Match Day Thread Leeds Utd v Millwall

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True..but they didn't have Phillips as a pivot in the middle.

No one played the Phillips position (Klich dropped in there occasionally) until after we went 3-2 and then Bielsa did move Ben White forward, tucked Ayling across and moved Dallas to a sort of right full back.

That said the first 5 minutes was just piss poor passing across the back, Cooper disappointed me greatly as I feel he was the first to misplace his pass and just set the wrong tone.

You probably think differently and that I'm being harsh but on a night when we were without Phillips I was looking for him as Captain to show leadership and transmit confidence to the team. To his credit he did recover after that shaky start and improved before reverting to panic mode in stoppage time. How can a top professional football take an air shot at a football that he's watched for 30 yards onto his good foot ?

Good player though he is I'd much rather have two Ben's than two Liam's.
Fair assessment. I mentioned my confusion re. the CDM role. 2nd half, I think we just played without one. Could have been that someone was designated as the CDM, but there was bugger all for him to do. More likely though, it just all blurred, as I have to say that the second half was the closest to total football that I've ever seen with the naked eye. It was a bit much to take in at times.

I'm still wondering out loud about this White thing. I wonder if we were indeed going to play him there & Bielsa changed his mind at the last minute. Might explain the absence of confidence, co-ordination & everything else we're used to seeing. Did the journos press him on it post-match? I haven't listened to the interview yet.
 
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Don't know if anyone else noticed but last night our interplay was slightly different. Normally we play in little triangles in the wide areas and pass the ball to feet but still with movement. That was tweaked a little and the most advanced of the three would play it round the corner of his defender for an onrushing Leeds player to pick up...in other words utilizing the spaces rather than just to feet.

The beauty of it though was that it beat any press and left the player in possesion driving onto the oppositions back 4. Worked an absolute treat on 2 or 3 occasions.
Only realised once you mentioned it. Was bloody magic, wasn't it?
 
Fair assessment. I mentioned my confusion re. the CDM role. 2nd half, I think we just played without one. Could have been that someone was designated as the CDM, but there was bugger all for him to do. More likely though, it just all blurred, as I have to say that the second half was the closest to total football that I've ever seen with the naked eye. It was a bit much to take in at times.

I'm still wondering out loud about this White thing. I wonder if we were indeed going to play him there & Bielsa changed his mind at the last minute. Might explain the absence of confidence, co-ordination & everything else we're used to seeing. Did the journos press him on it post-match? I haven't listened to the interview yet.
Bielsa definitely moved White into the Phillips position for the last 20 mins or so.

Noticed it mainly because of Ayling and Cooper sreaming at him to drop deeper when he pressed too high and left a gaping whole between the lines. He instantly listened and dropped 5 yards to be the screen in front. Have to admit I had my reservations about him playing that role but after last night (albeit only 20 mins) it's obvious he could actually develop into one of the best in the country.

Just think about his attributes for a second;

Great feet, can pass, tackle, win a header, composed on the ball, drives forward with aplomb and enough pace never to be exposed...better shut up now in case Jurgen is reading.

Bottom line is these young men are getting an excellent football education from Bielsa...he is without doubt totally different class.
 
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Bollox. Should have been sent off for trying to take out Klich. Fortunately, he's so inept, he failed to launch himself sufficiently to succeed. This was probably because he & your #7 both exhausted themselves by throwing themselves into players & falling to the ground in badly acted agony, time after time. Right up until we scored the 3rd in fact, then they remembered that there was football to play. Which of course they were incapable of doing.And proved it. :D
 
Bielsa definitely moved White into the Phillips position for the last 20 mins or so.

Noticed it mainly because of Ayling and Cooper sreaming at him to drop deeper when he pressed too high and left a gaping whole between the lines. He instantly listened and dropped 5 yards to be the screen in front. Have to admit I had my reservations about him playing that role but after last night (albeit only 20 mins) it's obvious he could actually develop into one of the best in the country.

Just think about his attributes for a second;

Great feet, can pass, tackle, win a header, composed on the ball, drives forward with aplomb and enough pace never to be exposed...better shut up now in case Jurgen is reading.

Bottom line is these young men are getting an excellent football education from Bielsa...he is without doubt totally different class.
Of course Knopf is reading just like ogs was reading all the pomp here about Augustin last week and sneaked in with a bid. When will you lot ever learn to stop naming players ffs <yikes>