appearance. We would have all taken that when we were warming up for the first game against Everton.
I hope we can win on Sunday, especially for the fans, then give it a good go at West Ham to finish off a fine season. Lots to look forward to in the summer. We will be linked with every man and his dog, and hopefully our recruitment team and Farke will secure their targets and unload those surplus to requirements and build on what has been achieved. Enjoy these last two matches with the pressure off, and sink a few beers on Sunday!
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{Ed025's Note - sounds good to me Feath, you done brilliant this season mate but it will be just as hard next season...if not harder, recruitment will be paramount and same again would be excellent imo..
12 May 2026 16:53:46
So now we are safe.
Which players would you buy from each of the downward teams, include Spurs and West Ham?
Pick 2 (or 3) from each team.
From the papers it seems like there are 5 from Wolves that we should/will get?
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12 May 2026 17:40:23
Spurs - realistically if they were to go down.
Odobert and Archie. I just don't see it being easy to be competitive for any Spurs players if they went down.
West Ham - does Disasi count (Chelsea owned?) . If not, Diouf and Summerville. Wild obviously prefer Bowen, but he'd rightly expect Europe.
Wolves - Mane and Krejci.
Burnley - Hartmann and Flemming.
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12 May 2026 18:53:24
Could we add Spurs goalkeeper to the list which has been posted on this site. Great post with many good names. Let's hope the board have their list of potential players already sorted and buy early.
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12 May 2026 19:18:30
It's not always the players in a relegated team that are a good option to buy, there's a reason why teams get relegated and that part is because the players are not good enough or don't have a proper work ethic.
For Wolves I'd probably only rate Joao Gomes and he's got an awful disciplinary record.
As for West Ham, you've got Bowen of course, but he's definitely not coming to Leeds. I hear some say Mavropanos, but I'm not convinced by him at all.
Jimmy would come into the conversation, but I'm sure he wouldn't want to come back to Leeds.
Burnley players? No thank you.
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12 May 2026 20:46:07
Mavropanos and Disasi both better than Pascal.
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12 May 2026 21:14:28
Being realistic and only thinking of the ones who both might be tempted to come to us, and not be at stupid9 prices:
Burnley - none.
Wolves - Krejci & Mane.
Spurs - Ben Davies, possibly.
West Ham - Castellanos, Mavropanos.
Also, from Spurs, but likely to be expensive, I'd have to add Archie (return of the prodigal) .
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12 May 2026 22:22:04
Plus, if Saints don't come up, Leo Scienza looks quite handy.
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13 May 2026 08:09:52
After the cack he got at ER, which upset him, Cree won't be coming back.
12 May 2026 15:16:04
According to Il Secolo XIX, Leeds are interested in former Spezia target 6'4' midfielder Sverre Sandal, signed by Luton last January from KFUM.
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12 May 2026 19:37:19
Strange one if true. Maybe Leeds have seen something in him apart from his height. Can't get into the Luton team.
{Ed001's Note - thanks JR. I agree with you, especially on the time limit on VAR, though I would have less time personally. The beauty of football was its tendency to just flow, which is being destroyed.}
{Ed025's Note - sounds good to me Feath, you done brilliant this season mate but it will be just as hard next season...if not harder, recruitment will be paramount and same again would be excellent imo..