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Comment |
at 22:02:18
Despite Alan Shearer's patronising suggestion on Match of the Day that Leeds would be happy with four points from the first two games, I can't agree that we should be satisfied with less than two wins. Apart of the fact that we only drew this 2-2 after being two up and looking good at one stage, this was against a team who were struggling at the end of last season and again looked a bit rubbish on the opening day of this, so I thought they were they for the taking.
Marsch has admitted he should have made his substitutions earlier as we started to wilt in the heat and the Saints got back into the game. Some of the new signings look a bit off the pace, but that might improve as they get used to the English game. But with the relatively easy start we have we need to get points on the board before the more difficult games come along. |
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Comment | Defensive lapses cost Leeds dear again as West Ham cruise to deserved win
at 10:11:45
Before kick-off Sky put up some stats showing the heights of the five tallest players on both sides, and it was clear that man for man they would have an advantage of a couple of inches. They also showed that only Chelsea had scored more goals than them at set pieces.
So should Struijk have played in central defence instead of having Ayling there out of position? |
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Comment | Match Report: Crystal Palace 4-1 Leeds United - Eagles soar as Whites plummet to another heavy loss
at 19:21:03
Again we fall to a team who are very quick on the counter-attack after we have committed a lot of players forward. Vardy on Monday night and Zaha today. Either we can find some defenders with a bit more pace or we need a bit of a rethink of our tactics. It was also interesting to note that Pablo wasn't even on the bench despite Bielsa saying that he was fit to play. Could they have had a bit of a falling out after Pablo's strop when he was substituted on Monday night?
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Comment | FA Cup third round draw pits Leeds against Arsenal
at 22:15:32
It'll be interesting to see how strong a side Bielsa puts out. Maybe one or two changes, but we'd risk a thrashing if we took too many liberties against a Premiership team away. Even if it's Arsenal.
There must be a chance this game will be selected for live TV coverage, but it was last time we played there and we still took 9,000 fans. |
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Comment | Match Report: Salford City 0-3 Leeds United - Eddie scores as steady Whites secure victory
at 07:09:20
And the view from the home seats at the opposite end to the Leeds fans....As you say, a lot of possession in the first 40 minutes but not much end product. We were passing it round the area looking for the perfect through ball, probably because a high cross wasn't an option without a tall striker.
Phillips' first shot was well over, but he adjusted his radar, and his third shot produced a good save. We improved once Clarke and Costa had swapped wings, and finally got the breakthrough with the first really incisive move we'd managed to produce. It had been hard work against a side who had been quick to get back in numbers to deny us space.
In the second half we had some dodgy moments from Casilla, but produced two more excellent goals, albeit the third from breaking down the pitch after Salford had had a chance of their own.
A couple of things you won't have seen on the TV. An excellent set of Indie tunes before the game and at half-time. Have they borrowed Rochdale's DJ? I was expecting a bunch of excitable Man U wannabes on the home terrace, but not the vastly incompetent performance from their stewards when one of their number got on the pitch and was able to run round and get back onto the terrace unmolested.
They had the inevitable inflatable sheep, and as the second half wore on they were chanting 'Sheepshagger' at Kiko Casilla (sorry chaps, but he's from Spain) as well as throwing a few flagpoles in his general direction. And of course the home fans were leaving in huge numbers well before the end.
But all in all, it was a good night. |
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Comment | Match Report: QPR 2-1 Leeds United - fledgling Whites fall to deserved FA Cup defeat
at 23:05:09
I thought it was a bit odd to take Halme off at half-time, and his absence played a part in QPR's winning goal, with Davis being left to mark Bidwell. Perhaps it was because Halme was booked early on, and Bielsa thought he couldn't risk him being sent off, when he will be needed to replace Phillips against Derby.
And what was the Tom Pearce substitution all about? Did he have an injury we didn't know about? By all accounts Davis was the weaker link. |
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Comment | Match Report: Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Leeds United - Bamford back with a bang
at 20:42:10
As you say, we made hard work of this win over a dispirited Bolton side. Early on I thought it was going to be comfortable, but we started getting sloppy and let them back into it, with too many moves breaking down. Baker started off looking keen to impress, but seemed to lose confidence after presenting Bolton a chance by losing the ball in a dangerous position.
We looked much better second half after he was replaced by Jack Clarke, and after the goal it looked like the only way they would score would be if we gave a goal away by fannying around at the back. This nearly happened with the penalty shout, but this week's piece of luck was that the referee waved it away. I would have been gutted if we had thrown this game away, and thanks to the clearance off the line, we didn't. |
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Comment | Match Report: Leeds United 2-0 Bristol City - Bonkers Brownhill boosts Whites to win
at 13:51:24
It was a bit of a struggle before the red card, and without that Bristol might well have held on for a draw. The Bristol manager thought it was a harsh second yellow, but as far as I can see Brownhill came straight through the back of Roofe. Certainly a stupid challenge for a player already on a yellow card.
