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The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 4th December)

Discussion in 'Leeds United' started by ellandback, Dec 4, 2019.

  1. ellandback

    ellandback Well-Known Member
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    perfect1.jpg Good Morning. It's Wednesday 4th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road.


    Whelan claims Orta has three potential January targets

    Noel Whelan has claimed Victor Orta is looking at three potential Leeds United signings in January, but any signings will depend on whether Eddie Nketiah and Jack Clarke stay at Elland Road in January.

    “We still need to strengthen in January,” “I hope Victor Orta is looking and I’m hearing whispers that he is.

    “We need another striker, especially if Arsenal recall Nketiah, another goalkeeper if Kiko Casilla gets a long ban and possibly another centre-back.

    “I think Orta is looking at three January signings, although whether we would sign three is another matter.

    “We have enough midfielders and wide men, and Marcelo Bielsa has lots of options in those positions.

    “When you look at the heart of defence and up front, those will be Orta’s priorities.”

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    Just 13 changes to the starting line up since the beginning of the season may lead to burnout

    Bielsa has made the fewest changes to his starting XI's of any Championship side this season, The 64yo Argentine has made just thirteen changes to his starting line up since the beginning of the season, and nine of these changes were forced upon him because of injury.

    Here are a list of his changes Bielsa has made to the starting line ups with the player on the left being introduced to the starting XI.

    Alioski - Douglas Injury

    Berardi - Cooper Injury

    Cooper -Berardi

    Shackleton -Forshaw Injury

    Costa - Hernandez Injury

    Ayling - Cooper Injury

    Berardi - Shackleton Injury

    Cooper -Berardi

    Roberts - Alioski Injury

    Berardi - Cooper Injury

    Hernandez - Costa

    Cooper - Berardi

    Costa - Roberts Injury

    With the season less than half way through the importance of squad rotation is not top of the agenda, but what happens in February / March when the players start to get burnt out, like they did (imo) last season.

    Will the lack of squad rotation come back and bite Leeds on the ass!

    Do you believe it was because of burnout that the Whites missed out on Promotion last season.

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  2. ristac

    ristac Well-Known Member
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    Morning all, I personally believe we’re probably looking at a replacement for Clarke and a Striker option in case Nketiah leaves
     
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  3. Doc

    Doc Well-Known Member

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    The club have already said they have been looking at strikers for if Eddie goes back. If he doesn't we wont. The club have already said that Meslier will replace Kiko if he gets a ban and have every confidence in Meslier. The club are also looking at making Mesliers deal permanent in the Summer. So Whelan is now a media whore who will try for a headline to make money. Yes Clarke could go o his club but does Jose' M want him back or even know who he is?

    morning by the way

    With regard to the so-called burnout debate I think we fell short last season because of nerves and the poor form of a couple of players like Pablo. Last season we had 3 loans that didnt work and I include Harrison as he was more often poor. This season Harrison is flying, Costa is starting to show class, White is awesome and we have Clarke and Eddie. So with that I suspect we will have more options for selection at the end of the season
     
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  4. Gessa

    Gessa Well-Known Member

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    I don't get this burnout theory, these are young fit athletes who should be able to cope with 46-50 games of football a year, as long ss they look after themselves properly, it shouldn't be a problem.
    Lets face it, away from the game, they're very pampered, they don't need to do anything else taxing other than play and train.
    Yesterday Roofe said he felt they got stronger as the seadon went on not more tired.
     
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  5. milkyboy

    milkyboy Well-Known Member

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    Gessa. I understand why you think that. Looking back at bielsa’s teams they haven’t always faltered in the second half of the season, but they frequently have. Evidence isn’t conclusive but it’s enough to raise your eyebrows.

    Here’s what is common knowledge. He flogs his players physically. He controls weight and diet religiously. All clubs do that surely? Well actually, not in the way he does from what I hear. He’s a control freak and it can have an effect on players physically and mentally over a season. Some more than others.

    This isn’t a criticism, that same ocd attitude to training and prep is what makes his teams fit and efficient... but there is a potential fallout to it.
     
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  6. Eric Le Merde

    Eric Le Merde Well-Known Member

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    I actually think that Bielsa knows a thing or two and if we are ever going to get out of this division we need to buy into the regime. Pontus didn't and wanted to be a star and not follow the plan, BPF similarly thought he was too good. In my opinion we went off track last season because we lost focus, not tiredness or anything else but the prize got too close and the players thought it was ours without having to do the last mile, this wont happen this season. The last mile is the difference.

    Morning all
     
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  7. ellandback

    ellandback Well-Known Member
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    Morning Everyone.

    I see a big difference between fitness and burnout.

    With burnout you can still fulfill your role, but without your edge. It may just be getting to the ball a split second later, which in this division can be the difference between winning and losing.

    Impaired concentration, attention to detail and increased illness are all a sign of fatigue / burnout.
     
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  8. 1964white

    1964white Well-Known Member

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    Bielsa's first season in probably the most demanding league he's managed in.
    Poor summer transfer window
    Lack of an inspired signing in January.
    Dodgy defence.
    No 25 a season goalscorer.
    Fillers on the bench.
    Lack of quality.
    Lack of togetherness
    Fatigue.
    Naivety.

