Beren Cross
Three changes are all I would make for Leeds United’s FA Cup replay with Cardiff City. The penny seems to have dropped for everyone, cup or not, the Whites need that winning feeling in the building once again.
The Bluebirds will have an interim boss in the dugout and remain with only one win since the end of October. In a bear pit like Elland Road, they should be no match for the hosts, but I would not be taking any chances.
Regular readers of this column will know all about my preference for Cody Drameh. The young right-back would start for me in his natural role, with Luke Ayling and Robin Koch shuffling across to fill Liam Cooper’s injured void.
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Max Wober gets a full debut too. Pascal Struijk had a tough week of it and a little reset on the sidelines might be useful with the Austrian now sharp enough to start matches.
The midfield is actually unchanged from Friday night. Tyler Adams picks himself, while Marc Roca brings some balance to the left side in the absence of any meaningful competition for his place.
Jack Harrison did not sparkle at Villa Park, but his stock remains tentatively high since the World Cup break, putting him ahead of others for that wide-drifting central midfielder spot. Rodrigo and Wilfried Gnonto are among the first names on the teamsheet, of course.
That final attacking berth is not a quick fix. All of the options have pros and cons. Brenden Aaronson is badly out of form, Sonny Perkins and Mateo Joseph are inexperienced, Luis Sinisterra is too rusty, Joe Gelhardt is struggling to impact matches from the start while Sam Greenwood is more of a central midfielder now.
While Jesse Marsch seems unlikely to do it, I would start Patrick Bamford. He got a lot longer than I expected on Friday night, scored and could be good for 45 minutes to an hour tomorrow.
It seems the ideal opposition and circumstances to put him back in and alongside Rodrigo, who had been playing on the right of the front three anyway, paving the way for Bamford to play through the centre.
Beren’s XI: Meslier; Drameh, Ayling, Koch, Wober; Harrison, Adams, Roca; Rodrigo, Bamford, Gnonto.
Will Jackson
Leeds United have a real opportunity to progress deep into the FA Cup this season with a very winnable fourth-round tie awaiting the winner on Wednesday night. Therefore, I’d be going strong this week to make sure Cardiff City are put to the sword and progression is secured.
That means Illan Meslier starts between the posts, for me. He’s Leeds’ best and most reliable keeper and his selection sends out a statement of intent as the Whites target a date with either Accrington Stanley or Boreham Wood.
Luke Ayling, Robin Koch and Liam Cooper all have to play for me, but I also see this game as the perfect opportunity to bring Max Wober into the starting XI for a full debut in a Whites shirt. He’s impressed me so far and Pascal Struijk’s struggles at Villa Park on Friday night have opened the door for the Austrian. Should Cooper not make it with his injury doubt however, he would the one to drop out.
I’d play Tyler Adams and Marc Roca and I’d expect them to dominate in the middle of the park. Sam Greenwood is able to slot into the side to make up the midfield three, too, and it would be an opportunity for him to stake a real claim moving forward.
A front three of Jack Harrison, Rodrigo and Wilfried Gnonto should create openings and chances against the Championship back line and I’d back one of them to be the difference maker on the night. Marsch made changes in South Wales and I’d probably look to give game time to a few youngsters off the bench.
The likes of Cody Drameh, Sonny Perkins, Darko Gyabi and Mateo Joseph will all see this game as an opportunity to catch the eye and I’m keen to see most, if not all, get game time off the bench.
Will’s XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Wober; Greenwood, Adams, Roca; Harrison, Rodrigo, Gnonto.
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