Ric Flair

Depends if he's being viewed as a 1st team player or still an academy player. Both Ricardo and Justin only made 1 appearance for the academy to blow the cobwebs away and then were on the bench for the 1st team. Alves has played at least 1 behind close doors friendly, 30 mins for the U21s on Friday and I'd hope will play a good chunk of Tuesdays game vs Fleetwood.

I was trumping up KDH's performances of late and then Fridsy he was less involved and I'm torn as to why that may have been. It felt to me that we didn't dare commit 5 forward like we usually do, which I can understand as Leeds on the transition with our slow defence could have been suicide. But if you're only going to play 1 up front and you're going to demand your wingers go 1v1 with no support then where are the opportunities going to come from? That's why our expected assists was very high compared to our actual output. We got in the positions 1st half so many times from Mavididi and Fatawu but where was Vardy, KDH or Casadei???

Have to disagree that we were crap. It was a fairly close game. Leeds started well and then we were the better side for the rest of the 1st half. 2nd half they managed to nullify us the first 15 mins again and got the goal. From then on in it was very ordinary from us but it wasn't for a lack of trying. The stats will show Leeds had 6 shots on target and we barely crested anything. However we were so poor at converting dangerous openings for Mavididi and Fatawu in to chances, hence why our expected assists stat was very high. One of them, it's been coming. I hope we get back to attacking better next week. It seemed we were afraid to commit players in to the box on Friday.

Hopefully he gets a chance before we get Ndidi, Yunus and Praet back.

Not necessarily. Ricardo can play many roles, he's far more effective as an 8 than Hamza and Hamza has proven he can do that inverted full back role in this system pretty well. His pace helps out the defence too.

Casadei is strong in the air, its a mystery that since he's started this run of games we've started using that outlet less and less. He needed to attack the box last night, our wingers in the end were crossing to each other. I don't know if tactically he was told to not advance but when he first came here he was in the box at every opportunity.

Push Ricardo in to Casadei's position and Hamza at inverted full back.

60-70 mins vs Fleetwood and then on the bench vs Middlesborough please.

I was shocked how bad Piroe was last night.

We had far more of the possession after the opening 15 mins through to half time and again after the first 15 mins of the 2nd half. Leeds won this game based on starting both halves well. It took us too long to get control and then it was too late in the 2nd half as we just didn't seem to have the answers.

This is one of the best assessments I've read in a long while.

When he's played with Iheanacho in a front two he's been much more dangerous.

I don't mind having a system that he has the utmost faith in but we'd not had any shots on target and chasing the game, it's not so much tearing it up and deploying something else but there's merit in changes to disrupt the opposition. We had nothing in the box 2nd half, we needed Daka and Iheanacho.

Both him and Ricardo were excellent tonight.

They started well, we were the better team then up until half time but we'd had to defend well too. Ricardo was excellent. 2nd half, they took control again and we seemed vulnerable. They got the goal which was unfortunate and then we really didn't have much to offer to get anything. I can understand that, but it's felt like this was coming for a few games now. We needed to freshen it up, I'd have got Daka and McAteer on with 20 minutes to go. Our strikers are non existent at times in this system, I'm starting to pin all my hopes on Tom Cannon.

Left wing, if expect Justin to play at RB.

The one team that have properly turned them over is Southampton. A team who try to strangle control of games and look to wear teams down, we're even better at it than them. If Leeds get an early goal I'd be worried but if we start we'll then I'm confident we can get the 3 points.

Think you said the same before Sunderland too. I felt it before Sunderland. Currently feel somewhat bullish for tomorrow.

All I remember of him was they did the double over us the year we absolutely pissed the Championship in 2013/14. Beat us 3-1 away and then the game after we'd sealed promotion they beat us 4-1 at home as most of the players were still pissed up.

He has barely mentioned Yunus in recent press conferences and yet he's been out for 2 weeks now.

I like him a lot, I do think he needs a year in the Championship at a thriving club. I think Yunus would keep him out the team currently (and he doesn't start all our games)

Iffy

Wasn't he linked with us last season/summer? Wonder if he was ever interviewed.

Aaah yes you're right, the £45m was possible add ons. £38m fixed.

I'd hazard a guess Barnes is paid in 4 instalments equalling the £45m transfer fee reported.