    All conspired against us !
     
    #8
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2019
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  9. Irishshako

    Irishshako Well-Known Member

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    As a professional drinker(pisshead) I can understand the burnout theory...being young and fit myself that is, sorry meant to say old and fat. :grin:
     
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  10. 1964white

    1964white Well-Known Member

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    Yes signing White & Kiko has significantly tightened up our defence. Also Dallas has done a fine job defensively this season
     
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  11. milkyboy

    milkyboy Well-Known Member

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    Yep spot on
     
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  12. milkyboy

    milkyboy Well-Known Member

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    I see this type of comment a bit... heard it last year quite a lot... they didn’t put the effort in etc.

    honestly it’s complete and utter bollox (no offence <cheers>)... like bielsa would allow them to take games lightly.

    Did they choke under pressure? There were plenty of examples of that... and it can happen to individuals and manifest into a team... But thought they had it in the bag? Not buying it.

    if you look at the stats... possession, chances etc remained the same pretty much throughout the season/ we just stopped taking chances and started leaking goals from errors.

    indicative of pressure and/or fatigue, not effort or attitude.

    Personally, I don’t think bielsa is a man manager... he creates tension when things don’t go to plan and that can impact on a team. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t have a big trophy cabinet. Great manager, but he has strengths and weaknesses like all of them.
     
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  13. 1964white

    1964white Well-Known Member

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    Marcelo has learnt a lot from last season, the championship was a learning curve for the great man

    The signings of White, Costa & Nketiah were excellent acquisitions in the summer.

    White & Kiko have significantly tightened up our defence. Also Dallas has done a fine job defensively this season.

    Kiko has better communication with his defenders where he is left to play the final defender now without any interference from others around him. Casilla controls his box & more or less up to the halfway line when required. I've counted at least half a dozen times where Kiko has prevented one-on-one situations due to his quick reactions.

    More quality on the bench.

    More togetherness in the current squad

    Whether we show a little ambition in the January window is the next hurdle to overcome

    Still not having a prolific goalscorer is a major concern for me
     
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  14. Doc

    Doc Well-Known Member

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    With a bunch of players deemed not good enough for the Premier League especially defenders, we now have the best defence inEurope? Statistics say Bielsa has created a defence that has only leaked 10 goals all season which is better than anyone. Coaching is about looking at the basics as well as creating new ideas. Watch this bit of common sense basics from Pep a disciple of Bielsa then think about why we are defending so well

     
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  15. ristac

    ristac Well-Known Member
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    The true fact is, as a group of individuals we are average at best. We have scratched around the middle of the table season after season prior to Bielsa.

    Bielsa came in and with basically the same group of players he had us looking like Barcelona at times.

    As a team we played above our station for a very long time and I agree, some of the players probably eased back a little too much at the tail end of last season and got caught out.

    When you have a group of average players who look champion material when they’re combined together and all doing exactly what is expected of them it only takes one or two to be getting it wrong and the whole thing falls to pieces.

    Let’s also not forget how many we had out injured during the run in. Our best spell of football and results was over the busy Christmas period.

    From Rads at the top to Bielsa and the players I’m sure lessons were learned. As for burnout and Bielsa tactics and methods being too harsh and draining I don’t see many refusing to sign long contract extensions
     
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  16. milkyboy

    milkyboy Well-Known Member

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    Honestly, I’m not sure he’s learnt that much. Don’t think he needed to. We were very good last year and should have gone up. We are very good this year and should go up.

    It was abundantly clear we needed some pace/width - which is why he tried to sign Dan James last jan. Costa was the summer solution, but stevie wonder knew we needed a player of his type.

    We gave away soft goals from poor positioning/errors from centre half’s - jansson despite the fist pumping heart on sleeve stuff was guilty of a number of them. Bielsa proclaimed him the best in the division... he left after a fall out. Turns out white is brilliant - so big clap to whichever of him/orta suggested that one.

    kiko was a disaster last season and much improved this season. Still has a gaffe in him, but that’s keepers... he’s been a bonus.
     
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  17. 2020VisionofLeeds

    2020VisionofLeeds Well-Known Member

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    Got to love Bielsa's reactions to the goals, pity about his over-reaction to the 4th, otherwise he was perfect.

     
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  18. milkyboy

    milkyboy Well-Known Member

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    good to see kiko, in the background, showing he cares
     
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  19. ellandback

    ellandback Well-Known Member
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    plus


    During Leeds pre season tour in Australia, some Leeds players were expressing their concerns about burnout to Ex White Michael Bridges.

    This is what Bridges said in the paper

    “The other thing Leeds struggled with last year (as well as the injury to Kemar Roofe)… I was speaking to a few of players, (including) Liam Cooper the captain… they just felt after Christmas they’d almost run out of energy, the way they’d been playing football,” Bridges said.
     
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  20. ellandback

    ellandback Well-Known Member
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    quote Bamford

    Patrick Bamford claimed earlier this season that the side are fitter than they were this time last season. However, the way Leeds play is so intense, that burnout is inevitable.
     
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