13 Jan 2021 11:50:36
Like others on here I'm still coming to terms with Sundays debacle. However it has made me think about Bielsa's love of a small squad. The way he plays, with such intensity and all the players knowing theirs and others roles it must be difficult to instill this in a large squad. Maybe the players who came in were not up to it, but these same players regularly get lauded for their potential and u23 displays, so could it just be that when the squad is bigger the Bielsa machine doesn't run smoothly? I might be well of the mark or maybe it is a bit of both, just got me thinking a bit whilst reflecting on the Crawley catastrophe.
13 Jan 2021 13:41:13
I think many are focusing on the change of personal but let's be honest all of these players have played for the first team this year. None of them were new to the team. I think blaming the players is bit short sighted.
look at the tactics and type of play of the opposition. thinking about it we was always going to lose that type of game. we always do. I think we need to stop blaming players and look at bigger picture. belisa can't handle that type of team. good news is we don't play many of them now as he got us in the prem.
13 Jan 2021 14:12:22
Bermo. following your thinking we should have filled the FACup side with 6ft 3 centre halves with foreheads like slabs. Two centre forwards that have elbows like pistons. 2 centre midfielders that "have a bit of dog"
Trouble is we don't have them. There are none in the squad.
But if we did, what would we do with them on PL games. There ain't many opposition forwards who are aerially dominant (for every 1 Kane there are 10 Mane, Salah, Aguero, Jesus, Son, Warner, Vardy types) so big lump centre halves get murdered usually.
And the Vinyl Jones type midfielder spend as much time suspended as they do available. but still pick up their full pay packet
I remember the god old days too, but for me give me Johnathon Woogate over Paul Hart, Gary Speed over Vinnie Jones, Michael Bridges over Ray Halkin any day
I don't care that we lost to Crawley. I do care that we play attractive and overall successful football. That keeps us in the Premier League, pleases the majority of fans, attracts the best calibre players, attracts more television time, attracts bigger sponsors, attracts bigger investment. as I can't see any Footsie 100 brands beating down the door at Crawley Town.
13 Jan 2021 16:33:40
no Alex not a team full of them, as I said before one and one works best in defence
for best results pair a jack Charlton with a bobby more, a white with a fairclough
up front play the little forward but always good to throw on a big man for when the tippy tappy ain't working. its about balance and while big sam offers no balance nor does Belisa and both bring there own strengths and weaknesses as a result.
I remember the good old days and give me batty over Phillips, give me chapman over bridges and give me Charlton over Cooper. it works both ways
I like the attractive football but one big centre half shouldn't change that but might help with free kicks, one big striker shouldn't change that but might help when we can't break wolves down, one midfielder who can tackle shouldn't change that but might stop us letting in four goals every time we play a team who break with pace like palace
I have been accused of twisting the story to suit my own narrative which may be true but others do this as well.
While I merit the benefits of hoof ball for certain teams on certain budgets I don't want that for leeds but I am adamant that belisa could benefit for a little bit of it and leeds would be far more successful if they brought 5% of it into our game
pretty football is great but the basics do matter.
13 Jan 2021 16:35:55
also you say for every Kane there are 10 mane types so big CB get slaughtered usually
using your logic I ask you one question, why do we concede from corners so often and why is it such a huge problem as according to your logic it should only happen one in ten?
or am I right and it is more important than you are prepared to give it credit for.
13 Jan 2021 16:57:56
It is more difficult to change half a team than a full team as well. The u23s would probably have beaten Crawley because they all know each other and the way they play. The first team would have won for the same reasons plus they are better players.
However, creating half a team of each means players have others around then that they are not used to playing with and that means runs go unseen, passes go astray and players get in each others way and are not where they are supposed to be.
The first goal was a prime example where Casey ran across the other defender (dont remembr who it was) meaning the both left it and it led to the goal.
This is one reason why changing half a team for these fixtures doesn't often work - you are better making one or 2 changes and having players the opportunity to play alongside and get used to each other.
13 Jan 2021 17:50:47
What has happened to all the players bought in the one for the future, so many being off loaded what a waste of money, money that could have been use to buy a better striker.
13 Jan 2021 18:50:36
I agree Alf it would of been better to play all the under 23s but 11 on our playing staff should of won.
The first goal is was Phillips. Casey tried to cover as knew Phillips would be left for dead. I’m Phillips slight defence that player left a few for dead with his pace.
13 Jan 2021 21:08:22
Philips was there though but had to pull his run up or he would have ran into Casey. It was Caseys fault but should he have been put into that kind of position at 0-0?