The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 10th December) Bielsa plays down January transfer activity

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Friday 10th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Bielsa plays down January transfer activity

During his press conference yesterday, Marcelo Bielsa played down plans to strengthen his threadbare squad during the January Sales. The Argentine has never been a fan of the Winter transfer window, and made it clear that they would only be interested in players that would improve their squad, and even then, it would only be a possibility. According to Phil Hay...

Bielsa asked if this changes plans for the January window. Says if the club can find players who are better than his then it's possibility that's welcome but we all know the difficulty of the winter market. Says it's difficult to find players who are "competing" and available.

Bielsa's words angered many Leeds fans, who took to social media to express their dismay, labelling the Argentine as stubborn!





Players are tired and have switched off mentally

Former player, now pundit Tim Sherwood believes that Marcelo Bielsa has taken Leeds as far as he can, and says there's a million to one chance he'll still be at Elland Road next season. Speaking on the Kelly & Wrighty show, the former Spurs legend went on to say that Leeds have been found out and the players have switched off mentally!

I think he might have taken them as far as he could. I think his ideas have gone sour. I never see him smile. Leeds seem to have got found out. The players are tired and have switched off mentally. When you stop winning, you stop listening to the manager. A million in one shot that he stays next season. For the life of me, I can’t see him being there next year.

Five missing for Chelsea trip

Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips and Captain Liam Cooper will all be missing for the trip to Stamford Bridge tomorrow. Koch has finally overcome his groin strain, but has be suffering from illness for the last ten days whilst Rodrigo has picked up a heel injury that will keep him sidelined for the next few games!

Surely Bielsa will bring Charlie Cresswell (or Struijk if fit) into the mix, allowing Ayling to operate in his favoured position at right wing back, and move Dallas into midfield. With Rodrigo and Bamford both sidelined, surely Joe Gelhardt will be given a rare opportunity up front, though in all likelihood Roberts will probably get the nod!

[The Subhuman]

Bielsa's words taken out of context again

Sherwood not followed Leeds at any point or for any amount of time I'd imagine so clearly talking out of his arse. Tired teams don't finish stronger than their opponents

The squad isn't threadbare

[VinnysTattoo]

We are an easy target for the pundits at the moment. Easy meat for these “experts”

How many times when a team sack their managers do the pundits say it’s unfair and too early? They have no idea at ground level what is going at those clubs and it’s just lazy journalism at best.

[rab_rant]

Professor Wilbur Sniffles here Dean of psychology at Gaslight University Urbana.

The phenomenon of gaslighting has only been studied extensively in the individual and only recently attention has been focus on changing the mindset of a whole group of people. As part of my thesis I have been studying how the mass formation mindset has been manipulated and changed regarding Leeds United. The following techniques have been investigated and been put into practice.

Countering: This describes a person questioning someone’s memories. Did Biesla really win the championship and if he did surely Covid played a part. It was not such a great achievement after all.

Trivializing: This occurs when a person belittles or disregards the other person’s achievements. Bielsa has never won any cups or trophies, never achieved anything anywhere. just wait and see history will repeat itself,,, it is only a matter of time.

Denial: Denial involves a person pretending to forget events or how they occurred. Past victories should be glossed over... Dallas never scored the winning goal against City... that was a figment of your imagination... for God's sake City were the champions... where did you get that preposterous idea.

Diverting: With this technique, a person changes the focus of a discussion and questions the other person’s credibility instead. Tyler Roberts has no credibility... scores too few goals and is a pet project. with so many people playing out of their natural position this is a recipe for disaster.

As with the individual so it is with a team the objective is to cultivate the conditions that make the team mentally weak. If the fan base can engage in any of the above techniques via social media we can see it will have a ripple effect down onto the terraces and ultimately perculate through to the players on the pitch.

An excellent example of team gaslighting can be found on the morning debate on the Leeds MOT forum. The participants have gladly contributed on a regular basis using the aforementioned techniques, and have to be applauded for their stedfast application. It should be noted that the best results in destroying the mental capacity of a team is not through the random occasional thoughts of some pundit, but it has to be a grassroots effort from the fans themselves.

If these techniques are successfully applied we can fully expect Leeds United to loose all self confidece, the manager to be sacked and the team relegated to the Championship. And the fans can congratulate themselves on the brilliant success of this project.

[Byebyegeegee]

Why has Bielsa’s words angered many Leeds fans? They have not angered me, what he said makes perfect sense. There is no point in buying any old player just for the sake of adding to the numbers. Whoever we buy needs to be at least as good or, hopefully, better (or potentially better) than what we have. That applies to both the summer and winter windows, and we and Bielsa all know that there is a lot less choice in the January window. Bielsa and Leeds need to be discerning and cautious. Jon Swift, Lewis O’Brien and young Fernandez will do for me .

What Tim Sherwood really knows about Leeds United you could write on the back of a postage stamp, so I’m not going to take any notice of what he says!

6 missing if Struijk doesn’t make it, that’s more than half a team. It’s a good job it’s “a free hit” match!

[billysboots]

A midfielder for Christmas please.

[Eireleeds1]

Not relevant what pundits say. Its only one persons opinion, no more or less valid than any of ours. Up to the players available to prove them wrong. One point though, Bielsa is wrong about size of squad. Small squad worked ok in Championship as we were up against mediocre opposition in many games and you could beat teams on fitness levels alone and slot in a few of the kids here and there if needed. . PL teams are several levels better, no soft touches, so you need a strong squad for every game. Next four games likely to be a hard watch

[AJA]

Professor Wilbur Sniffles here Dean of psychology at Gaslight University Urbana.

