The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 4th February) Farke's keeper dilemma
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Good Morning. It's Wednesday 4th February, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Farke's keeper dilemma
Daniel Farke has some big decisions to make ahead of Leeds crunch game against Nottingham Forest on Friday night; none more so than their last line of defence. The spotlight is firmly on Karl Darlow, whose recent performances have drawn criticism from sections of the Whites' fan base. The Welsh goalkeeper's positioning and decision-making have been called into question, particularly after conceding four goals against Arsenal, including a soft goal from a corner that was initially attributed to him as an own goal. Furthermore, his mistake against Derby in the FA Cup last month has only added to the scrutiny.
Meanwhile, many fans are perplexed by the continued absence of Lukas Perri, who has been overlooked despite Illan Meslier being given multiple chances to redeem himself last season. During his last appearance almost a month ago, Perri's own mistake in conceding a soft goal to Newcastle deep into injury time was followed by a public rebuke from Farke, fueling speculation of a rift between the two.
This led to interest from Turkish giants Fenerbahce during the transfer window earlier this week, obviously believing that the Brazilian was out of favour at Elland Road. Furthermore, the Whites were linked with several experienced shot stoppers in the last 48 hours of the window, indicating that they were leaving their options open. Pressure is mounting ahead of the crunch game against Nottingham Forest. Leeds will need to put in a much better performance than they did against a luke warm Arsenal side at the weekend if they are to keep their six point advantage over West Ham.
Fans anxious for Nmecha return
Lukas Nmecha's hopeful return to full fitness could be a significant boost for Whites fans, particularly with Dominic Calvert-Lewin seeking support up front. Nmecha has been battling a troublesome hamstring injury since December, which has limited his playing time to just one league start in the goalless draw against Liverpool, as well as a full 90-minute outing against Derby in the Cup, where he impressed enough to earn the man of the match award.
Although he did manage to score a late winner against Fulham after coming off the bench, his injury woes continued when he aggravated the issue during warm-ups the following week at Everton, forcing him to miss the squad against Arsenal. With Calvert-Lewin historically thriving when paired with a strike partner or surrounded by high-drifting attackers, Nmecha's work rate and penalty-box instincts could be the perfect complement to the England ace's game.
Having scored nine goals this season, Calvert-Lewin will be hoping that Nmecha's anticipated return on Friday evening will provide the necessary support to help him break out of his recent scoring slump, with only one goal in his last six games, which coinsides with Nmecha's injury woes. We must also remember that the Germam ace has netted five times already this season, despite only 600 minutes of league game time.