Leeds Banter 2

02 Sep 2026 17:31:49
Only Yan Diomande and Antonio Nusa completed more than Bahoya's 2.8 dribbles p/90 in the Bundesliga last season.

His 2.1 chances p/90 compares well against the likes of Musiala's 2.2 and Diomande's 2.0.

02 Sep 2026 20:11:36
Exciting stats indeed. Does he start under Farke?

Surely must start at most home matches.

And, some away, dependent on whom we are playing.

02 Sep 2026 15:51:12
Anyone fancy one of the free agents that are available to boost the squad number?

02 Sep 2026 18:16:59
It's really quite surprising, some names on that list; real players that have totally lost their way.

I guess, we need to see if we have submitted a full 25 player squad list to the EPL; any gaps and there might be a chance.

02 Sep 2026 18:43:11
Ryan free?

02 Sep 2026 19:35:44
Kent afford him. 😂

02 Sep 2026 21:59:55
A few names stand out, such as Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial, Wilfried Zaha, Jordan Ayew, etc., but none that I'd jump at adding to the team. Think we're good for now, maybe something will pop up in January, maybe not.

03 Sep 2026 07:48:07
I agree with you on that, JR.

02 Sep 2026 10:06:19
Everton fans fuming with Kinnear only 1 striker left at the club and not 1 right back their defence is slow too can't wait to see Bahoya run past them. 🤣

02 Sep 2026 10:57:29
Yep, just had, for example, a perusal of the Everton Banter Site.. They are not happy bunnies.

Angus Kinnear will not be on the Toffees fans' Christmas Card list, from reading their posts.

02 Sep 2026 12:17:49
I'd forgotten that Kinnear is working his magic at Everton.

02 Sep 2026 13:03:41
Think Everton have had a terrible window, and if not for Grealish they would be having a terrible season. Leaving themselves with one striker is mental.

02 Sep 2026 13:13:35
They are heavily reliant on Moyes' Premier League experience, and on Barry not getting injured. Most squads aren't reliant on one player staying healthy, but I feel if they lost one of Pickford, Tarkowski or Barry for any length of time, then they will be in a relegation battle.
Suddenly, it makes our situation seem a whole lot better.

03 Sep 2026 11:23:58
I almost feel sorry for Everton over the Balogun fiasco. They organised a PJ to get him there early in the day, had a medical, found a minor issue which necessitated re-negotiating the deal with Monaco (player's personal terms unchanged) , all parties signed the deal sheet which was submitted in good time, and then, before the final version could be signed, he decided to take his bat and ball home, get a taxi and buggers off.

I expect Monaco to try to push him out in January.

{Ed001's Note - one point, players get 5% of the transfer fee, so when Everton (who had basically left him to just hang around on his own all day) started renegotiating the transfer fee down, he was facing a loss of money. So his personal terms did change slightly.

But it mostly came down to him just being left to his own devices to hang around. Clubs usually have a player or two or the manager look after them. Hence his IG post about it. He was not very happy at all.}

03 Sep 2026 15:49:11
Interesting insight Ed! Shoddy treatment, by any standards.

02 Sep 2026 08:53:04
Fantastic window! 9.5/10.

Assuming we're only going to play both of our strikers when chasing games for a short period, I'm happy with just the two. Another direct winger was just what the doctor ordered and I feel we've got a real chance of pushing on now.



49ers still haven't mastered the art of removing players but I personally cannot fault their ambition and efforts in the procurement of players.

This is the most realistically optimistic I can remember being! Hopeful for Europe come end of the season! Mot!

02 Sep 2026 08:01:11
Well done Eds for keeping up with the posts yesterday across all the sites. Sterling effort and appreciated. Hope you are all catching up on some sleep now!

