Bristol City v Leeds - Team/Reports/Ratings

[1964white]

Leeds travel down to Bristol on Saturday hoping to put the brakes on, and avoid a fifth loss in six games.

Surely Christiensen will no option but drop Phillips to the bench in favour of Viera, if indeed he's fit.

You have to say that Roofe, Berardi and Hernandez may be at risk of joining Phillips but are the alternatives any better?

Will the gaffer keep faith with Lonergan between the sticks?

What about Jansson. The Swede himself has described his recent performances as '****'.

Is this a must win, or would you settle for a draw?

City are enjoying their best form to date, noticeably 4-1 against Derby, 3-1 at Ipswich and 2-0 against Bolton. Currently they are fourth in the table, a point and two places above Leeds.


Would you change the formation/system?

Who would you drop ?

Team for Saturday?

[1964white]

I would change the formation. Lasogga needs someone to run off up top

I'd drop Ayling, Phillips, Hernandez

I would even consider bringing in Cibicki to play upfront with Lasogga although I'd probably give Roofe more chance in his favoured position

Team

.......................Lonergan.......................

Berardi.....Jansson.....Cooper.....Anita

Vieira.........Shaugnhessy.........O'Kane

........................Saiz................................

..............Lasogga......Roofe..................

[hector]

for saturday I would change a few things..

Lonners
Berardi cooper jansson dallas
Klich Vierra
Alioski Roofe Saiz
Lassie


Ayling has been going missing too much this season, and Berardi is the best RB in the club..

Roofe is best as a back up to striker and we have a couple of goodies for the wings, and with Dallas playing LB/Wb it leaves Saiz with a free reign to wander around the middle and left...]


Seems we have similar ideas Leon....

However it will be nothing like this on the day I am sure.

[1964white]

for saturday I would change a few things..

Lonners
Berardi cooper jansson dallas
Klich Vierra
Alioski Roofe Saiz
Lassie


Ayling has been going missing too much this season, and Berardi is the best RB in the club..

Roofe is best as a back up to striker and we have a couple of goodies for the wings, and with Dallas playing LB/Wb it leaves Saiz with a free reign to wander around the middle and left...]


Seems we have similar ideas Leon....

However it will be nothing like this on the day I am sure.

I'd be more radical than you Hector, wingers have been passengers far too often this season, I wouldn't play any of them tbh. The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid or the Spanish international team don't place too much importance using wingers in their teams. Bung up the middle of the park asking the players to press the opposition as much as possible. We need to control & tighten up the midfield.

Saiz does all the creative stuff on his own anyway

Roofe upfront with Lasogga

[1964white]

So your team to face Bristol City ?

[gessa]

--------- Lonny

Berardi----Jansson--- Cooper----- Dallas

-------- Vieria ------ Klich --------- Cbiki

---------------------------Saiz

----------------Roofe----------Lassie

[Gurj]

Lonny

Ayling Pontus Pennington Berardi

Alioski Vieira O'Kane Dallas

Saiz

Lasogga

[Cjay]

Think we need too pack the midfield.

Energy and diisciplie

.. . . . .. ..Lonners. . . . . . . .

Berardi . Jansson . . Coops.. . ..cbj

. . . . .. . .Anita . . . . . . .
. . .Vieira . . . . . . .Klich . . .
Dallas . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . Saiz
. . . . . . . ..Alioski . . . . . .. . .

Ayling has been in poor form, Berardi is better defensively, Coops is the best we have to partner Pontus for the time being, think give CBJ another shot, natural left footed lb also allows Anita to move into a position think he will thrive in, Xabi Alonso sort of role, protect but offer the defence an option when there being pressed. Vieira is naturally a dm but he has great energy, Anita and Klich both experienced can help Ronnie. Klich and Vieira can both attack but independently, one goes other stays, that way if we lose possession we have a strong spine, fullbacks push on it is Anitas job to cover, then Ronnie or Klich cover for Anita. Picked Dallas for his versatility, he has improved this season and can provide a threat but also he will help Berardi, if under pressure in the middle of the pitch can always as Dallas too tuck in make it a narrow 3 with Vieira and Klich, move Saiz into hiss preferred number 10 role. Moved Saiz out to the left but sort of a free role, he can drift and support Ali, also Ali and him can swap make l life difficult for the defence, Ali comes wide Saiz goes middle etc. Alioski played upfront at times last season and had a very good record i read, something like 6 goals 3 assists in 10 games, so thought he may be a decent option,, pace, tricky, he wont stop running, we know that, and it gives Lasogga a rest because he doesn't look fit and it reminds him he isnt guaranteed to start.

[NorfolkWhite]

Seems like everyone agrees that changes are needed!

So for me

.......................Lonergan.......................

Berardi.....Jansson.....Pennington.....Dallas

Vieira.........Anita.........O'Kane

........................Saiz................................

..............Lasogga......Roofe..................

