Well just on the train home after a great weekend and great match. Not much to add to the praise on the rest of the thread. Great performance today as team and individuals (thought KP and Roofe has really good games and Douglas looked instant quality) was a great atmosphere but def team has potential for improvements. I think we’re at high risk of letting some goals in this season but if we keep playing like that then **** it it’ll be fun along the way! MOT
Wow. Mr sheen has got that turd so shiny you can see your reflection. Brilliant stuff today. Movement and one touch football the difference... we were fit and really up for it, but the movement and interchanging was the key for me.. always an outball and stoke didn’t know who to pick up. That’s how a team becomes greater than the sum of the parts, the individuals played well but the fluidity of the whole 11 made me think you could have swapped a few individuals and not noticed much of a difference as long as the replacements knew their jobs. Think that’s emphasised by the fact that MB played the guys he’d had time to drill over the new boys... ie knowing your job and the system is more important than individuals. One swallow doesn’t make a summer, and always thought first game was maybe a good time to play stoke... but irrespective of that, great team performance.
1) Felix proved that borrowing a cap from a numbskull transferred an instant loss of intelligence to him and derailed his season .. BPF obviously saw this and took his chances squinting into the sun 2) agree, even Klich looked a lot leaner .. Bielsa worked them hard in pre-season and it showed, every player ran like Forrest Gump 3) think Roofe will get 10-plus easily in this system, could have had two in the first half .. contributed massively to closing Stoke down from deep 4) thank fcuk for that, think the lads know Bielsa wants them chasing rather than lying there faking it
Good to see you back, Billy. Were you at the match or did you use a link? I'm assuming you're as thrilled as the rest of us.
One other thing about the match that I forgot to mention. Viewed from the East Stand Lower, almost the whole ground appeared to be wearing white. There's usually a fair bit of white, especially when it's sunny, but I tell ya, I've never seen anything like this before!
Correct Marcus, you didn't knock a single player, you knocked 3 of'em....... I personally think Berardi did an exceptional job as a CB. Not his usual position, but Bielsa obviously saw something in him in that position. He isn't scared to run forward with ball, and his tackling was typical "what we expect" Berardi style. Yes, he made a mistake, but so did other players. Alioski played a very good game down that left wing, he worried their defenders and didn't always try to go around, he cut inside quite a few times, and he has an assist in Pablos goal. He worked like a trooper and didn't have to do 3 peoples job. Nearly scored a cracker too. It's very rare you keep Pablo out the action, and against Stoke was no different, his and Saiz's touches and flicks had the Stoke defence asking what day it was. Klich has come on, played a great game as I said he would. Bielsa's obviously been working with him on certain aspects of game, and he got a goal to boot. Isn't Klich's nickname the penetrator. Douglas looks to be a good left back, pretty much a hand in every goal. 1st Goal, Looked like Douglas, Saiz, Klich........2nd Goal, Douglas, Alioski, Hernandez........3rd Goal, Douglas corner, Cooper. Roofe played a good game, not my MOM, but Roofe needs to work on his final ball, his end product wasn't that good. 2 players I think may well eventually fizzle out the first eleven are Roofe and Phillips. The whole team played well, and under Bielsa may well be a sign of things to come, but, it's only our first game.......
There was a big push on Facebook in the days running up to the match urging all fans to wear white, don’t know about the other social media platforms. Maybe that had an impact. Certainly looked very impressive
Alioski & Roofe, both excellent today. Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford, amazing what a bit of competition for your place does, not quite the same when it’s Ekuban and Sacko
Think we need to cut Berardi some slack as that’s how Bielsa wants the team to play. Don’t know if anyone else watched it on sky but often if we just cleared long the cameras cut to Bielsa who looked frustrated that we had done so. Unfortunately it will go wrong occasionally.
What a stunning performance Positives Klich - top quality footballer, we lost control & possession of the ball once MK was subbed Saiz - back to his very best Cooper - wow where did that come from including a delightful glancing headed goal Roofe - ran his socks off, great movement off the ball Phillips - so many tackles & interceptions, impressive in his new role Douglas - lovely debut from a proper left-back, the kop already have a song for Barry Hernandez - the old magician continues to wave his magic wand Ayling - all over the park giving his all as usual Alioski - I'm his biggest critic but he actually showed some quality yesterday Our bench - what a difference, Pontus, Bamford & Roberts didn't even get a kick Discipline - much improved, no rolling around or waving of yellow cards from Saiz & Alioski Game plan - every player knew what was expected of them & played for each other Movement - can't remember so much movement on & off the ball from a Leeds side Passing - always someone looking for the ball & waiting for a pass Creativity - we could have scored seven Pressing - rarely allowed Stoke players to settle on the ball. Ince really spat his dummy out Defending - rarely looked in danger against a £20m attack Goals - first time we've scored three goals since 20th January v Millwall (& still got beat) Points - three points always welcome on the first day of any season Atmosphere - the kop is back with a vengeance, my god it was loud with some mental scenes too Bielsa - when all around him were going bonkers he remained as cool as a cucumber hardly moving an inch, he swayed momentary & that was all the emotion on show, meanwhile Rowett was jumping around like a demented monkey trying to urge his players on Negatives Two knobheads running on the pitch, that's their season over Overall Always special being a Leeds fan but on days such as yesterday, it was truly awesome I can't show any criticism after a performance like that, a first in many years. I may have overrated some of my marks however the players deserve their high scores for giving us much hope for the rest of the season 7 Peacock-Farrell 8 Ayling 7 Berardi 9 Phillips 9 Cooper 9 Douglas 9 Klich MOTM 9 Saiz 9 Hernandez 8 Alioski 9 Roofe
In the press conference after Bielsa said a few things he was not happy with, one being later in the game we played long ball too much and lost possession putting ourselves under pressure. And he said (as a positive) the team took risks in their style of play. So I am sure you are right. I like Berardi anyway, just thought he looked uncomfortable at times.
Nope, I’ve read it back and definitely didn’t knock anyone. I said good but not gold, first reserves etc. Knocking would be, let’s say, taking a kid like Cook or Phillips out of the youth team and criticising from day one, or saying your 30 goal a season striker is lucky. The good thing is, no-one on here is dumb enough to do that If you take breaths before venting, you will also see I highly praised some of your other favourites, that is because I try to base my opinions on what I watched not on whose pictures I have cut out of a magazine
Ok, season's started, and it's obviously back to normal I see... You mentioned Alioski, Berardi and Dallas need to be reserves, I think that qualifies as knock, arguable of course, however, my reply wasn't an attack but a more humorous reply, hence the winking thingamebob, but, as I mentioned, season's started and it's back to normal. Don't you find these friendly debates more invigorating for the mind.
