Ok another weekend thread and a couple of discussion points that many of us will have views on. The first is our first team and its development and the way it’s transitioned into the toughest league in World football: Last seasons Championship team won promotion by a 10 point margin and everyone accepted that they were by far the best team in the league. The Premier League plan was then devised by Victor Orta and Marcelo Bielsa in conjunction with Andrea Radrizanni and the plan was to add no more than 4 top players so that the core and spine of the team would be the same as the Championship team of last season. Examples of wholesale changes upon promotion were many and clubs like Villa only survived last season on goal difference, Fulham changed their whole team at a huge financial cost and were promptly relegated. Sheffield Utd were promoted then made wholesale changes adding lots of average players. There are many more examples of a bad plan, so the Leeds plan was developed and on paper has worked but mainly because of the leadership of Bielsa. 4 top players brought in and within weeks Diego Llorente’ suffers injury on International duty only being able to play his first full game in late February, so unlucky for Leeds and now down to 3 top signings. Robin Koch also injured on International duty but soldiers on until he breaks down in December, so we lose Koch for months with a bad knee injury needing surgical intervention. Now down to 2 top signings. Rodrigo the most expensive player to ever sign for Leeds starts on the bench getting up to Bielsa speed but enjoying International starts. He gets his first run outs from the bench but then succumbs to Covid, so out of action for almost a month as he needed to get his fitness back. He then comes back in and becomes a key player for the team but gets injured in January and has been out for 4 matches and counting, so now down to 1 top signing in Raphinah. In effect our Championship team did it and the team has scored 43 Premier League goals and has already established itself as Entertainers, and a great addition to the top Flight, and in doing so are now almost sure of survival. Bielsaball not money did this. Radz this week in an interview has let a couple of things slip and gave an insight into the plan for this Summer. He said we will be adding up to 5 top signings as we are in the process of ‘shedding our Championship skin’. This is phase 2 of the plan and although 5 players mentioned its really about replacing a couple that will drift out like Pablo, Berardi, maybe Alioski and Forshaw, maybe Roberts and it could well be the likes of Shackelton and Davies who have failed to live up to expectations. 2 top signings are urgently required one for LB and a DM as we are struggling in those positions and have failed so far to cover for Phillips. Romain Perraude the Brest LB is increasingly mentioned and the player has stated he is open to a move. A flying wing back with top data for tackles, attacking flair and assists as well as a couple of goals. Another player mentioned increasingly is Lille Defensive midfielder and French U21 star Boubakary Soumare who is a unit and a great player. Another striker to challenge and cover for Bamford is also seen as essential. So a LB, DM and striker are 3 must haves but will be interesting to see who goes out and who comes in. However I think it great the club have a plan to improve year on year rather than destroy what made the club competitive again. It will also be great to see this seasons 4 signings all show us what they are capable of, because we still haven’t fielded our first team once all season yet. Another area of discussion is about just how easy Leeds can be beaten. In my view there is only 3 ways Leeds can be beaten: Chelsea beat us by yes, having better players, but really they beat us because they matched our energy output for the whole 90 minutes. We were 2nd best against Southampton, we were struggling in the first half because they matched us and pressed us. They ran out of steam so were blown away in the 2nd half but it was plain to see if a team is fitter than Leeds they may beat us. Saints also had at least half a dozen full Internationals, so on paper also had better players on the night. Luck plays a big part in results every year and we have seen Leeds play some exceptional football and dominated games 65/35 and yet beaten at the death by a fluke or an error and games against Wolves and Brighton as examples hurt, or even Wigan a couple seasons ago. So Lady Luck Leeds have played against some of the best players in the World this season and at times our Championship spine gets exposed and you have to say, well they were better and deserved it. We will never get away with having luck go against us, so must ensure we have high fitness levels so our weaker standard players can override better standard players and blow them away. Then by gradually swapping out players with upgrades means we compete against better standard player on skill as well as energy. Will Premier League managers decide to up their fitness levels for next season? Hasenhuttl said: “Normally our 2nd half energy levels means we perform better but against Leeds we were overpowered because we expended so much high energy in the first half, they are difficult to live with”. Just back on Transfers we managed to pick up an obscure Brazilian for £17m and he has turned out to be a proper Worldy, and everyone wants him. When you think about Buendia, Benrhama and others who we looked at and were quoted £35m you start to smirk. How much for Raphinah now?
