The Super(ish) Leeds United Thread

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

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seafoid

https://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/relegation

6/3
Norwich 1/40
Watford 5/18
Burnley  11/10
Leeds 16/9




19/3

Norwich 1/100
Watford 3/13
Burnley 8/11
Leeds 3/1

21/3

Norwich 1/100
Watford 3/13
Burnley 7/11
Leeds 3/1
Everton 11/4
Leeds 37/10


2 Apr
Norwich 1/100
Watford 2/11
Burnley 11/21
Everton 11/4
Leeds 22/5

6/4

A soaked and dejected Frank Lampard trudged off the pitch at full-time, his side now having lost six straight away from home in the league, sucked ever deeper into trouble.

6 Apr

Norwich 1/200
Watford 1/5
Burnley 11/10
Everton 11/10
Leeds 23/5

8 Apr

Norwich 1/100
Watford 1/16
Burnley 5/7
Everton 2/1
Leeds 7/1

9 April
Norwich 1/66
Watford 1/16
Burnley 4/12
Everton 16/5
Leeds 44/5

12 April
Norwich 1/66
Watford 1/16
Burnley 4/12
Everton 16/5
Leeds 10/1
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Rufus T Firefly

Quote from: seafoid on April 12, 2022, 08:04:03 PM
Bielsa's Aughrim was the goal difference. Still 3rd worst in the division now after a reasonable run.
With a depleted panel he needed to do something different. The change appears to have been vindicated, helped by Burnley  imploding.

Fair comment, and one of those things would have been some element of investment in the January transfer window. I like to read Phil Hay regularly and he is in no doubt that this issue is recognised by the top brass in the Club and there will be significant activity in the Summer, regardless of how we do or where we end up playing.   

seafoid

Quote from: Rufus T Firefly on April 15, 2022, 09:32:51 AM
Quote from: seafoid on April 12, 2022, 08:04:03 PM
Bielsa's Aughrim was the goal difference. Still 3rd worst in the division now after a reasonable run.
With a depleted panel he needed to do something different. The change appears to have been vindicated, helped by Burnley  imploding.

Fair comment, and one of those things would have been some element of investment in the January transfer window. I like to read Phil Hay regularly and he is in no doubt that this issue is recognised by the top brass in the Club and there will be significant activity in the Summer, regardless of how we do or where we end up playing.
It's a pity he didn't because the resilience shown recently had a lot to do with his work. He left Leeds in a stronger position.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU


Rufus T Firefly

Time of course will be the true judge of how wise the Burnley decision to get rid of Dyche is, but I honestly would have thought the time to do it - if they were choosing to let him go - would have been when Leeds let Bielsa go back in February, rather than now, with eight games to go. It smacks a wee bit of desperation and possibly hoping that a new voice in the dressing room will reinvigorate the team.

Rufus T Firefly

And so things move on.

Ten days since the last post here and Burnley have responded to the sacking of Dyche by going on an excellent run which has seen them climb out of the bottom three for the first time since October. Their next match is at Watford. They have been replaced in the bottom three by Everton, but for us it means that the trap door is now that bit closer.

Whilst things look bad for Everton, it's not unreasonable to suggest that their run in is on a par with ours, or indeed is less challenging.

Leeds got a point last night. I'd imagine the neutrals would have found it a bore but for a Leeds' follower it was heart in the mouth stuff, with only one team ever looking like winning, and it wasn't Leeds. Still, they showed a bit of defensive steel, and although that will not be enough against City, the hope would be that it might squeeze a point or two at home to Chelsea and away to Arsenal. But it's still all to play for.

@seafoid, I'd be interested to see those bookie's odds now. I think Leeds are back in to 5/1 for the drop.

Dougal Maguire

It was heart in mouth time but the defence was strong and I'd say they'll give City their fill of it on Saturday. Burnley's run has put the cat among the pigeons and their tails are bound to be up now that they're out of the bottom 3 and have an easier run in then Leeds or Everton
Careful now

seafoid

17/4, Rufus.
Fascinating dynamics.

