For me this was back to a game of two halves for Leeds. First half we came out like a bullet train again, we didn't allow Villa to settle and harassed them at every turn and corner. We pressured their defence and goal and finally cracked it with a Pontus header from a good Pablo corner in the 19th minute. We continued to dominate the first half and had Villa in an all fingers and thumbs situation, untill Pablo went off injured in the 42nd minute. Steve Bruce is a well seasoned and good coach, he knows how to change things around and knows who needs replacing, his halftime talk did something to move Villa up another gear. Villa came out a different team and pretty much dominated the second half, they took control of the midfield and used it to put pressure on our defence, which they did consistently and eventually got their equaliser. I can't fault Wiedwald for the goal, he did everything right by coming out and narrowing the angle, but it is a sickening feeling for a keeper to watch the ball go in off the post. I think because it was a game of two halves, 1-1 was a fair result, but we should've had two goals during first half. Villa were also helped by Pablos injury, we seemed to have lost some shine after he went off, we were definitely missing him. Stats show we only had 7 shots and 1 on target, bit of a drop off in my books, but Villa were the better team during second half. I said before game, and I quote "I think we can beat Villa by two, but the DM's need to be on form, or Villa will exploit all the spare space we give'em" Villa had way to much control of the midfield in second half, and they used and exploited it. Teams who do their homework are going to recognise this in future, has have some teams in past games, somewhere along line penny has to drop, or it will be a continual big problem for us. Vieira played a good game, but Phillips just doesn't seem to be contributing to team imo, where's the impact he's suppose to bring to game? I ask this question regularly, but no one seems to be able to answer it properly. We brought Vieira back into the DM position and so far it's been a good move, although I do think his tendonitis has affected him slightly. We need to replace Phillips to bring about a change of play in our midfield. While some support Phillips, I think replacing him for 2 or 3 games will strengthen our midfield and people can see the difference for themselves. Ayling, what's he doing lately, he gets too far forward and is now trying to be a Messi or Ronaldo trying the fancy footwork, just play football Luke, leave the fancy footwork to the better players. When Ayling goes too far forward Phillips is not covering for him, this leaves big gaps for teams to exploit, and they do it quickly. Ayling nearly cost us a goal by missing the attempted sliding tackle, luckily Wiedwald came out and stopped the goal being scored. Wiedwald seems to be learning, maybe not fast enough, but it looks like he's learning, and learning from his past mistakes. Phillips and Jansson cost us a goal with their missed tackles. Again, the Berardi issue came up. I was listening to Whelan's comments after match, he reckons for all Berardis hard work and commitment we still need a left back.......really Mr Whelan? I think you should do your research and work out where most of our goals against are coming from. Personally, I'd like to see Berardi back at RB. Someone commented to Whelan and co that he thinks Ayling is becoming a liability, I have to agree, maybe not quite 100%, but am in 75% agreement with the caller. Coaches need to sort Ayling out quicksmart. TC's subbing. I've always said I don't understand most of TC's subbing, after all, Phillips brings no impact to game and never gets subbed. TC brought Sacko on for Ekuban, that was a yes and no decision for me, Ekuban did a lot work and running, and seems right on the edge of scoring. Then he brings Grot on for Alioski for the last 5 minutes....why? if we need players who are more likely to nick a goal, or set up a goal in closing stages, it's Saiz and Alioski. TC needs to learn to select formations to combat other teams attacks and defences, as well as strengthen our midfield. He needs to learn to try 4-4-2 formations, we beat Bristol City with that one, then reverted back to single striker for next game, and we lost, then he needs to learn to change to 4-3-3, Wolves hammered us with that one, and look at their goal tally. Single striker is not always going to be suitable every game, and I suspect TC is not doing any homework on other teams. We can get back into top 6 and stay there, we are capable of sneaking back up into top 2, but if TC stays stubborn, it's going to be all up hill. Enjoy Highlights TC's LS11 interview Eddie Gray and Emma https://www.leedsunited.com/video/91626/eddie-gray-post-aston-villa Leeds fans at their best, as usual. Tribute to Jack Charlton featuring Billy Bremner and John Charles humour. Bonus Extraordinary penalty kicks 20 stupid keeper mistakes, guess who's in this one
