Marcelo Bielsa

[SG90]

I don't want him sacked, I want him to succeed. Doing the same thing over and over without success is a little worrying wouldn't you say.

His stubbornness is what will get us relegated.

[liggy]

Nah its a championship team punching above weight
2nd season syndrome yup.
Forget about man city
What Brentford Watford the toon and Norwich do is the results to the end of the season.

Bielsa should Not be Sacked

[Mountain]

We're in PL now and can attract a better calibre of manager without having to do it on the cheap as before.

Yes, we get a better class of manager but play a much better class of team. In Championship terms, I don't think Warnock, Monk, McDermott and co were cheap, they were just bad.

If people insist that lightning can strike twice, I think they should at least give a name.

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Sacking him won't work, his team sort it

[SG90]

Sacking him won't work, his team sort it

But the team is Bielsa's choice.

[liggy]

Christ almighty sack Bielsa

Have you seen the BG Advert turned down for What!!

Suck it up and move on

[Mountain]

But the team is Bielsa's choice.

Well...every team in football is "the manager's choice".

But it doesn't make it all the manager's fault when they get hockeyed by the billionaires.

[Cjay]

Well...every team in football is "the manager's choice".

But it doesn't make it all the manager's fault when they get hockeyed by the billionaires.

Know you are a very positive fan but this is a record for us.

Even you must admit that Bielsa got his tactics wrong from the start which was bad, but the fact he never changed it at all is even worse as the pundits are saying?

[SG90]

Well...every team in football is "the manager's choice".

But it doesn't make it all the manager's fault when they get hockeyed by the billionaires.

All I'm saying is you can't use the team not being good enough to praise Bielsa, when it was his choice.

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Thing is if Bielsa can't get a tune out of them I can't see anyone managing too.

[Finnatic]

Know you are a very positive fan but this is a record for us.

Even you must admit that Bielsa got his tactics wrong from the start which was bad, but the fact he never changed it at all is even worse as the pundits are saying?

Yes, we know he didn’t change his tactics, he likes to play entertaining attacking football all the time, you either like that philosophy or you don’t.

[Cjay]

Yes, we know he didn’t change his tactics, he likes to play entertaining attacking football all the time, you either like that philosophy or you don’t.

I don't think being tactically inflexible is admirable.

Today we saw Bielsa at his worst imo.

Doesn't mean I don't appreciate all he has done though.

[Overman]

Yes, we know he didn’t change his tactics, he likes to play entertaining attacking football all the time, you either like that philosophy or you don’t.

We ain't got the players for playing attacking football the way MB wants it, especially against quality opponents. I just prefer the common sense approach.

[liggy]

Sack the interpreter I have an honours from Seaton sluice University in spick
Marcelo is telling every fooker to defend while the chubby monkey interpreter is saying attack

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Isn't it a defensive coach that we need ? Let's face it, with the exception of the last few games of last season our defensive play has been pretty abject in the PL - there have been so many hidings.

This season, as well as last season, the blame is always put on having bad luck with injuries - but this excuse is wearing thin now, and it's probably keeping people in a state of denial.

I also think that the standard of recruitment needs to be called into question.

At the end of the day, if the club is relegated this season then all the euphoria of the promotion season and last season will seem insignificant and premature, so Bielsa's legacy is also at risk. Look at how quickly people have forgotten the success of the O'Leary era because of what happened a season or two later. And that was a vastly more successful era.

[weasel]

It's ridiculous to say tactics are to blame. We could have gone defensive and got battered by more. I made the point earlier that we were around 25-1 to win with the bookies. We were only 16-1 to beat Man U in the FA Cup when we were in League 1. The bookies could see the gulf in the abilities of the squads even if some fans can't. Fact of the matter is that against Chelsea we got penned in for the first 15 minutes but survived and grew into the game, same as against City last year in the draw at ER. Give a team like Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool or City a helping hand and they are capable of spanking anyone. To get any sort of result we would have not only needed an almighty performance but a huge helping of luck or poor finishing. As it was City finished well and got all the breaks after that any performance is fairly much irrelevant to the outcome.

We were a team devoid of our spine - Cooper - KP - Bamford. For all the abuse Cooper gets he is a vital part to our spine. KP well the stats show how much we miss him and shows why he is worth £50m+ and why you can't simply have a back-up that is nearly as good. A full strength team would as likely as not get spanked by City let alone a team missing crucial players.

I can't believe anyone expected a change of tactics at half time. What would be the point in that? Change to a style we aren't used to playing against arguably the best team in Europe - yeah that would work. What would have been the point? To try to keep the scoreline down. I for one applaud Bielsa for allowing the players to have a go, just like he did against MU last year where we could have got 3 or 4 back not just 2. Why bring Gelhardt on and then go defensive? Let the lads try and score, let Gelhardt or Roberts get the chance to get a goal, let's show a bit of fight.

