The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wed 14th Aug)

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 14th August, and here are the Leeds Utd headlines


Leeds cruise into second round

Leeds earned themselves a home draw against Stoke City in the second round of the Carabao Cup after seeing off Salford City at the Peninsula Stadium. On loan Gunners forward Eddie Nketiah opened the scoring just before half time following a defence splitting pass from the right wing courtesy of Jamie Shackleton.

Leeds started the second half in the same manner that they finished the first and were quickly two up with 50 minutes on the clock. Costa whipped in a corner which was met by Berardi at the near post with a glancing header! We are all aware that Leeds set pieces are not the greatest; we have not scored directly from a free kick since Boxing Day 2017, and our corner taking is not much better. The last time we scored from a corner was February against Boro! Is Costa our new corner taker?

Eight minutes later Berardi broke free and delivered a pinpoint through ball in front of Klich who hammered the ball into right hand corner of the net!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXjrfXarxs8

Questions that remain unanswered after yesterdays win

Will Nketiah partner Bamford up front on Saturday at Wigan?

Alioski or Douglas at left back?

What about Costa? Ws he outmuscled a lot during last nights game?

Does Shackleton deserve to start?

Berardi scored, and got an assist - surely he deserves an opportunity?

Jack Clarke was ripped into by some of the social media bully boys who thought he looked disinterested. Thoughts?

please log in to view this image

End of a dynasty for Dallas?

With Luke Ayling recovering from injury, and Shackleton biting at the heels, where does this leave Stuart Dallas? The 28yo has shown he is happy to play in any position for Bielsa, and always puts in a shift. Its fair to say he's not blessed with pace but he'll never let the side down.

Would it be unfair to call the Northern Ireland International 'steady'? Will his experience make him invaluable to Bielsa this season? Is he going to be a first team regular?

Having seen some of the youngsters breaking through last night, are Dallas's days at Elland Road numbered?

 

Morning all

Jack Clarke was fairly innocuous until he let his pace and skill talk and was unlucky not to get a return pass from a 1-2. yes quiet game but was better on the left and Costa more effective on the right.

Alioski for me ran his heart out but was more Aidy White as he hardly got a decent cross in and ran into a brick wall too often. More end product needed, So Douglas gets the nod for me.

A good lesson for some last night because this was a side full of big lads and the 2 up front Beesley was a handfull and used his elbows well and can see why he scored 22 goals last season. Hope his dad Paul has stopped speaking to him The other big lad up top with the name I cant even read, also from Leeds was a giant with sharp elbows too. Our kids were bullied off the ball and had to laugh when Davies jumped on the back of one player and took the foul as he knew had no chance of competing in the air.

For me it was obvious how teams hope to stop Leeds style of play. An organised back 6 parking the bus and making it hard for us to get the ball through defenders, then counter attack. The ball from Shaks to Costa was the first to get through and the final ball from Costa to fast Eddy was exactly how to do it. I do feel however we need more practice at doing exactly that and much of our work dies and we see Bamford or Fast Eddy running about and not seeing the ball. Can be frustrating at times watching great build up play followed by no final ball or end product. BUT I know we cannot afford David Sylva so have to improve our own Alioski's, Douglas, Harrisons's. Costa will make a difference and should now get the nod against Wigan

 

Morning all..

Great win last night against a physical team that towered head and shoulders above us in the height department.

Yes Shackleton and many of the other players deserve a starting place but equally you could ask who deserves to be dropped?

No to Bamford and Eddie starting together, I think Bamford will start the next game and Eddie brought on later. Once Bamford gets dropped for Eddie it will be hard seeing how Bamford gets back in. For me personally I thought Eddie looked lively but I don’t think Eddie is quite up to pace yet.

Douglas at LB for me, I thought Alioski had a very average game last night.

Dallas is our utility man, LB, RB or wide right and left attacking roll, he is great to have as cover on the bench.

LeedsLondon picked up on it yesterday, the French reserve keeper wasn’t on the bench so maybe the 5 loan players is in operation?

 

Dallas will not and should not be shown the door because he works his nuts off for the team, doesn't seem to moan and can play in different positions and just like Harrison am a fan of both and have been from day one. It irritates me that those two especially were being singled out for abuse by a section of so called fans or keyboard warriors on social media sites. I'm all for opinions, but some fans go too far and thats the negative side of social media. As for Clarke, I didn't see him having a bad attitude, but he will have to realise that he needs to play well for us because he'll be being watched by the spuds people and if they see he has a bad attitude, he will find himself shipped out on loan or eventually sold off. Personally Clarkes not a Leeds Utd player anymore, so if he plays well for us thats great, but if he doesn't and gets dropped by Bielsa so be it. He's still a kid and more or less not even a full season wonder.
Over all though, I've never felt more relaxed watching our first three matches. We've looked in control in all of them.

