Championship Life

For everything Leeds United related and everything not - Have your say... the Marching on Together way!
Forum rules
Please be sure you are acquainted with the forum rules outlined within our FAQs.

Help support the site by using our Amazon Affiliate link when making any purchases from Amazon.
Post Reply
User avatar
dezzy
Manager
Manager
Posts: 4249
Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 5:46 pm
Location: Cork Ireland

Championship Life

Post by dezzy »

Scintillating, attacking football at the start of the season, dogged, hard to break down, clean sheets galore since the winter has closed in.
Bielsa has mentioned his discussion with Tony Pulis a couple of times this season, on the importance of winning games in December, not ground breaking advice, but the importance of this period, has been spoken about a lot by the boss, have we had a change in mindset, to combat the conditions? It’s hard to play pretty football in these conditions, against teams who are happy to sit back and have a scrap, chances aren’t as easy to come by.
All this talk of Alioski, a player who is out of form makes me think why is he still being picked, especially when young Clarke is tearing teams apart when he comes on. Cold, wet conditions, heavy pitches, you need some fight. Obvious to see Clarke offers so much going forward, works hard too, but can he keep it up for 90 minutes in these conditions?
It’s great to see Bielsa pick other managers brains, Alioski will always chase back and tackle, work hard, he gives us more solidity, protects Douglas, who can then help out our CBs, this makes us hard to beat. I would have started Clarke, weeks ago but the more I think about it, the more crucial Ali is, keep the game tight and then bring in the wizkid, signs of a manager who’s playing the conditions and the challenges this league throws up.
This leauge is a dogfight and I think that’s why Ali is starting games, he will always run hard and put in the graft. Alioski = lets not lose, Clarke = let’s turn up the heat, Harrison doesn’t offer Ali’s work ethic or offer as much of a threat as Clarke, which is why he’s been forgotten.
Only time will tell, it will be interesting to look back on this time of the year, once spring comes around, Bielsa doesn’t do plan B, but likes to adapt his plan A, you see us change to 3 CBs when the opposition have two strikers, do people think, Bielsa is adapting our approach to suit the winter conditions?
I realised I was dyslexic when I went to a toga party dressed as a goat..
User avatar
weasel
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 14031
Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 10:28 pm
Location: Within a mile of Yorkshire

Re: Championship Life

Post by weasel »

I think to some degree we caught a couple of teams by surprise. When we outplayed Stoke we scored and then played really well as Stoke had to come and attack us which suits us. Stoke still had a losing mentality from being relegated and players who probably thought they were better than they are. Same with Derby match and Derby had all the spotlight with Frank Lampard, press licking their ar£es, they were at home and wanted to put on a show. Since then I don't think we have scored early apart from v Norwich - where once again we were then playing a team that had to attack us.

Apart from that it seems most teams have decided that they are happy with a point against us whether they are the home team or the away team. They have tried to limit our space and stuck men behind the ball and hit us on the break or from set pieces. As such we haven't scored early and we haven't made teams come at us and it has been a lot harder for us to play the great football - the likes of Phillips and the centrebacks can pass to each other under very little pressure as the opposition is so deep but the likes of Hernandez and Saiz have had a lot less space to play in. Thankfully though even when we have been less pleasing on the eye we have still scored in every match apart from against Middlesborough and we have gamechangers on our bench in Clarke and Bamford, and previously Saiz (although hopefully soon Brown to replace him).

Hopefully as the season gets towards the business end teams will be desperate for points and actually try to play against us and we will see a return to the scintillating football. The good thing is we are still trying to play the good football but it is a lot harder when the opposition's gameplan consists of just trying to stop us playing.
User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127717
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: Championship Life

Post by 1964white »

weasel wrote: Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:20 pm Hopefully as the season gets towards the business end teams will be desperate for points and actually try to play against us and we will see a return to the scintillating football. The good thing is we are still trying to play the good football but it is a lot harder when the opposition's gameplan consists of just trying to stop us playing.
Really great point there Weasel, several of our challengers are already playing catch up

Apparently the team at the top of the championship after twenty games played generally go up

Hope that is the scenario this season :scar1
User avatar
Dalton
Subs Bench
Subs Bench
Posts: 959
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:44 pm
Location: Location with Phil and Kirstie

Re: Championship Life

Post by Dalton »

a long time since we scored 3 goals in the league (August is it?)
but since WBA we dont concede goals now either and rather than needing teams to come at us for space we use the full 90 minutes and the fitness of the squad to put a real squeeze on after the break
My my my, such a lot of guns around town and so few brains
User avatar
Chilli D
Site Contributor
Site Contributor
Posts: 6348
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:31 pm