The phenomenon of gaslighting has only been studied extensively in the individual and only recently attention has been focus on changing the mindset of a whole group of people. As part of my thesis I have been studying how the mass formation mindset has been manipulated and changed regarding Leeds United. The following techniques have been investigated and been put into practice.

Countering: This describes a person questioning someone’s memories. Did Biesla really win the championship and if he did surely Covid played a part. It was not such a great achievement after all.

Trivializing: This occurs when a person belittles or disregards the other person’s achievements. Bielsa has never won any cups or trophies, never achieved anything anywhere. just wait and see history will repeat itself,,, it is only a matter of time.

Denial: Denial involves a person pretending to forget events or how they occurred. Past victories should be glossed over... Dallas never scored the winning goal against City... that was a figment of your imagination... for God's sake City were the champions... where did you get that preposterous idea.

Diverting: With this technique, a person changes the focus of a discussion and questions the other person’s credibility instead. Tyler Roberts has no credibility... scores too few goals and is a pet project. with so many people playing out of their natural position this is a recipe for disaster.

As with the individual so it is with a team the objective is to cultivate the conditions that make the team mentally weak. If the fan base can engage in any of the above techniques via social media we can see it will have a ripple effect down onto the terraces and ultimately perculate through to the players on the pitch.

An excellent example of team gaslighting can be found on the morning debate on the Leeds MOT forum. The participants have gladly contributed on a regular basis using the aforementioned techniques, and have to be applauded for their stedfast application. It should be noted that the best results in destroying the mental capacity of a team is not through the random occasional thoughts of some pundit, but it has to be a grassroots effort from the fans themselves.

If these techniques are successfully applied we can fully expect Leeds United to loose all self confidece, the manager to be sacked and the team relegated to the Championship. And the fans can congratulate themselves on the brilliant success of this project.

[1964white]

Not relevant what pundits say. Its only one persons opinion, no more or less valid than any of ours. Up to the players available to prove them wrong. One point though, Bielsa is wrong about size of squad. Small squad worked ok in Championship as we were up against mediocre opposition in many games and you could beat teams on fitness levels alone and slot in a few of the kids here and there if needed. . PL teams are several levels better, no soft touches, so you need a strong squad for every game. Next four games likely to be a hard watch

Indeed Eire

[DDB220]

I can only see a potential loan signing in the next window. I do not think Swift or O’Brien can improve the team in the short term. Buying from the Championship is a huge gamble at this stage of the season. Either of the aforementioned would need a pre-season with Bielsa before even making a match day squad.
There will be options in the loan market and I am sure Orta is on his phone when not gesticulating. If they do get a player in it has to be someone who can make a serious impact on the pitch rather than a squad filler.

[The Subhuman]

A midfielder for Christmas please.

We've ordered one off Amazon but it may not arrive till July ....

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Wouldn't be match fit by July more like.

[whiteswan]

Tim Sherwood? Pah. I only remember him as the bloke who 'broke' the dressing room to get Roy Hodgson the sack at Blackburn. Devious little man who shouldn't even utter the words Leeds United.

[Leeds1000]

I agree with others a loan or two (is that allowed?) just to freshen things up until the end of the season. There have got to be some good players knocking on their respective doors.

[CanuckMightyWhite]

A loan looks like the best option, even if it does not include any buy option. All we need to look in this window is someone who can help keep relegation at bay, which means a quality loanee who walks into our first XI, or at the very least can be a game changing option off the bench.
My biggest (or the only) peeve with Bielsa is his refusal to give the youngsters, especially Joffy and Bate a run yet plodding the likes of Rodrigo, Klich and Roberts week in week out.

With regards to Sherwood’s comments, they mean nothing. I have never heard one good word from Talksport ever to the point I’ve stopped listening.

[WhiteRose]

The only thing angering me is Tim sherwood. How can he say Bielsa’s ideas are sour when he continues to influence many managers around the world, it’s the players and injuries etc that let it down .Bielsa has never really been a smiler when on duty so nothing new there either.

We know Bielsa has an overly high opinion of our team members and it takes someone special for him to look past what he has. I agree with sherwood that he won’t be here next season, you can’t get near Europe with an 18 man squad backed up by youngsters it’s just not possible.

[LeeBrook]

I don't expect us to sign any players in January. Bielsa believes his tiny squad, injuries and all, is more than adequate and he believes in his own ability to turn this disastrous season around - I remain unconvinced - he's not called El Loco for nothing!

[Overman]

I don't expect us to sign any players in January. Bielsa believes his tiny squad, injuries and all, is more than adequate and he believes in his own ability to turn this disastrous season around - I remain unconvinced - he's not called El Loco for nothing!

Steady on there with such a radical view or you'll have the negative police on your case.

[Mick Jones shoulder]

I don't expect us to sign any players in January. Bielsa believes his tiny squad, injuries and all, is more than adequate and he believes in his own ability to turn this disastrous season around - I remain unconvinced - he's not called El Loco for nothing!

Be all-over that

[Byebyegeegee]

I don't expect us to sign any players in January. Bielsa believes his tiny squad, injuries and all, is more than adequate and he believes in his own ability to turn this disastrous season around - I remain unconvinced - he's not called El Loco for nothing!

I’m not “the negative police” Lee but I think disastrous may be a bit strong. Admittedly it’s not been too comfortable so far and may not get much better over the next few games but I don’t think it can be described as disastrous…..not yet at least!