The Official Leeds United Thread

The Official Leeds United Thread

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Discussion

JNW1

7,711 posts

193 months

Sunday 12th August 2018
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Zad said:
How one bloke can inject so much self-belief and togetherness in 6 weeks, I really don't know. 6 months ago, none of these players looked like they could give a rat's ass, and now they all look like they are up for a pop against AC Milan.
I was certainly one of those who was saying a lot of our squad simply weren't good enough and am therefore genuinely surprised (and delighted!) at the results - and especially the performances - in the first two games. The team has pretty much consisted of the same players as last season - of the new signings only Barry Douglas has started so far - so you can only conclude that the improvement is due to the new manager and his methods.

Having said that the Championship is a marathon not a sprint and there's a long, long way to go yet. So far we haven't come across a team that's been able to force us onto the back foot for any length of time but eventually we will and the question then is how some of the players will respond? Last season several of our playmakers tended to disappear when the going got tough so it will be interesting to see if Bielsa has been able to change that; hopefully he has but I think we need to see a couple more months of games before we can judge whether or not we're likely to be serious contenders for promotion or the play-offs.

SaintsPaul

676 posts

166 months

Sunday 12th August 2018
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I have watched both of your games on the box and have been very impressed.
If you can play like that all season you will walk that league. Nobody will get near you.

JNW1

7,711 posts

193 months

Monday 13th August 2018
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SaintsPaul said:
I have watched both of your games on the box and have been very impressed.
If you can play like that all season you will walk that league. Nobody will get near you.
Nice of you to say so but it's very early days yet; if come the end of November we're riding high and still blowing everyone away I'll be feeling more optimistic but talk of us walking the league after only two games is more than a tad premature! Remember this is Leeds and we specialise in self destruction and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory - even the great Don Revie team managed that on more than one occasion!

mazdajason

1,113 posts

171 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
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Hi Leeds fans,

Myself and a friend are travelling down to JAE in Peterborough in a fortnight from Aberdeen and we wanted to catch some live sport. We noticed Leeds are playing Middlesbrough on the Friday night and went to buy tickets only to be denied as you need to be a member. Is there anyone on here who'd be able to buy a pair of tickets and we'll transfer you the money and then collect from you at the gate?

Reply by PM and i'll give you a call smile
Jason

giblet

8,824 posts

176 months

Wednesday 15th August 2018
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Drop me a PM and I’ll sort them out

mazdajason

1,113 posts

171 months

Thursday 16th August 2018
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Cheers, pm'd smile

Zad

12,695 posts

235 months

Thursday 16th August 2018
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An interesting little factoid heard on local Radio Leeds commentary on tuesday night: 9 goals so far this season, scored by 7 different players. How many seasons have we had where 1 player has been pretty much our only goal scorer? 8 player changes on tuesday night and, while we weren't exactly great at times, it maybe shows we have a few more player options than we previously might have thought.

JNW1

7,711 posts

193 months

Thursday 16th August 2018
quotequote all
Zad said:
An interesting little factoid heard on local Radio Leeds commentary on tuesday night: 9 goals so far this season, scored by 7 different players. How many seasons have we had where 1 player has been pretty much our only goal scorer? 8 player changes on tuesday night and, while we weren't exactly great at times, it maybe shows we have a few more player options than we previously might have thought.
The big surprise to me is how much more Bielsa seems to be getting out of the players that were there last season; a very impressive change compared to the latter part of 2017/18 (which was more relegation than promotion form!).

However, it's still very early days and, as we all know, things fell apart big style last season after such a promising start. The question for me is with a relatively small squad can the current level of intensity and performances be maintained if we start to pick-up injuries and suspensions (or if fatigue just starts to set-in as a consequence of the style of play?). If we can continue to perform in the way we have in the opening two games there's little doubt we'll be a match for anyone but sustaining that most of the Championship season won't be easy.....

monty999

1,113 posts

104 months

Thursday 16th August 2018
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I'm sure in Bielsa you have the manager to finally take you back to the Premier league. He is a fantastic manager and he must see something in Leeds which he believes in as he could easily have taken a Prem job with his reputation in the game. I remember his Bilbao team absolutely demolish a United team in the CL a few years ago. I'm not a betting man but surely we will be seeing you lot back at the top table.

Chuffedmonkey

907 posts

105 months

Friday 17th August 2018
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Got to say you blew Stoke and Derby apart. I am a Stoke fan so this is hard to say but you really blew Stoke away. Best of luck for the rest of the season because as it stands I like watching the football you are playing.

Zad

12,695 posts

235 months

Saturday 18th August 2018
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A capacity 33,699 attendance when playing Rotherham - and people complaining they can't get tickets? I wonder when the last time was that that happened. I also wonder what happened that the infrastructure deteriorated so far from the 40,000 days.

The first half definitely showed up some of our weaknesses, second half was back to business as usual. In previous years I'd have said it was worrying, but this year it just shows an area where we can improve. 74% possession overall is very telling. Plus, we didn't have to rely on Roofe scoring the first goal.

