Good Morning. It's Wednesday 15th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road City run riot over Leeds Pep Guardiola's Manchester City humiliated Leeds last night, as the blue side of Manchester took retribution for the 2-1 home defeat the Whites inflicted on them last season. This was a very different performance this time round, with the host's laying siege on Meslier's goal at will, with virtually nothing in response. City's dominance was abundantly clear from the very first minute. Wave after wave of uninterrupted one way traffic was briefly suspended for half-time light refreshments, but ten minutes later the assault continued. Whilst even the most optimistic Leeds fans would not have expected victory last night, we expected Leeds to compete, and to try to make things difficult for the home side. Instead, we attempted to go toe to toe with the EFL Champions. This was never going to end well. Bielsa decided to stick with the same line-up that went toe to toe with Chelsea at the weekend, but how the Argentine expected them to recover, and line up at the Etihad 72 hours later raises some serious questions about the Argentine's Managerial status. Whilst injuries would have made it difficult to make wholesale changes, we must remember Bielsa himself insists on having such a small squad. I think our saving grace this season will be that there are probably three worse teams than us this season. please log in to view this image We have never played so badly in these four years During his post match presser, Marcelo Bielsa took responsibility (yet again) for Leeds frailties. Whilst it's magnanimous to take the burden for the team's performance, doing it every week whilst not learning from your mistakes (or being too stubborn to change them) has cost Leeds valuable point this term; points that could make the difference between survival, or a return to Championship football. The Argentine admitted that the performance was the worst during his tenure, and there was nothing positive to take away from the mauling! "It's not that City played very well, it's a lot more noticeable how badly we played," "City play like this all the time, or similar to it." "We have never played so badly in these four years." "There is nothing positive to take away from our performance. I can't find anything that can be of value," "What I proposed was not good enough. You can deflect the attention when some things work and some don't but when nothing works the decisions of the one in conduction define what happens. "The ideas, solutions, what I proposed and organised - none of it worked. "In no moment were we able to balance the game. The sensation we gave off, anything they attempted we couldn't prevent it and anything we attempted wouldn't prosper. "In their half nothing happened and in our half everything happened." please log in to view this image Was mauling a blessing in disguise With the January transfer window set to open in little over a fortnight, Leeds frailties being exposed last night might have been the perfect wake-up call to persuade Andrea Radrizzani to dig deep into the transfer coffers! Leeds currently occupy 16th place in the top flight, and are five points clear of the drop zone, but with Burnley entertaining Watford tonight, a win by either team will put pressure on Leeds survival hopes. Whilst Bielsa has made it clear that any hopes of recruitment in January are slim, their latest mauling must have alerted the Leeds hierarchy that the fear of relegation is a very real possibility, and it is now a necessity that Victor Orta pulls some rabbits out of his hat. Will Leeds be able to keep hold of Meslier, Raphinha and Phillips next month? What happens if a massive offer comes in for one of them? please log in to view this image
If Orta hasn't been looking to strengthen the squad in January, over the last few months, with how things have been going, then what is he doing here? If Radz wants top bucks when he sells, we need to still be in the PL, he needs to get his cheque book out.
Morning all I said city was due to tonk someone soon. It could have been anyone when they click like that. Its important we show some fight against arsenal and show we still believe in the gaffer. I can see big changes next term, I don't even want to think about relegation. A complete rebuild from the sales of Phillips and Raph or either and a new coach in which plays the similar high press. I love El Loco but if he wont or cant work with a larger squad we are going nowhere under him and I dont want the legacy tarnished furthermore
Perhaps the 49ers had better put some overtime in on the panning for gold then and get some big nuggets found and rapid or there supposed takeover could be over and radz's dream of fortune is turned to dust.........and it's head em up and move em out
Going to be lots of anger, upset, excuses, blame etc thrown about today, but suspect we need a bit of calm and to await Bielsa to say something at his next presser…….. if hes still here
Morning bud exactly our tactics were stupid at best. Hold the back line and play five in midfield. Try for a point and limit the damage. But no bielsa cannot do that and no wonder he never wins anything at club level.
Morning, I guess after his exploits this season he deserves a bit of leniency but last night it was noticeable that Raphinha was the first Leeds player to stop trying. Never thought I'd see that from him. Great player though he is, if Bielsa is not beyond criticism nor is Raphinha.
Morning all, Well it's gonna be as depressing as an EastEnders Xmas on here today. So no one expected anything from last night so the three points dropped are still only three points regardless of the scoreline. That being said the minimum we expected was fight from the players and that was sorely missing. As good as man city were, and they were outstanding last night, we seemed to let them be. Once that first goal went in the players just seemed to except what was going to happen and that is unacceptable. I would not like to be the players at thorp arch today. Bielsa seemed to be the unhappiest he has been with the players in his time here. I expect to see a reaction against Arsenal but good knows what side we will be able to put out with the kids of Firpo and Shack as well now. Hopefully Struijk and Koch will be available
Raphinha wasnt great against Chelsea and like Klich gave away a penalty, but we love him so he gets a free pass. My own view is that he doesnt like to play as a RWB but has got to do that when Shacks is playing. He cannot link up as Shacks goes square or back. Raph couldnt get in the game last night because our defenders were being pressed and forced into stupid mistakes and forcing Meslier at times to just hoof it out or send a hail Mary. Our defence are not good enough footballers to play pretty triangles at the back when being pressed so we give the ball away. We play most if ghe match in our half which goes completley against Bielsaball as thats supposed to mean having the ball in their half means they cant score. The whole game plan is smashed and we get no wing play, no attacking and Raphinha is redundant. Ayling and Raphinha on the right would have been better for me or even Drameh because he does what Ayling does and raid down the right linking with his winger.
No excuse for not trying though, even if he doesn’t like playing in the position he’s been told to play.
That was last season how does that count. Pep has learned and bielsa has not. The coffee smells lovely this morning
So since Cooper was injured early against Brentford we have shipped 12 goals in 2.5 games. Big hole in defence when we don't have Struijk to cover him. As good a player as Ayling is he is a RB. Our best RB at that. Talk of the way we played last night and our defence being unable to play out from the back. We lose so much of our ability to do this when Ayling is pushed into the centre. Bill is so good at recieving the ball from Meslier and running with it and linking with whoever is in front of him. It may not have made a massive difference last night with the mood city were in but we are definitely weaker for it.
He got us promoted AT THE COST OF 75M IN WAGES ALONE Are we supposed to be impressed? Do we not think that if most of the Managers in the Championship were given that sort of money, they wouldn't get promoted?
I'm just astounded that other people are surprised how we set up to play every game. Bielsa does what he says he will do. Yes he is a stubborn ****er but he has proven that it works. The bigger problem is players not playing the system properly or just completely out of form. Dallas for example has been our player of the season for two years but he has been shocking this year. Harrison not done anything. Rapha trying to do everything on his own. I could go on. Finger should be pointed at recruitment. James has done OK but is OK good enough at 25 million? Did we need yet another winger? We certainly need the midfield bolstering either with Koch or someone in January, it's been weak all season and is the root of all our problems.
