Leeds United

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

With one second of injury-time left last Friday night, away at then-Championship leaders Sunderland; at a ground where no away team had left with even a point, a wayward cross flicked off Junior Firpo's head, landed in what Pascal Struijk described as a "hole", spun wickedly past Illan Meslier and into Leeds United's empty net.

It looked like Meslier had made a huge error but on analysis it was the kind of freak occurrence where the impact was magnified by the time, setting and the player it involved.

The frustrations of Leeds fans with Meslier have been simmering under the surface for some time.

Meslier has consistently underperformed against the statistic that attempts to define a goalkeeper's shot-stopping ability – post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed. Over-performing goalkeepers are in credit, under-performers have a negative score.

Meslier has never been in credit with this metric at Leeds. In this season's Championship he sits 18th, the same place he finished last season. In the last two Premier League campaigns Meslier was 20th and 19th respectively and in the past five seasons he has conceded 35 goals more than statistically expected.

Meslier is 24 and years away from the average peak for goalkeepers. He is likeable, and has potential, but can Leeds afford to keep waiting for him to improve?

The Frenchman seems nervous at times, his distribution is a shadow of the display away at Arsenal in the FA Cup in January 2020, where he dazzled, spraying inch-perfect long passes all around the Emirates. He has saved one penalty in 20 for Leeds, and conceding record-breaking numbers at times in the Premier League looks like it has hurt his confidence.

It was a freak incident that provoked the discussion, but do Leeds need to find a new goalkeeper in January?

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Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier gifted Sunderland a point on Friday as the two promotion rivals played out a 2-2 draw.

In the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Jonny Buchan and Adam Pope discussed whether or not the goalkeeper should be dropped following the international break.

"If Daniel Farke takes him out for the next game after the international break, that's Illan Meslier done with Leeds United," Buchan said. "It says that the manager has taken him out for that one error. You cannot do that.

"We were only talking recently about the amount of clean sheets he has kept."

Pope added: "It's a horrific error whichever way you want to look at it - but I agree.

"Sheffield United at home is the next game, which is a huge game under the spotlight. Sheffield United will be doing their best to give Meslier a hard time but if he takes him out of that game, he's basically telling him he doesn't trust him in the big games.

"I don't get the impression that he's about to do that. He wanted to speak about all the positive stuff in that game, which included a brilliant save from Meslier at the beginning when he was then let down by others afterwards. I don't see him pulling him out."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Kaiser Chiefs bassist and Leeds United fan Simon Rix believes the Whites were able to make Sunderland look "pretty average" during the 2-2 draw on Friday evening.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast this week, Rix said: "They had a nice spell at the start but for most of the game I thought we made them look pretty average. We played well.

"My main thing is, we would have taken a point at the beginning of the game and it's another team that is ticked off that we've seen them play, a good team, who I don't think are as good as Leeds.

"At the end their fans were having massive celebrations at getting a point from something that wasn't skilful or from anything they did. They punted a ball and a mistake or some bad luck has meant they have fluked a point against Leeds.

"There are a lot of positives about Leeds at the moment that we can draw on."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

A new episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet has landed on BBC Sounds.

There is much to commend after a draw at league leaders Sunderland but Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier left the world of football aghast after his howler saw a draw grasped from the jaws of victory.

Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix provide all the analysis, opinion and reaction from an eventful night at the Stadium of Light.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Kalvin Phillips has joined his former Leeds United team-mate Patrick Bamford to offer insight into what it's like to be managed by Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road on the latest My Mate's A Footballer podcast.

Phillips, who spent 12 years at Leeds United, also reveals how the Argentine manager named his squad by numbers in his first-ever team meeting at the club and turned him into a defensive midfielder in the process.

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast this week, Kaiser Chiefs bassist and Leeds United fan Simon Rix aired his concerns about the already fine margins in the Championship promotion race.

