What I don’t understand is why, when Bielsa wants to play three at the back, he doesn’t use Struijk and leave Kalvin in his natural position. Him being moved upsets the balance of the team more than any other player being moved.
some sites saying a loan in Jan with a clause to buy in the summer for around 10m€. Madrid have been trying to offload him for some time, no way he will get picked infront of Benzema or Vinicius. Although he does seem to be infront of their other striker Jovic, mega fail at 60m€! Broke his nose in his last match vs elche, and has had surgery. Had a loan deal approved this summer by RM and Rayo Vallecano maintaining his 5m€ yearly wages, but the player refused. Has 18 months left on his contract. Good thing about the video, he can jump and head the ball. Very unsure about this one could be hero or totall zero.
So, we buy Spain's international No. 9, don't play him up front and think about replacing him with a 28 year old that's barely played in La Liga. Sorry but in the words of the dragons, it's a no from me. Rather give Joffey his head.
Evening all. My view on the Philips role is that he's a MF who can drop in and make a 3 at the back. Whenever we play 3 at the back we struggle so maybe he's trying something by making Kalvin a MF when we're going forward then a CB when we're defending. I think Struijk covered Dallas at LB more than Firpo got covered 1st half. I do still agree that Firpo has a way to go and I think Dallas offers us more, but I think he had a very tough job against Lamptey. I think Roberts coming on showed Bielsa that he needs a CF up front and it's no surprise we were better with him on because it gave Brighton's defence problems. All in my opinion
Bielsa is content to have just one extra defender against the opposition attackers. Its a bit of a misconception that we sometimes play 4 at the back. It's actually not true. If a team plays one up front then we actually only play a back 2. The full backs become wide midfielders and the wingers become forwards. When teams play 2 up front we play Kalvin central of a back three. However when we have the ball Kalvin is asked to step forward and dictate play from his 'usual' position at 4. This forces one of the attackers to drop deep with him but more importantly allows us the extra man in midfield. It currently allows Forshaw to push on at 8 and Rodrigo the freedom to create the overload out wide. It's incredibly risky but great to watch when it goes right. The issue we seem to have at the moment is Rodrigo doesn't want to do the work of an 8 when Forshaw retreats to 4 when Phillips goes on to the back line. Therefore it is us that is susceptible to overloads. The other thing that's happening is our 'flair' players have stopped the give and go strategy and gone with backheels, flicks, turns and dribbles. We don't let the ball do the work anymore. You can live with Rapha doing it but we now have James, Rodrigo, Harrison and Rapha all wanting to turn, flick, backheel, nutmeg instead of laying it off and finding space again. Getting Bamford back will help but I'd love us to get a midfielder in to play with Phillips and Forshaw and just let Rodrigo fight for a place on the left wing or up top.
Like poveda we got done on that deal as he is now back injured. Should have sold him even at cut price.
They’re click bait themselves mate, they put the snippet on the final page, the page before that they say Leeds are favourites to sign Arthur Cabral with a £16.9m January deal in the offing. They’re a disgrace like the rest when it comes to football rumours, they all just sit scouring NewsNow
Oh for the days of journalists actually digging for stories and facts, instead of sitting behind a screen using google
That’s what angers me about Phil Hay. How long has he been in journalism yet he hasn’t made a single inside source? I know for a fact people love being “In the know” yet nobody from within never gives him a juicy bit of gossip? He’s never first to a story, even the guy in Italy is always at least a day ahead of him for stories.
There are 3 top guys in Italy its Fabrizio Romano probably best around. I also have a guy in Spain and France who are top blokes too, but Phil Hay gets most of his stuff from Ornstein or Nixon at the Sun
Surprised Hay hast jumped all over this one. 3 former top players on a Dutch TV show on Sunday…. Leeds United are in the race to sign Feyenoord playmaker Orkun Kokcu, but face a battle with AS Roma and Sevilla.That’s according to Voetbal International journalist Freek Jansen, who was speaking on NOS Studio Voetbal. Whilst discussing Feyenoord with Rafael van der Vaart, Theo Janssen and Pierre van Hooijdonk, Jansen made the claims about Kokcu. Jansen suggests that all three clubs have scouts in the stands watching Kokcu in recent weeks.