Leeds v Newcastle Match Thread - Unchanged starting XI to face Magpies

[Richard]

that's extremely harsh on coops, he wins a lot in the air

in fact:

coops: headers won 43, lost 30
koch: headers won 31, 25
ayling: headers won 23, 17

...better heading stats than koch

He has a couple of mistakes in him a game, he goes to ground far too often, at set pieces our CBS are too weak. I like him but he has reached his peak, if we want to survive in this division let’s keep him. If we want to finish top 8 in a season or two we need better.

[White Riot]

Hark at this cupcake

Hilarious

[danhirons]

From elsewhere but going on your stats, there's not much in it.

Cooper 58.9
Koch 55.35
Ayling 57.50

True but it shows coops isn't a weak link at headers compared with Koch (obviously early days as Koch hasn't played much)

[gessa]

True but it shows coops isn't a weak link at headers compared with Koch (obviously early days as Koch hasn't played much)

I agree not sure what a good average is but I would have thought a commanding CB should be somewhere in the region of 75%

[White Riot]

Very honest reaction from this Mags fan

[1964white]

Knows his stuff, probably more knowledgeable than Steve Bruce

Much more informative & intelligent than the cupcake I posted up earlier

[1964white]

I agree not sure what a good average is but I would have thought a commanding CB should be somewhere in the region of 75%

A larger percentage for a top class CB

Can't believe our CB's are excused by our fans for not winning the ball in the air, that is the main aspect of their game

[danhirons]

A larger percentage for a top class CB

Can't believe our CB's are excused by our fans for not winning the ball in the air, that is the main aspect of their game

Not excusing them but you've got ayling, coops and Koch there all on similar heading rates. Do you want to just get rid of them all and sign some giants instead?

I agree its a weak point but could also be the man marking system that we implement under bielsa...

[White Riot]

Knows his stuff, probably more knowledgeable than Steve Bruce

Much more informative & intelligent than the cupcake I posted up earlier

I've watched a number of Nukey fans reactions 64 and they are all roasting Steve Bruce and expecting a plummet down to the relegation positions.

[1964white]

I've watched a number of Nukey fans reactions 64 and they are all roasting Steve Bruce and expecting a plummet down to the relegation positions.

Inept coach WR especially at this level

[1964white]

Not excusing them but you've got ayling, coops and Koch there all on similar heading rates. Do you want to just get rid of them all and sign some giants instead?

I agree its a weak point but could also be the man marking system that we implement under bielsa...

Certainly don't want to get rid of any of those three Dan

Cooper was a bench player for me when we did the Player Profiles in the summer, never going to happen immediately as he is our captain. I do believe if Koch & Llorente were fit they would probably be our CB pair by now. We didn't spend nearly £30m without a good reason.

Koch has been unlucky, needs time to settle when he is injury-free.

Ayling is a right-wing back imo, he's never been great in the air, much more comfortable with the ball at his feet

[Smudge3920]

I agree its a weak point but could also be the man marking system that we implement under bielsa...

The one area of our game that I am totally opposed to the man to man system... I think it accounts for a number of our problems... that said I would lose in an argument with MB over it

[White Riot]

Inept coach WR especially at this level

Yep, that's exactly what all the Geordies are saying. Full of praise for us though

[The Subhuman]

From elsewhere but going on your stats, there's not much in it.

Cooper 58.9
Koch 55.35
Ayling 57.50

And not all headers are created equal

[1964white]

Yep, that's exactly what all the Geordies are saying. Full of praise for us though

How can they not be? although some opposition fans would never give us any credit

[Cjay]

Few weeks ago i saw a ranking of aerial duels success rate.

Willy Boly was the lowest and he was 73% i think.

The highest was well in the 80% success rate, Maguire was in there as was Zouma.

We wont have anyone who gets near that.

Definitely wasn't any of ours in the list.

[1964white]

The one area of our game that I am totally opposed to the man to man system... I think it accounts for a number of our problems... that said I would lose in an argument with MB over it

That's another thing, because of all our man for man marking we never have defenders on the post

[Carrick Dave]

Hark at this cupcake

Tits up, right, literally tits up.

[Carrick Dave]

I do believe if Koch & Llorente were fit they would probably be our CB pair by now. We didn't spend nearly £30m without a good reason.

In future, if we can get Struijk to a point where he's interchangeable for Koch or Llorente, he'll be an option to slot in when we know we're going to be under pressure from big sides, apparently he's very good in the air.