I was proud to see our players still trying to score when 7-0 down, at times carving City open. We deserved a goal or two. My faith in Bielsa is as strong as it has always been.

[The Subhuman]

It's ridiculous to say tactics are to blame. We could have gone defensive and got battered by more. I made the point earlier that we were around 25-1 to win with the bookies. We were only 16-1 to beat Man U in the FA Cup when we were in League 1. The bookies could see the gulf in the abilities of the squads even if some fans can't. Fact of the matter is that against Chelsea we got penned in for the first 15 minutes but survived and grew into the game, same as against City last year in the draw at ER. Give a team like Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool or City a helping hand and they are capable of spanking anyone. To get any sort of result we would have not only needed an almighty performance but a huge helping of luck or poor finishing. As it was City finished well and got all the breaks after that any performance is fairly much irrelevant to the outcome.

We were a team devoid of our spine - Cooper - KP - Bamford. For all the abuse Cooper gets he is a vital part to our spine. KP well the stats show how much we miss him and shows why he is worth £50m+ and why you can't simply have a back-up that is nearly as good. A full strength team would as likely as not get spanked by City let alone a team missing crucial players.

I can't believe anyone expected a change of tactics at half time. What would be the point in that? Change to a style we aren't used to playing against arguably the best team in Europe - yeah that would work. What would have been the point? To try to keep the scoreline down. I for one applaud Bielsa for allowing the players to have a go, just like he did against MU last year where we could have got 3 or 4 back not just 2. Why bring Gelhardt on and then go defensive? Let the lads try and score, let Gelhardt or Roberts get the chance to get a goal, let's show a bit of fight.

I was proud to see our players still trying to score when 7-0 down, at times carving City open. We deserved a goal or two. My faith in Bielsa is as strong as it has always been.

Top post and as I say coming off that immense but ultimately futile game v Chelsea in the manner it occurred, we were always on a hiding to nothing... We were actually our top 3 DMF down.

[Cjay]

It's ridiculous to say tactics are to blame. We could have gone defensive and got battered by more. I made the point earlier that we were around 25-1 to win with the bookies. We were only 16-1 to beat Man U in the FA Cup when we were in League 1. The bookies could see the gulf in the abilities of the squads even if some fans can't. Fact of the matter is that against Chelsea we got penned in for the first 15 minutes but survived and grew into the game, same as against City last year in the draw at ER. Give a team like Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool or City a helping hand and they are capable of spanking anyone. To get any sort of result we would have not only needed an almighty performance but a huge helping of luck or poor finishing. As it was City finished well and got all the breaks after that any performance is fairly much irrelevant to the outcome.

We were a team devoid of our spine - Cooper - KP - Bamford. For all the abuse Cooper gets he is a vital part to our spine. KP well the stats show how much we miss him and shows why he is worth £50m+ and why you can't simply have a back-up that is nearly as good. A full strength team would as likely as not get spanked by City let alone a team missing crucial players.

I can't believe anyone expected a change of tactics at half time. What would be the point in that? Change to a style we aren't used to playing against arguably the best team in Europe - yeah that would work. What would have been the point? To try to keep the scoreline down. I for one applaud Bielsa for allowing the players to have a go, just like he did against MU last year where we could have got 3 or 4 back not just 2. Why bring Gelhardt on and then go defensive? Let the lads try and score, let Gelhardt or Roberts get the chance to get a goal, let's show a bit of fight.

I was proud to see our players still trying to score when 7-0 down, at times carving City open. We deserved a goal or two. My faith in Bielsa is as strong as it has always been.

Mate we just experienced a humiliation and gave City the easiest game they have had in years, even MB admits they didn't have to play well we handed it to them on a plate.

We arent the same team as last year, thats clear to everyone, the performances this season largely show that. Chelsea was decent but lets be honest that was a rare highlight performance wise in a season that has seen 3 wins in 17 which by any measure would be considered very poor. And regardless of performance we lost vs Chelsea anyway and frankly we have reached a point in the season where points matter more.

We have already tried to go toe to toe with a superior team a few times this season and we got brushed aside each time(and lost every time anyway). Against this City side its suicide to play how we did especially with our injuries. If Bielsa refuses to use injuries as an excuse why are we?

Nobody deserves credit for a 7-0 defeat, this isn't a plucky league 1 side in the fa Cup vs Man City. Even though clearly a gulf exists it shouldn't be that clear, it hasnt been for any other Premier league sides this season.

Few years back they beat Burton 9-0 in the cup. They had more shots (31-28) vs us than they did Vs Burton) it was a disgrace.

