The Elland Road return
Seventy-eight days after Pascal Struijk’s dramatic header, Raphinha’s poignant pause and Kalvin Phillips’s familial penalty shootout, Leeds United are back at Elland Road. The Whites host Cagliari and it will be a first look at the turf ahead of the new season.
There is no getting away from that special first look at the carpet the grounds staff have been knitting together during the close season. At the time of writing, we may not be set for the sun-kissed Elland Road we cherish, but having everyone back together will be great.
The stadium will undoubtedly have tens of thousands packed in despite it being a friendly. Perhaps there will be some new chants and it will also be a first opportunity for the new signings to sample home support in LS11 and see that penny drop on the scale of the club they've walked into.
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Injury returns?
There are four players going into Sunday’s game with unresolved question marks next to their names. Liam Cooper’s Achilles issue blighted the entirety of the Australia tour and he is badly in need of match time to have any chance of starting the new season on day one.
The Cagliari game will allow us to check in on the captain as well as Cody Drameh, who had a hamstring niggle in Perth, and Luis Sinisterra and Adam Forshaw, who were forced off in the Crystal Palace clash.
The left-back solution
The smart money seems to be heading towards Struijk as the likeliest starter at left-back on the opening day of the new season, but today may throw us a curveball. Leif Davis’s exit only narrows the field, while Jack Harrison is undoubtedly required in attack based on the injury and suspension situation in the final third.
Leo Hjelde was promising down that left flank last term, but Struijk’s seniority and Diego Llorente and Robin Koch’s readiness in the centre should mean the Dutchman can remain wider. Will there be another route Jesse Marsch goes down?
Bamford’s minutes
Half an hour against Brisbane Roar, an hour against Aston Villa and then 45 minutes against Crystal Palace. Patrick Bamford is being carefully managed through this summer for a good reason.
After seven starts last term and barely a ball kicked after September, Leeds cannot afford for their number nine to break down with injury again. Restricting him to an hour at a time through August would be far more welcome than a couple of 90-minute epics resulting in a six-week injury lay-off.
With the new season now less than a week away, it will be intriguing to see which way Marsch and Rob Price go with Bamford’s programme. Does he stay at 60 minutes or will they push the envelope for reassurance ahead of the competitive action?
Softening any Sinisterra blow
If Sinisterra is not risked this evening after his hamstring issue in Perth, Marsch has a decision to make on how he sets up his three attacking midfielders behind Bamford. In Australia, Rodrigo was put into the centre and Brenden Aaronson pushed wider.
Sam Greenwood and Crysencio Summerville are alternatives to Rodrigo alongside Aaronson and Harrison behind Bamford. Marsch may be tempted to take a look at another combination before the results start to matter in six days’ time.
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