8 Things Uwe Rosler Must Do This Season?

[Oscar]

It is almost inevitable that every fan of Leeds United will have different expectations/targets that they expect Uwe Rosler to achieve. Some seem to expect Uwe Rosler to get Leeds into the top 6, others top half etc and some fans don't really have any specific targets for Rosler. In my opinion there are 7 things Uwe Rosler must do, for this season to be classed as a success and most importantly progress on the last 4 seasons. These are;

1. Improve the style of football
The best football Leeds have played in the last few years surprisingly was between September and November 2014 under Neil Redfearn and Darko Milanic. Although results didn't go our way all the time Leeds put in some good performances and played against some of the top teams from last season. There were games against Sheffield Wednesday, Wolves and Rotherham where we played very well but the small margins went against us and we didn't win any of those three. Of course there were some games where we played badly, however the football we played against Bournemouth and Huddersfield during this spell was fantastic to watch and the best I had seen for years. Unfortunately the style appeared to have changed under Redfearn and has not changed back so far under Rosler. The main style now appears to be a long ball from Cooper, Bamba or Silvestri to Chris Wood and most of the time it hasn't worked well. A more possession based style would be nice to watch along with more efforts at goal, that should in my opinion be one of Uwe's first aims, it won't happen overnight I admit but it should be achievable by January.

2. Find Our Best Formation
We have so far tried 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. I have mentioned 3-5-2 a few times along with 4-2-3-1, something which I criticised Redfearn for last season was that it took him too long in my opinion to stop using the 4-4-2 or trying something different to the 4-4-2 (with 4 central midfielders being played rather than 2 central midfielders and 2 wingers.) When Redfearn did test formations results improved and he found his best formation and we improved results wise after this as well. I am not sure what our best formation is but I am not sure we have found it yet.

3. Start our Young Stars
Murphy, Mowatt and Cook need to start games together, the feature of last season was that from January onwards these three where often in the same side and results improved with these 3 being a huge part of that. So far, Mowatt and Murphy have been on the bench a couple of times with Tom Adeyemi starting instead. The three started together on Saturday and we won, I hope Tom Adeyemi will improve and I think he will but at the moment those three should be starting games together instead in my opinion.

4. Don't let Jordan Botaka Disappear into Obscurity
Last season Leeds signed a player who was nicknamed the heir to Zico, Adryan. Then we played Birmingham City away and I was amazed that he didn't play or make his debut on that day. In fact he didn't start playing for Leeds until October and at first he played superbly and became one of our key players. However, after a few bad games before new year, things changed, after new year Adryan very rarely played for Leeds. Jordan Botaka, is another player who appears a very good talent and hopefully he will be a success. However, I can't believe he is yet to make his debut (exactly as I was with Adryan last year), it's following the same pattern as it did for Adryan. Lessons from the Adryan loan deal that we can use for making Botaka a good signing: at least give him some game time to start with and put him in the starting 11 if others don't perform and bad results allow us to make the changes, play the player where their best position is and don't leave him out of the match day squad if he has a few bad games etc. I felt sorry for Adryan last season and I thought he did ok at Leeds.

5. Get more service to Chris Wood
I think if Rosler tells Berardi and Taylor to get forward more often Chris Wood will get more chances. Sam Byram and Stuart Dallas are a little out of form but will improve in my opinion. Botaka as mentioned before could help solve this problem as well.

6. Have a Cup Run
Cup runs are fantastic and I think we should be looking to get into at least the 5th round or quarter finals of the FA Cup (if we have a nice cup draw). I think we should put our full team out, other teams will probably not do this and that will give us a huge chance to have a good FA Cup run.

7. Always ensure Leeds are closer to the top 6 than the bottom 3.
The Championship is very competitive, win a couple of games and you can be looking at the play-offs. Lose a couple and you could get dragged into a relegation battle. While promotion may not be a realistic prospect this season we do not need to get dragged into another relegation battle.

8. Get Leeds into the top 10
If Uwe does all the 7 things I mentioned then this is possible and I would without doubt class the season as being a huge success.

[ldsutd]

If he does what you say the season will be a success You should be our manager lol

[weasel]

1. Improve the style of football
It does take time to change the style of football a team plays and it is also harder at Leeds where the demand for success means a coach isn't given enough time to develop a team playing a certain way - this for me is why Rosler has probably had a huge say in getting in Dallas and Adeyemi as they know how he likes to play. Teams like Bournemouth and Brentford can play a certain way because there is less pressure and as such they learn over several years before suddenly getting the 'overnight success.'