At least the two debutants did well apart from a few nervy moments. Halme was unlucky to be substituted when he'd done nothing wrong, but obviously Saiz had to come on to take advantage of them going down to 10 men, as from then on they posed no threat up front.
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Comment | Match Report: Leeds United 3-0 Preston - Roberts at the double as Whites rubber stamp credentials
at 09:11:00
A bit of a dodgy first 10 minutes, with Preston having the first decent chance, but then we completely dominated. It would have been 6, but for some wayward finishing. Before last night I hadn't been that impressed with Harrison, but in the first half he showed some good tricks and battled away until when the defenders tried to crowd him out.
And hopefully Roberts will gain a lot of confidence from those two goals. He's had his critics, but he's a young lad and maybe just needed a bit of time to recover his fitness after his injury. |
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Comment | Match Report: Swansea City 2-2 Leeds United - Bielsa's Whites march on with creditable draw
at 23:24:11
You could say we came from behind to pinch a point from that game, but fair play to the Bisa side for staying in the game, the sort of match we'd have lost last season. The makeshift defence was certainly a factor in the way we conceded the goals, and I thought BPF could have done better with the first, but apart from that Swansea were the better side.
I can now see why Heckinbottom was trying to sign McBurnie while he was in charge. At the time I thought it was just because he was a player he knew from his former club, but last night he proved he's one of the best centre forwards in this year's Championship. All in all we've got to be happy with a point away to one of the best sides in the division. |
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Comment | Leeds United: Paul Heckingbottom departs Elland Road after just 16 matches
at 12:46:27
Not the news you'd want after coming back from holiday, and I think the timing is a bit odd. I would have though that if Radz was going to do the deed he'd have sacked the Heck at the end of the season rather than waiting until now. Perhaps the extra cash from the 49ers persuaded him to act, as he now thinks we can attract a better class of 'head coach'. But it won't make much difference if Orta doesn't get the recruitment right this time and spend the extra cash well. |
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Comment | Match Report: Middlesbrough 3-0 Leeds United - Bamford strikes thrice as Boro batter Whites
at 13:11:51
Amongst the many good points you made, I also thought that Pulis had done his homework and identified Saiz as our one potent threat. They were always quick to close the feisty Spaniard whenever he broke forward, and too often Saiz ran into trouble rather than passing to colleagues who were unmarked.
A direct contrast with Boro's second goal, when Traore was allowed to run unchallenged through four Leeds players. I don't get the obsession with playing Phillips and O'Kane week after week in a midfield that has no bite whatsoever. |
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Comment | Match Report: Leeds United 2-2 Bristol City - first half throw-in farce sees Whites drop two points
at 10:09:08
I was glad to see Anita get a game and Dallas moved up the field, where he can be more effective (though a couple of his crosses from the right were over-hit). But no defence is going to be settled with Wiedwald behind them.
There was no need for him to come out for the cross that led to their first goal with defenders in front of him, and when he failed to get a good punch he was totally stranded. We need a new keeper urgently. |
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Comment | Match Report: Sheffield United 2-1 Leeds United - Sharp strikes twice to down Whites
at 18:13:53
I would have selected Anita at right back, as he played there most of the time for Newcastle last season. This would have allowed Dallas to play further forward on the left in place of Roofe, who looked a bit lost on that flank. Roofe was partly at fault for their first goal, tracking back but failing to stop their winger getting the cross in.
As you say, it was a much better performance in the second half. The penalty looked clear cut at normal speed, but less so on the replay. O'Kane tried to pull out of the challenge and their forward was already going down before he made contact. |
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Comment | Blackburn manager hails Leeds United loanee Marcus Antonsson
at 15:41:50
As far as his Leeds career was concerned, he was a victim of Gary Monk's decision to move to a lone striker formation. Antonsson doesn't have the physical presence to operate as a lone striker himself, and needs to operate alongside a bigger man, as he is doing at Blackburn.
Leeds would have to do likewise if we brought him back to Elland Road. Could he do the business in the Championship of has he found his level in League One? It might be worth a try if we can accommodate him in his preferred role, as he started off OK at Leeds and it wasn't down to him that Monk decided to change the formation. I have fond memories of his late goal at Fleetwood which saved our League Cup run, |
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Comment | Magical Mahrez sinks stubborn Whites
at 17:38:12
In the beamback at Elland Road I overheard someone saying that Wiedwald should play as a sweeper rather than a goalkeeper. Which is not the worst idea in the world.
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| | TimWhelan
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 1 | | Comment Votes: | 6 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 7 |
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