Good Morning. It's Tuesday 2nd November, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Leeds overestimated the quality they have in the squad - Hay Leeds Journalist Phil Hay believes that the Leeds Utd hierarchy overestimated the quality of the players they have on their books, but went on to say that he expects their form to pick up when a fully fit squad is available! "It's fair to say that they expected the players in the squad to stay at a much higher level than they have this season. They expected the performances to continue after last season. The proof will be in the pudding ultimately, but it hasn't been good so far. Perhaps with hindsight, they'll look back and think that they over-estimated the quality of the squad. I have to say that I didn't expect them to struggle like this early on either. I didn't think they'd finish 9th again, but I did think they'd have enough about them". "The attitude of the club is very much that the team will play better when key players return from injury (for a sustained period) & individual form picks up. One of the main messages from yesterday & Wolves is that the players are fighting for this - in comparison to Norwich who really looked like they threw the towel in at 2-1". please log in to view this image When Bielsa leaves, who would you like to see in the ER hot seat? Whilst Marcelo Bielsa has had a fantastic tenure at Elland Road, nothing lasts forever; and there'll come a time when the Argentine and Leeds Utd part ways. Many believe this will be Bielsa's last season, and he'll walk away with his head held high next Summer! Who is favourite for the Elland Road hot seat next? According to Betfair its Eddie Howe, followed closely by Frank 'Spygate' Lampard and Chris 'I hate Leeds' Wilder. Who would you like to see as the next Leeds Manager? Eddie Howe 4/1 Frank Lampard 6/1 Chris Wilder 6/1 Steven Gerrard 7/1 Jorge Sampaoli 8/1 Marcelino 9/1 Lee Bowyer 9/1 Antonio Conte 12/1 Jonathan Woodgate 20/1 Diego Flores 25/1 Mick McCarthy 40/1 David O’Leary 100/1 please log in to view this image The next 10 games Leeds face some tricky ties in their next ten games, by which time we'll be halfway through the season. Are these fixtures more or less difficult than our opening games? How many points do you estimate the Whites will pick up, and where do you see them in the league table halfway through the season? Leicester City Home Spurs Away Brighton Away Crystal Palace Home Brentford Home Chelsea Away Manchester City Away Arsenal Home Liverpool Away Aston Villa Home please log in to view this image
Leicester City Home 1-1 Spurs Away 0-2 Brighton Away 0-2 Crystal Palace Home 3-2 us Brentford Home 1-0 us Chelsea Away 3-0 Manchester City Away 2-0 Arsenal Home 1-3 Liverpool Away 0-3 Aston Villa Home 1-1 8 points
Morning all Our problems are self inflicted and probably through pig headedness. 3 windows ago we were buying a new midfielder which collapsed. We knew were were about to lose Hernandes and Berardi and probably Alioski. We were linked to countless midfield players from Rodrigo De Paul and Nahitan Nandez to Emiliano Buendia and Cantwell and Benrhama. I believe Bielsa baulked at paying so much for some of these players, so ended up with nobody. This summer we went all in for Gallagher and had no back up plan, so yet again failed to fill that needed top mid player. Injuries has clearly shown we have a small squad which isnt good enough. Bielsa wants everyone to play at least 2 positions so the good players can. Ayling, Dallas, Struijk, Koch, Llorente, Phillips, Rodrigo Raphinha and maybe Roberts can too. But with a small squad if you have a player out his replacement needs to be as good and we can clearly see thats not what we have. We have Shaks or an U23 replacing Ayling, Roberts replacing Rodrigo, major problems when Phillips is out and an under performing midfield with Klich struggling. That much needed midfield player is a must have in my opinion. Jorge Sampaoli is nailed on to replace Bielsa. We also need to remember that Bielsa and Orta put a list of replacements in front of the board. So the club know who Bielsa wants to replace him already and you just know Eddie Howe and Lampard are not on that list or any former failed manager like Big Mick or O’Leary and Conte is pie in the sky. Diego Simeone, Diego Flores, Martinez even Gabriel Batistuta may be on that list. Bielsanows who can improve players, use the foundations Bielsa has builtt the academy, will use the academy coaching set up as is and basically not rip up all the work done y wholesale changes. Ielsa and the club will know the new coach will have his own ideas but will be wise enough to build upon whats been done
Morning all… Over estimated the quality in the squad? Did they really?? Ask any genuine Leeds fan and we know it’s more the importance of Bielsa helping some over achieve. It’s basically the same core of players many before Bielsa failed with. I truly believe we’ve spent poorly the last two seasons, it’s only been balanced out by the signing of Llorente and Raphinha. I’ve made it clear a few times I’d not have signed Harrison, forget the he’s off form excuse and when he’s on it he is great. He is only on it half a dozen games a season and it’s the same every year. Costa was a waste of another £15m, Rodrigo was signed to replace Bamford when there was never any real intention of him being replaced. A season and a third on and nobody still knows he’s best position. Firpo the jury is out but you can’t help feel the Burnley guy would have been better. James? I’m surprised he hasn’t started great, I’m surprised another winger, I’m surprised at the fee, I don’t want to judge too early but I’m getting worried Koch very injury prone, with Struijk and Cresswell it’s a shame we can’t get a refund on that one. When I say “spent poorly” I mean too in neglecting CM for areas we seemed to be adequately covered in. Life after Bielsa it’s Pochettino for me. Edit*** @Doc was posting at the same time as me and exactly this too in regards to that CM that we haven’t actually replaced since Saiz left and when you consider Pablo has also departed it’s a very strange one.
Some of the names on the list are laughable, wilder, McCarthy, O'Leary,fat fwank etc Conte and sampiola are the only one's that would be acceptable and one's already off it ! As for the next games it's a tough set and I think at the most 12 points, time to put that slick passing system into top gear.
I think we underestimated this trio. I know Hernandez barely kicked a ball for us last season, but on the last game of the season, when given an opportunity, he ran the show!!! Alioski - not the greatest defender but the durecell bunny covered every blade of grass.
Who knows but those betting odds you’ve popped up, some of those names should be 10,000/1 Wilder and Lampard, surely they’re a wind up
Why would Pochetino or any other elite manager who's used to regular CL football come to manage Leeds ? At best we're currently a mid table PL outfit without the necessary funding to push on and challenge for the top 4. Sorry but that's just how it is, somehow when we were in dire straits Orta pulled a rabbit out of the hat and found Bielsa, replacing him with similar quality will be virtually impossible. Just take a look at the quality of managers in the PL below top 4 level and very few of them have ever managed a CL team (Benitez & Rodgers are the only ones). We can pontificate all we like about who we would prefer (Sampaoli for me) but getting them to LS11 is a whole different ball game.
Those managers odds are laughable. Frank Lampard for the love of Christ, who honestly thinks that would ever happen. I don't know why I keep listening to talkshite radio but this morning they've been discussing Everton. Leeds are in a relegation scrap because we've not started the season as strongly as last and Bielsa has been found out and we are going down. Everton have lost five in a row but it's because of injuries and they will be fine according to every man and his dog on that station. Double standards
Costa should have worked after what he achieved for Wolves the season before! As we were in the Championship at that point, we were very limited as to who we could attract! I do ask myself, whether Orta or Bielsa is to blame for some of the poor signings? I know Orta has recommended some amazing signings which Bielsa has turned down flat!!!!!!!!
In response to Jammy who raises a very valid point, I suggest that the only way you get Pochetino is to a) have a father figure at the club which Bielsa is to Pochetino and b) having a credible project. If the project is still on target and we should know by February, then why wouldnt a top coach take over