2. Find Our Best Formation
This goes hand in hand in improving the style of football. To improve the style the players need to know where their teammates will be and to do this you need a fairly consistent formation. Rosler's preferred formation may not suit some of the players at the club, with the prime example being Antenucci, so we have the age old problem of do you squeeze the best 11 players into a formation or do you change the formation to suit the best 11 players?

3. Start our Young Stars
Seems bizarre to suggest that the Murphy, Mowatt & Cook midfield triangle hasn't played much together given that Murphy was injured and they didn't want to rush him back, Cook had a 3 match ban and Mowatt has been having fitness worries. When available Rosler has in general been playing the younger eyes barring the occasional rest.

4. Don't let Jordan Botaka Disappear into Obscurity
Botaka asked not to play the first game he was eligible to play (v Brentford) as he felt he wasn't fit enough. It is important not to throw him in if he doesn't feel ready as he doesn't want to be written off if he plays poorly in his first few games. I would expect him to be gradually introduced so he can adapt his game.

5. Get more service to Chris Wood
More than just better service we also need to support him quicker.

6. Have a Cup Run
Easier said than done. We put out a strong team v Doncaster and lost. The last time we got to the FA Cup Semi was 1987 despite having decent teams under Wilko and O'Leary. For some reason we just aren't a good cup team despite the good results under Grayson.

7. Always ensure Leeds are closer to the top 6 than the bottom 3.
Again easier said than done as the championship is always tight so that a couple of wins can shoot you up the table and a couple of defeats plummeting. Draws generally keep you roughly where you are.

8. Get Leeds into the top 10
That is the target and no reason why we won't achieve it. I hope that we start seeing the team gel after christmas and if we are top half at christmas maybe a chance of the play-offs.

[Oscar]

1. Improve the style of football
It does take time to change the style of football a team plays and it is also harder at Leeds where the demand for success means a coach isn't given enough time to develop a team playing a certain way - this for me is why Rosler has probably had a huge say in getting in Dallas and Adeyemi as they know how he likes to play. Teams like Bournemouth and Brentford can play a certain way because there is less pressure and as such they learn over several years before suddenly getting the 'overnight success.'

2. Find Our Best Formation
This goes hand in hand in improving the style of football. To improve the style the players need to know where their teammates will be and to do this you need a fairly consistent formation. Rosler's preferred formation may not suit some of the players at the club, with the prime example being Antenucci, so we have the age old problem of do you squeeze the best 11 players into a formation or do you change the formation to suit the best 11 players?

3. Start our Young Stars
Seems bizarre to suggest that the Murphy, Mowatt & Cook midfield triangle hasn't played much together given that Murphy was injured and they didn't want to rush him back, Cook had a 3 match ban and Mowatt has been having fitness worries. When available Rosler has in general been playing the younger eyes barring the occasional rest.

4. Don't let Jordan Botaka Disappear into Obscurity
Botaka asked not to play the first game he was eligible to play (v Brentford) as he felt he wasn't fit enough. It is important not to throw him in if he doesn't feel ready as he doesn't want to be written off if he plays poorly in his first few games. I would expect him to be gradually introduced so he can adapt his game.

5. Get more service to Chris Wood
More than just better service we also need to support him quicker.

6. Have a Cup Run
Easier said than done. We put out a strong team v Doncaster and lost. The last time we got to the FA Cup Semi was 1987 despite having decent teams under Wilko and O'Leary. For some reason we just aren't a good cup team despite the good results under Grayson.

7. Always ensure Leeds are closer to the top 6 than the bottom 3.
Again easier said than done as the championship is always tight so that a couple of wins can shoot you up the table and a couple of defeats plummeting. Draws generally keep you roughly where you are.

8. Get Leeds into the top 10
That is the target and no reason why we won't achieve it. I hope that we start seeing the team gel after christmas and if we are top half at christmas maybe a chance of the play-offs.

1. The style of football in my view is holding us back a little at the moment, I just think when you have the likes of Cook, Mowatt and Murphy then keeping the ball and a possession style is possible. I also think Bamba is comfortable on the ball along with Berardi and Taylor I don't see why we need to go route one most of the time I think we need to vary our attacks more and be quicker when in the final third i.e. one touch passes and a quicker final ball.
2. We seem to agree, I think we should be testing different formations.
3. Cook has played every game he has been available to play, however, Murphy has only started 2 of the 7 games he has been available and Mowatt only started 5 out of the 8 he has been available. So I don't think it is bizarre to suggest the 3 haven't played together regularly this season.
4. I didn't know that about the Brentford game , however, we seem to agree on Botaka.
5. Again we seem to agree hopefully if Will Buckley arrives it will help solve the problem.
6. It wasn't that strong a team we put out v Doncaster, we also went down to 10 men in that game. However, if we get a reasonable draw like we have a couple of times in the last few years it would be nice to see a cup run especially if the league campaign is going badly by then.
7. The championship is close (especially before new year), however, last season there was a 37 point difference between top 6 and bottom 3, so if we do go closer to the bottom 3 than the top 6 after new year it's not a good sign. However, if this happens before Christmas it's not a complete disaster.
8. Thinking about it top 10 is more of a dream target the minimum in my opinion is top half/ mid table. The main aim in my view this season is progress on the pitch and getting everything in place for an attempt at the top 6 in 2016-17. The top 6 is possible in my view if we take 6-7 points from the next 3 games. Targets are likely to vary through the season, however.

