With the season under two weeks away, Daniel Farke needs to have his squad in order and ready to play against high-level opposition. Take a look at Last Word on Football’s Leeds United predicted lineup for the friendly clash with Nottingham Forest tonight.
Leeds United Predicted Lineup vs Nottingham Forest
Leeds United Transfer News
The one major piece of news to come out of Elland Road since the permanent signing of Ethan Ampadu is the rising likelihood that the Whites sign goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Newcastle United. With an estimated fee of under half a million pounds, Daniel Farke is likely to see Darlow as a new number one, replacing Illan Meslier. Although the Frenchman has a vast amount of potential, recent seasons have seen his confidence knocked, which could lead to a move away from the Yorkshire club to rebuild confidence and get his career back on track. Expect to see Meslier out of the starting eleven if this is the case.
Another move that may be on the horizon is the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea. The striker has a lot of quality, creating chances from dribbles in addition to being one of the most lethal strikers in the league. Whilst this signing won’t have an impact on the lineup tonight, it’ll be interesting to see if Georginio Rutter plays as more of a number ten in order to account for this incoming forward.
Watch: Why Joel Piroe is Perfect for Leeds United
Leeds United Injuries
Several injuries are plaguing the camp at the moment, with Leeds’ manager informing the press after the friendly against Monaco that both Jack Harrison and Tyler Adams are likely to be missing until after the first international break. This is a major blow, as the squad is incredibly lacking in midfield presence at the moment, a position where the USMNT captain excels. A combination between Adams and Ampadu could be a fascinating prospect, but not one that loyal fans will see in the flesh for a few months yet.
Junior Firpo may make the squad after suffering a knock that has kept him out of both pre-season matches thus far. Leo Hjelde has been filling in at left-back as an alternative, a position that he played repeatedly throughout his loan spell at Rotherham last season. Other options include Cody Drameh playing out of position and Pascal Struijk shifting into the wide positions from his usual berth at centre-back. Wilfried Gnonto may return to the starting lineup after coming on as a substitute against Monaco, with the winger being described as a “wonderkid” for his time at the club.
Read More: Leeds United Youngster Holds Out on Contract Talks
Leeds United Predicted Lineup vs Nottingham Forest
Leeds are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, as they have throughout the rest of this preseason. In a fluid structure, the attacking midfielders and strikers may switch positions, making this predicted lineup an approximation of what the side will look like.
Kristoffer Klaesson; Cody Drameh, Charlie Cresswell, Liam Cooper, Leo Hjelde; Ethan Ampadu, Archie Gray; Wilfried Gnonto, Georginio Rutter, Luis Sinisterra; Patrick Bamford
Image courtesy of Joe Blackburn, licensed to Last Word on Sports.