{Ed001's Note - I will just grab a nap here and there until I do! Knackered mate. Nice to actually have some Leeds business done late, don't go to bed yet has been such a big joke for years and finally it meant something.}

02 Sep 2026 13:12:43
Listening to the lads on Radio Leeds, even they were surprised by getting 2 through the door!

02 Sep 2026 16:58:58
Despite all the claims of inside info from some people, I think we can honestly say Bahoya is one that nobody saw coming. Him and Fofana were ones I looked up when I read that others were interested, and wondered why we weren't, but never thought we'd go for one of them.

02 Sep 2026 07:57:54
For those that feel they still want to moan that we’ve only got two recognized strikers, think about David Moyes’s Everton with only one and their failure to bring one in on the final day of the transfer window.
If you want to complain, have something to complain about!

02 Sep 2026 12:36:37
They'll probably sign Benzema on a Free!

02 Sep 2026 13:04:28
They got thoroughly screwed last night!
I would have loved another option up front, but as another poster said, whose name I forget, we have Okafor who can play there.
8.5/10 window for me.

02 Sep 2026 17:09:13
I'm one of those who wanted another out and out striker, but that's a good point, Corkey. Okafor started out as a striker, and with a pacy natural left winger outside him, that could just be a big attacking threat. Maybe I'll up my 7/10 to 8/10.

02 Sep 2026 19:10:03
I think quite a few underestimate DCL's capabilities. For me, I think Everton at the time mismanaged him.
If you look at his injury history, his problems were mostly hamstring injuries that kept him out for very long periods.
If his training regime is kept at a specific level and his game time minutes monitored, which I believe the coaching staff have done, then it's probable that he might not have those reoccurring hamstring issues.



I honestly don't think we need to be so obsessed with our number nine.
Get the right supply to him and Dom will weave his magic.
He's a lot better than some give him credit for.

02 Sep 2026 04:01:39
2 potentially excellent deals over the line in the final few hours, both representing great value for the club, and very capable players added to the squad!
Gotta say that £1.7m loan fee for Bohaya is better than expected, and it appears the sub £5m add ons are "hard to achieve"?!?
An easy 8/10 window!

02 Sep 2026 12:15:28
Great end to the window Brighty.

On a personal note, sorry to see Willy depart, but overall, I am with Alf's earlier post. I score the window 9/10, and, collectively (excluding Raphinia and Pablo) , it is the strongest collection of players, in terms of quality, that I can remember supporting for this incredible team.



But then I'm not certain what I had for breakfast earlier. Did I have breakfast.

02 Sep 2026 13:02:41
Yes, agree losing Willy Gnonto is perhaps, for me personally, the only sour note of this transfer window.
You can see that he would not have been happy with the amount of appearances he made last season, but at the end of the day that's football, and the forever revolving door players and managers that come and go.

02 Sep 2026 15:10:34
Agree both re WG, but the game moves on, and at some point so do the players, no matter how likeable they are, and he's a very likeable guy! Best of luck to him - I hope he smashes it up, and goes fwd in leaps and bounds!

02 Sep 2026 07:39:11
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Matchday 2 - Quick Round Up

02 Sep 2026 01:25:15
So fellow banterers, deadline day has come and gone, and the transfer window has slammed shut, so how have we done? I rate our window at 7 out of 10, certainly we've added more quality, but the overall strength of the squad has not improved as much as I'd have liked. Six of our new players are just straight replacements for ones that have left, Muhremovic for Struijk, Trafford for Darlow, Zetterer for Perri, Elvedi for Bournouw, Bard for Byram and finally Bahoya for Gnonto, the only significant "net addition" to the squad being Harry Wilson.

Crucially we have not added more firepower up front, and are left hoping that Calvert Lewin and Nmecha stay fit, we tried to get Strand Larsen in Jan, but seemingly nobody similar this time. Certainly we've managed to move out quite a few who were never going to be used regularly, but even then far too many have been loans rather than sales. As my old headmaster would have said, "could do better"!

02 Sep 2026 02:41:20
Yep, I hear your concerns, of course, re strikers, so yes, defo could do better, but still.

The final day hours of the window were a pleasant surprise to boost my score to 8 /10 for the window.