The last time Leeds went on a winning run, I just couldn't see us playing in the Premiership. The word that springs to mind now is potential. That and 43 games to go... Still not top of the league though!

Keeping the tally up to date, I make it 11 goals from 8 different players.

JNW1

7,711 posts

193 months

Tuesday 21st August 2018
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A bit of a reality check tonight; the performance wasn't at the same level as in our first three Championship games and if I'm honest I thought we were if anything slightly fortunate to get a point.

However, to be fair to them I thought Swansea played quite well and the positive I take from it is it's the sort of game where we'd have just folded and lost by a couple of goals last season whereas tonight we didn't. Therefore, we seem to have gained a bit more strength of character - and an ability to grind out a result even when we're not at our best - and that's a quality we'll need if we're going to do well in the Championship!

Pieman68

4,264 posts

233 months

Wednesday 22nd August 2018
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JNW1 said:
A bit of a reality check tonight; the performance wasn't at the same level as in our first three Championship games and if I'm honest I thought we were if anything slightly fortunate to get a point.

However, to be fair to them I thought Swansea played quite well and the positive I take from it is it's the sort of game where we'd have just folded and lost by a couple of goals last season whereas tonight we didn't. Therefore, we seem to have gained a bit more strength of character - and an ability to grind out a result even when we're not at our best - and that's a quality we'll need if we're going to do well in the Championship!
Bielsa showed that he's not afraid to change things if he sees an issue with tactics. Didn't see any issues with Philips so presume a tactical change in the 27th minute - which made a difference and led to the first equaliser in the end

Was quite surprised to see Alioski go off at HT as well

But as you said - we cam from behind twice away from home against a top 6 rival, and that shows a strenth of character that was lacking massively previously. Also without any recognised CBs

I'll take 10pts from 4 games. Think Noel Whelan summed it up fairly well on Radio Leeds at the weekend - said although we were top after 7 games last year we were fortunate to be there and you could see it was unlikely to last, but they look massively more resilient now and able to work out and change things

Fingers crossed things continue, but still a long way to go

MOT

Zad

12,695 posts

235 months

Saturday 25th August 2018
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59% possession, 3 goals, each from different players. Again. I know the Canaries haven't been in great form, but that could have been a banana skin, how many times have we slipped up on what should have been an easy win? From what I heard on the radio, after an initial bit of mediocrity at the start, Leeds seem to get back into business as usual. Only 2 shots on our goal probably shows that the defence is improving. Middlesbrough on Friday will be a real test though!

Still rather shocked that in any given match LUFC are the once playing stylish precision football...

giblet

8,824 posts

176 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
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Erm

Zad

12,695 posts

235 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
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Erm indeed.

confused

I'm not near a radio, are we playing the under-21s team or something?

Killer2005

19,595 posts

227 months

Tuesday 28th August 2018
quotequote all
Zad said:
Erm indeed.

confused

I'm not near a radio, are we playing the under-21s team or something?
2nd team by the looks of the starting XI

Can concentrate on the league now.

JNW1

7,711 posts

193 months

Wednesday 29th August 2018
quotequote all
Killer2005 said:
Zad said:
Erm indeed.

confused

I'm not near a radio, are we playing the under-21s team or something?
2nd team by the looks of the starting XI

Can concentrate on the league now.
Thing is, when we start to pick-up injuries and suspensions - and over the course of the season we will - we'll then be relying on these "2nd Team" players to sustain our challenge in the league. Given we were playing against 10 men for most of the game last night the result does beg the question has our squad got the required strength in depth to secure a top 6 finish in the Championship?

Winky151

1,267 posts

140 months

Wednesday 29th August 2018
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I can understand keeping everyone match fit, giving experience, resting players (already?), not risking some with 'Brough coming up on Friday, blah blah blah but with 'Brough coming up on Friday I'd rather a decent performance under our belt going into it. Yes, we won 3-0 away at the weekend & last night we made 9 (?) changes but even so, momentum come the FA Cup 3rd round changes always does for us after Xmas so I'd rather not go down that route this soon.

Hopefully 1 or 2 changes at a time later in the season we'll be able to cope with but Preston made 7 changes & played the bulk with 10 men so very much still work in progress. Hopefully this time on Friday we'll all be able to say Bielsa was right to rest the 1st team.

tali1

5,265 posts

200 months

Thursday 30th August 2018
quotequote all
JNW1 said:
Killer2005 said:
Zad said:
Erm indeed.

confused

I'm not near a radio, are we playing the under-21s team or something?
2nd team by the looks of the starting XI

Can concentrate on the league now.
Thing is, when we start to pick-up injuries and suspensions - and over the course of the season we will - we'll then be relying on these "2nd Team" players to sustain our challenge in the league. Given we were playing against 10 men for most of the game last night the result does beg the question has our squad got the required strength in depth to secure a top 6 finish in the Championship?
1984 was the last time we had opening start with 4 league wins out of 5.We finished 7th