Match Day Thread Leeds vs Newcastle

Think both were awful but Rafa wins it by a hair for being able to at least make it look like we had a game plan (sit in and counter) and would only surrender possession vs the top 6 not everyone including pub teams in the cups.

 

This should never be seen at any level of football.
Embarrassing.

 

The thing is Bruce took over a side already performing as the 7th best in the league and has had 90 million spent.

 

Man U are currently the top team in England based on form, Rafa had us finish 13th, so did Bruce.

 

We're worse than when he took over and he's 90 million... Thats the truth no comparisons

 

What I really want to understand about last night game is that penalty decision. Or lack of to be precise. As much as I hate Bruce he has a point, that game changes on that decision and yeah we might not have won but we might have lost 4-3 or nicked a draw but that decsion robbed us of the chance.

How is that NOT a penalty, no bit of the ball, Wilson clearly impeded, how has VAR reviewed it and decided it wasn't an obvious mistake from the ref, why was the ref not made to go and look at the monitor.

 

Seriously this was rafas last match squad and a 4-0 win away at Fulham




Bruce's had 18 months, had to sell nobody of note and been given 90 million and this is his last match squad in a 5-2 defeat away at Leeds..

 

Here's the stats and you can see despite not having the ball we crated just as much.
#Effective counter attacking side.....with Bruce it's no possesion and cresting nowhere near as much as the opposition

 

Are we though? And yes, there are always comparisons but I'd suggest that Bruce doesn't spend the money much like Rafa didn't either.

I'd love to see where the extra 3 points Bruce has won us in the first 50 games in the EPL comes from.

If we had Rondon for £18m at present instead of Wilson for £20m would we be better or worse off? Who gets the praise for this? Who gets slammed?

 

Yes we're much worse see above

 

Definitely a penalty, I'd have been going bonkers if it was at the other end, we've had 3 decisions go against us this season, which obviously doesn't help you last night but what's the point of VAR if they still can't get it right.

 

It was, but if we'd won that game it would've been unfair... Leeds dominated the game..

 

Firstly you would have had to score from it and I still think we may have come back but not 5-2 .

I've never rated Bruce as a manager ok at Championship level, you deserve better.

 

@G4rdToonArmy

The picture will be clearer after we've played the festive period... Fulham, City, Leicester etc

I think leeds had 4 or 5 good chancesc1st half, but were snatching at them.. It really could've been alot worse... I watched Leeds a few times this season and I was absolutely gob smacked because they played such good football. I knew they'd hammer us and that's exactly what happened. I would love a good manager that can get us playing, but the reality is our club wants to go the other way and just win ugly... I hate it, but its kept us up so far and it probably will again... There's plenty of clubs tried the other way like Leeds have, but got punished week in week out.. I guess I'm saying bielsa really is a top manager because its worked... I think the future looks bright for Leeds and like I said preseason after what happened there i can't help butbe happy for them...

 

The way we play mate, it will be a rollercoaster of a season but we're here enjoying the ride, staying up is paramount but I think we have enough to do it. I'm thinking 12th-14th, and I'd be well happy with that first season back.

 

Will they spend on Jan you think? Imagine

Bigger names will want to go there again . Now... Thats a side players want to play in... By contrast our players want out

 

Indeed it will be! I agree though, Bruce has a better squad and should be doing better but I'm not to worred about yesterdays result. The performance yes worried there but the result not really.

Also fully agreed Leeds should be fine and play some cracking football. Was it Pep who called Bielsa the best manager in the world the other day? What he's done for players like Ayling and Bamford etc is amazing.

 

100% apart from the surrendering of possession. He did this plenty against lesser opposition too. That's only got slightly better but to be fair that is always going to be the case when you are a defensive manager who relies on counter attack. Its not a crime. I'm not sure if its backed up by stats, but that's misleading too because you have to drill down a lot further to see where you have possession etc. People present stats all the time, but most of it is meaningless because context in a sport with so many variable is hugely important.

I don't need the stats really though because my eyes are pretty good. I know for a fact I've watched the other team dominate possession for 13 years now, and I reckon its defo got worse over the last 3-4 years. Bruce may be slightly worse in this regard (its hard to tell because I'm comparing turds and its not exciting), but not massively.

The thing I'd say is different, is that Benitez was knowingly surrendering possession. **** to watch but part of the plan. Bruce I'm not convinced has a plan, and he keeps mentioning front foot etc.

 

Maybe 1 or 2, we definitely need a commanding CB and a proper LB. We have a great kid who's a proper LB but Bielsa doesn't fancy using him.
We have a 17 yr old kid coming through who started off as a left winger, Bielsa moved him to LB for half a season in the u23's, now he plays either position just as effectively, Niall Huggins, one for the future, really looking the part atm.

 

I'm always worried and it's because we're not very good, but we do have stronger sides than what he had to go with

I want to see Manq, Shelvey, max almiron Joelinton almiron Wilson all start... They're out best players... For attack and man1 is our best rb all day long