A quality out-and-out striker signing would have upgraded to 9.5/10.

02 Sep 2026 03:03:25
I think you're wide of the mark, JR. Clearly, under the new financial rules, it is far better to upgrade the squad than expand it. We still only get to name 25 players, so it is prudent financial management to have 25 better players to name. Even Chelsea, who traditionally have mowed up every prospect and his dog, have realised there is no merit, under the new rules, in paying for 50 players. They have brought in something like 12 players and sent out 34!

As for loans, well, maybe that was the only option; e.g. trying to sell, or waiting to sell, may have hindered or curtailed some of the incomings. The whole saga is a continuously moving and evolving thing, and judging when and how to move in and out takes far more skill and judgement than many here can appreciate, especially when you don't have unlimited funds.



Frankly, despite obviously being one of the "usual crowd," I think our recruitment team have done a phenomenal job over the last 3 or 4 windows. The team is infinitely better than the team that won promotion, and all done within (mainly) two sets of rules, without wrecking the club's finances, and whilst spending on the ground upgrade.

Our club is probably being run better now than at any time in the past.

02 Sep 2026 03:30:41
One of the usual crowd. The usual crowd like categorising, eh. Anyway.
Agree JR. 7/10. A good last-ditch panic signing, though. Probably didn't even realise Bahoya was available until Hull tried to get him. Maybe.
All done now, and we can forget what we wanted and didn't want and got and didn't get.
We play with the hand we have.

Very impressed with upgrades and Elvis and Bards quality.
Bahoya is a suck-and-see as stats are pretty underwhelming but still young, so let's hope he is a Raph.
The horse has bolted, and they will be judged on what they didn't do as well as what they did. Down to you dcl and Namecheck to prove me wrong. Please.

02 Sep 2026 04:06:44
In terms of "depth": most have been clamouring for the removal of unnecessary "dead wood". That has, by and large, now been done.

Is it not pointless just replacing it with more floaters, simply to have the full player allowance? Especially if they cost money! I dare say we may yet pick up a free agent somewhere along the lines to pad out, if that's deemed necessary?

02 Sep 2026 04:22:06
"...You will get the usual comments from the usual people who actually believe everything our club does is right..."

The "usual crowd", Aus, just for reference.

02 Sep 2026 04:57:15
What Ani said.

02 Sep 2026 05:22:13
Lol! It was the other "usual crowd" that liked to categorise the more positive "usual crowd". 😬🤣

02 Sep 2026 06:18:13
Way over the top, senseless panicking yesterday.
Judge the club on what it is doing now at the end of the season or, better still, in the next two or three seasons.
Some fans will always want more than is available, whether it's realistic or not. It is a game of many opinions, and I think our current custodians of LUFC are steadily and sensibly turning this great club of ours in the right direction to achieve sustainability for the long-term future in the Premiership.


Boom-or-bust, short-term successes never work, and I see our owners being very diligent in making our club a significant one in the future, again.
Complain, moan and stamp your feet in anger if you wish. It's your right as a fan of your football club. We all have the right to moan or praise our football team. It's also our right to complain about each other's opinions of our club, and we do that oh so very well.

02 Sep 2026 06:18:45
Nah fella. Both crowds did so/do so, and fairly equally. It is what it is, and adds to the debate in my opinion.

02 Sep 2026 06:24:07
I heard the new fella can play up front as well as across the front.


But would have loved an out and out striker too!

I'll give it a 7. Ask me again after seeing him play.

02 Sep 2026 07:29:30
I'm gonna give it a 6 for the transfer window. imo.

02 Sep 2026 07:48:10
7? 6?? Wow, what a tough crowd. I would go 9/10. We have improved the first 11 and the squad immeasurably, not merely "straight replacements". How you can say Struijk-Tarik isn't a massive improvement, or Darlow to Trafford, or Byram (?!?) to Bard, etc., aren't huge steps forward, I'm not sure.

