The Super(ish) Leeds United Thread

[Rufus T Firefly]

The American coach Jesse Marsch is the first choice of Leeds United to succeed Marcelo Bielsa in the summer should the club and their famous Argentinian manager decide to call it a day at the end of this season.

See a lot of talk about MB possibly finishing up this season. The reaction at the final whistle on Sunday suggests that his status will remain undiminished in the eyes of the Leeds fans regardless of how the season finishes.

As for the match itself, that ended up a very disappointing result when it looked like we might get something from the game. Great fightback to pull level but then undone by two terrible errors. I think (hope) we will have enough to take the necessary points from fellow strugglers, but - and not for the first time that I have said this - our players are simply not good enough when it comes to the top 6 - 8 teams.

I thought Manure were comfortably the better team and deserved their win (although I still hate them), and that is a reflection on the respective costs in terms of squads and wages. There were a number of instances where Leeds players got into really promising positions and simply could not take advantage. The quality simply wasn't there. We were also undone by numerous defensive errors - Llorente, Firpo, Striujk, Meslier all come to mind.

The team showed great spirit that will auger well for the rest of the campaign. Philips, Bamford and yes, even Cooper, would be very welcome options if they could overcome the injuries and would greatly add to hopes of retaining top flight status.

For me, mention in particular for Dan James, Rodrigo, Dallas and Gelhardt when he come on, who put in great effort, and our man of the match, Forshaw, who was a real warrior.

[Ghost]

What's the feeling amongst Leeds fans? Obviously he's a cult hero for getting Leeds promoted but the results have been dire at best. The style of play took Leeds so far last year but they have  been  naive at best. Time to change it up? Assuming bielsa will leave at the end of the season anyway.

[gawa316]

Are they not missing the spine of their team? No team is going to perform without that

[Main Street]

Now some of us can return to hating Leeds.

[J70]

Are they not missing the spine of their team? No team is going to perform without that

Even so, you can't continue to set up so openly and concede 3+ goals every single game. At some point you have to give in to reality, tighten things up and try to grind out a few results. It's not like they're scoring tonnes of goals without those players.

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022/0227/1283286-leeds-sack-bielsa-after-slump-in-form/

Still a bit of a shocker

[ONeill]

Loved his approach. Wasn't suitable for a relegation dogfight where you have to eek out a point or two.

[Rufus T Firefly]

I'm genuinely gutted by this and a little shocked, as the first I heard of it was when Phil Hay mentioned it at the final whistle on Saturday. My hope was that we had fixtures coming up that were a little less challenging and where points might be accumulated. 

Have to say that a lot of the support seems to share the feeling of despondency at this decision and rumour has it Kinnear was against it as well. My sense is that it was pressure from the US to change things that ultimately led to this decision and with Radz looking at a a drop in the value of his investment of tens of millions of pounds, he was agreeable.

Bielsa though was a man of integrity - honest and decent - and in a hard nosed, results driven world, that has not been lost on the support. I have heard a lot of supporters recount how he helped reawaken in them a love for the Club and for football.

His tenure will live long in the memory and as a supporter it is only right to say a heartfelt 'Thank you'.   

[Rufus T Firefly]

I got this on Twitter and it is one reason why it should not just be Leeds supporters who lament Bielsa's demise. Football too has lost out.

"Bielsa is one of the last bastions of an ideology that rages against the unfair, corporate, money obsessed machine that modern day football has become. Unrelenting, uncompromising and absolutely fearless. We won't see his like again. It was sublime."

[Denn Forever]

A bit shorted.  Do they not have enough games to get to 40 points?  Agreed hat they are good to watch.

[Billys Boots]

I got this on Twitter and it is one reason why it should not just be Leeds supporters who lament Bielsa's demise. Football too has lost out.

"Bielsa is one of the last bastions of an ideology that rages against the unfair, corporate, money obsessed machine that modern day football has become. Unrelenting, uncompromising and absolutely fearless. We won't see his like again. It was sublime."

We probably haven't seen a lot of his like before either, sadly. Genuinely gutted.

[lurganblue]

Would Leeds fans say that he got a proper backing by the club? Did he get the signings he would have hoped for? I know he liked to carry a small committed squad but even in January it was clear that injuries had left the first 11 very depleted.

[Rufus T Firefly]

We probably haven't seen a lot of his like before either, sadly. Genuinely gutted.

Well said, Billy.

We'll never know, but I'm convinced he would have kept Leeds up. The upcoming fixtures were more favourable and important players returning.  Very sad that it has ended in this manner. 

Would Leeds fans say that he got a proper backing by the club? Did he get the signings he would have hoped for? I know he liked to carry a small committed squad but even in January it was clear that injuries had left the first 11 very depleted.

My understanding is that this could equally be laid at Bielsa's door, as he had the players in mind that he wanted, and that if they were unavailable, he was not prepared to look elsewhere. The pursuit of Brenden Aaronson was a case in point.

[Rufus T Firefly]

A bit shorted.  Do they not have enough games to get to 40 points?  Agreed hat they are good to watch.

They do, but the underlying trend was worrying, to say the least, and Bielsa had indicated he was not prepared to change his approach. Financially, there was too much at stake for the decision makers. 

[Hound]

Commentators quick to dismiss the penalty appeal by saying it wasn't clear there was any contact. I'd be pretty positive there was contact, and was therefore handball. And the ref gave the corner and it didn't hit any other Leicester player.

And then 2 mins later, Leicester score!