There's many links where different people and different fans will have different opinions about different players and different matches. Klitch, plus comments on Phillips https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/m...ns-back-forgotten-man-to-break-into-the-side/ From throughitalltogether Kalvin Phillips - More than anyone on the pitch his performance mirrored the team as a whole. A good first half performance where him and Vieira were able to dominate Villa’s midfield, then a pretty anonymous second half where other than a couple of moments you could have forgotten he was on the pitch. Wasn’t poor enough to be in any danger of losing his place. 6/10 From The Football Lab Ronaldo Vieira – an all-action performance in the first half that saw him often push into the final third. Unlike some of his teammates, his energy and enthusiasm didn’t drop after the break. 7 Kalvin Phillips – always picked up second balls in the first half, but seemed to disappear when Leeds came under the cosh midway through the second half. If he wants to be a Premier League midfielder, he can’t just play well when all his teammates are. 5 Kalvin Phillips Some very good aspects to his performance in the first half but his use of the ball was not always the best, particularly after the break as Leeds came under pressure. 6 Ronaldo Vieira Superb in the first half and though he should have stopped the move that led to the leveller, he was brilliant in every other aspect of the game. Won the ball countless times and used it well too. 7 http://www.idradebeleeds.com/latestleedsunitednews/leeds-need-make-midfielders-priority-january/ dude@LYNSKEYDUDE Thought Saiz was off the pace today so so so right footed at times; ekuban can’t fault his effort n mixing it; Vieira and Pontus great; ayling liability at times; Phillips seems ineffective Felix ok got away with a flap #lufc 9:12 AM - Dec 2, 2017 Replies Retweets likes https://www.express.co.uk/sport/foo...Aston-Villa-1-Player-Ratings-EFL-Championship Other news, Ayling gets slammed by most fans for his recent performances over last 4 or 5 games, especially v Villa. Boro fans slowly starting to turn on Monk.
Don't get me wrong Eccers, didn't do it with malice towards you, it's just there's always different opinions etc spread around the net...
I'd like you to have a regular full 90 minutes too, you couldn't be any worse, could only improve our situation.....
I notice you didn’t use Phil Hays match report where he gave Phillips 7 you also say you continually ask the question of what Phillips brings to the team and none of us can answer properly? You mean you don’t like the answer, I’m so bored of the bashing of players you take a dislike to. I think I need to refrain from reading or replying to these posts...
He only picks out media reports that he likes, he ignores those he doesn’t, complete waste of time mate
Fair enough Ristac, your choice, I was getting fed up of reading about your Wood comments, but I still read and reply to your posts cos I don't take a childish attitude towards you. There's plenty of fans not on not606 that think Phillips brings nothing to team. I'm still waiting for an answer on what Phillips brings to team, maybe you forgot to give your opinion. The whole point was to show I'm not the only one who doesn't rate Phillips highly.........sorry you feel that way Ristac....
A prime example of how you ignore anything that contradicts your opinion. My reply was on the Villa match day thread and I quoted you in so you would have been alerted, but here we go again.... If we had 5 midfielders of Saiz or Saiz and Alioski we’d get steam rollered. Five of Phillips and Vieira we would too, those defensive two have a job to do and they do it well. Phillips today broke up play, he provided the link to the attacking four, he kept Hourihane quiet, he provided cover for the back four. He wasn’t stand out good today(in my opinion) but he did what he was expected to do.
I don’t rate him highly either, you are the one who just doesn’t get it. Phillips along with several other players is replaceable but I don’t bash him for no reason unlike yourself. Phillips has been given a role to play and more often than not he does that role well, a small cog in a big wheel, when all are turning we look great. On Friday he performed his duties and he performed HIS task better than Saiz performed his. Phillips broke up play, he provided the link to the attacking three, THIS IS HIS JOB, he is NOT an impact player. IF the attacking three had done their jobs better we would have been 2-0 up and three points in the bag. Prime example of your biased opinion towards Phillips..... Phillips shackled their creative midfield player, they scored one goal and had very few chances, we never looked like losing. They shackled Saiz, you like Saiz so we get the “experienced managers” excuse, the “teams will target him” theory, basically excuse after excuse. If that were Phillips you would bash him. There are LOTS of fans and members on here that see it the same way as I do, not a question if Phillips is good or bad, not a case of if Phillips was to blame, just members that see through your posts and get bored of the same old thing. When Hernandez put in several VERY poor back to back performances you blamed Thomas for dropping him and tinkering, you tel us all how great you are for informing us what a great partnership Saiz and Hernandez are, you totally ignore a massive slump where we dropped from top spot, partly due to the abysmal form of Alioski and Hernandez. So summary... I don’t rate Phillips highly, I just don’t bash him for no reason, I don’t blatantly ignore good match reports and scour the Internet for tweets or match reports that are cherry picked. If you search google for “Leeds Villa Player Ratings” the YEP one comes out top, you ignored it because they gave Phillips 7
