The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 5th Aug)

Good Morning. It's Monday 5th August, and here are the Leeds Utd headlines


Opening day victory

A dominant Leeds side made easy work of Bristol City at Ashton Gate yesterday courtesy of a moment of magic from Hernandez, a bullet header from Bamford and a clinical strike from a rejuvenated Harrison! Only a late consolation goal from the home side with 11 minutes left Leeds in disarray as the Robins launched assault after assault on the Leeds goal, but Bielsa's men stood firm

After the game, City's Manager Lee Johnson said the following:-
"We were honest, we worked our socks off, but inevitably they had more quality than us. We didn't cope with their relentless pressing. "We need a bit more quality, which hopefully we'll get in the next few days.
"It's a good standard for the lads to feel, because if [Leeds] keep that XI fit, they are top, top for the Championship. They were better than us and we have to be honest about that."

Bielsa also spoke to the press, and had the following to say:-
"We managed both halves very well in the first 30 minutes, but at the same time, in the last 15 minutes we conceded too much possession"

Roofe transfer likely to happen in next 24 hours

As talks continued over the weekend between Anderlecht and the Leeds Utd hierarchy, it has become more and more likely that our leading scorer from last season will be on his way to Belgium in the next 24 hours with a fee of 7m being agreed between the two parties.

Speculation is rife over social media about who his replacement will be? The names being touted about with some credibility are Toon Striker Dwight Gayle, Vydra from Burnley, Ryan Kent from Liverpool and a host of strikers from Serie A and La Liga. One name we can cross off that list is Vydra. According to Leeds journalist Phil Hay, Leeds are not interested in the Czech Republic International. The deadline on transfers is pm this Thursday. How many incoming player will Leeds bring in? Who would you like to see sign?

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All other news

Hernandez and Bamford stayed behind to applaud the away Leeds fans to thank them for singing Bamford’s name as he headed off the pitch.

Having left the YEP, we assumed that we had lost Phil Hay forever. However he is not going far away:-

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Phil Hay@PhilHay_After a couple of months spent lying low, delighted to say I’m joining @TheAthleticUK as their Leeds United writer.


What did you make of Casilla's performance? Is he good enough for the No1 jersey? If not, we have until Thursday to replace him?

What kind of impact would you imagine Jack Clarke will have this season?

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Morning all. So far so good. In spite of the weaknesses spotted by our resident "experts". We won with a performance that gave the rest of us a lot of pleasure. Well played lads.

 

Morning all. Excellent performance. Great debut for white too, Harrison and Bamford were great. Usual Kiko craziness but didn’t cost us yesterday as we were so far ahead. Once again, just like last season, we’re a different class when Pablo is in top form. He can’t do that all season so interesting to see who’ll step up and are they even at the club yet. Erroneous agrees we need strengthening so hopefully that’ll happen this week

 

Ok, having slept on it....

Firstly, great win, great performance. Everybody played their part and it looks like we should be up near the right end of the table come May on that performance.

A couple of things niggling me this morning after reading the press reports.

The first is an obvious one, Casilla! I tried to give him the benefit yesterday but I think we would be massively improved if we got Darlow. I don't mind him coming for stuff but he has to get there more often.

The second one is Phillips. He got a lot of credit yesterday and I'm not saying he was poor but he certainly wasn't at the top of his game. Kasey Palmer left him for dead on a couple of occasions. As good as Phillips was, he was no Pirlo yesterday. The positive from that is that maybe PL clubs will see that and back off a bit.

 

Good Morning to Matt and co from a dull Bardsey
Great result and I for one was very impressed with Whiteas we didn't miss Pontus at all
Bamford too gave his all but Robinson was right when he said that somethings not right with him when he has played for 8 clubs already and he his only 24
I still think we need a stable keeper and a striker but we must invest in one as we are only allowed 5 loanees
Vydra messed us about to much only interested in money so not for me Gayle all day long

 

Morning all,

On yesterday's performance Casilla hasn't learnt a thing from last season - even his distribution, which supposedly is one of his strengths, was poor. He will cost us points this season. Plays as though whatever happens he's guaranteed a starting spot - maybe it's written into his grossly overpaid contract. It's the only explanation I can think of for his continued selection. If so it must be infuriating for Bielsa and the outfield players knowing that all their hard graft and sublime football will count for nothing in some games when it will undoubtedly be undone by rash decision making and unwarranted showmanship by the keeper.

If only one signing were possible in the next few days, a top keeper is the priority. Who that would be I have no idea - that's the job of the scouting network.

 

I thought Phillips was off the pace in the first half. Got caught in possession numerous times. Thought he was excellent 2nd half.

Unfashionable to say it, but Forshaw was excellent yesterday.

 

I wonder what Cooper is thinking?

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Having watch the game, I don't think much of the Leeds kit

I'd prefer this:-

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Morning all

Great win and a convincing win. White was great and obviously Bielsa knows what he wants when looking at players. White was up against a unit and you would have thought he would be bullied but none of it. Improvement on Pontus? Not yet but if he can do that all season he will be way ahead of the big Swede. Bamford was awesome and battled and chased everything and deserved his goal. Phillips was only a 5 or 6 yesterday but think he is in a slightly different role with having White in the team? Harrison is a new player and Klich could have scored 3!!

