Weekend Debate - Saturday 16th Feb

Morning all

So we have another week of no football and some will say it would have been best to play and consolidate our position and some will think its great to rest up for a while ready for later this month where we now have 3 games in 6 days to contend with as well as coming back from a game in hand.

Seems we now have a full squad FIT at long last as Berardi and Dallas played for the U23s last night at Guisley's Nethermore ground plus Brown played the full 90 minutes. Clarke is resting up and Douglas will be fit for next week too.

Starting off with the U23s who are top of their league, but played in the premier League Cup last night and moved into 2nd place in a 4 team group which contains Newcastle and Southampton. Newcastle who are top have already qualified for the knock out stage but Leeds went 2nd last night 2 points clear of Southampton, so we need a decent result next week against Newcastle to qualify. We were by far the better team Notts County were lucky that we didnt play Edmondson for the whole match as Tyler Roberts should have scored 5 or 6 and fluffed them all. This made it tough as it was izzy Brown who won a penalty in the first half and got up and slotted in to put us in front. Brown actually played better in the 2nd half and showed his class, but still looks to be a lethargic player at times as he nips in and out of play. Bielsa though must have seen the quality he brought to the game and completed 90 minutes probably as MOM and Leeds top scorer for the U23s as Edmondson, Clarke, Dalby are hardly used recently. The big man Edmondson did come on however and scored the winner in the 87th minute in a 2-1 win. Other notable contributions besides Brown and Edmondson were BPF in goal, Gotts, Berardi but he only played the first 30 minutes, Davis, Dallas was everywhere, McCalmont and halme who came on as a sub but looked different class.

Spygate story today is in The Times who have it on good authority that the EFL and FA are discussions about creating a rule/law for next season to make it an offense to go and watch opposition training sessions. This indicates we did nothing wrong and will be told shortly.

So how about this then, Altrincham Town will today unveil their new rainbow strip which is a bold statement about LGBT in football. Going bold instead of doing something under the radar and low profile like rainbow laces. I was surprised to learn earlier this week that there is still only 2 players who have come out as gay. Justin Fasnanua and our own Robbie Rodgers. Thats amazing and tells a tale about how some football fans would react? Rugby Union seems to have loads of gay players and refs and never a moment of trouble, probably because the fans in general dont dispute the refs call, the players are polite when talking to the ref and so seems to be a lot more relaxed. In football however we can see the slagging that a player gets if he trips and it causes a goal. Or how fans turn on other fans like we saw last week with Galatasary shirts etc, seems there are still too many nutters for a player to come out?

https://www.skysports.com/football/...-football-v-homophobia-sparks-global-interest

So the players are having 4 days off to rest up and even Bielsa is having time off to explore Yorkshire with his family. he was with Orta in Guisley last night watching the U23s. Will he go to Flamingo land . Wherever he goes he gets recognised and allows photos to be taken, we've seen loads from the tadcaster u23 match and the same last night, and some earlier this week in Wetherby because he walks there and back to TA every day 3 miles each way and WJ stalks him. Where could we expect to see him?

 

Bielsa will not know what to so with himself, having a fit squad to pick from. MORNING EVERYONE

 

Morning doc firstly tyler roberts said in sept he was not up to standard. Couple of weeks back wanted him included to try and inject some pace. For me thats it for now if he cant score for u23s then leave him out.
On a lighter note Bielsa i can see in the dales with his map. Each trip will be planned with precision. How does a guy like him relax?

 

Morning all.

 

He shares his headphones with his wife and they listen to scouting reports on players from 3 Continents, whilst sitting on the bus to Skipton maybe. Or how about watching DVDs of Esequiel Ponce goals and how he will fit in our new Premier League line up

 

They take refreshment at bettys tea rooms in Harrogate. Marcelo holds a tactic master class for the enthralled customers. He uses salt and pepper pots . Spoons and a whole load of sugar cubes to demonstate what he learned by peering through the window of a rival tea room in Derby. Bettys put his table cloth on E bay and is confiscated by the E. F. L

 

Watches mission impossible and bond movies on a continual loop. Morning all

 

Thanks for that Doc...always interesting to hear how the U23's are performing.

So whilst we are resting this week WBA will play 2 league matches, today Villa (a) and Tuesday QPR (a) they then follow this up with a tough fixture next weekend against Sheff Utd (h). With both Norwich and Sheff Utd playing league matches today it could be a proper log jam at the top of the table by the time we kick off against Bolton.

Seems that the match against Bolton will now take on an importance way beyond it's normal run of the mill status. With Norwich playing Bristol City and the aforementioned WBA/Sheffield match we simply must take advantage of having the easier fixture for once. If we further factor in that when we get to QPR on the Tuesday who will have played last night (FA Cup), midweek against WBA (h) and Boro (a) next Saturday then the importance of coming back all guns blazing from this mini break cannot be over emphasized.

 

This new rule Doc? How are the EFL or FA going to make it an offence to walk in public spaces with ones eyes open? not getting at you it's just I'm at a loss to understand how they , EFL and FA, can achieve their objective, if this report is true

 

Now what will make my day today ? i know
my lucks in with the wife,hmm nope,
finding that a delivery man has accidently delivered a crate of ale to my address by mistake hmmm nope
Finding my six numbers have come up on the lottery,WOWSER hmmmm nope
my ideas are getting better,but wait a minute ------------














Bolton & Reading win and for the perfect day a Villa win,now wouldn't that be something

 

Morning all from a gloomy London town. Arranged to come down to see my mate a while ago & cleverly chose today, 'cos we're playing at QPR. Only .....

So, we're off to watch Charlton today to see what rat boy is doing over there. Expect to be thoroughly bored & disinterested as I'm now so used to our brilliant footie these days. Sometimes you forget how lucky you are, eh?

 

Interesting facts with all the research done by Phill Hay. These are the average performance ratings for every player who has played in the first team so far this season. Obviously some have only played minutes but interesting non the less and Lewis Baker was the biggest disappointment by far. Wonder if you agree with Phill's numbers?

• BPF 6.37
• Kiko 6.25
• Huffer 6.10
• Ayling 6.33
• Berardi 6.75
• Pontus 7.27
• Cooper 7.08
• Halme 7.00
• Douglas 6.4
• Alioski 6.5
• Pearce 6.5
• Dallas 6.10
• Shacks 7.33
• Davis 7.10
• KP 7.19
• Forshaw 6.37
• Baker 4.75
• Klich 6.43
• Pablo 7.30
• Saiz 6.72
• Harrys 6.05
• Clarke 6.66
• Roberts6.08
• Roofe 6.85
• Pat B 6.23

25 players used with all 3 CBs hitting in the 7s as well as Pablo, Davis, Shackelton & KP. all the rest were comfortably in the 6s except for our mate Baker who turned out to be another Matt Grimes.

I would say that's fairly consistent and should be applauded.

 

Rotherham have had over 22 shots against weds but only six on target. See its not just us.

 

Whilst you're in London, on my way up to the Cairngorm's this morning, parked next to the Partick Thistle team coach,when I say parked I meant, side by side in a traffic jam told them WhiteJock sends his love.

 

Blunts winning already.

 

Yep one minute goal

 

And Norwich

 

Agent Gary Madine....

 

Tbf, would be major upsets if SU and Norwich don't win today, best we can hope for with some reality is a Villa win.

 

Two big games as good as over but villa and wba still close. Cmon villa