The Official Leeds United Thread

[Killer2005]

NEC3 said:

JNW1 said:

Another evening of missed chances last night with two more points dropped as a result. I think Bamford's general play has been excellent in some of our recent games but sorry, the principal function of your main striker is to score goals and he just hasn't been doing that often enough. I'm not convinced Nketiah is a better player overall but I do think he's a more effective finisher - time to give him a start or two IMO.

I agree, i am hoping for Eddie to start on Sat but i don't think it will happen, i went to the match last night, the 5.600 of us made an amazing noise...

The fans sounded great tbh.

I'm of the same opinion with Bamford. He's great playing deeper and in the build up he just not a great finisher and we need someone to be scoring.

[JNW1]

NEC3 said:

JNW1 said:

Another evening of missed chances last night with two more points dropped as a result. I think Bamford's general play has been excellent in some of our recent games but sorry, the principal function of your main striker is to score goals and he just hasn't been doing that often enough. I'm not convinced Nketiah is a better player overall but I do think he's a more effective finisher - time to give him a start or two IMO.

I agree, i am hoping for Eddie to start on Sat but i don't think it will happen, i went to the match last night, the 5.600 of us made an amazing noise...

Only saw the game via the red button on Sky which was better than nothing but not great! Sadly there are no replays or close-ups on that coverage and it would have been nice to have had another look at the tackle on Tyler Roberts close to the end - one or two of our players seemed convinced it was a penalty but from what I've heard the referee got it right?

[Killer2005]

JNW1 said:

Only saw the game via the red button on Sky which was better than nothing but not great! Sadly there are no replays or close-ups on that coverage and it would have been nice to have had another look at the tackle on Tyler Roberts close to the end - one or two of our players seemed convinced it was a penalty but from what I've heard the referee got it right?

I was also on Sky red button so thought it was a stonewall penalty at first, however from fan footage and this picture it suggests was the correct decision.

[NEC3]

Killer2005 said:

JNW1 said:

Only saw the game via the red button on Sky which was better than nothing but not great! Sadly there are no replays or close-ups on that coverage and it would have been nice to have had another look at the tackle on Tyler Roberts close to the end - one or two of our players seemed convinced it was a penalty but from what I've heard the referee got it right?

I was also on Sky red button so thought it was a stonewall penalty at first, however from fan footage and this picture it suggests was the correct decision.

Agree from where i was in the crowd at full speed looked like a pen, however on the bus on way back lots of video ( fuzzy phones ) looked like the Ref got it right, would have been a very brave man to blow for a Pen on the 94th minute..

[JNW1]

Killer2005 said:

JNW1 said:

Only saw the game via the red button on Sky which was better than nothing but not great! Sadly there are no replays or close-ups on that coverage and it would have been nice to have had another look at the tackle on Tyler Roberts close to the end - one or two of our players seemed convinced it was a penalty but from what I've heard the referee got it right?

I was also on Sky red button so thought it was a stonewall penalty at first, however from fan footage and this picture it suggests was the correct decision.

That picture certainly suggests the referee got it right! To be honest, though, if we'd taken our chances we wouldn't have been needing a dodgy penalty in the last minute to secure the 3 points and that's been our problem all season (and indeed for much of last season as well). Dominating possession and matches is all well and good but if you can't score goals it doesn't count for much....

[ShyTallKnight]

JNW1 said:

Dominating possession and matches is all well and good but if you can't score goals it doesn't count for much....

And that's the problem 63% possession against Preston and 22 shots yet we still can't hit the back of the net. A big game on Sat away to Shef Wed is gonna be a tough one..!!

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Confirmed that Bamford will start against Wednesday I think.

I've been a big supporter of Bamford but he could/should have scored 4 the other night. Same old story. Not for Bamford bashing but its time Bielsa stopped being so stubborn and started a striker who is clearly on form vs a striker who clearly isn't. Try the other way around - Eddie runs defenders ragged for 70 minutes, hopefully grabs some goals and then a fresh Bamford comes on for 20 against some tired defenders.

[JNW1]

DaveyBoyWonder said:

Confirmed that Bamford will start against Wednesday I think.

I've been a big supporter of Bamford but he could/should have scored 4 the other night. Same old story. Not for Bamford bashing but its time Bielsa stopped being so stubborn and started a striker who is clearly on form vs a striker who clearly isn't. Try the other way around - Eddie runs defenders ragged for 70 minutes, hopefully grabs some goals and then a fresh Bamford comes on for 20 against some tired defenders.

