Gribz

Business end of the tournaments start this week. I'll have a go at 1st leg predictions Club Brugge 1-2 Aston Villa Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Lille PSV 0-0 Arsenal Real Madrid 2-1 Atletico Madrid Feyenoord 2-1 Inter Milan Bayern Munich 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen Benfica 1-2 Barcelona PSG 0-1 Liverpool

I dont know the figures taken out but I posted earlier in the thread that they started off with 11% in 2018 and didnt get a full takeover until mid 2023 which was a month after they were relegated to the Championship (IIRC Leeds value dropped). But they have backed Daniel Farke with a solid Championship team only costing about 25 million but they raised funds of around 150 million in 2024 summer from selling the likes of Summerville to West Ham (25m), Archie Gray to Tottenham (38M) and Rutter to Brighton (42M) and Glenn Kamara was also sold for 10M Euros. Plus in 2022 when they had 44% Kalvin Phillips was sold for 50M. So Leeds should be quite cash rich without looking at the figures. They also had plans to expand Elland Road but thats dependant on being in the Premier League.

Yes this for me Rab - said on the other thread the system is why we are poor. Play 3 at the back as well as 3 midfielders and dont stick Hagi out of position on the left. Get our width from Jefte and Cerny. Our play leaves to much space all over the pitch. Our current personnel would be more suited to a 3-5-2.

Like @Rousseau said Hagi will be away in the summer but for me this is disappointing, he is easily our best technically gifted player. Im a fan of Sterling and in patches Diomande, for me a midfield should be built around them. Raskin as well as the holder. I think the system we play hampers the team, Id go to a back three with Nsiala, Fernandez and Souttar to get them up and running. Jefte is a wing back all day long and a natural left sided player who gets up and down. Tavs years are behind him and couldnt do the right wing back side.

Correct about PNE v Villa. Bournemouth v Man City Brighton v Nottingham Forest or Ipswich Fulham v Crystal Palace - Nice London Derby but this would have been a cracker at Wembley. Hopefully City get knocked out - after that anyone of the remaining teams would be good to see lift the Cup. The are in dire straits. The manager will walk in my opinion. He is going to ruin his career unless he is willing to stick in the job for minimum 5 years. He is paying the price for massive mistakes in the club. The stadium needs rebuilt and no player will want to go to Man Utd.

Gordon sent off misses the League Cup final

That was a Bruce Lee tackle.

Nor McGregor to be fair. Seems his confidence is shot to bits. He remains a good shot stopper but with the game changed so much he is a victim like many a keeper who suffers from the changes. It cant help his confidence with the centre halfs in front of him.

The new manager bounce gone - if there was ever one. I had a week away and barely got online but the events of the last week have been jaw dropping. There had to be better options for interim with a view to looking ahead - very knee jerk reaction and the board whoever made the decision thinking ex Rangers would turn it around. I cant believe the interim selections - I think thats McCann and Dodds media careers over when this temp job is over. Ferguson and McGregor were top drawer on the pitch but off the park there seriously lacked a lot of things and for me a leopard doesnt change its spots. We have to rip it up and start again. TBH the squad mess started with Beale who torn things up and Clement tried his best to get players in but there is a deep lying issue at the club and that is injuries - at the start of the season it was mentioned they were looking into this - I can only guess they just extended the treatment room and bought in more beds.

Edit - I'l re post

It was very much under the radar - I am overseas but I tend not to miss. Very disappointed in that one but hey ho - he will find out what he has lost. Teddy Sheringham. No more.

Holy shite, how did I miss that one. Millwall as well - they are stuck in that league and wont get out. A big waste (for him as much). EDIT - Even Nisbet jumped back to Aberdeen in the SPL because that was a wrong move.

That hits my bed time but I'll watch Everton v Man Utd.

Burnley have kept 12 clean sheets in a row with a 4-0 thumping of Sheff Wed last night - thanks remarkable (the clean sheets). Middlesboro lose 5 in a row - Carrick under pressure after losing to Bristol City. Bristol City are a club with potential if they could get promoted, its a decent sized city with a good population and they are the bigger club - Rovers arent up to much. Sheff Utd v Leeds on Monday night is the big one though.

I was "maybe" a bit harsh on the 49ers the other day. I didnt realise their takeover of Leeds was in stages. In 2018 is was 15% which jumped to 44% in 2021 so they didnt own half of the club until a full takeover in 2023 when they were back in the Championship - so it wasnt all their responsibility to invest and the previous owners / shareholders were never going to put anything in when they knew a sale was coming.

Likely to be that XI. And you are right about Lawrence. He was awful against Hearts last week and didnt even look half fit. Did you type Clinton because Nsiala is a tough one? 😄😉 Id like to see more of Fernandez and Lovelace. Although am I right thinking someone on here mention Lovelace wants to move down south in the summer?

UEFA have absolutely nailed this format. Its top notch. A lot of pundits using football snobbery and entitlement saying Liverpool shouldnt be playing PSG at this stage because they topped Phase 1, yet thats an insult to the teams who bettered PSG (and Real Madrid and Man City) in the league. Also there shouldnt be a Madrid or German Derby. That is garbage - Do they want to just hand pick the big teams. Its a cup competition and anyone should be able to play anyone.

I keep underestimating Brentford. Leicester are going back down, Wolves are a better side than them.

I think only Lazio have been given a good draw, everyone else is finely in the balance. I'll take Fenerbache. Bodo Glimt would have been the preferred tie but Fenerbache are beatable and would be nice to knock out Jose Mourinho. The away tie will be hostile and tough but with our record we can get a draw there.

Tricky tie for Liverpool but they are still favourites. A Madrid derby is tasty as is an all German clash. Arsenal and Villa should progress. PSG v Liverpool Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid Feyenoord v Inter Milan Borussia Dortmund v Lille Club Brugge v Aston Villa PSV v Arsenal Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen Benfica v Barcelona

A Friday night game again so early predictions in. Leicester 1-1 Brentford Everton 2-0 Man Utd Bournemouth 0-1 Wolves Arsenal 2-0 West Ham Fulham 2-2 Crystal Palace Ipswich 1-1 Tottenham Southampton 0-2 Brighton Aston Villa 3-1 Chelsea Newcastle 4-2 Nottingham Forest Man City 2-1 Liverpool

Rangers 2-0 St Mirren. FGS Tavernier (pen)

I echo multiple posts on the thread. This group may think we are a best option to pitch their brand in the Champions League as Leeds arent getting there anytime soon. The investment needed in RFC is a fraction of what would be needed for Leeds to become a top 4 Premier club. Therefore that could be positive. On the flip side this group didnt invest in the Leeds playing squad to remain in the Premier League 2 years ago - although there is the fact Bielsa only likes to operate with a small squad but he was gone before the went back down. Its quite intriguing and Im looking forward to more news.

Its cost them 52.4 Million to get rid of Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjaer and Ten Haag. 15M Mourinho was the highest with 14.5M for Ten Haag just behind. 4.1 Million for Ashworth after getting him out of Newcastle then parting just a few months into the job. Disaster ran club.

These predictions are to easy! Great result for Arsenal, its title race on if they win their game in hand.