Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday: No concerns about Djed Spence and Glen Kamara's readiness as Daniel Farke accepts left-back compromise
Right-back Spence is available having joined on loan from Tottenham Hotspur last week but it was unclear on Friday if Kamara's paperwork would be completed in time to make his debut at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Both will be in much better shape for the game at Millwall having had a fortnight's international break to work with their new team-mates but a generally strong finish to the transfer window has left the Whites with one make-do-and-mend area both could help with.
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Hide AdNeither Spence nor Kamara are left-backs, an area Leeds looked one short on as Friday’s 11pm transfer deadline approached, but the versatility of others meant it was a compromise manager Farke was prepared to strike after apparently keeping some key players.
Left-back has long been a problem are for Leeds and Junior Firpo is their only specialist in the position. He is injured, as are right-footed Sam Byram and super-versatile Stuart Dallas, his primary deputies.
But right-back Spence could allow Luke Ayling to switch there and the extra central midfield strength brought by Kamara and Bulgarian Ilia Gruev – another waiting to hear back from the Home Office – could allow Ethan Ampadu to drop into central defence and Pascal Struijk to move across.
Gruev played Bundesliga football last weekend but Spence and Kamara have not played competitively this season. Farke feels experience will drag them through if needs be.
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Hide Ad"The good thing is they're quality, experienced players and they can adapt to situations," he said of the pair. "It's slightly different to Joel Piroe who had a proper pre-season and three competitive games (with Swansea City) when he joined us.
"Ilia had many pre-season games and was involved in the (Werder Bremen) game at Freiburg so perhaps it is a bit easier for him. We have no need to rush because we have proper players.
"It will be unbelievably beneficial to have these signings and it was important to bring them in.
"I will be confident if I give them some minutes that they would deliver and can handle the lack of game-time because they will be happy to be here and will feel wanted and trusted.
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Hide Ad"They can do this for one game, then after that we have a bit of time to work with them."
Left-back apart, Farke's revamped squad looks well-balanced with lots of Championship experience.
The only cast-iron guarantee Farke could offer ahead of Friday’s 11pm deadline was that he would be at Elland Road the following afternoon but barring something special he was expecting Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto there too. Right into the final hour of trading, it was unclear if Sinisterra would join Bournemouth on loan.
He and Gnonto agitated for moves earlier in the month but were reintegrated into the side last week, both scoring at Ipswich Town.
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Hide AdNot getting an extra left-back was a price worth paying for manager Farke, who lost Tyler Adams, Jack Harrison, Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Max Wober, Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Diego Llorente and Marc Roca earlier in the window, largely through clubs exploiting relegation release clauses. Fringe full-back Cody Drameh was loaned to Birmingham City on Friday in a deal thought to include an option to buy.
"As a manager you always cry for more options and quality," said Farke. "If I could sign Roberto Carlos in his prime I would be open to this but sadly I think he's retired.
"We've got Junior Firpo and Sam Byram, who was outstanding there, and I hope both will be available after the international break.
"(Central midfielder) Jamie Shackleton played this role in a fantastic manner in the second half at Ipswich and assisted a goal.
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Hide Ad"Pascal Struijk has sometimes played at full-back on the left.
"If left full-backs are injured we would have a problem but you can't have a squad of 45 players."
Sheffield Wednesday spent their Friday working hard to bring in new signings, but none arrived by the noon deadline to face Leeds.
They had already made 10 but the new-look side is yet to win a game or even pick up a Championship point. They are out of the League Cup after consecutive penalty shoot-outs – one won, one lost – and their manager Xisco Munoz will be under extreme pressure if the run continues ahead of the two-week break for international matches, a convenient pause for chairmen thinking about bringing in a new coach.
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Hide Ad"If we win, the most important thing is it can give more confidence to the players,” argued Munoz.
"What's absolutely important for us is performance. When you play against a team who were in the Premier League last season, they have something different.
"If you take the points with a bad performance, sure we will be happy, but when we analyse the game we will look at it as a step back to go forwards.
"I know how important this game is for our fans, for our club, for our players. A derby is a special game and you have to give extra.”