Pascal Struijk

[YorkshireSquare]

Thought the back two were excellent today...

[Smudge3920]

Thought the back two were excellent today...

Was a nice feeling throughout the match I thought.. they looked comfortable together, and we are starting to stregnthen where it was desparetly needed.

[Velotrax]

A great no frills performance, just what was needed

[Dutch Peacock]

Maybe Struijk is the missing link to make our defence more stable. In the games he played together with Cooper we were also pretty stable at the back. But when Bielsa changed everything with Philips injured we suffered big time. Struijk isn’t a midfielder, Ayling isn’t a centre back and Cooper and Llorente didn’t connect right away. Maybe the Struijk-Llorente pair is the strongest pair at the moment, even with Alioski at left back who wasn’t great again.

[1964white]

Pascal shouldn't be 4th in the pecking order, deserves his place at the centre of our defence

[Velotrax]

Pascal shouldn't be 4th in the pecking order, deserves his place at the centre of our defence

Absolutely !

[Smudge3920]

Isnt it just nice to have choice for a change ...

[andrewjohnsmith]

Pascal shouldn't be 4th in the pecking order, deserves his place at the centre of our defence

I agree. Strujik has a great future and I hope its at Leeds. But I'd put him behind Koch and Llorente. Concern is what we do with Cooper. He's a great captain but I think he's our 4th enter back. And Bielsa will probably always pick him ahead of Strujik. I don't think we'll sell Cooper either. Bielsa likes player loyalty. It's a bit of a conundrum. We might have all defenders fit next week.

[SG90]

I always thought he was good enough, glad he's had the chance to prove it. He has been lucky with injuries, definitely wouldn't have had much of a chance otherwise, but he's taken his chance and should be first choice LCB. I really hope he's not dropped in favour of Cooper. We have struggled all season defensively, so why break up a partnership that's just kept a clean sheet? No doubt Cooper waltzes straight back in though.

I can't help but wonder how good the likes of Bogusz, Kun, Rey, Diaz could have been if they were given a chance too.

[The Subhuman]

Bielsa will always start a right/left footed partnership, I think Struik has every chance at beating out Cooper for next season ..It's Koch or Llorente for me

[HarryofOz]

Our defending and attacking set pieces is better with Struijk in the team.

[Ron Swanson]

It is a good dilemma to have, for the coaching staff.

And also as far as recruitment is concerned allows us to focus elsewhere.

I’d like to see us actually try in the cups as well, so having four senior CBs on the books will be a step in the right direction.

Cooper has improved out of sight himself since the summer.

It might be that we move towards selecting three of them with Phillips playing in less defensive midfield role from hereon.

We’ve deviated very little from the 4141, and perhaps rightly... but the structure of our squad with everyone fit lends itself to three CBs.

With Ayling and Dallas forming part of a five man midfield...

[1964white]

Pascal Struijk vs. Man Utd:

51 touches
29/36 successful passes
10 ball recoveries
6 duels won
5/5 tackles won
4 clearances
3 interceptions
2 headed clearances
2 fouls
1 shot

Exceptional display and growing with every performance. Such a talent.

[1964white]

Another young man who was exceptional today

Surely he has cemented his place ahead of Coops in the back for after excellent performances v the front three of Liverpool, Chelsea, Manure & the front four of Spurs today

84% pass accuracy
61 touches
38 succ. passes (joint first)
5 clearances
4 duels won
3/3 aerial duels won
2 interceptions
2 ball recoveries
2 blocked crosses (first)
2 fouls
1 tackle won
1 blocked shot
1 shot
0 dribbled past

Excellent performance

[Smudge3920]

Absolutely...Coops not even on the bench today was strange dont you think?

[MightyWhites]

Cooper is a squad player now IMO. He'll be good back up so we can invest in areas that are needed (LB, AM, GK). He is not at the level of the other players in that position IMO.

[whiteroseboy]

Absolutely...Coops not even on the bench today was strange dont you think?

He wasn't on this week's training video so not surprised. Not a clue why.

May be wrong but today was Struijk 24 appearance overtaking Coops for most by any of our CBs who is on 23.
Ok a couple are from the bench and a couple not at CB but it's a lot of games for what was supposed to be a fringe player.
Expect him first choice for us next season with Holland & Belgium fighting over him.
Class player.

[Dutch Peacock]

Somehow he’s overlooked in Holland all the time, i think he will choose to play for Belgium.

[Smudge3920]

He wasn't on this week's training video so not surprised. Not a clue why.

May be wrong but today was Struijk 24 appearance overtaking Coops for most by any of our CBs who is on 23.
Ok a couple are from the bench and a couple not at CB but it's a lot of games for what was supposed to be a fringe player.
Expect him first choice for us next season with Holland & Belgium fighting over him.
Class player.

Oh I am a massive fan of Pascal, as I am Coops...yes I saw the vid did find it strange... hope there has been no fall out ...Coop has picked up strains in training before ....? Agree I think Struijk is a definate starter for next year.

[YorkshireSquare]

Hard to see Coops getting back in with the way the three defenders on the field played today. We will have injuries though and having four firt choice centre backs is a luxure we've not had for a while (ever?)