Re: Championship Life

Post by Chilli D »

Both very good posts with valid points.
Once we have played Villa this weekend we will have pitted our wits against everyone and I believe we have nothing to fear from anyone.
The second half of the season will inevitably bring most games that have some significance for the opposition whether it is a team already in the top six and striving for an automatic place, a team trying to get into the top six or a team fighting to avoid relegation. Therefore games will be tight and may hinge on a single moment of brilliance of a mistake to decide the game. We will inevitably be on Sky at least another 8 times before the season is out, probably more if me remain in the top 6.
Most of our promotion rivals have to visit ER so there's some huge games to come.
I think all of those currently involved have a part to play, even Alioski, and if we can get those currently injured back, we will be a force to be reckoned with.
Despite all the rumours, I doubt there will be much activity in the transfer window but as others have said, lets wait and see what happens.
I, for one, can't wait for the second half of the season.
The flowers of common sense do not grow in everyone's garden
User avatar
weasel
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 14031
Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 10:28 pm
Location: Within a mile of Yorkshire

Re: Championship Life

Post by weasel »

1964white wrote: Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:34 pm Really great point there Weasel, several of our challengers are already playing catch up

Apparently the team at the top of the championship after twenty games played generally go up

Hope that is the scenario this season :scar1
Not just promotion contenders but teams near the bottom. Take Saturday and Bolton were happy to play for a draw and simply defend despite the fact a win would have seen them move out of the relegation places. Would they be happy to use those tactics after 20 more matches with them needing wins to have any chance to get out of the bottom 3. Likewise mid-table teams that need to throw a few wins together to break into play-off contention (like Fulham a couple of years ago) will need to attack. Too many teams playing cautiously at the moment happy to try to take a point.
User avatar
weasel
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 14031
Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 10:28 pm
Location: Within a mile of Yorkshire

Re: Championship Life

Post by weasel »

Chilli D wrote: Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:50 pm Therefore games will be tight and may hinge on a single moment of brilliance of a mistake to decide the game.
Hopefully that is where we have the advantage as we have more potential match winners and can win matches like that against Bolton where Pablo and Bamford produced the 1 real moment of magic in the game. We have the quality of delivery that Douglas brings especially if he can put a corner on PJ or Cooper's head, Roofe and Bamford that can score from nothing, Clarke and Hernandez, Klich's long range shooting and even Alioski. Then there is always the constant high pressing that can force the opposition into a mistake like against Sheff Utd.
gessa
Guest
Guest

Re: Championship Life

Post by gessa »

I was amazed reading across message boards,before the game, how many of our fans were saying they'd have been happy with a draw Saturday. No easy task but surely not.
User avatar
Dalton
Subs Bench
Subs Bench
Posts: 959
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:44 pm
Location: Location with Phil and Kirstie

Re: Championship Life

Post by Dalton »

I would have gone for a win in the predictions but forgot to post!
My my my, such a lot of guns around town and so few brains
User avatar
Chilli D
Site Contributor
Site Contributor
Posts: 6348
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:31 pm

Re: Championship Life

Post by Chilli D »

Forest, Derby and Stoke games sandwiched either side of the FA cup game with QPR.
That's a big few weeks right there.
The flowers of common sense do not grow in everyone's garden
Cjay
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 28191
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:01 pm

Re: Championship Life

Post by Cjay »

Think Bielsa showed a Plan B in a way against Blades.

The pressing was more selective, certain players were allowed the ball in unthreatening areas, and key players like Duffy were man marked all game as were the cbs when they got forward, very clever.

As Weasel said teams are happy to settle for a point, try and nick a win, sit back.

Hopefully as the season goes on teams will be forced to come at us more.

Saiz is a loss as our attack is a bit predictable, pass and move.

Look at teams like Villa, they can pass and move but they have pace and power with Bolasie, Abraham and El Ghazi, ability to go long and cross or players willing to take people on.

Its something that concerns me about our attack, because as we have seen against teams that sit back sometimes pass and move just really struggle.

Its no coincidence Jack Clarke makes us look so much more threatening, he is fearless and forces teams to come out of position to tackle him, it opens up space.

I hope we replace Saiz with similar, someone able to run with the ball and beat a man (hopefully bit better passer).

If we do plus i can see Clarke becoming a starter and with Bamford who is also able to beat a man to then it will be easier for us to open sides up.
Signed

King Cjay

Fountain of all knowledge and wisdom
Post Reply