Leeds United travel to Brighton on Saturday looking to build on a steady start to the season, with no defeats from two in the Premier League and safe progression into the third round of the League Cup.
The Whites acted to improve their attacking ranks on deadline day, bringing in Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Jean-Mattéo Bahoya on a season-long loan with an option to buy, leaving Daniel Farke delighted.
“I have to say I don’t like a deadline-day transfer. I don’t think it’s a good moment to make (big) signings,” the manager said.”Because sometimes it’s really like crazy signings without preparing and you don’t know about the player and haven’t spoken (a lot) about him.
“But for Jean-Matteo, it was not the case for example. He was on our list before and we’ve watched him a few weeks ago.”
Farke confirmed in his pre-match press conference the young Frenchman is fit and eligible to play immediately, and he could be an immediate upgrade in the attacking positions behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Defence
James Trafford, Tarik Muharemović, Jaka Bijol, Nico Elvedi
Trafford is set to continue in goal after a fine start to the season, conceding just once across three starts in all competitions, while Muharemović has arguably been the standout player at Elland Road so far this term, making a whopping 16 clearances, four blocks, four interceptions and two tackles across the opening two top flight matches.
Bijol may have been in danger to be dropped after being hauled off at half-time last time out, but an unfortunate injury for Rodon means it’s the Wales international who makes way for new signing Elvedi.
Farke confirmed Rodon is set to be out until at least the end of the next international break: “Yes bad news. Joe has a hamstring injury. He will be out for, at the moment, an assessment of eight to 10 weeks so he will definitely not play before the next international break.
“Also, probably not the first games after the international break. Of course, a big blow for us because he is a key player for us.”
Midfield
Jayden Bogle, Anton Stach, Ethan Ampadu, James Justin
Farke should see no reason to mix up his midfield, with his wing-back system allowing Justin to thrive on the left hand side and the solidity offered by Ampadu and Stach in the middle offering so much freedom to the front three.
Stach in particular has been an absolute monster to start the season for Leeds, scoring once, making seven tackles, six interceptions and a huge ten clearances.
“Anton is perhaps not a beautiful as Juninho but he is bloody effective,” Farke said of his compatriot’s set-piece taking ability following his winner at Forest in gameweek one.
Attack
Jean-Mattéo Bahoya, Daniel James, Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Calvert-Lewin will keep his place after bagging his first of the season last time out against Brentford, but it’s fair to say there haven’t been another chances created for the former Everton man, and Fabian Hurzeler’s adventerous Brighton team offers the perfect chance to go for pure pace alongside the number nine.
Brenden Aaronson, Noah Okafor, Harry Wilson and Sean Longstaff have all been offered minutes in the inside forward roles so far this season, but none of have impressed, with zero goals and just Longstaff’s assist in the League Cup bewteen them.
Farke said Aaronson “embodies so much what we want to be” and is a big fan of the American’s work ethic, but Bahoya and James is set to be the fastest wide man duo in the league if started together, with the former Frankfurt man, like the Welshman, famed for his pure pace.
Unleash the two of them on a Brighton side who love to play vertically quickly and leave space behind their full-backs, and Calvert-Lewin may find himself on the end of some 2 v 1 situations early and often.
