Luke Ayling defends Leeds United trio and makes squad demand in survival bid amid injuries - YEP 6/3/23

-


Luke Ayling has leapt to the defence of a particular Leeds United trio and outlined a crucial Whites squad demand in his side’s bid to beat the drop.

Lee Sobot

Javi Gracia’s fourth-bottom Whites fell to a 13th defeat of the Premier League season in Saturday’s clash at Chelsea who recorded a 1-0 success as Leeds failed to score for the fourth time in their last five games in league and cup.

The Whites have netted just once in their last 492 minutes of football via Junior Firpo’s strike in last weekend’s hosting of Southampton which secured a 1-0 victory and United’s first league win from their last 11 games.

Leeds have been without top scorer Rodrigo since the start of February and Whites no 9 Patrick Bamford was also forced to miss Saturday’s contest at Stamford Bridge having felt pain in his leg in training. Fellow attacker Luis Sinisterra also remains out injured.

Ayling, though, says Leeds cannot just rely on their remaining forwards such as Crysencio Summerville, Willy Gnonto and Jack Harrison to bag the goals needed to keep Leeds up, insisting the responsibility to get the Whites back on the goals trail lies with the squad as a whole.

In the absence of both Rodrigo and Bamford, new record signing Georginio Rutter led the line at Chelsea, supported by Brenden Aaronson, Summerville and Harrison until Gnonto and Mateo Joseph replaced Rutter and Aaronson from the bench.

Leeds, though, served up just two shots on target and one of them came from keeper Illan Meslier who had arguably United’s best attempt in seeing a header saved as he joined the attack for a stoppage time corner.

Speaking after Saturday’s reverse at Chelsea, Ayling was asked if it would be down to individual brilliance from players like Summerville to get the goals needed to keep the Whites in the division.

"Players like him, players like Willy, our front players have been doing really well,” said Ayling. "We have got five or six injured players back home who are massive to us, they are lads with a lot of experience so hopefully we are getting some of them back in the next few weeks to the young players that we've got here. It's down to the whole squad.

"We can't just put everything on Cree, Willy, Jack and players like that. It comes from the whole squad so we will be fighting every minute of every game."

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

-
Will Butcher West Ham United are closing in on a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, and Ben Jacobs has shared how much Leeds will receive for the Dutchman. The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with the Elland Road exit door all summer and was targeted as the one big sale Leeds needed to make before the Profit & Sustainability Rules deadline this month. But instead, Leeds sold Archie Gray for £40m to Tottenham. Leeds have since sold five more players in the form of Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, Kris Klaesson and Charlie Cresswell – raking in around £60m in total. But more exits were always likely and Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday afternoon that West Ham had agreed personal terms with Summerville, and talks for a fee were ongoing with the Yorkshire side. Now, the story has moved on with multiple sources claiming a deal is done between Leeds and Angus Kinnear’s old club. The Dutchman is expected to sign a five-year at the London Stadium, until Jun
Read more

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

-
By Joe Donnohue Leeds United have confirmed supporters' commemorative stones at Elland Road's Centenary Square will be replaced free of charge in a bid to improve their longevity. Beginning next month, Leeds supporters' personalised stones will be replaced with exact replicas, courtesy of a new company, to ensure of a 'much better quality' installation. The work is expected to take around two months to complete. An official club statement confirmed 'three larger stones dedicated to former managers Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Bielsa' will also be installed, 'similar to those located in Bremner Square', while additional space for supporters to purchase new stones has also been factored into the project. “The club have taken on board recent feedback from supporters on the stones at Centenary Square, and we are really happy that we can now announce that all of the stones will be replaced," chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed,
Read more

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24

-
By Graham Smyth Leeds United are not actively looking to cash in on Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto and believe any further outgoing transfer business will be done on their terms. The Whites, who sold Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday for £40m, expect that there will be continued interest in wing pair Summerville and Gnonto as the summer transfer window progresses. Summerville has been a target for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion but their interest has not yet materialised into a bid. The Albion did, however, send a £30m proposal for Georginio Rutter, which Elland Road chiefs rejected. Rutter is not expected to try and force an exit this summer and appears settled at Leeds after a far more positive second season in English football. The sale of Gray has helped put Leeds into a position where they do not need to sell star players and can dictate any moves that do happen. Club sources say they are not actively looking to sell the likes of Summerville o
Read more