Clinton Morrison: Signing Emi Buendia would make Leeds huge favourites for the Championship

Updated: January 28, 2025 at 2:53 pm GMT+0
Fact Checked by Scott Mcglynn

Popular pundit Clinton Morrison has joined up with the Freebets.com team this season to discuss the biggest games and talking points each week in the EFL.

The former Crystal Palace, Birmingham and Republic of Ireland striker will be giving his views and predictions on the pick of the matches each week, as well going over some of the hot topics in the football world.

This week we discuss three key matches across the Championship, with Burnley v Leeds, QPR v Sheffield Wednesday and Luton v Millwall all under the microscope.

Here's a full transcript of everything discussed this week.

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Burnley v Leeds

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Q: We have undoubtedly the game of the weekend on Monday night with Leeds travelling to Burnley and two of the top three meeting. Burnley have been short on goals this season but put that right on Wednesday...

Plymouth literally gave them goals, it was criminal defending. But you're right, someone like Fleming has been in good form.

They have been shy of goals Burnley, but we know they're probably the best team defensively in the Championship, but if not, they're scoring enough goals.

So if they get that right they’d be a force to be reckoned with. So this game that everyone's been looking forward to, I think this is the big one.

These are the two long outstanding teams, probably along with Sheffield United at the moment that are flying.

So it's a game you're looking forward to and you're thinking, wow, Monday Night Football - I won't be moving off the sofa! 

Q: What do you make of the job Scott Parker is doing? Taking over a relegated side is never easy, and he's perhaps gone under the radar a little bit

No, it's not easy, but Scotty P, he's a good manager. Having known him, he's always been that.

He's always got every club he's been at, he's done well. So I'm happy to see him back working and I wish him well and he's gone well.

And you know, you look at it, they've got Joe Worrall, Egan, experienced defenders that are sitting on the bench that can't get in the side at the moment. S

o that's testament to the defenders at that football club and the job Scott Parker's doing. 

And you know what? He always look smart, don't you think! I think when you look at a manager and he looks smart and he dresses smart, then his team should be smart. So he'll do it for me!

Q: With Leeds travelling there it’s really set up for a big game…

I think it will be a top game. I think it'll be end-to-end. I did the Leeds game against Sheffield Wednesday on the weekend and Leeds were were far too good.

You can bring on Ramazani and Gnonto which isn’t too shabby! Two players who probably think they should be starting, but then you've got Dan James and Solomon that are in fantastic form at the moment, and Joseph off the bench. They've just got some top players and I just think they're outstanding. 

I thought Ampadu on the weekend against Sheffield Wednesday was just a Rolls Royce. You play him anywhere you want and he can look good. 

Buendia to Leeds?

I have seen that they have been linked with Emi Buendia, and I think it would be a great signing. I think if Leeds get Buendia then they go and win the title because Buendia is a fantastic footballer.

He's got so much ability about him. Obviously he’s not playing at Villa at the moment because he's had a bad injury and it's been hard for the managers to get him in the team but it'd be a no-brainer for Buendia to go to Leeds, a huge football club. If they get him, that tips it over the edge for me for Leeds to win the league.

I think they're going to win it anyway, but even more so with someone like Buendia.

Q: It's a deal that makes a lot of sense, isn't it? Because he's played under Farke before. It just ticks every box...

Oh, no brainer, it’s that bit of X factor.

You find a way, if you put him in that team he's such a good footballer. So for me, if he comes, it's a great signing.

QPR v Sheffield Wednesday

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Q: QPR have come out of nowhere recently. All of a sudden you look at the tabe and they're pushing for the play-offs, it's been some run, hasn't it?

Yeah, they've been brilliant. Cifuentes was under big pressure, I thought at one stage he might lose his job. About a month and a half ago they were near the bottom of the table and they've just gone on a great run. 

That's what can happen in the Championship and in the EFL. I've said it many times the league is so unpredictable and any team that goes on a good run could end up forging their way into the play-offs, so he's done a brilliant job. 

They had a big win against Plymouth at the weekend and full credit must go to Cifuentes because at the moment for me he looks like he's turned it around for them and they're not looking over their shoulders now, they're looking up

Q: Do you think they are serious contenders now for the play-offs or is it maybe just a case that they've had their run now and then they'll fall back into the pack?

I don't know if they'll fall back into the pack, but I think they'll be mid-table. I think if you ask a lot of QPR fans, they'll be saying to them, can we just finish mid-table?

But maybe they can strengthen in January and then kick on again.

I think the manager will be looking at an outside chance for the playoffs because it's so wide open, but I think they'll still be a bit cautious because with the start they had they could easily drop back into those relegation places, but I don't think they will.

I think QPR will finish mid-table now.

Q: They don’t seem to have any real standout players, and it’s very much a team effort…

Yeah, that's what it is, it's a team effort.

I look at it and they've got X factor playing in Ilias Chair who is a very exciting player but I don't think they have a lot, like when they used to have Willock there and other players where you looked at and would say they have got three or four that can go and win you a game single-handedly

I do think it's more of a team togetherness and a team shape and that's how they're getting results at the minute.

Q: That should be a good game. Wednesday have been a bit inconsistent and will be frustrated with two points dropped against Bristol City

That was disappointing.

You hear fans obviously at the end with a few little boos because they're disappointed at dropping points in a home game having been in the lead against Bristol City twice, and then you end up only drawing the game. 

I know Bristol City are a good team, but they will feel disappointed. Sheffield Wednesday were within touching distance of the play-offs about two or three games ago.

And listen, it's still open they could go to QPR and get a good result.

The fans were probably disappointed yesterday because of the frustration of not getting the three points after being ahead twice in the game.