The plot has thickened with Jean Kevin Augustin. He's been relegated to the reserves until the end of the season at Nantes. He has also been told to drop his entourage and get fit, as it may be his last opportunity to become a professional footballer again. New manager Antoine Kombouare has explained why, proving that Bielsa's tough treatment of a disruptive player was more than justified. "I took 10 days to look at the daily work through training, meetings, and even, to finish, a game," he told L'Equipe via Sport Witness. "To my great regret for Jean-Kevin, he isn’t ready, and he won’t be tomorrow either because he’s so far behind. Because I don’t have time, I decided to put an end to it. After that, is he capable of coming back? That’s another question. "Today, he’s out of the professional group because I need a tight one, players 100% ready physically and mentally. It’s also a decision I took for him to look at himself "He really needs to understand that he’s in big trouble. Him and his entourage, because it’s also a message for them: what are you doing for Jean-Kévin to become a football player again?"
Good article, Doc, as ever. You've got the basis of a dozen or so quality clickbait 'articles' here. Go on, have a little sniff around how to do it. And no, I'm not going to give up on my little campaign!
One of the best things about this season has been playing against teams who are willing to go toe-to-toe with us. The Championship was holding us back, we couldn't express all the facets of our play due to opponents just looking to defend deep and whilst a few were successful too many games were similar in nature. Next season we'll be even stronger...it will be interesting to see how the rest of the PL reacts
Thats why I ask the question if fitness levels of Prem teams will be improved next season. Being able to compete on skills is great but knowing you are going to be outgunned in energy levels means a good chance you lose? Surely its a managers job to improve his teams chances of winning. Its the Dave Brailsford method of small gains improves performance. Or would a lot of players decide they wont work hard enough as it will reduce their free time? If it was me I would want to beat Bielsa
Most PL players are far too entrenched in their comfort zone to commit to the lifestyle changes that Bielsa fitness requires. Look at someone like Deli Ali...he could be a world beater under Bielsa, my guess is we wouldn't touch him with a barge pole.
If it's not cucumber with crusts cut off then frankly I'm not interested Ok prawn as well...just to be stereotypical.
Whadya want me to say....love an indian curry as much as the next man but don't mess with the classic sarnies
Bielsa is on Football Focus this lunchtime interviewed by Caroline De Moraos. Apparently shes a former Brazilian synchronised swimmer. Yeah I know....
Jonjo Shelvey has given an interview and he said: “I couldnt play for Leeds because they never stop running. Rodrigo was supposed to be playing centre midfield but he was everywhere and I dont know how he did it, I even called him a nutcase and asked him to stop for minute”. Think we fans may wonder why we are not going after player A and then signing player B and its obviously because player B wants to learn from Bielsa and accepts that he will need to be fitter. Orta obviously has this as part of his breif so unlike the BBC he has boxes to tick that make sense
Great article Doc if I were being really picky, I would take Brighton out of the flukey win category, we were very poor that day and they created a very good goal but heh, it’s Saturday so I won’t The plan is logical and, I for one, am really pleased that players like Meslier, Ayling and Bamford to name a few don’t automatically need replacing just because we have gone up a level and have been given a chance to prove themselves at the highest level. I would really like to see the very best of the youngsters (1 or 2 only) given four or five games on the spin at the back end of this season (assuming we are definitely safe) to find out if they are genuinely good enough. One of the things I love about Raphinha, apart from the obvious, is that he is a tough bugger. He has had some clatterings (not least from Ayling) and, although in obvious pain has dusted himself down and got on with it. The reason I mention this is Kalvin (I believe) said Davis could be a top player if he wanted to be. The inference being whether the attitude was spot on. I believe Kalvin has become a better player than he naturally is because he is so determined. The likes of Gelhardt, Greenwood, Kenneh need the chance to really prove they can grab the chance and not through a five minute cameo. This is all relevant to the plan because every great Leeds team has brought through great youngsters it is part of our fabric.