[The Subhuman]

Lonny

Ayling Pontus Pennington Berardi

Alioski Vieira O'Kane Dallas

Saiz

Lasogga

This will be close though there's no captain there. It's a proper way to go with the additions of the safer more solid Dallas and the best tackler in Vierra. Ayling is going to start at RB for a while yet and Beradi is the best player for the LB slot. Central defence is a worry, pick a pair and stick to it

[1964white]

One thing I've highlighted on another thread, all the teams put forward lack height.

My reasons for selecting Shaughnessy :

1) His natural position is a midfielder
2) We are relatively a small team & his height would be essential as he drops back into his defending mode at set-pieces/corners/etc
3) His experience playing as a defender could be an advantage to him playing as a defensive midfielder, he also has appeared comfortable on the ball when he's played in the CB position
4) Playing alongside O'Kane & Vieira would also give Eunan a license to push forward on one of his runs we've often witnessed this season

[The Subhuman]

I suggested Shog as DMF a few weeks back

[1964white]

I suggested Shog as DMF a few weeks back

Good shout mate

With Berardi & Anita as full-backs we are light-weight in the air although Gaetano is a brave header of a ball. Without Ayling or Shaugnhessy it only leaves us with Pontus, Cooper & Lasogga as tall players who you'd expect to win or compete in aerial duals. Many championship sides like to bomb crosses in at any given opportunity.

Is three tall players enough to cope with balls crossed into our box ?

[The Subhuman]

btw

"Alioski, Hernandez and Roofe have been involved in roughly the same number of games this season. In terms of goals and assist, the league table is:

Roofe - 8
Hernandez - 5
Alioski -4"

Mystic

[1964white]

btw

"Alioski, Hernandez and Roofe have been involved in roughly the same number of games this season. In terms of goals and assist, the league table is:

Roofe - 8
Hernandez - 5
Alioski -4"

Mystic

Are you counting Roofe's three league cup goals ?

[Cjay]

Apps . . . . .Mins . . . . Goals . . .Assists . . . .Key passes . . dribbles . .. Man of match . . average rating
7(4) . . . . . 704 . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . .0.7 . . . . . . . . . 0.2 . . . . . . . . . .0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.66 Kemar Roofe
10 . . . . . . . . .738 . . . . . .1 . . . . . . .2 . . . . . . . . . .0.9 . . . . . . . . . . 0.9 . . . . . . . . 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.74 Gianni Alioski
11(1) . . . . . . 821 . . . . . .1 . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . .1.9 . . . . . . . . . 1.2 . . . . . . . . . .0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.70 Pablo Hernandez

Suppose different sites see different things.

[The Subhuman]

Are you counting Roofe's three league cup goals ?

yes...good goals they were too

[Norm]

When is Klich going to get a chance in the league I wonder? I reckon, admittedly on what little I've seen, that him and Vieira would do a number for us after a little familiarisation time.

I agree with hector, gessa and Norfolk - Dallas for left back, get Berardi back on the right. I suggested something like this a few weeks ago and was laughed at. I know he's not a defender but he is flexible and can defend well enough. James Milner didn't start his career as a left back and he's right-footed, but he has done pretty well for Liverpool as a fill-in.

.

[Oscar]

Give 4-2-3-1 another chance but with different personnel, if it doesn't work then time to look at 3 at the back, not a fan of the idea of going 4-4-2 tbh.

Need to use more of the players who delivered our last good performance (Burnley in the cup):
1. Can't drop Lonergan after yesterday even if that does mean it will make it more difficult for us to play out the back.
2. Shaughnessy ahead of Cooper for me, I want Jansson back on the left of the centre back pairing plus Shaughnessy seems better on the ball and did well alongside Jansson in a similar game to this (vs Fulham).
3. Still play Berardi at left back thought he was comfortably the best of the back 4 yesterday.
4. Midfield 2 of Klich and Vieira all day long, the midfield 2 which started at Burnley.
5. Alioski and Dallas as wingers as they will work off the ball and give us more balance.
6. Roofe ahead of Lasogga as the lone striker, i'm not a big fan of Roofe but it has to be said whenever he has played as the lone striker he has done really well and scored goals. 5 goals in 3 games playing in that position so much more mobile than Lasogga as well.

[1964white]

Eddie Gray comments

Good to see Eddie thinking on similar lines to our thoughts on here playing three solid midfielders

“You’ve got to have a certain amount of physical strength in this league,” Gray said.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t play or you can’t accommodate players with flair but most Championship games are a hard, physical challenge.

“There was a lack of confidence against Reading, I think we could all see that, and the football was too slow. You cause trouble for teams, and in fairness this Leeds side have caused trouble for teams, when you get in behind them but we’re finding that harder to do.

“For me it comes down how well the players are dominating games. We’re not overpowering teams in the midfield and I think Thomas might have to have a rethink now.

Personally, I think there are times when we need three in the middle of the park – another body to make sure that if it is a battle, we can win it. It’s that extra bit of strength and insurance and in my opinion, that means playing (Ronaldo) Vieira.”