I'm not for Bamford bashing either and in some matches he's contributed a lot - and probably been our man of the match - even though he hasn't scored. However, he's continuing to miss chances, that's costing us points and the reality is that will have nasty consequences come the end of the season if it's allowed to carry on. In any sport you change a game plan that's not working and for me having Bamford as our lead striker is costing us too often; therefore, I'd do as you suggest for at least two or three games and have Nketiah start with Bamford on the bench.

Having said that it sounds like Bielsa defended Bamford again in his press conference today and that suggests he'll stick with him on Saturday; if so I just hope he manages to bag a goal or two and doesn't miss any sitters as otherwise the pressure on him (and possibly Bielsa) will build, especially if we fail to take the points.

[Killer2005]

Temporarily back to the top of the league.

[JNW1]

Killer2005 said:

Temporarily back to the top of the league.

Even by the standards of the Championship it's an incredibly tight division this season; Derby are down in 15th at the moment but only 4 points off the play-offs and just 7 points from an automatic promotion place!

I think we've done really well to concede only 8 goals in 15 matches but the fact we're still only 3rd in the table probably tells you all you need to know about where our problems have been so far. If we'd just managed to take a handful of all the chances we've missed I think we could easily be 10 points better off (and hence probably at least 6 or 8 points clear at the top). In fairness I'm sure other teams can point to games where they haven't got what they felt they deserved but in a division that's so close I fear 10 or 12 points could be quite crucial come May next year....

[Killer2005]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/footb...

Back to second.

[Killer2005]

Had given that one up as a 0-0 but a great break and Jack Harrison running majority of the length of the pitch to get on the end of that cross from Costa won it for us.

Edited by Killer2005 on Tuesday 26th November 22:10

[Zad]

Even if it is only temporary, top of the table is top of the table! The BBC report says "The visitors dominated possession but created few clear-cut chances" which could be written about most matches for the past 18 months really. Still, we had just that little bit extra when it counted.

[JNW1]

I still don't think we've found our best form yet so that being the case I'm more than happy to be top of the table (albeit probably back to 2nd after WBA play tonight!). Have to say I thought Ben White was outstanding again and easily our best player. I can understand completely why he's being linked with teams like Liverpool and if that interest is genuine sadly we probably don't have much chance of keeping him even if we get promoted; mystifies me how he wasn't a regular in the starting line-up for Brighton.....

Something that surprised me though was when on Sky last night they said we'd got more points than at the same stage last season; my perception has been that we haven't started this season as well as we did last but clearly not!

[Zad]

Same here, we don't seem to have been playing at 100% all season, and yet here we are. However I remember reading at the start of Nov that we were a point in front compared to the same time last year, which surprised me too, given the explosive start to the 18/19 campaign and the less than sparkling start to this one. The Yorkshire Post mentioned yesterday that a win (in last night's match) would make it the first 4 league wins in a row since last December.

[CustardOnChips]

Take a look at Alistair Johnson (@alijohnson447): https://twitter.com/alijohnson447?s=09

[Killer2005]

Arsenal away in the FA cup.

[Zad]

Potentially a good team to be drawn against at this point in the season. Normally at this point in the cup, we get a low division team and a game we just can't win, even if we score most goals and play really well (and always the risk of injuries against a reckless non-league side). This way, if we lose, then we lose against a big name team and hopefully hold our heads high, and get a few days off at critical points in the season. If we win then the lads get a huge boost in confidence. Hopefully Arsenal won't turn up, and with their management issues, anything could happen.

[NEC3]

Zad said:

Potentially a good team to be drawn against at this point in the season. Normally at this point in the cup, we get a low division team and a game we just can't win, even if we score most goals and play really well (and always the risk of injuries against a reckless non-league side). This way, if we lose, then we lose against a big name team and hopefully hold our heads high, and get a few days off at critical points in the season. If we win then the lads get a huge boost in confidence. Hopefully Arsenal won't turn up, and with their management issues, anything could happen.

I know a few Arsenal lads and they are all gutted they have drawn us, they just see our TV Highlights and are fearing we will turn them over, we have come a long way when Arsenal fans fear a visit from the mighty Leeds.... I agree with your comment, we have nothing to lose or fear, lets go out and play the fast following attacking football we know we are capable of..

Ps WBA were a shambles last night, clear dive, he should be banned. Although PNE keeper had no need to go to ground...

[JNW1]

NEC3 said:

WBA were a shambles last night, clear dive, he should be banned. Although PNE keeper had no need to go to ground...

To be fair to the referee, when I saw it in real time I thought it was a penalty although the replay clearly showed otherwise (where's VAR when you need it?!!). Just goes to show what can happen when a goalkeeper goes to ground and gets nowhere near the ball (and, as you say, to make matters worse he had no need to do it!).