That's ok Ristac, Isn't it better to have a conversation or debate about things, instead of attacking, people only attack cos they're looking too attack, or are still harbouring a grudge. You went on about how we were missing Wood, that's pretty much slagging off the new players, but you did it when we entered our losing phase, you didn't do it during our winning start to season, you didn't mention how we were scoring multiple goals per game, or how many clean sheets we kept, you waited till we were on our losing streak to try and convince everyone we were missing Wood........or did you do that cos I said we wouldn't miss Wood, and we don't. If you or anyone else are allowed to throw links and stats at me, surely I must have the same right to throw links and stats back, haven't I?.....as the saying goes, if you can't take it, don't give it.......simples. What's the point, and what's to be gained by me throwing the same stats back at someone who threw them my way, doesn't make sense does it, doesn't it defeat the argument in first place? You're entitled to air your opinion Ristac, as am I, but do you see me attacking people, or being childish cos I disagree with others opinions, no you don't. I disagree with your opinion on Phillips, he made a lot of fouls, he made a lot of short sideways and backwards passes, he didn't cover for Ayling when Ayling went too far forward, and he goes missing a lot, he failed in the first tackle that lead to Villa's goal. I honestly can't see what he brings to team, and imo, that will be shown when we have someone better to replace him, as was shown after Cook, Mowatt, Wood and Taylor left. You know full well how I post and comment on here, and I ain't going to change it just cos someone thinks it's alright to attack me, but gets the ****s when I reply to their attacks, and I ain't going to get caught up in a continual war of words, debates yes, but not verbal abuse. Ristac, respectfully speaking, grow up and get back to the Ristac we all knew, and respected.....
I gave Lasogga a chance to prove his worth, I don’t get to games and I prefer waiting to see a player in action first hand before passing judgement. During the slump I witnessed Lasogga and realised he wasn’t what I had hoped. You don’t like Wood being mentioned because you know deep down you were always wrong about him. Did you not mention the likes of Antenucci and Adryan after they left? Difference is?? (apart from them actually being poor) You are also the only person on here who believes we are not missing Wood, how you can say we are not and throw him in the “not missed better replacement” pile alongside the likes of Mowatt shows you are just being a WUM If Wood and Green had WANTED to stay then in this current setup we would be top 3 without a doubt (in my opinion of course). The rest of your patronising post doesn’t warrant a reply, “respectfully speaking” of course..
Not everyone gave Phillips a 7 either. You reckon I'm bashing Phillips for no reason, but when I gave my reasons (he brings no impact to team) amongst others, you still had a go at me, means I can't win either way, can I. How come Vieira manages to bring an impact to team, and he's got Tendinitis? How come, when on form O'Kane manages to push forward with ball trying to create something for the AT's and strikers? Correct, there are quite a few on here who see it your way, there are also some, and some not on here that don't; that was my whole point of providing those links and comments in reply to Eccers, but for some unknown reason, some seem to think this forum is the only forum with leeds fans opinions, obviously it's not. They shackled Saiz, you like Saiz so we get the “experienced managers” excuse, the “teams will target him” theory, basically excuse after excuse. If that were Phillips you would bash him. I don't recall having ever said that about Saiz, I know others have mentioned it, and I agree with it, but I've never said it as far as I'm aware, but I'm happy to be proved wrong. I never told anyone how great I was mentioning the Pablo, Saiz, Alioski partnership, Doc said who would've thought having Pablo and Saiz playing in same starting line up, I said I did and mentioned / suggested it before TC made it happen......I got slagged for that suggestion too, but it's working. I've been slagged for saying things about several players in past, Berardi, he's still here and doing a great job. Cook, Mowatt, Wood, look what happened to Cook and Mowatt, and Wood isn't exactly burning up the Prem. I got slagged for liking Silvestri, Antenucci and Adryan as well, but of course, I'm not allowed too while others are, last time I looked, this was an equal opportunity forum. Just cos I suggest or say something, and it becomes reality, it means I was right in what I said, if it doesn't materialise it means I was wrong. No malice Ristac....
Of course you're respectfully speaking Ristac, but if you think I'm patronising you then stop replying. If we're missing Wood, why are we in the position we are, why are we scoring multiple goals, why do we have several good, regular goal scorers, why have we kept quite a few clean sheets, why are we, for most of time playing better football? I don't believe I was wrong about him, for the reasons I just typed above....
It was probably the most patronising post I have seen this year (and there have been a few) but I’ll tell you what, rather than continue I’ll take your advice
