Leeds Utd (H) 4:30pm 5th April Easter Sunday Eggsellent
Oh well, here we go
First the good news. C&H report that Summerville is back training with the first team and Nuno is planning to put out a strogn side
Now the not so good news. Fernandes and Wan-Bissaka both played in the early hours of Wednesday morning on the other side of the Atlantic. Fernandes was a 2nd half substitute in Portugal's win over USA in Atlanta while Wan-Bissaka played in Congo's win over Jamaica in Guadalajara.
One plus is Leeds' AM Brenden Aaronson also played in Atlanta
Leeds don't appear to have any major injuries, the only doubt is Swiss LW/CF Noah Okafor (AC Milan £18m) who has only returned against Brentford after a month out with a hamstring
Farke has gone with a 3-4-1-2 the last two matches, pairing top scorer Calvertt-Lewin (10 goals) with 2nd top scorer Lukas Nmecha (Wolfsburg, free, 7 goals). However in the last six games he's also used 4-5-1 and 5-4-1 so who knows
Assists are evenly spread with 6 players on 3 a piece but one of them is Anton Stach, 2nd only to Bruno Fernandes for key passes per game.
Based on the last six games...
Darlow
Rodon Bijol Struijk
Bogle Ampadu (c) Stach Gudmundsson
Aaronsson
Calvert-Lewin Nmecha
Win, baby, win
First the good news. C&H report that Summerville is back training with the first team and Nuno is planning to put out a strogn side
Now the not so good news. Fernandes and Wan-Bissaka both played in the early hours of Wednesday morning on the other side of the Atlantic. Fernandes was a 2nd half substitute in Portugal's win over USA in Atlanta while Wan-Bissaka played in Congo's win over Jamaica in Guadalajara.
One plus is Leeds' AM Brenden Aaronson also played in Atlanta
Leeds don't appear to have any major injuries, the only doubt is Swiss LW/CF Noah Okafor (AC Milan £18m) who has only returned against Brentford after a month out with a hamstring
Farke has gone with a 3-4-1-2 the last two matches, pairing top scorer Calvertt-Lewin (10 goals) with 2nd top scorer Lukas Nmecha (Wolfsburg, free, 7 goals). However in the last six games he's also used 4-5-1 and 5-4-1 so who knows
Assists are evenly spread with 6 players on 3 a piece but one of them is Anton Stach, 2nd only to Bruno Fernandes for key passes per game.
Based on the last six games...
Darlow
Rodon Bijol Struijk
Bogle Ampadu (c) Stach Gudmundsson
Aaronsson
Calvert-Lewin Nmecha
Win, baby, win


Comments
Thanks
The changes from Villa for me would be Bowen, Fernandes, Diouf, AWB and Tatty rested
In come Trarore, Magassa, Walker Peters, Scarles, Wilson
Stach "struggling with some hip problems"
Calvert-Lewin "felt some problems with the hamstring" and "was not involved in team training"
Other than that everyone available for Sunday
Mavropanos went off with a head injury towards the end of the game against Paraguay on Friday and was left out of the squad for Tuesday's match against Hungary
No news about Todibo
Bowen after the Japan game "We’ve got the chance for an FA Cup semi-final. I’ve got a chance to come here and lead them out, which would be such a special thing for me.”
Bowen will play the full 90 minutes (or longer)
Walker-Peters - Todibo - Disasi - Scarles
Souček - Fernandes
Bowen - Pablo - Traore
Wilson
I think Nuno will mix it, given it’s a 1/4 final at home.
The last time Leeds were in the Premier League 2022/23 he was one of their better players and they offered him a new 5-year deal a few weeks before they were relegated which made him their 2nd highest earner
There was a clause in the contract that allowed him go on loan although its unclear whether he didn't want to play in the Championship or Leeds didn't want to pay his wages, he joined Everton for a season and when Leeds failed to get promoted the loan was extended for another season
He returned to Leeds in the summer but Farke doesn't seem to rate him, only handing him 2 starts in 13 appearances, and some of the fans hate him for leaving
He joined Fiorentina on loan in January where he's had 7 starts in 13 appearances, there's an option to buy for £6m but Fiorentina are just 2 points above relegation and have other players on loan with an obligations to buy if they avoid the drop
That's going to be an awkward reunion...
Go full strength and try and maintain/keep momentum.
COYI
Traore time
We won’t win it so concentrate on survival as I am not confident we will win both today and the last game.
My bigger worry is, looking at our finances, I worry about our future if we get relegated. I am sure we all agree we don’t want to be the next Sheff Weds or Leicester - a couple of games from League One & uncertainty over the future.
So I would probably trade today for survival. But I also know a trip to Wembley would be amazing for the club & fans. I don't really care what league we are in, but I do care about us existing as a football club.
I am optimistic about us staying up and a win today would mean a visit to Wembley. By then we might actually be practically safe so why jeopardise our chance at a cup (however small it might be)? Southampton showed yesterday that even big teams can be beaten.
Subs: Herrick (GK), Scarles, Mayers, Golambeckis, Kanté, Souček, Lamadrid, Pablo, Ajala
Justin for Gudmundsson
Tanaka for Aaronson
Okafor for Calvert-Lewin
Perri for Darlow