The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 3rd March) Clvert-Lewin suffering without strike partner
Good Morning. It's Tuesday 3rd March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road
DCL suffering without strike partner
On the lead up to Christmas, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was a man on fire. In just 15 Premier League attempts he found the net seven times, a gleaming 47 % conversion rate that made every Leeds fan wonder whether the striker had discovered a secret finishing formula. Yet, as the new year rolled in, the magic has evaporated. Two goals from 19 shots (a stark 10.5 % conversion) have left Whites fans scratching their heads.
What’s really going on? It isn’t simply a case of “bad luck” or “a purple patch that ran out”. Calvert‑Lewin is arguably of the the hardest‑working players Leeds have at their disposal, BUT his job is far from the luxury of a classic poacher who can sit back and wait for the ball to land at his feet (or in Dominic's case his head). Without a strike partner (such as) Lucas Nmecha, the Leeds No 9 has been forced to drop back, hold‑up the ball, while the rest of the team scramble to catch up.
In a system that leans heavily on a target man, the striker’s efficiency is bound to dip when he is being stretched. In short, Calvert‑Lewin’s dip in conversion isn’t a mystery; it’s a symptom of a striker shouldering a heavy workload, without the support of a strike partner. It begs the question, why is Lucas Nmecha being used so conservatively, especially when he's scored six goals in 733 minutes of game time.
Shearer - West Ham too weak at the back to climb out of danger zone
Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards were discussing the fight at the bottom of the Premier League table on the Rest Is Football podcast at the weekend. While reflecting on Liverpool’s win over West Ham, the conversation turned to a bigger question: Do West Ham have any real chance of dragging themselves out of the bottom three before the season ends?
Shearer stressed that unless West Ham improves defensively, they are unlikely to survive in the Premier League this season. He feels West Ham are doing better in attack, but believes they are defensively too weak to climb out of the bottom three in the final months of the campaign. Shearer said when asked about whether West Ham can climb out of the bottom three: “Unless they stop conceding goals, no.
“In general play, there are plenty of positives; they are getting into good positions and scoring a couple of goals. “But defensively, they just look really, really weak, and unless that improves, they are not going to get out of it. “I also look at their fixture list; they probably got the toughest one.”
Bundesliga giants bidding war for Archie Gray
Archie Gray could be at the centre of a £60m bidding war this summer between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, both keen on his services. The Bundesliga giants were keen on the 19yo back when he was still at Elland Road, but they moved a bit too late and lost out to Tottenham. Spurs ultimately secured him for £25m, with £5m in add-ons, plus the services of Joe Rodon. Gray has been a revelation, showing incredible composure and versatility by filling in everywhere from defensive midfield to out on the wings.
However, things have taken a bit of a messy turn in North London. With Spurs surprisingly facing the threat of relegation and the financial hit of missing out on European football, they might be forced to cash in on their prized assets to balance the books. Even though Gray is locked in until 2031, the club's financial situation has caught the attention of Real Madrid and several Premier League heavyweights, alongside the interested Bundesliga duo. If only Leeds had a sell-on clause!!!