We were all willing to give Bielsa 10 games to see what he could do, he needed one. Douglas at LB was the only new signing starting today, Bamford, Baker, Harrison, Blackman all on the bench, I think most Leeds fans are still shell shocked at how he has got us playing in such a short time.
Where is the polish? Thompson did have a good first league game, but other than that there wasn't much to cheer about.
Before a ball was kicked this season, 3/4 of Leeds fans thought we needed better than Alioski, probably 90% wanted to cash in on Roofe, Berardi has been good at LB in the past but we wanted a new CB in the mould of Bartley, Phillips split opinion, Klich has been loaned out the season before and nobody expected anything from him. More than enough Leeds fans were saying exactly the same, you can’t polish a turd. In this division it’s not about the best most expensive players on paper, it’s about finding a group who play well together in a style they feel comfortable with and being organised. Some of your players might surprise you with the right man in charge, it’s took us more than enough goes and we’re all buzzing that at long last, just maybe we have found our man.
Are you guys a bit nervous about the usual fall off second half of the season that people keep talking about? How he pushes his teams so hard they fatigue? And drop off a cliff. Or are your fans not really thinking that far ahead? Or thinking that won’t happen?
Well you lot have had to put up with some real ****e for bl00dy years so I reckon you’re due a little bit of success. I’m old enough to remember your real glory years ‘the dirty Leeds era’ 1. Sprake (later Harvey) 2. Reaney 3. Cooper 4. Bremner 5. Hunter 6. Madeley 7. Lorimer 8. Clarke (“Sniffer”) 9. Jones 10. Giles 11. Gray 12. Bates Same starting eleven and Sub practically every week. Oh and that TV interview with Clough and Revie was a classic
Nothing to do with the Board. Under the new structure it is up to Webber unless the Board sack Webber first. No Head Coach and no Football Director - guaranteed route to success!!
You can tell he keeps trying to say good things, but having to say how poor we were in the most positive way he can. Like we try to look for any positives, he's also really struggling to see the good in this team. He reports with a grimace on his face. Which basically sums up this club at the moment.
I'm just enjoying the moment if I am totally honest, I don't really know how much of it is fact or fiction? Everyone thought Bamford, Harrison, Pontus and the injured Forshaw would be first choice, five games in they have barely featured. Bielsa is a wise old sod, I'm sure he will rotate a few players when the need arises and if you are a professional footballer when you reach that edge, how long a recovery time do you need? Would two weeks break be enough to recharge? A few International breaks will help along the way and another scenario, the way we are playing at the moment what if he manages a 6 point cushion before resting some key players? Another point that is being overlooked, Leeds have absolutely dominated possession in every game we have played, 59% today, 56% Swansea, 74% Rotherham, are players really chasing and pressuring the opposition as much as some believe or are they doing it when required then passing the ball around whilst they take a breather? I can't answer for the rest but me personally, I am not the slightest bit bothered
Here is some more tripe, that he seems like is just a bit annoying that we lost yet another game and didn't play football again. "we had more chances and better chances" "I am a coach () and we should be judged on performance. I didn't think there was much between the performance" "He is and outstanding goalkeeper"
I’d rather were pushed too far and be ten points ahead at Xmas and take out chances and be ten behind and Out of contention
I think your lot were very game yesterday and at times played some nice football but you certainly lack that cutting edge in front of goal, which is what most mid table teams lack. If you sack your man, who better is there who would take the job. A decent striker and you could be around the play offs with this man in charge. Obviously this is based on just one game.
As Leeds fans were always looking for the wheels to come off, so many false dawns but this time it xoes feel different, the only worry is losing the manager
So why has the defense been so poor this season compared to last? It is essentially the same players.
Because they were never that good. When they had strength in numbers, 5 at the back screened by Tetbull of course it was easier to defend, but without Maddisons brilliance we quite literally would have carried no threat. This season with 4 we are just poor, add in Zimmermann and have 2 of Tettey, Godfrey, Thompson and Trybull in front and we might be solid again but it would basically be an admission that Farke's preferred tactics don't work and that we just want to limp to midtable. Bah!
Oh and the keeper, Gunn jr was great, Krul so far is not (Ok so maybe Gunn was not immense to start with but better than Tim after 5 games) Bah!
One difference is that Gunn had a full pre-season and Krul didn't. Hopefully he'll improve with more game time and the international break because we have to turn things around soon if we're to get anything out of this season. The same goes for the defence.