"I can see that if we only get the one point [at Sunderland] then people might freak out. It is very fine margins in this league, so looking at one point from six everyone on social media is crazy, mad and angry.

"You'd think, come the end of the season, that Norwich, Sunderland and Leeds will all be challenging for the play-offs. If you could pick some teams to play on that Saturday-Tuesday-Friday schedule you would not pick your direct rivals for those spots.

"If it's two points from the two games then everyone is more of the mindset of: 'OK, not a bad point on the road here and there.' But one thing is for sure, it would then make the next home game a must win."

Leeds head to Sunderland on Friday with a chance to go level on points with the Black Cats at the top of the table.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says he and his team are monitoring "the players a little bit more" during the busy three-game-week because they already "thin in certain positions" of the team due to injuries.

Dan James, Manor Solomon, Max Wober, Ethan Ampadu and Isaac Schmidt missed Tuesday's trip to Norwich City while midfielder Ilia Gruev is the latest to pick up a long-term injury.

"We will have played three games in six days which even for the Championship is special," said Farke. "The second and third games are away games too.

"It is always a tricky period but I am used to it. Of course you have to adapt a little bit to the situation and that is why we opt to share the minutes a little bit when you have these three games.

"If we just played with the same 11 players then it would sent out the wrong sign to all of the players because we do need them [non-regular starters].

Leeds conclude their three-game-week against high-flying Sunderland on Friday at the Stadium of Light and Farke accepts it will be tough to ensure his players are at their peak.

"When you have a lot of injuries you also monitor the players a little bit more but some players will have to come in and aim to play all three games in the week," he said. "We are looking at what we can do to support their rehabilitation, nutrition and sleep as that is really important.

"We can't afford another injury because the squad is a bit thin in certain positions. It is a tricky time, but we are used to it and will handle it as professionally as possible."

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Leeds midfielder Ilia Gruev will need an operation on the knee injury suffered in Tuesday's draw at Norwich.

The Bulgarian was forced off in the 20th minute of the Championship game and the club have confirmed he picked up a "significant injury to his meniscus".

United say he will have surgery in the coming days before "an extended period of rehabilitation".

BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope is joined by Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix for a bonus episode of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet during a big week for the Whites.

The pair discuss the growing injury troubles at Elland Road and whether the club brought in sufficient cover for the squad to be able to deal with the demands of the tough Championship fixture schedule.

And with another tough away trip to Sunderland on Friday, Adam and Simon discuss if two points from two away games is enough for United's promotion ambitions.

Listen to the full episode now on BBC Sounds

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Ipswich midfielder Kalvin Phillips says the "narrative" around his weight became a personal frustration.

Earlier this year Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola apologised for saying the midfielder was "overweight" on his return from the Qatar World Cup.

It was something former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa worked on with the 28-year-old during their time at Elland Road.

Former Leeds team-mate Patrick Bamford felt the Argentine was the "harshest" on Phillips.

Speaking on Bamford's My Mate's A Footballer podcast on BBC Sounds, Phillips said: "When we first came in, Bielsa - being South American - was obsessed with body composition, weights and body fats. I was on the higher end of the team, if not the highest.

"I had a pre-season where, for about three weeks, I'd go home and I'd just have a protein shake for my dinner and then come in the next day and I just have to keep losing weight.

"He always pushed me to be on a certain weight tag. Obviously I respected it, but then I knew that I can't starve myself or I can't dehydrate myself because eventually I'm going to get injured or stop performing."

England international Phillips has praised Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna for how he has been since making his loan move to the club in the summer.

"That [overweight] narrative on social media just kind of grew and grew. Every club that I'd go to, I spoke to the manager and the nutritionist, and they'd always speak about weight before they'd say anything else," Phillips added.

"I was getting quite frustrated with it, but now I've come to Ipswich, the manager is an unbelievable person as well as a manager.