Q: Those off-field issues are probably not doing them any favors either. It's distracting the fans and might distract the players and the manager...

That's Sheffield Wednesday. I said it on the weekend, there's always something with Sheffield Wednesday and there always will be something, but one good thing Wednesday have is a very good manager in Danny Rohl.

They need to keep him from now until the end of the season and see where they finish because let's be honest, there'll be a lot of other clubs sniffing around Danny Rohl come the summer because he's a very good manager.

Q: There’s been a lot of uncertainty around the club recently, with a lot of talk about the future of Shea Charles amongst other things

Yeah, the Shea Charles situation is crazy.

I don't know what's going on with Southampton but something's not right because if you're going to call him back, the only way I think you’re doing that is if maybe you're looking to put him back in your team or sell him.

But I think there was talk about him going on loan to Sheffield United, whichwould not go down well with Sheffield Wednesday fans.

Shea Charles has just built up a really good partnership with Barry Bannan in midfielder, so I feel it is very strange. And the boy Shea Charles, I think he's been outstanding.

I think he's come from Man City, he has shown great pedigree and he's a really good footballer and I like him in midfield so yeah it's frustrating. 

It does look like Sheffield Wednesday are going to have to do it with the squad they've got at the moment, but I think they've got a very good manager and the squad's still good enough as long as they don't lose anyone.

So they just have to push on from now to the end of the season.

Q: Do you have a certain amount of sympathy for the fans with what's going on?

Yes, of course I do. I feel sorry for the fans massively because the fans are fantastic. They're the ones who I look at and I think they're just brilliant fans who deserve more. I

’ve said it many times, I think Sheffield Wednesday should be in the Premier League but you have to work hard to get there but these fans deserve it.

They're Premier League fans for sure.

I've played there and the fans always get behind the team, but they deserve more so if he decides he wants to sell the club and hopefully they get a good owner that can kick the club forward because that club's got great potential, great fans and it's a massive football club.

Luton v Millwall

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Q: Millwall have been dropping like a stone and are flirting with the bottom three. How do you see them going against Luton? Alex Neil has been around a bit, do you see him as a good fit?

Well, as you said, he's a good manager and he's been around but it is a big job.

You've got to look when I think Neil Harris was there, Milwall were doing ever so well. I know they dropped off just before he left, but it is a massive job.

No club wants to be playing league one and they are getting sucked back into it because as i said there's a lot of teams that are close together.

So it's a huge job for him.

Alex has got the experience and the know-how to get Miwall out of trouble but they’ve lost their best player Esseto Crystal Palace so now you need to try and find another youngster to come in and perform like he was performing

It's going to be it's tough times at Millwall. I still think they probably have enough to stay up, but It's a big job for Alex Neil.

Q: And Luton as well, they really need to start getting it together now. They've had that change in management.

I don't know if it throws the squad off. What it does do is the center forwards will all start worrying.

They’re thinking whether they are going to get as much game time as they're getting before. But it can spur the team on and give everyone a lift in and make players up their game and take their game to another level. 

It generally gives the squad a big boost, but even if you're winning football matches it gives a boost because you know you have to keep at those levels to keep on going.

Q: You said they obviously are a big club having come down for the Premier League to be in the Championship but were you surprised at all that Bloomfield took the role with Wycombe doing so well in League One?

Yes, that’s an odd one because everyone says that and I get it, but I don't know what's happened at Wycombe.

He was flying in League One and looked like he was going to get promotion and be in a Championship, but then you take over a team that is fighting relegation and his remit is to keep them in the Championship. 

I suppose he believes he can do that and then kick on next season. I understand it then, because Luton are a bigger club than Wycombe and probably have more financial money and power.

But if he’d got Wycombe promoted from League One where Wrexham and Birmingham were favourites, then I think that's a better achievement, isn't it?

Because you're doing it against people that have got a lot of money. But he's decided he wants to go, and I get why managers do that because an opportunity might not come to the Championship.

I was a little bit surprised, but then in the end thought, well, it's a Championship club and maybe he sees a different direction that they're going in compared to the one at Wycombe.

Q: They've done a decent bit of business in getting Isaiah Jones in, who was a regular at Boro

Yeah he was in the team until Ben Doak came in on loan from Liverpool, and he kind of was sitting on the bench.

Luton paid a lot of money for Jones in terms of the Championship, but I like Jones. I think he can play right-back up, or I prefer him in right wing and he has got pace. He can cause problems so for me it’s a really good signing

I think they need probably two or three more to help them in this January window, just because when you're in the bottom three you need a bit of a spark. And I think the spark can be when you're bringing new players.

VAR

Q: The disallowed goal in the Sunderland game, has it been cleared up yet? Your reaction went round on social media, do you have any idea what happened?

No, I think I know what it is - I think it might have been a Le Fee handball. 

But there's no VAR here and the referee's turned and looked at his linesman, the linesman's not done anything. Isidor celebrated with the bench, the ball is back on the spot but then the referee stops it.

Who is in his ear telling him? So that's why I still don't know now. I'd love the referee to come out and clear up why the goal wasn't given and then people like myself would understand.

If somebody just came out and admitted something, then you can move on a lot quicker.

Q: There’s no VAR in the Championship, would you like to see it introduced?

There's a lot of Championship teams that wouldn't want it in there and they say leave it with the Premier League.

It's a hard one but I think fans prefer to keep the Championship without VAR.

They have it for the play-off which you can understand because those matches can be so important and so much money is attached.

Luckily the decision didn’t cost Sunderland the other day against Derby. 

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Will Jackson

Will Jackson

Former sports journalist, formerly of PA Media, who spent years on the road specialising in football and cricket before moving behind a desk. More recently a PR manager before moving into the world of content and marketing with the Gambling.com group.

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