After a week of complex transfer news at Leeds United, the Whites are set to face off against Birmingham City at St Andrews. Take a look at Last Word on Football’s Leeds United predicted lineup for the clash and see how recent news has affected Daniel Farke’s selection.
Leeds United Predicted Lineup vs Birmingham City
Leeds United Transfer News
Whilst the official announcement of Joe Rodon to the Whites from Tottenham Hotspur on loan will be reassuring, a lot of transfer news surrounding Elland Road is significantly less positive. At the time of writing, Willy Gnonto is still the subject of significant interest from Everton, and the signing of Max Aarons was hijacked by Bournemouth late into the move.
Fans will be further impacted by the earlier rumours that Tyler Adams was expected to make a move to Chelsea, but the Blues’ constantly evolving transfer situation has thrown the American’s move to Stamford Bridge into doubt. Regardless of the USMNT player’s future, he isn’t expected to play at Birmingham due to a long-term injury.
Read More: Leeds United Potential Sale Doesn’t Want Move
How Leeds United Have Lined Up Recently
Under Daniel Farke, the Whites have lined up in an extremely aggressive variant of a 4-2-3-1. Illan Meslier or Karl Darlow start in net, with full-backs that bomb on down the flanks. The two centre-backs have support from the holding midfielders, one of whom will always drop in to protect the back line.
Three wingers tend to play behind a striker, with their tendencies to drift wide allowing for far more versatility when Leeds overload their opposition on the flanks. In an ideal world, a traditional number nine would start as a striker, but with Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter injured, the manager has settled for Joe Gelhardt and Willy Gnonto thus far this season.
Leeds Injuries Affecting the Team
The medical room at Thorp Arch is filled to the brim with injured players as of late. Jack Harrison is set to be out until after the first international break, with Liam Cooper’s injury against Cardiff meaning the Scot joins his long-term teammate on the sidelines. Tyler Adams also remains out due to his ongoing injury concerns.
Patrick Bamford remains injured with a few weeks left in his recovery, whilst Farke stated in a press conference that Georginio Rutter would undergo an assessment before the weekend’s fixture. Junior Firpo remains unavailable for selection, as his injury-prone state continues from the Premier League into the Championship. New signing Sam Byram is likely to take his place at left-back with the injury to Liam Cooper seeing Leo Hjelde or Pascal Struijk move inside.
Read More: Leeds United Risk Losing Tyler Adams
Leeds United Predicted Lineup vs Birmingham City
Darlow; Ayling, Cresswell, Struijk, Byram; Ampadu, Gray; Sinisterra, Poveda, James; Gelhardt
Main image credit courtesy of author Joe Blackburn and licensed to Last Word on Football.