"We spoke about all the past stuff that happened in my career. He just said, 'I'm big on body composition and I just want you to get to where you were when you left Leeds. That'll give us a good starting point for you to push on and hopefully get to back, back to where you were.'"

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

On the latest episode of the My Mate's A Footballer podcast, Joe Wilkinson and Patrick Bamford are joined by Ipswich midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Here's a clip of what to expect from the episode with the former Leeds man.

Listen to previous episodes on BBC Sounds

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It has been over 30 years since the last major upgrade of Elland Road. But for the first time in those decades, Leeds United have billionaire owners and the demand for tickets is vastly outpacing supply. There are still over 22,000 people on the season ticket waiting list.

Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear was asked recently about the expansion of Elland Road, he seemed confident of the progress already made: "The 49ers have committed a multi-million-pound sum on putting together a project team... with a view to submitting the planning application.”

When the official statement from the club came 11 days later, it was clear consultations with Leeds City Council were at an early stage.

Councillor James Lewis, leader of the council, confirmed "positive initial meetings" but when applying for planning permission on this scale, councils often want investment in the local area in return for approval.

"This investment can also be a catalyst for wider regeneration plans of South Leeds," Councillor Lewis added. He then described the investment required, including improvements to Leeds railway station, the introduction of a White Rose rail station, along with the potential of a mass transit route.

He could not have been clearer that Leeds Council want to ensure that the project "unlocks significant benefits" for the city.

Leeds fans can be forgiven for being sceptical of ground expansion plans. After all, proposals in 1997, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 all came to nothing. It seems 49ers Enterprises must invest heavily in the city before any expansion will be approved.

Those tens of thousands on the waiting list will only believe in this project when the shovels break earth.

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Leeds United made it back-to-back wins in the Championship following an impressive 3-0 victory over Coventry City on Saturday.

The result leaves them just two points off the summit of the division before a trip to Norwich City on Tuesday evening (19:45 BST).

In the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Jonny Buchan discussed the mentality shift he hopes to see in the squad for this season's promotion push.

"Last year we were amazing but because of the way the league was, it got away from us, they left it too late to make it back up there," he said. "I'm hoping this time round it could be the other way.

"Let's be the team that goes and says to everyone else 'are you coming with us?' That's what I'm hoping the mentality within the squad is this year.

"They have the players there who were there last season to still be a part of that to say right, let's be the runaway ones this time. Let us be the Leicester, the team that everyone has to chase. If they catch us, fair play to them, but let's go and let's keep that momentum going.

"I wonder whether that's what the challenge has been within."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

The team on Don't Go To Bed Just Yet are encouraged by a clinical streak Leeds United are showing in front of goal.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before his side take on Norwich City on Tuesday (19:45 BST).

Here are the key lines from the Leeds United manager:

• Ethan Ampadu has a lateral knee ligament injury which will keep him out for around 10 weeks but surgery is not expected.

• Max Wober does require meniscus surgery, which will take place on Tuesday, and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks.

• Farke said: "You have to expect there will be injuries, have to hope for a little bit of luck. Ethan is our captain, one of our most important players. He is a key piece for balance between defensive stability and offense. It’s a big blow he’s not available but you have to adapt to it."

• Leeds will also be without Dan James, Manor Solomon and Isaac Schmidt at Norwich.

• Does Farke expect Pascal Struijk to step up in Ampadu's absence even more and show his leadership skills? He answered: "Big step forward in his leadership skills and personality last season. During the whole season so far a key player and leader, fantastic performances. He could chip in with goals from penalties and set-pieces. It’s even more important that he delivers right now. I don’t expect him to do anything different than he’s done in recent weeks."

• Asked how new signings Largie Ramazani and Ao Tanaka have been able to assimilate so quickly, Farke said: "We try to support with our tools, lots of communication, showing them videos and individual scenes, to improve them even more, passing choices, to bring our principles of football onto the pitch - but it’s always up to the players. We should be careful to praise them too much. In all areas, there is lots of space for improvement."

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds