The Super(ish) Leeds United Thread

Started by Rufus T Firefly, January 25, 2007, 08:14:53 PM

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Rufus T Firefly

Very good performance in the Cup last night, despite the defeat. The defeat itself is likely to be of benefit in the long run, as we were never going to win the Cup and we can now concentrate on the league. The match itself was simply a repeat of many of our games - dominating possession with some lovely passing and pressing the opposition in possession. However our old Achilles Heel was there for all to see - no cutting edge to reflect our dominance. This was an issue that was our undoing 12 months ago and it has the potential to bring our season down, again. The success of the business we conduct in the transfer window is therefore likely to major repercussions one way or the other. 

seafoid

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jan/05/leeds-united-arsenal-fa-cup-marcelo-bielsa

« In five previous attempts at the play-offs, dating back to losing to Charlton in May 1987, Leeds failed to win promotion each time. Nine-goal thrillers at St Andrew's are unsustainable for a club so prone to late-season heebie jeebies. Not even Bielsa's staunchest admirers have yet explained away his teams' historic problems in lasting a full season of the intensity he prescribes.
...
Finding another striker to ease the burden on Patrick Bamford for the 20 Championship matches remaining has become a deep concern for Bielsa and Victor Orta, the director of football. »
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Mourne Rover

Leeds supporters have been watching games through their fingers over recent weeks as the season appeared to be falling apart rapidly. It is probably unfair to pick out one player during such a disastrous run but Casilla has been either largely or directly responsible for conceding the first goal in the last four games in a row.  He did it again tonight when Leeds were in complete control against Brentford by allowing an innocuous back pass to go through his legs, and it looked as though we would drop out of the top two. However, the team produced one of their best performances of the campaign to get a draw which should really have been a comfortable win away to serious promotion rivals. The show could be back on the road and the home match against Bristol City on Saturday is a massive one.

Rufus T Firefly

Quote from: Mourne Rover on February 11, 2020, 11:02:50 PM
It is probably unfair to pick out one player during such a disastrous run but Casilla has been either largely or directly responsible for conceding the first goal in the last four games in a row.

Correct, and as was pointed out on The Debate on Tuesday night, he took the head staggers against Cardiff when we were cruising and also was responsible for the first goal at home to Wednesday - a near identical concession to the first Forest goal. Those in the know seem to think he will still be there this Saturday which suggests that Bielsa is not convinced by Meslier. However that then begs the question why cover was not got in during the transfer window, particularly with the threat of a suspension hanging over Kiko.

The Forest defeat was awful, not just for the loss of the three points, but the nature of the performance suggested deeper underlying psychological issues, i.e. they played with absolutely no confidence or self belief. The Brentford game was in total contrast to that and it gives hope where there did not appear to be any. Furthermore, the run - after this Saturday - sees us play only one more promotion rival - Fulham - so there is the hope that if we can get things back on track, then a run of results might be possible and keep us firmly in contention in the top two.

There is good news and there is bad news. Despite form over the last ten games showing that Leeds are 22nd out of 24, we are still second. The bad news is that we are only 3 points ahead of 7th. A scenario therefore where we miss out on promotion and the play offs is very much a reality. However it is still in the players' hands and - totally illogically - I believe they will take a lot from the Brentford game and go forward on the front foot.   

seafoid

Quote from: Rufus T Firefly on February 13, 2020, 09:03:59 AM
Quote from: Mourne Rover on February 11, 2020, 11:02:50 PM
It is probably unfair to pick out one player during such a disastrous run but Casilla has been either largely or directly responsible for conceding the first goal in the last four games in a row.

Correct, and as was pointed out on The Debate on Tuesday night, he took the head staggers against Cardiff when we were cruising and also was responsible for the first goal at home to Wednesday - a near identical concession to the first Forest goal. Those in the know seem to think he will still be there this Saturday which suggests that Bielsa is not convinced by Meslier. However that then begs the question why cover was not got in during the transfer window, particularly with the threat of a suspension hanging over Kiko.

The Forest defeat was awful, not just for the loss of the three points, but the nature of the performance suggested deeper underlying psychological issues, i.e. they played with absolutely no confidence or self belief. The Brentford game was in total contrast to that and it gives hope where there did not appear to be any. Furthermore, the run - after this Saturday - sees us play only one more promotion rival - Fulham - so there is the hope that if we can get things back on track, then a run of results might be possible and keep us firmly in contention in the top two.

There is good news and there is bad news. Despite form over the last ten games showing that Leeds are 22nd out of 24, we are still second. The bad news is that we are only 3 points ahead of 7th. A scenario therefore where we miss out on promotion and the play offs is very much a reality. However it is still in the players' hands and - totally illogically - I believe they will take a lot from the Brentford game and go forward on the front foot.   
The thing about the championship this year is the lack of consistency at the top.
Whoever gets promoted must be likely to go straight back down  .
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Rufus T Firefly

Quote from: seafoid on February 13, 2020, 09:23:51 AM
The thing about the championship this year is the lack of consistency at the top.
Whoever gets promoted must be likely to go straight back down  .