The third spot will surely be between Everton and Burnley.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Mourne Rover

Results went disastrously for Leeds this weekend and for the first time Paddy Power has us as 5/4 favourites for the third relegation spot. It's hard to believe that people were suggesting a matter of weeks ago that the normal safety level of 35 points would not be needed this year, and 33 or even lower might do the job. The way in which our rivals are picking up unlikely wins is making it look as though Leeds could get to 40 points and still go down. There will be more twists and turns, but Burnley have a straightforward run in and Everton have plenty of chances to pick up points. We have Arsenal and Chelsea next up, and, if we cannot get something from those two games, we will need to beat Brighton and Brentford to make the 40 point mark. It's all starting to look a bit Shakespearean after Bielsa's departure and it would be cruel if we find ourselves back in the championship after all the emotion of the last two seasons. The problem was plainly failing to recruit in the January window, which was Bielsa's choice but could come back to haunt us yet.

Hound

Have you a Bielsa quote saying he didn't want to buy in January? I hadn't seen that.

Mourne Rover

Bielsa is a genius by any standards and his philosophy is based on tight, well organised squads in which everyone knows their job and replacements should come from within the system. He said he would recruit if someone was available who was better than he already had, but he clearly overestimated his existing resources. While there is no doubt that January transfers often do not work, either a new striker or a midfielder of any reasonable standard would have made an enormous difference to Leeds. It looks like it may well go to the last day, when the enormous pressure may not suit us.

Rufus T Firefly

#1151
Quote from: Mourne Rover on May 01, 2022, 09:29:52 PM
Results went disastrously for Leeds this weekend and for the first time Paddy Power has us as 5/4 favourites for the third relegation spot. It's hard to believe that people were suggesting a matter of weeks ago that the normal safety level of 35 points would not be needed this year, and 33 or even lower might do the job. The way in which our rivals are picking up unlikely wins is making it look as though Leeds could get to 40 points and still go down. There will be more twists and turns, but Burnley have a straightforward run in and Everton have plenty of chances to pick up points. We have Arsenal and Chelsea next up, and, if we cannot get something from those two games, we will need to beat Brighton and Brentford to make the 40 point mark. It's all starting to look a bit Shakespearean after Bielsa's departure and it would be cruel if we find ourselves back in the championship after all the emotion of the last two seasons. The problem was plainly failing to recruit in the January window, which was Bielsa's choice but could come back to haunt us yet.

Good post. I was mulling it over in my mind this evening and I was thinking exactly as you have been, i.e. we could get to 40 points and still go down. It's the Leeds' way unfortunately - it's a long time since 40 points saw a side relegated but it is by no means unprecedented.

I listened to Burnley yesterday and there seemed to be an inevitability about what was going to unfold, even after the game entered the last ten minutes with Burnley behind. We were always going to get turned over by City but to add to the defeat are the injury concerns to Cooper and Dallas, who now looks gone for the season.

I watched Everton today and the way the game fell was so typical. Chelsea dominating, an inspired keeper keeping them at bay, that priceless commodity of luck, with a shot hitting both posts and not going in and a defensive howler by Chelsea to concede a goal. Everton have Leicester away next and after that the fixtures are favourable.

However, when all is said and done, the seeds of this disaster were planted last Summer and in January with failure to invest / strengthen the squad and a small squad undone by injuries to a range of key players. I firmly believe that the logic for this strategy was down to the players overachieving last season and finishing ninth. The reality is that many of those players were / are Championship players who were playing above themselves.

Whose fault it was is likely to come under greater scrutiny in the coming months but it is unlikely to affect the outcome. Gutted.

seafoid

Quote from: Rufus T Firefly on May 02, 2022, 01:30:15 AM
Quote from: Mourne Rover on May 01, 2022, 09:29:52 PM
Results went disastrously for Leeds this weekend and for the first time Paddy Power has us as 5/4 favourites for the third relegation spot. It's hard to believe that people were suggesting a matter of weeks ago that the normal safety level of 35 points would not be needed this year, and 33 or even lower might do the job. The way in which our rivals are picking up unlikely wins is making it look as though Leeds could get to 40 points and still go down. There will be more twists and turns, but Burnley have a straightforward run in and Everton have plenty of chances to pick up points. We have Arsenal and Chelsea next up, and, if we cannot get something from those two games, we will need to beat Brighton and Brentford to make the 40 point mark. It's all starting to look a bit Shakespearean after Bielsa's departure and it would be cruel if we find ourselves back in the championship after all the emotion of the last two seasons. The problem was plainly failing to recruit in the January window, which was Bielsa's choice but could come back to haunt us yet.

Good post. I was mulling it over in my mind this evening and I was thinking exactly as you have been, i.e. we could get to 40 points and still go down. It's the Leeds' way unfortunately - it's a long time since 40 points saw a side relegated but it is by no means unprecedented.