[Genghers]

1. The style of football in my view is holding us back a little at the moment, I just think when you have the likes of Cook, Mowatt and Murphy then keeping the ball and a possession style is possible. I also think Bamba is comfortable on the ball along with Berardi and Taylor I don't see why we need to go route one most of the time I think we need to vary our attacks more and be quicker when in the final third i.e. one touch passes and a quicker final ball.

3. Cook has played every game he has been available to play, however, Murphy has only started 2 of the 7 games he has been available and Mowatt only started 5 out of the 8 he has been available. So I don't think it is bizarre to suggest the 3 haven't played together regularly this season.

Generally agree with Weasel and yourself, though I think these points are a bit off.

Our default style has been on the floor, quick passing and movement imo. Problem is that the only 'Plan B' we have is to lump the ball up to Wood. We've played some excellent football this season, but you can't just rely one one system as once you come up against tougher opponents (like Ipswich) or teams who can nullify the midfield, then you're likely to come unstuck.

Murphy won't have been match fit for quite a while after an injury which kept him out of the majority of pre-season and you don't want to rush players back in case it rules them out for longer. Mowatt has been struggling with fitness by all accounts, though 5 of 8 starts is alright - did he make it on in the other 3?

I think those three will be our go-to midfield, though I think one of Murphy or Cook (probably Murphy) needs to develop into a better holding midfielder, as at the moment they are all quite similar. Adeyemi isn't brilliant, but he's a slightly different mould to the others.

[Oscar]

[/quote]
Generally agree with Weasel and yourself, though I think these points are a bit off.

Our default style has been on the floor, quick passing and movement imo. Problem is that the only 'Plan B' we have is to lump the ball up to Wood. We've played some excellent football this season, but you can't just rely one one system as once you come up against tougher opponents (like Ipswich) or teams who can nullify the midfield, then you're likely to come unstuck.

Murphy won't have been match fit for quite a while after an injury which kept him out of the majority of pre-season and you don't want to rush players back in case it rules them out for longer. Mowatt has been struggling with fitness by all accounts, though 5 of 8 starts is alright - did he make it on in the other 3?

I think those three will be our go-to midfield, though I think one of Murphy or Cook (probably Murphy) needs to develop into a better holding midfielder, as at the moment they are all quite similar. Adeyemi isn't brilliant, but he's a slightly different mould to the others.[/quote]

We played a good style against Burnley and Derby, however, v Sheffield Wednesday and Brentford long balls to Wood appeared to be our plan A .
Murphy, if what I hear is correct has been injury free before the Burnley game, however, I agree we can't rush him in but it took almost 6 weeks to get him back into the team, that's too long in my opinion.

[Genghers]

We played a good style against Burnley and Derby, however, v Sheffield Wednesday and Brentford long balls to Wood appeared to be our plan A .
Murphy, if what I hear is correct has been injury free before the Burnley game, however, I agree we can't rush him in but it took almost 6 weeks to get him back into the team, that's too long in my opinion.

I thought we had some good passages against Brentford (the only game I've seen at ER), but agree we resorted to long balls too often, especially later on.

Murphy missed 6 weeks of pre-season and so it makes sense that it took so long to get him back to fitness, especially as training won't have been as fitness focused since the start of the season. I reckon he'll start from now on, with Mowatt most likely to drop to the bench for Adeyemi.

[Oscar]

Don't agree I think Murphy, Mowatt and Cook have to start together it gives us a great balance and allows us to play a possession game, our record when all 3 have started games together:
Played 12
Won 8
Drawn 2
Lost 2
I think the results prove they have to start together.

[Genghers]

Don't agree I think Murphy, Mowatt and Cook have to start together it gives us a great balance and allows us to play a possession game, our record when all 3 have started games together:
Played 12
Won 8
Drawn 2
Lost 2
I think the results prove they have to start together.

Like I said in the previous post, those 3 should be our first choice midfield.

I just think if any of them were to drop to the bench it would be Mowatt, especially given his fitness problems this year.