The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 4th August)

Ajax graduate and former Spurs man Rafael van der Vaart:

I have seen some beautiful football, Ajax are producing some top-talents again.

Let’s not talk about Leeds United. They tried their best, but there’s not 1 player that impressed me this afternoon.

I expected more from them, they got outplayed by 17/18 year olds.

 

Jesus wept! All this doom & gloom.

No wonder Bielsa doesn't have a lot of pre-season games for the 1st team. He'd prolly get strung up by some if he did.

Not one point has been dropped so far, but you'd thing we were in a relegation spot, needing a 27-0 victory in the last game to stay up.

Grow a pair you lot. You have such short memories. We have the best coach in the world, and haven't sold a player, far less a captain. Think back to the Championship / L1 years, relax & smile.

 

Didn't take long for the wristies to buy some new razors!

IBWT
MOT.

 

What is your realistic hope for the coming season as in positional finish? A few weeks back and there were a lot of people talking pushing on for top 8.

Last season I believe Bielsa performed another of his miracles getting us to where he did in the league, no other coach would have done that with this pool of players.

I’ll enjoy the coming season but I’m hoping for outside the bottom 6 never getting drawn into a relegation dog fight. If we manage 10th it will be another piece of Bielsa magic. If my expectations are not enough and classed as “doom and gloom” so be it. I think anyone hoping for top 8 with this group of players are going to be left bitterly disappointed.

 

I read he walked off shaken and hardly able to stand, as he was walking off Bielsa was ranting at him? Many have questioned on social if Bielsa never saw the severity of the injury?

 

Forget wanting to play top football, its all about the money

 

Llorente and Firpo NOT ruled out of season opener, their injuries were described as slight knocks and “not worth taking a risk”.

 

First and foremost we need to get to 40 points. That is objective number 1. Even if we have a poor season I think we have the quality to pick up those points over the season. Nobody is too good to go down but a team with Llorente, Raphinha, Phillips should have enough.

After that, who knows? The way we finished last season with a more solid defence and a good run of wins was good enough to put us top 4 in the form table. I understand that can't be sustained all season but it can be a prolonged run. If we hit that form then we might push top 6 if a couple of sides have poor seasons.

My guess would be between 8th and 14th again. There are plenty of teams who are worse than us.

The main concern is having scum away first game. If we go there and show our arses then it doesn't take long for panic to set in. That happened to Sheffield United last season. They had a few very unfortunate defeats early on (including outplaying us but losing 1-0) and they never got out of it and performances dropped massively as time went on. The first win is a big achievement and it needs to come early doors.

 

Kind of along your lines, I fear a couple of early defeats could heap the pressure on. I just think with fans back at the ground and the unrealistic hopes of some the pressure might be too much. Last season it was unanimous, don’t get relegated anything else is a bonus. This season it seems to be top 6 is possible which in the eyes of a Leeds fan means we kind of expect it

 

It looked really nasty Bielsa was ranting and raving on the touchline at something then went to check on him as he lay on the deck I think it was more of the situation as he wasn't a happy bunny on our performance last night. he was throwing his hands in the air like a man possessed at times.
I hope he's ok. he did get up and walk off but was very groggy. never read owt this morning as ive just finished an early bike session so maybe there is better news out there as I type.

 

Second season is always difficult, consolidation is what is needed before thinking of top eight etc.

 

Hopefully improve like Wolves did, finished 7th 1st season and 7th 2nd season with 2 more pts. Achieved that whilst playing 17 games in the Europa League.

 

WJ it's all about opinions. Has Bielsa signed yet? This season will be harder than last IMO because the teams will know how we play and I think we are carrying a few players ie costa, roberts etc. Let's not start this happy clappy v wristslashes ****e because it's just about supporters being honest. Now I hope we get off to the best of starts and the team starts playing again, but pre season or not, IMO there is something lacking at the minute.

 

Here's a bit of deja vu.

I'm making no comments concerning the posts be they considered negative or positive, just pointing out that we go through this every season


Quotes from our final pre season friendly against Las Palmos, Bielsa's first season in charge.

Quotes from our final pre season friendly against Cagliari, our Championship winning season, seemed to be a lot more apathy, as very little said about that game

Even a Millwall fan getting in on the act

My own personal opinion, we probably slightly over achieved last season, anywhere between 10th and 15th was probably a more realistic expectation. Financially we are still way behind most of the teams in the Premier League, however Bielsa,the work ethic of the team, and some of our players playing out of their skin, got us to where we ended up.

Whilst we are all hoping that the club could push on from there, I will take a top 12 finish and enjoy the spectacle of football that I've enjoyed watching us play for the last three seasons

 

Well my comment was a positive one and I even got the ale mentioned...

 

Archeological social media and how to cancel people i have to agree though. Im a glass half full person and know for a fact all will be good. Bielsa’s got this so we dont have to

 

Looks like Niall Huggins is about to be sold to Blackburn, but will Bielsa allow Shackelton to go out on loan to Bournemouth? Lief Davies already down there

 

I always had you down as the glass is brimming right to the top Doc