I listened to Burnley yesterday and there seemed to be an inevitability about what was going to unfold, even after the game entered the last ten minutes with Burnley behind. We were always going to get turned over by City but to add to the defeat are the injury concerns to Cooper and Dallas, who now looks gone for the season.

I watched Everton today and the way the game fell was so typical. Chelsea dominating, an inspired keeper keeping them at bay, that priceless commodity of luck, with a shot hitting both posts and not going in and a defensive howler by Chelsea to concede a goal. Everton have Leicester away next and after that the fixtures are favourable.

However, when all is said and done, the seeds of this disaster were planted last Summer and in January with failure to invest / strengthen the squad and a small squad undone by injuries to a range of key players. I firmly believe that the logic for this strategy was down to the players overachieving last season and finishing ninth. The reality is that many of those players were / are Championship players who were playing above themselves.

Whose fault it was is likely to come under greater scrutiny in the coming months but it is unlikely to affect the outcome. Gutted.
Burnley beat Watford.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Mourne Rover

Leeds supporters may have to die a thousand deaths for the rest of the season, but at least, after the worst opening 20 minutes we have endured in probably over a decade, we showed some fight in the second half and might even have got an astonishing draw in injury time. While Ayling has been one of our heroes of recent years, he had a nightmare today and was partially responsible for both early goals before getting a completely irresponsible red card. Meslier is a decent young keeper who has looked ill at ease of late and made a shocking error for the opener. If Ayling had avoided diving with both feet, and Meslier had simply hoofed a clearance up the field, we could easily have got something out of a game in which nerves got to Arsenal.

The big problem, as contributors to this thread have pointed out, was the failure to strengthen the squad after a brilliant return to the premiership. We brought in Firpo, who looks like a liability at left back and has been booked ten times in 20 games, when we could simply have extended Alioski's contract, and invested heavily in James, who is a decent prospect in a position where we already had plenty of options.

It was painfully obvious that we actually needed another striker, to cover for Bamford who has ended up missing almost the entire season, and a central midfielder, to replace Klich, a great servant who is plainly past his best.

One of the few positives today was young Bate, who competed well after coming off the bench and must surely start against Chelsea on Wednesday. We may need seven points from our last nine to stay up, so we have to hope that the players can cope with the enormous pressure which is out there.

Rufus T Firefly

A disaster of an afternoon yesterday and there was a point at one stage where I would have taken a 4-0 defeat.

Quote from: Mourne Rover on May 08, 2022, 09:30:50 PM
If Ayling had avoided diving with both feet, and Meslier had simply hoofed a clearance up the field, we could easily have got something out of a game in which nerves got to Arsenal.

It is possible, but my sense is that if we had been more competitive from early on, we'd probably have got more of a clipping on the scoreboard. I think Arsenal were totally lulled into a false sense of security and could not restart their game thereafter. Either way though, it is largely a moot point, in the wider context of the season.

I think Everton are more or less safe with that win yesterday, and with Watford still to play. That leaves Burnley or ourselves and I am not hopeful. There is still no sign of Bamford and with Ayling's moment of madness yesterday, there is a good chance that we will play the remaining fixtures with a defence shorn of Cooper, Ayling and Dallas. We essentially need to get more points than Burnley.

The Chelsea fixture at home is of course tough, but now seems to be the right time to get them and the match will be played a few days before the Cup Final. The hope is that Chelsea minds are elsewhere. The last two fixtures, Brighton at home and Brentford away, are ones that I had in mind for a possible six points, but both sides are now playing well and playing with confidence? Might there be a possibility of both those teams already thinking of their holidays? Hope springs eternal.   

Burnley have Villa away, Spurs away and Newcastle at home. Villa gave them a clipping at Turf Moor on Saturday but they lack consistency, and I would not rule out Burnley getting something from that game. Spurs away should be a bridge too far, but would be dependent on Spurs still being in with a shout of Champions League football, which means they (Spurs) need to get something from the North London derby on Thursday. Home to Newcastle on the last day of the season is anyone's guess.

The first hour yesterday was as bad as I can remember. Leeds couldn't get the ball even into the Arsenal half, and I've noted that Marsch is now coming into the line of fire from the supporters. Whilst I was gutted about Bielsa, I'm not sure what more Marsch could reasonably do in the circumstances, as this train of events was already set in motion - as we've discussed here - from January.

All that we can be sure of though is a white knuckle ride over the next couple of weeks, and being Leeds, the probability of excruciating disappointment!

Sure it's the Leeds' way!!   :)