After tonights game we will have seen almost all of Bielsas squad, except a new loan signing or two. So by the end of this month I think Bielsa will have a favourite 11 and a back up for every position. The games so far have been great because last seasons players have done great and are keeping the new boys out. I expect a different looking starting 11 within a couple of weeks and wonder how many of last weeks starters will still be first choice. I think this is a fantastic state of affairs and the best set up and players for years. Blackman Pontus Cooper Phillips Ayling Douglas Harrison Saiz Roberts Bamford Hernandez
We may need to look at Bielsa's fav formation because at the moment we seem to play a fluid 4-1-4-1 and even the U23s are using that. This may well be what Bielsa wants to do, but supposing the new players were specific to allow him to do 3-3-1-3 you end up with a different set of players like 3 frontmen in Bamford, Roofe/Roberts and Harrison with Saiz/Klich behind them and Douglas/Pearce and Ayling/Shacks doing wing back with Pontus, Cooper and Pennington as a back 3...... maybe
Who knows what formation we will play under Bielsa,but whatever it is,it seems to work.Will be a mare for opposing managers trying to work it out,and set their teams up accordingly.
He was - and is, but Bielsa has been training him as a RWB in pre season. Speaks very highly of him. Actually, he's been bigging up quite a few of the u23s publicly.
Very short article on Bielsa's view of Shackleton ... http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/08/1...rcelo-bielsa-impressed-with-videos-of-ryan-s/
In the absence of the 'signings' sticky, I'll post this here. Interesting. https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-leeds-opens-talks-to-sign-centre-back/
See we're also linked this evening with Mo Besic (again), Marko Grujic from Liverpool and Marcus Maddison. Who said Radz didn't have deep pockets...
Bamford, Harrison, Blackman, Baker did well tonight and will feature in the first team and Inreckon Bamford and Roofe will be a handful in tandem.
I don't think Bielsa will drop Alioski Doc, his crosses are vital, and his cutting inside creates problems for defenders, plus he's a goal scorer. The first 2 games have shown, imo, how Alioski, Saiz and Hernandez can cause, create and circumnavigate what are suppose to be 2 of the best defences in championship. I don't think Bielsa is about individual players, but rather team players and how well they gel together, be it the whole team or 2 or 3 players together. Forshaw has to come back yet, and I think Phillips may well make way for him. Forshaw is a far more creative player than Phillips and will relish being the spare CM, and Klich I think is going to be hard to dislodge. I also believe Klich has cemented his position for time being, as long as he doesn't tire or lose form. Going to be very hard to leave Berardi out the team, he gives what Bielsa wants from his players, he's an aggressive give all defender who can play RB, LB and now CD it seems, very valuable. Changes may well come depending on how Bielsa sets his formation up, or how he instructs his players to play against certain teams......
Feedback I got is that baker was the standout, Harrison looked promising but end product wasn’t great, Bamford looked pretty sharp but faded and Blackman had little to do but made an error that could/should have cost a goal... didn’t see the game myself
I'm not sure about the not tiring part. Hasnt he been subbed in the last two league games and started on the bench in the cup?
Think that team last night tired as its the first run out for 8 of them and 3 of them played on Saturday. They will be Bielsa fit soon I expect. Bamford said after that he had tired, He said he was match fit when he arrived but the way they need to play means extra match fit so the game will have done all them good, but admitted he flagged but got 80 minutes in
