The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 27th September) AO! Let's Go!
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Good Morning. It's Friday 27th September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
AO - Let's Go
Ao Tanaka could be thrown in at the deep end tomorrow after news of a mini injury crisis hit Elland Road. We learnt yesterday, during Daniel Farke's pre-match presser, that influential vice-captain Pascal Struijk has not trained since the Cardiff game having picked up a groin strain. He could very well join Dan James, Manor Solomon and Max Wober on the side-lines.
The Thorp Arch medical team will edge on the side of caution. Struijk missed six months of action last season after tearing his hamstring/groin during the Boxing Day defeat at Preston, which eventually led to surgery. They will not want to see a repeat.
Whilst the gaffer name-checked James Debayo, I think we all know that Ethan Ampadu will drop back to partner Joe Rodon as the centre back pairing leaving a gap in midfield. Various articles over the past fortnight suggest that AO Tanaka is edging closer to his first start in a Leeds shirt, and this is his opportunity. He is likely to get the nod over Charlie Crew, Joe Rothwell or Sam Chambers. You have to feel sorry for Crew and Debayo who perhaps have done enough to earn first team opportunities, even if it is with a league 2 side on loan!
Can Solomon stay fit this season
Yorkshire Evening Post Chief football writer Graham Smyth has expressed his concerns over Manor Solomon's injury absence that will see him miss tomorrow's crunch encounter against Coventry City. The Israeli International arrived at Elland Road last month on a season long loan from Spurs, having spent much of last season on the treatment table with a persistent knee injury, restricting him to just six appearances.
Even so, Leeds and Tottenham put together an arrangement which worked for both parties. Leeds can have no complaints about his performances against Hull and Burnley - he was clearly the best man on the pitch, but to get side-lined so quickly after just two games will set the panic alarms off with the Elland Road faithful. Speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast, Smyth noted...
Manor Solomon, whose back issue has translated to a hamstring problem, there’s an alarm kind of going off already a little bit with Manor Solomon isn’t there? He’s already missing games through not only injury but injuries, and he’s a player who was coming off a long-term one, so that really is less than ideal, at any stage but particularly so early in the season. When it was flagged by all and sundry, you don’t want him to become a luxury signing who dips in and out and shows his quality, you want him to be someone who dominates this league consistently.