 

In regards to opinions and fans going to far, for me I feel on a forum and discussing it is fine. Players then have a choice, they can look into forums like this and have a read or they don’t, it’s not thrust in front of their faces.

Twitter, Instagram and other sources of social media I totally agree with you, it shouldn’t happen. If I were a sports person I’d ditch all social media, it just attracts trolls.

 

Spot on Ristac... Yeah my comments were aimed at the sites you've mentioned and not this one..

 

I just wanted to also say that I hope we/us fans don't expect too much from Eddie our new loanee because there seems to be a suggestion that he's going be our answer to everything. But what I've seen in the short time he's been here, is that he's quick, has a good brain and interviews very well. IMO he did more last night than Izzy did in his whole embarrassing time with us.

 

Def not Bamford and Eddie, unless it's part of a Bielsa masterplan. Would def go with Bamford as Eddie still going to need some time to get up to pace on team tatics etc but a nice option for moment to bring off the bench but if he does get a chance and takes it then as Ristac says hopefully he'll make it difficult to give up (and likewise hope Bamford makes it difficult to for him to get a chance).

Costa also getting up to speed but showed glimpses last night (admittedly against weaker opposition) of what he'll hopefully bring when he's fully up to speed. At some point soon the option of Costa/Hernadez/Harriosn/Clarke/Roberts all interchanging between wings and centre up front should be fun (gods of injury **** off)

I thought Clarke looked good last night and showed again what he can do as impact sub/2nd half player - his season is going to be about getting that back (from last year post injury) to then pushing on to being a full match player - happy if he learns that at Leeds as it'll mean he's doing well enough to keep some good players out.

There will hopefully be a time when neither Dallas or Beradi are good enoguh for Leeds but in the mean time like having both and obviously so does Bielsa.

Last night was fun but it was against lower league oppoisition and it didn't feel like the team was really clicking in the way that it did in the first two matches but good to let more get a run out

 

As far as the Douglas and/or Alioski conundrum is concerned, Davis is currently playing better than both of them, so I'd choose him, with Harrison operating ahead of him on the left flank.

 

You know yourself that we have a history of getting beaten by lower league sides. Players like Costa IMO will play better against better players. Personally I thought Salford were a well organised, tall and tough side who I think may do well in L2. Bamford although on for a short time still missed a good chance, yes it was a difficult angle, but in hindsight he should have passed it to the two in coming players.

 

Or taken it first time with his right foot it's only recently I've noticed how predominantly left footed he is. Always thought he could use both.

 

You're right Essex, but I'm trying not to get on his back. I'm hoping he'll start scoring regularly.

 

Just read a report quoting an interview Bielsa gave last night and might point to striker selection going forward. I will try and paraphrase it:

Nhketia is a special player and he doesn't need to conform to the teams style of play as the team can accommodate his style.

So special enough not to need full Bielsaball coaching which must mean he already has most of sorted

 

Good Morning to Matt Doc WJ and co from a dull Bardsey
Had to cvry of last night has Moe bless her was not too good so I missed the match at Neils
Would some kind sole show the highlights please I was disappointed that Bogusz didn't play
Why on earth would we want Mourinho he has past his sell by date .Only knows how to spend millions on players to achieve success and then its limited
No Bielsa is miles better without spending any money too
They have just rang me from Jimmies to postpone my meeting tomorrow so I have another nervous wait to find out my recent test results now it will be 22 Aug
Jack Clarke is still only a rookie I wish people would allow for that and not pre judge him

 

As I recall, Berradi goal was a flick with the foot, not a header.

Dallas and Douglas are first pick fullbacks for me for now.

 

Here you go, mate:

https://video.leedsunited.com/video...YzZiNmI0MDBlJnBhZ2VTaXplPTg=&entry=0_be4kmlok

 

Good morning all.
A good result last night against a big strong team who I think will do well going forward.
We played as a team some good football although their packed defence took a lot of breaking down.
Pleased to see there has not been the usual condemnation of individual players (so far).
I always maintain that unless you are actually at the match you should be careful with criticism as the TV does not give a proper perspective, in my opinion of course.

 

Of course nothing compares to being at the game live. Personally I see a lot more on TV than at the match, but there are reasons for that. The only thing you don't see on TV are the off the ball runs and other positional things. But if a striker misses chance after chance or the keeper keeps flapping at crosses or players aren't getting their crosses in, you don't have to be at the game to see that.

 

I understand what you are admitting to
It's the never ending condemnation of individual players that gets me from those who think they know better than Bielsa.

 

I 100% agree with you, that boils my piss to.