The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Tuesday 9th March)

He's on a roll then

 

Evening all.

The thing that's bugging me most after last night is Bielsa's refusal to change...not in general but specifically around defending corners. Personally I can't blame the players as he continually asks them to go man for man and then wily old managers who know a thing or two about the British game create the necessary movement/blocking to leave us massively exposed.

Last night's latest shocker being a prime example....as we left acres of open space from the middle of the goal to the far post to run into. In that area there was literally no one from the goal line to the penalty spot as the kick was being taken. That's 12 unhindered yard to run onto any cross delivered deep and it was just a case of first come first served for the West Ham players.

Bielsa has to realise he's getting it wrong and go to a mixture of zonal and man for man, or zonal only.

The stats do not lie Mr Bielsa...they are not just staring you in the face but smacking you straight between the eyes you stubborn fecker.

 

Jesus who would want to be a linesman these days, you even get hammered for getting it right

 

Jammy, people should listen to you more. Spot on.

You try something. If it doesn't work change it or tweek it.

 

Edmondson starts for Northampton but being beaten 1-0 so far
Stevens on the bench again for BCFC
Hosannah still not back for BCFC
McCalmont starts for Oldham
Gotts on the bench for Salford and just been brought on as they are 1-0 down

 

You tell em elland...

Unfortunately no one's listening.

 

Did someone say something ?

 

Not

Bielsa keeps playing roberts though. Surely rodrigo must be better an option. What about geldhert too. He kept trying pascal at defensive mid too it was pathetic made the lad look bad.

 

Bad night for the kids
Northampton beaten and no goals for Ryan
Bradford beaten and Stevens gets on in the 82nd minute
Salford beaten
Oldham draw

 

We also never ever put anyone beyond the back post for attacking corners or free kicks. Frustrates the life out of me. Put an attacker at the far side of the penalty box who can run on to any over hit ball coming in. Pulls the defender way out where they don’t want to be, almost impossible to defend running back in towards your own goal and far easier to attack a ball you see coming all the way across. I swear it’s a huge reason we score so few from corners and free kicks.

Anyway, that’s as close to negative about Bielsa as you will get from me. IBWT

 

Leeds United full-back Ezgjan Alioski has rejected a new deal with a view to moving to Turkish outfit Galatasaray this summer, a report claims.

The defender has played 27 games for his club this season, scoring three goals.

 

T

Just so predictable are they not.

 

@esteponawhite - can you translate this statement to throw a bit more light than the article's Google translate version. Hoping it means what I hope it means .....

https://motleedsnews.com/matchday/leeds-ace-casilla-posts-message-that-hints-strongly-at-exit/

 

The google translate is not too bad.
The text does not seem to be typed in haste more well thought out, strangely written in the present tense.
Seems like he is saying adios.
Maybe I'll get my kids to translate the smiley thingys at the bottom of the text.

 

“I’m slow to go because I believe in changes.” That first line, is he waiting to see if the change is a new coach, is he hoping Bielsa doesn’t sign a new contract?

 

Does he think any coach in their right mind would pick him. The bloke is a complete liability.

 

Did bielsa not change our set piece approach a while back? We looked better from set pieces for a while... maybe helped by having struijk - a big lump - in the team. Meslier who was glued to his line previously, was told to come for corners, he did and usually got something on it.. On Monday though, for the goal he took a step forward to a ball he needed to go back to. A few minutes later he didn't come for a ball he could have inside the 6 yard box that they hit the post from. Again, Llorente lost his man, but if the keeper comes?

Now ayling/lorrente lost their marker. Dallas maybe could block the blocker on the keeper, but his first job is to mark the guy and he's not going top out muscle Antonio. So there's compound errors, but when a guy is stooping to head the ball from 3-4 yards out at the back post? That's keeper's ball all day every day.

It's not helped by having a small lightweight team in general... but we're too nice... and streetwise opposition know what to target.

Bielsa has said it's on him to address recurring weaknesses at set pieces, but does he see that as player's having to do their jobs better or changing the system strategy? Normally with him it's do plan A better.

 

When defending corners our best strategy might be to have all eleven Leeds players standing on the goal line.

 

In defence of Bielsa and set piece problems I think he sorted it with Struijk but yet again he is having to have a new CB pairing who have only just started playing together. Its March and we have for the first time got 2 first team CBs playing together. Llorente and Koch will see how easy it is in this league to give a penalty away as it happened to Kich and Llorente plays with his hands behind his back when in the area. This isnt an easy way to defend and unnatural as it only happens in our league