The return of the Premier League is now just around the corner and Leeds United are hard at work on the training ground. The Whites’ next competitive fixture comes on December 28 against Manchester City, but they’ll have a couple of run outs over the next few days with friendlies against Real Sociedad and AS Monaco arranged.
The clash with Sociedad comes first, with Leeds set to take on the Spanish outfit this evening at Elland Road and a video posted on the club’s YouTube channel and LUTV shows just how they have been preparing for that clash.
Here’s a look at what we learned from the video.
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World Cup stars back in the swing
Leeds only had three players at the World Cup, with Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson going the furthest in the competition, reaching the last 16 with the USA before being knocked out by the Netherlands. Rasmus Kristensen’s Denmark failed to make it beyond the group stage.
All three men have been given time to physically and mentally rest up and recover before returning to Thorp Arch and at least a couple are already back in full training, it seems. Aaronson features heavily in the video, going through several exercises in the gym before heading out onto the grass to take part in an intensive two-touch pass and move exercise.
Kristensen was also out on the grass and, while their workloads will be managed, they might be in contention to feature against the Spanish.
Llorente training as normal
Llorente was one man forced to sit out of last week’s game against Elche after undergoing surgery on his hand. Marsch spoke after the game about the defender’s fitness, though, revealing he wouldn’t have to sit out for too long and it seems he could be involved against his former club this evening.
The 29-year-old was seen training as normal out on the grass at Thorp Arch, going through the motions with the rest of the squad and going through some fitness work.
Archie Gray makes an appearance
It’s been some time since Gray has been seen in a Leeds shirt, with his last appearance for the Under-21s coming back in September. The 16-year-old stubbed and fractured his toe at home during the September international break and that ruled him out for a few weeks heading into October.
However, Marsch explained just before the World Cup that Gray’s injury had highlighted an ankle defect and he would have to sit out of training for a while longer while the club’s medical staff worked to rectify the issue. The 16-year-old can be seen in the video, though, walking on a treadmill while members of the first-team squad prepare themselves for a session on the grass.
Injury clues
The sight of Summerville limping out of Leeds’ friendly with Elche after 10 minutes won’t have pleased supporters last week. The winger was in red-hot form before the World Cup break, establishing himself within the first-team and cementing a spot in the starting XI, and supporters will be hoping to see him kick on again after Christmas.
As such, the sight of him in the gym will be an encouraging one, but he couldn’t be seen out on the field.
Elsewhere, there was no sign of Illan Meslier, Junior Firpo, Patrick Bamford, Kristoffer Klaesson or Joe Gelhardt, while Robin Koch, Stuart Dallas and Luis Sinisterra were also in the gym.
Christmas spirit
Whoever is in charge of the music in the players’ gym at Elland Road cannot be accused of being a Grinch. Wham, Mariah Carey and Brenda Lee can all be heard playing in the background to add a bit of festive cheer to the squad’s various cardio and resistance exercises.
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