Leeds United XI v Cardiff City predicted by Phil Hay as exit-linked Pascal Struijk decision made
Phil Hay has predicted the Leeds United starting line-up to play Cardiff City at Elland Road on Sunday and believes Pascal Struijk will start at centre-back.
On 28 July, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that Club Brugge were interested in the 23-year-old defender. However, despite Charlie Cresswell signing a new contract and emerging at Elland Road, Hay has backed Daniel Farke to start the more experienced Struijk.
Hay’s also predicted the rest of the team and couldn’t decide on who will start up front.
Speaking on The Square Ball’s live podcast on YouTube on Sunday (6 August) before the game, Hay said: “I feel like it’ll be Illan Meslier [in goals]. [Karl] Darlow was a really late arrival.”
Hay then agreed that Luke Ayling would start at right-back, with Liam Cooper and Struijk looking like he’ll join the captain at centre-back. “There was some talk while I was away of Club Brugge being keen on Struijk and at the end of last season, he was one of the ones the club were indicating they might listen to offers for. It’s that temptation to start pushing Cresswell through but I think Struijk.” Hay then predicted Leo Hjelde to start at left-back.
The former Yorkshire Evening Post reporter then predicted Ethan Ampadu and Archie Gray to start in the centre of the midfield.
Dan James, Crysenscio Summerville and Luis Sinisterra were then predicted to start in the attacking midfield roles behind either Joe Gelhardt or Willy Gnonto.
Good team
We’d take that, to be honest.
It should be a good enough team to beat Cardiff and while the transfer window is open for almost another month, there are still some issues that need sorting out.
While we’re excited by the prospect of 17-year-old Gray, he probably shouldn’t be in the starting line-up for the first game of the season as other central midfielders should be signed.
Leeds are maybe waiting to see what happens with Tyler Adams but it looks as though the USA captain will be off before the end of 1 September.
Up front, it would be great to see Gelhardt get a chance but how do you overlook Italy international Gnonto?
Gnonto is being linked with a move away from Elland Road so starting him against the Bluebirds this weekend would probably go a long way towards getting him to stay put in West Yorkshire for at least another year.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites “close the door” on the departure of their Everton-linked Italian international striker.