It seems that there is a difference of opinion between you and Marcelo. He is one of the most respected coaches in the world and it is his job to make Leeds a better team. Your job is to help him, you have the ability to do this. If Marcelo is right Leeds will be a better team if he is wrong you can leave and be happier playing for another Club. Give it a try.
I’m definitely underwhelmed with him this season, I do see that bit of quality in him though and I hope with a proper preseason he’ll come good next. If we could get our money back on him though and move him on I’d be tempted
I don't think it was a major deal yesterday. If you are subbed as a sub then I'd expect you to be unhappy. I'd actually be disappointed if he wasn't. As for Rodrigo himself as a player. He hasn't really had a consistent run in the side as yet. He took a while to get up to speed and has had a couple of niggle injuries and covid. When he has been fit and played a few games on the trot he looks pretty classy to me. Him, Rapha and Phillips are quite a way ahead of the rest of the squad ability wise. As long as he doesn't stamp his feet too long about yesterday then it is quite acceptable to be upset. I remember Phillips not been happy after being subbed early in games and look at him now.
If Rodrigo ignores all the overtures from La Liga and Seria A and stays at Leeds Utd. He will be dynamite next season. This isnt just my view, but the view of plenty of people who know him and know football. Bielsa seems to know more than us and wanted the club to break transfer records in buying him. Yes he needed time to get what Bielsa wanted of him, he then got an injury and when that was sorted he got covid and then got a groin injury. This Summer he will have a proper holiday a full pre season and come back firing
Absolutely. He looks very good. I'm kinda reserving judgement on him at the moment as he has played so few games for us. There were moments against West Ham where he was bullied. Koch had some world class performances before his injury but had his moments of madness. If he comes back firing on all cylinders and gets a bit more consistency in his game we have a very strong CB there too. Add a left back and a central midfield player (I really like Conor Gallagher) and we will be stronger next season.
Koch gave away a penalty against Fulham but it was harsh. However Mitrovic was in Kochs pocket all afternoon and no way did he allow the big Serb to bully our defence I seem to rember Paddy scoring with his right foot and 2 great Costa goals too? Friday ant come soon enough
Not sure hes done enough for selection this time? Will need to up his game for the rest of the season
I think our most consistent CB this season has been Cooper, which should really not be a surprise to anyone. However, let me surprise you with the next guy on my list - Struijk! Forget that he's just come out of the u23s. Forget that he's so inexperienced. Based solely on his performances, he deserves to be #2 in the CB list, imo. Of course part of this is down to opportunity, which he's grabbed, whilst the newcomers have been ravaged by interruptions, so opportunities to impress have been few. Based on what I've seen so far this season, Struijk must be a contender for a starting spot next season, unless the newcomers do something special in the remaining games to overtake him. Something I thought I'd never say, given the calibre of our purchases, but an honest opinion.
I would go as far as putting Struijk as our best centre half this season. He gives us a physical presence too. Cooper, I thought, struggled with the pace of PL initially but has played really well recently. With Koch, Cooper, Llorente and Struijk we have a real competition for places. Throw in the emergence of Cresswell and (less likely) Casey and we have gone from having a shortage of CB's to an abundance. It's good stuff.
I cannot wait for all to be fit and see who Amigo picks for the starting line up, and that is not far away.
Both Cooper and Struijk are left side CBs which is unusual for any club to have one natural left side player but we now have 2. Thats why Martinez is hoping to get him in the Belgium squad as he hasnt got a natural LCB
I think he will keep Cooper out as will Llorente be fist choice right side. Here's a spanner in the works Bielsa style. How about Koch to play and Llorente to left back. Ellands thought worse.
One thing I think we could change or at least try is how we line up against the top sides, most play with 2 DM's and when we've played them we've been overrun in mf. When the whole squad is fit, I'd like to see Koch line up in the middle with KP. Something like this, with what we have Meslier Ayling Llorente Struijk Dallas Koch Phillips Raphinha Rodrigo Harrison Bamford
The other major positive regarding our CB's is that Struijk, Llorente and Koch have all played the Phillips role at some point in their careers. The latter two at international level. We need a workhorse (with PL quality) in midfield to replace Klich. And a left back as an upgrade for the departing Alioski. Dallas can cover pretty much everyone bar Bamford and Meslier from there without weakening the team.
Remember Llorente saying he plays RCB, LCB, DM and RB but hated LB and to be fair Bielsa demands a speedster at full back on either side Bielsa has the tools now to use Llorente at RB if needing a defender instead of an attacking defender. He can play 3 International Cbs against BHA, Southampton or Wolves if he wants to go to a back 3, or he can now play Koch as a DM. I think Bielsa has now got the tools he wanted at the start of the season at long last
He only ever scored more than 8 league goals once in 6 seasons in Spain. You spent £27m on him and he’s just turned 30. I doubt there’ll be much of a queue tbh.