Not only that, but we have removed a lot of players who would barely have played, and probably even more significantly kept hold of our beat players such as Amps, Stach and DCL.



I'm not sure I remember a better window in my lifetime, relative to the stature of the club as it is now and the limitations imposed on us.

And still potential wiggle room for January if needed.

Flabbergasted by the reaction I honestly am. It just shows how impossible to please some people are.

02 Sep 2026 07:50:54
I gonna say our best windy in years,

Let me see, Strujik or Gary?
Traff or Karl?

We have brought in solid players.

There's a lot more positive issues now within our club, and I for 1 am happy.

If Parrag could now sort out a proper Guinness tap inside ER for matchday, I would be most appreciative. 😂

02 Sep 2026 08:10:13
He could do with getting rid of that Amstel, Chris. It's the worst lager we have had on for years! Regarding the transfer window, probably one of the best we have had, so let's see how it translates to performances on the field.

02 Sep 2026 08:11:41
The two big positives are the big improvement in the defence and the moving on of surplus players, often for money, rather than the usual loan.
Those deserve a 9/10.
The midfield has basically stayed the same.
The big disappointment is not getting in a striker where we are thin on the ground, especially as Piroe went.


There may be a free agent still available to cover that role, but I think we will have to handle the two we've got with care.
Overall 7/10.

02 Sep 2026 08:13:21
Like Alf, I give it 9/10.
We have an unrecognisable and far superior defence, with quality backups in most areas, the addition of Wilson, who will get the front line ticking, and speed in abundance, with DJ and Le Road Runner.
Disappointed we didn't land a striker, and I was fully expecting Haaland to arrive, but hey ho, if DCL continues to stay fit and succeed with this system and the improved players around him, the future looks bright.


Hats off to the recruitment team, they have surpassed my expectations.

02 Sep 2026 08:29:00
If Chris is happy [aside from the Guinness issue!], then we should all be happy!

Well said, Chris.

BTW, it's the pies, man, they have to sort out the pies!

02 Sep 2026 09:02:05
Noted. Amstel is urine, pies gone massively downhill, definitely, Ani.

02 Sep 2026 09:08:56
I'd say a solid window. 8/10.
No striker, but who would we have signed & how would we have played them? Are you wanting to spend £40m-ish? The system works perfectly for DCL, so who do you bring in & sacrifice on the pitch?
The new Boy Bahoya wasn't a last minute panic buy. Alf Cuppa had mentioned they were looking at him on here a few weeks back. Let's see what he can do.

He could be the next Raphina.
Mudryk - not played for 2 seasons & attitude problems. We've just sent Ramazani away for attitude. So we've dodged a bullet there (IMO) , especially with the price tag.

Personally, I think the signings are improvements not just on the pitch, but in general. Look at the last time we came up & some of the crap that we signed & then failed to improve on.

02 Sep 2026 09:44:08
What a largely sensible and un-acrimonious debate there. I certainly wouldn't argue for a bloated squad where some players rarely get a game, but still think we should have added a good out and out striker, which would then have made it a 9 out of 10 for me. I still think that some of those who've gone out on loan may end up as problems to resolve further down the line, but if all goes to plan, potentially they could yield a further £43M by this time next year.

Good that we've managed to permanently move on 7 players, most of whom only one would have played, rarely if at all. The die is now cast, and whatever our views, it's time to get behind the team. I don't go in for predictions, cos in the past, mine have had a habit of going tits up, but I'm hoping for a top half finish - fingers crossed.

02 Sep 2026 11:09:29
Much prefer a pre match drink in the City, followed by another couple in the City before heading home on the train. Prices and plastic in the ground, no thanks, not for dish water.

02 Sep 2026 12:17:32
I like White Locks & Scarborough + Becketts Spoons in town for 1-2 before games, and have to stop in Peacock before every game.

02 Sep 2026 18:22:15
I walk past [rather than enter] the Drysalters. What a mess that has become. I truly don't know what went wrong there. It was always heaving?