Claudio Fannieri

Do you remember when Puel was in charge, strange team selections, and we were so passive in the 1st half of so many games would go behind and then last 20 or so minutes release the shackles and have a right go, to only feel by full time what could have been had we been braver from the off, this is giving me very similar vibes, under Cooper I can see this season being full of what ifs, if onlys and what could have been.

Likewise the same in the 1st half vs Spurs in the season opener, they could and should have been 3 or 4 clear by half time, these negative first half tactics are actually putting us under more pressure and susceptible to conceding clear chances and goals. I think it’s more by luck than judgement that we haven’t already been on the end of a bit of hiding.

Obviously have to take this with a fairly large pinch of salt but if there is a semblance of truth in this then what the hell are we playing at no wonder we struggle to shift out our deadwood and mid range players if these are our tactics absolutely shit show and another player who will no doubt now walk away for free. Absolutely beggars belief how we operate, if this is isn’t Rudkin then it’s clearly a collective strategy but either way it’s shambolic and rank amateur.

My concern with Cooper is he is setting us up to be ultra defensive so we don’t take a hammering, he is deploying fear factor football and then in the last 30 minutes or so letting off the handbrake to have a bit of a go at the opposition hoping they aren’t too far out of sight. we cannot continue to sit back and gift teams the lead, we somewhat got away with it against Spurs but it hasn’t worked against Fulham or Villa. He continues to ignore Ricardo and Mavididi from his starting line up which is absolutely ridiculous and stubborn to the extreme. He then drops Facundo who has been a bright and creative spark in the 1st couple of games to replace him with Ndidi, there is no intent from the outset to get off on the front foot and get at teams, it’s all about containment, the trouble is at this level if you employ these tactics against every team, you are likely to get punished and then leave yourself with an uphill battle to get anything out of the game. As for his substitutions not sure he should be given much credit for making a few attacking subs to try and salvage what is a piss poor plan A and team selection. It probably is too early to sack him and if we did I think we would be ridiculed for being so trigger happy but in my opinion we have made a huge mistake appointing him and he needs to be gone at the earliest possible moment.

I think you some fair points, I don’t know if it’s perhaps a fear of us losing our reputation for being such good negotiators when we have in the past been very good at getting top dollar for our Crown Jewels or whether it has created an unrealistic expectation of what we should be selling our mid range or unwanted players for, but we seem to really struggle in this market. Whether it’s Rudkin directly or maybe the over arching strategy of the club but something needs reviewing as clearly we are nowhere near a lot of our competitors when it comes to getting fees for our fringe players especially when they are only 1 or 2 years left on a contract.

Hermansen Ricardo Vesty Okoli Justin Skipp Winks Fatawu Facundo Mavididi Ayew subs Iversen Kristiansen Faes or Coady Ndidi Bilal BDR McAteer Alves Vardy

Pretty happy with this, reasonable record at prem level, offers something different to our current strikers and is a good age. A player who has previously been on our radar, think this could just give us that little bit extra we need, at least we are not reliant solely on Vards. This gives us a genuine different option and allows us to mix it up and be flexible in game with our tactics. It’s felt for the last few years we have had very similar options up front so if it is working we are very limited as to how we could change it up, our attacking options have been very like for like. It does feel we now have some alternatives which is good.

But we could and should have shifted Iversen last summer for £4-5m and would have been pure profit, we seem to set a high expectation in regards to fees, don’t budge and then get stuck with players to then let them leave for free. It has become a recurring theme and it points at a DoF who does not have the creativity, ability or network to shift on unwanted players and yet so many other clubs do it year in year out, this is really hurting us, just look at the some of the players who have been able to walk away for free in recent seasons, it is criminal - Soyuncu Tielemans Perez Praet Iheanacho To name but a few just those 5 well over £100m of talent allowed to walk away for nothing. You can see Ward, Thomas, Iversen, Soumare and even Daka eventually leaving under similar circumstances. It’s really not a good look and surely for a club that has to rely on transfer income, to help with both PSR and generating additional funds it cannot continue to be accepted.

Incomings have mostly been functional signings. although Bilal and Facundo are exciting additions, whilst the rest are very solid but very unspectacular signings, little imagination and very meh, very much in the mould of Coopers appointment. At least we have at last started to give our talented youngsters the opportunity to go on loan with some great deals in place which will hopefully benefit the club in in readiness for next season. However where the club and Rudkin continues to disappoint and to a degree show a level of incompetence is our inability to move on our fringe players, here we are after the window closes with Ward, Iversen, Thomas, Soumare and pre his injury Daka still here when we have been trying to shift them all for well over 12 months and across 3 windows. It feels like we set a valuation and refuse to budge from that even if a deal still makes sense from a PSR perspective and it’s really hurting us in terms of restricting our ability to work in the market.

Great to see us finally loaning our young highly rated talented players out with a chance for them to really kick on, hopefully they all do really well and we reap the rewards next season.

Cracking move for him hopefully gives these young lads a chance to really kick on

Just been named in the Italy squad so probably not the duffer that some are making out, maybe just maybe when he has settled we have got ourselves a good one

Absolute madness 😡

Might be the reason they were reported as having an interest in Cannon.

Why what has he done so far today to justify asking this question?

In fairness none of us our fully aware of the circumstances regards this, it could be the player pushing for a permanent move rather than a loan or maybe a couple of clubs have initially approached for a loan deal and then made tentative enquiries about availability on permanent move and it has developed from there.

Guess or confident based on some level of intel?

I think most of what he says/writes is just his own opinion and interpretation of situations. Too be far given our past history regards deadline day, I wouldn’t be shocked if today ends up being a damp squib in terms of incomings. I hope that isn’t the case but unless we shift 3 or 4 (Thomas, Soumare, Iverson/Ward and Cannon) then I can’t see much incoming business. Hopefully we will see a couple more outgoing loans for Nelson and Alves.

I know we showed interest earlier in the transfer window but is there any legit links that offer even a glimmer that this is a deal we are interested in progressing? personally I think if we do bring in a striker, it will be a domestic based deal and will be solely dependent on us moving on Cannon and whether it is a loan or perm will also determine the structure of our incoming deal.

Is there anything concrete in the rumour that we are lined up to sign him if they lose tonight or is it all just wishful thinking? I honestly think it will be Fofana on loan once Cannon secure his move away

In that video he also has a lovely arrogance about him 😍

Really hope the club find a role for him, has so much to offer, an unbelieveable pro who has achieved so much through hard work, determination and bloody mindedness. Written off and comeback so many times under so many managers. Would be a great mentor/coach to younger players. Clearly adores the club and loved his media appearances he has been class and very insightful. As far as club legends go he is on a par with Vards, Big Wes, and Kasper

big day tomorrow, so far this week 1 potential done deal for incoming and 2 U21 loans out, hardly ground breaking stuff so far, going to have to really go all guns blazing to justify your post.

I disagree regards Piroe, I think he is the right player at the wrong club, not sure he fits Leeds style of play, he would have been unreal in our team last season, his ability to drop in and link up play would also be useful for us this season, he offers something none of our current strikers offer. personally I would look to buy him for £10-15m and also look to bring in Hamer as well for a similar fee.

I think it’s a clever move by the club, there is always a risk with a championship loan that the team you loan them too get promoted or he does really well and sees a perm move as a genuine option in a year, especially if we do get relegated, whereas with this move he gets regular 1st team football in a very competitive and physical environment but without the risk he will get his head turned.