I'm not sure that is necessarily the case. I don't think there is any Championship team that could survive in the Premier League, as they are. There will be a need for any side going up to strengthen considerably to the extent that the side itself will have changed a lot from what it looks like now.

Mourne Rover

Bielsa surprised no one by declaring today that Casilla will play on Saturday. It is likely that 99 per cent of Leeds fans wanted a change but you have to rely on Bielsa's judgment and give him credit for loyalty. If Casilla has another problem against Bristol City, when the forecast is for rain and swirling winds, the reaction from the stands will not be pretty. However, if the display against Brentford is repeated, and Leeds get a win, the prospects for the rest of the season are still decent. Another stressful afternoon awaits.

seafoid

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/02/13/leeds-have-problems-marcelo-bielsa-still-man-fix/

"The signing of the striker Jean-Kevín Augustn on loan from Red Bull Leipzig, the way Leeds United defended shrewdly at Brentford to deny Watkins and Mbeumo any significant chances, Kalvin Phillips' form on his return from suspension, the fact that they are still in second place and after Saturday have only one more match against a top-seven team in their 13-match run-in, ought to give them confidence.  "
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Rufus T Firefly

Yesterday's victory was vital and with other results going our way, kept Leeds just ahead in of the pack and still in the automatic promotion places. However for me, almost as important as the victory, was the nature of the performance. There seemed to be a continuation of what we saw at Brentford - plenty of heart and determination and a renewed effort after the disaster at Forest. Such qualities can go a long way in the Championship.

That said - and sorry to sound like a broken record - the old underlying issue was still evident - an inability to take chances and therefore score the goals that will put teams away. That match had so many similarities with the matches at home to Forest and Derby earlier in the season.

Hope though springs eternal, and I'm keeping my own fingers crossed that what is - on paper - an easier run-in, will allow some room for optimism!   :-X

Billys Boots

You were going great there Rufus, until you used the word 'optimism'.   ::)
My hands are stained with thistle milk ...

Rufus T Firefly


SLIGONIAN

Absolute torture watching Leeds at the minute, far the better team in Brentford and Bristol and scraping a draw and win because of so many missed chances and poor final third passes. I don't know what to make of costa and harrison, both get into glorious positions but end product is poor. Bamford I can honestly say in all my 30 yrs supporting Leeds is I never disliked a player more, he scores 1 in 20 chances and has missed sitters but when he scores he cups his ears as if he silenced the negative fans. Its such a weak mentality, hes let us down so many times but rest of the team will carry him to tap ins, this is not to mention his diving etc.. hes get too much credit for his workrate and link play from leeds fan desperate for him to do well.

Casillas is enigma, 12 clean sheets prior to xmas was unreal for us but I seen a highlight reel of all his mistakes and it was longer than you think.

I will end on a few positives, we are playing well, and of all the teams in the top 6 we only have Fulham at home to play. The other contenders have to play each 4/5 times and can't all win so Leeds are in a great position despite our collapse. Reaing tomorrow is huge, a must win.
"hard work will always beat talent if talent doesn't work"

Mourne Rover

Casilla is not the only enigma at Leeds but in overall terms the quality of football under Bielsa is by some distance the best seen at the club since O'Leary's days in the champions league. While it is incredibly frustrating to score so few goals from the amazing number of chances created, it is unfair to single out Bamford. Having watched him at close range, his movement is brilliant and he fits perfectly into the Bielsa set-up. His total of 12 from 31 starts in the league should definitely be better, but it is still a reasonable percentage for a striker. No one else in the squad has more than five, and on Saturday both Harrison and Costa yet again had fine games but missed pretty straightforward opportunities. Augustin may have plenty of potential but, on the evidence of his appearances from the bench so far, is some way short of full match fitness. The remaining fixtures could be much worse, as Sligonian says, and a win against Reading on Saturday would leave us well placed for the run-in. Further torture undoubtedly lies ahead, but, by this stage, we would expect nothing less.

seafoid

Very good win at Hull combined with West Brom losing . A good weekend.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

SLIGONIAN

We will take it, Tyler Roberts could be huge for us now in the run-in. It feels a little different to last year in that we picked up a great run of 4 wins at the right time and there's a little gap. We are playing a lot of mid-table teams and we seem to get over them easier.

We didn't have a gap this time last year nor did we have run like this.

We were on 67 pts with sheff utd behind by 3 with game in hand, I just don't see a team like Sheff Utd pushing on like last year. Fulham and Forest most likely. Forest play twice before we play again.

We play Fulham at home on March 18th, the biggest game in a long time.
"hard work will always beat talent if talent doesn't work"