New players will arrive before Thursday

 

Only concerns yesterday were the keeper and the ease with which they got behind the left side of our defence. Combination of ball watching from Douglas and likely some communication mixups re who covers him when he pushes up.

We lost our way towards the end of each half. Fatigue? Substitutions maybe second half. Guess you can’t dominate the whole game.

On the whole we played some great stuff and a really positive bounce back from the disappointment of last season.

 

Morning all. I haven't been able to watch the whole game, just the goals. I thought Bamford's movement to get in front of the defender and the powerful headed finish was very positive. From what I read on here he had a good game so more positives.

In his presser Bielsa said that Kiko took chances but we didn't pay for them so it's not a problem, it would be if we did. My opinion is that he is much more than a goalkeeper, he's sometimes like a final defender. Whether Bielsa asks him to do this job is the key. Do we get more by him doing that in keeping the play moving tidyingand up long balls over the top than him just stopping shots?
His distribution was poor according to some posters but this is only the first game of the season so I think he deserves to be cut a bit of slack.

I sold a van on eBay last night and the buyer pulled out plus I've been told this morning that my £600 repair on my car is going to be £900 but I'm still loving it because after all the trepidation over the summer:
Have they cussed Bielsa
Will we miss Pontus
Will Costa get injured and never play for us
Can we survive without Roofe
Will Bamford step up
No
No
No
YES
YES

MOT

 

To be honest, I'm not even that bothered that Roofe is going. We didn't exactly convert an acceptable amount of chances last season so going with the same two strikers doesn't instill confidence that might change this year.

As long as we get a replacement it gives us a chance to improve in that area. Alot of us like Vydra and Gayle but those two look very unlikely. Hope Bielsa has someone in mind. Dont know anything about these two players from Inter Milan.

Also, he doesn't seem to fancy Edmonson.

 

Morning all..

Bristol City would expect to be top 10 we were the away team, we won comfortably and played damn well for the most part. Forshaw really surprised me yesterday, when Costa is match ready it might be Klich who is under pressure for a starting spot.

Phillips did get caught a few times in the first half but they were targeting him, they didn’t want him dictating play but he adjusted his game plan and second half it was a different kettle of fish.

Kiko saved us a few times acting as a sweeper when they tried to catch us on the break with the long ball, Kiko coming out then was a huge benefit to the team but he could have cost us a couple when he came out at the set pieces.

I’m really pleased for Bamford but we know he isn’t good for the whole season and if we were keeping Roofe it would be different but as it seems we’re not so a striker is vital. Personally I feel it needs to be a tried and tested one and surely on the realistic available ones it has to be Gayle?

My fear would be does Bielsa want Gayle and would Gayle put in the effort required to be selected, we all saw what happened with Izzy Brown last season.

I’m more excited now about the season ahead after seeing us play well yesterday and Gayle and Darlow joining would be awesome. I don’t believe Bielsa wants another CB he sees Berardi and Ayling (with Dallas as RB) as adequate cover.

 

Some pass stats from yesterday: completions:
Forshaw 95%
Phillips 90%
Klich 80%
Pablo 60%

Pablo was everyone’s mom (including mine). Not too surprising as he’s the guy with the responsibility of making the killer pass and making things happen but surprised it was as low as that. The others are going to play more sideways passes.... still very good figures from kp and Forshaw.

 

Dont agree on that. Robinson suggested he struggles with depth perception to know when to come, certainly his decision making is erratic. The obvious one where he came and rode his luck a bit to clear the danger there were two defenders with the guy. I thought it was the wrong decision... hey he got the job done, but saved us? In the first half he made a good save... but he only had to make it because he messed up the cross.

Like everyone I hope he comes good, but it wasn’t a reassuring performance from my seat on the sofa.

 

Last game of last season (vs Derby) Kiko came out under the pretence of getting the ball and tried to break Coopers legs. It cost us a goal.

Yesterday Kiko came flying out for a cross under the pretence of getting the ball and punched Cooper in the face.

I reckon Cooper has been caught with Kiko's wife or something.

 

The obvious answer is yes, it’s crucial to bielsa ball that he has a sweeper keeper... and it limits the options of what keepers we might get in.

It’s also likely that due to us having a team that’s small and weak last year on set pieces that he’s being asked to come for more crosses. Typically keepers in the modern game will not leave their 6 yard box for a corner unless it’s a high hanging one.

It isn’t easy being a keeper in bielsa’s teams and some mistakes are inevitable... it’s just casilla’s decision making is consistently poor in my opinion. Hope he steps up.

 

Nah, given his record of connecting with crosses, if he punched cooper in the face you can guarantee he was aiming at something else.

 

Vydra was a man we wasted weeks on as he tried to engineer a huge pay rise for himself and had no intentions of coming. Another player who likes a big wage packet for sitting on the bench. Not for me.

Gayle isn't very popular anywhere hes been which should act as a warning. Another not willing to drop his wage demands and yes he is a 20 goal striker but can he do Bielsaball, maybe as he has the pace but is he a Bielsa player?

Still seeing stories about the Inter Milan duo

Roofe having a medical today so bye bye Kemar, enjoy your pay rise and easy life in a piss poor league. Obviously all about money