And yes if necessary to try and keep the score down, sometimes you need to try damage limitation. Our goal difference took a battering and do our players sit there tonight thinking "well least we had a go".

No i expect they sit there demoralised from a humiliating defeat in front of the entire football nation and listen and read as the opposition fans take the piss and the media rip them apart and then you know what else may happen? They start to question whether the manager got it wrong.

And i think we all know that the players will privately be talking about that because that is what happens and our players will be no different to all the other teams who reach this point in the season where we are.

Players arent robots and it would only be natural to question that after a defeat like today as undoubtedly they to will deal with banter and what notfrom friends and family.

As mentioned before i think sacking Bielsa is pointless with this squad anyway but as a manager to have as you yourself allude to a 1 dimensional squad its not a good thing and i do think he got it wrong today. Ive given my view on what MB could do differently before and i think today was one of those times.

Whilst a new manager would struggle to change a system mid season Bielsa should know this squad well enough to make minor tweaks to makeus more solid when necessary.

I dont think any manager deserves credit for not trying something different in desperate circumstances like today.

We all love Bielsa but we have put up with some humiliations.

Playoff defeat, Manure battering us, Liverpool battering us and this as well, no manager can complain if they get criticism after things like those imo and tbf i imagine Bielsa knows that.

Incidentally he called this our worst performance so he knows he got it wrong to.

[Haighy]

It's ridiculous to say tactics are to blame. We could have gone defensive and got battered by more. I made the point earlier that we were around 25-1 to win with the bookies. We were only 16-1 to beat Man U in the FA Cup when we were in League 1. The bookies could see the gulf in the abilities of the squads even if some fans can't. Fact of the matter is that against Chelsea we got penned in for the first 15 minutes but survived and grew into the game, same as against City last year in the draw at ER. Give a team like Chelsea, Man U, Liverpool or City a helping hand and they are capable of spanking anyone. To get any sort of result we would have not only needed an almighty performance but a huge helping of luck or poor finishing. As it was City finished well and got all the breaks after that any performance is fairly much irrelevant to the outcome.

We were a team devoid of our spine - Cooper - KP - Bamford. For all the abuse Cooper gets he is a vital part to our spine. KP well the stats show how much we miss him and shows why he is worth £50m+ and why you can't simply have a back-up that is nearly as good. A full strength team would as likely as not get spanked by City let alone a team missing crucial players.

I can't believe anyone expected a change of tactics at half time. What would be the point in that? Change to a style we aren't used to playing against arguably the best team in Europe - yeah that would work. What would have been the point? To try to keep the scoreline down. I for one applaud Bielsa for allowing the players to have a go, just like he did against MU last year where we could have got 3 or 4 back not just 2. Why bring Gelhardt on and then go defensive? Let the lads try and score, let Gelhardt or Roberts get the chance to get a goal, let's show a bit of fight.

I was proud to see our players still trying to score when 7-0 down, at times carving City open. We deserved a goal or two. My faith in Bielsa is as strong as it has always been.

Totally agree weasel. Great post

[VinnysTattoo]

An embarrassing thrashing is sometimes enough on it’s own to trigger a management change, especially if the owners already have any doubts.
No, it’s not last nights awful performance that must be worrying the board, but the other games like Southampton and Brighton. We must be honest, the thoughts of giving Bielsa the bullet must have been considered and last night probably reinforced those thoughts.
Radz will be starting to sweat over any takeover and must be thinking of the options. Brand LUFC playing fabulous attacking football under a footballing coaching great will be his dream. A few more beatings and bad performances and that dream will be in tatters.
How does he protect his investment? Is it stick or twist?
Would a different manager improve things? Probably not given the paper thin squad. Would a different manager have us play differently? Probably, but be careful what you wish for here. All those “specialist “ survival managers play dour rubbish that’s no guarantee of a successful outcome.

Right now we still have enough time to either get back to something like or face the inevitable and get someone else in. The tipping point for this is getting close though, and unless the club have an ace up it’s sleeve in the form of a replacement, it’s going to be a hell of a decision if we decide to push MB overboard.

There is also another scenario not mentioned much where MB walks away. If this is the case who would be available? This is the worst of all outcomes.

I have a feeling this will be his last season so I’m hoping the club have someone else in mind. I sincerely hope that’s not from the perspective of the Championship because then we are shopping at Aldi and Lidl’s and all the crap journeyman managers will be circling the club hoping for a bite. Shudder.

I don’t think MB is the future of the club and I don’t think the club do to. What he has achieved has been phenomenal for all the reasons that have been discussed in length before. We have to debate who’s next whether it’s sooner or later. For me, I’d love to see Graham Potter given the chance, ideally with a smooth transition AFTER the season, accompanied by some decent investment.