Where do the problems lie?

[herefordbornleedsboy]

Clearly results of late have not been what we were hoping for. Admittedly yesterday I think we deserved to get at least something out of it.
Was just wondering where people think the issues are.
For me it seems to stem from our midfield who don't seem to be protecting the back four.
Is this it or have I over simplified to the problem?

[Cjay]

Clearly results of late have not been what we were hoping for. Admittedly yesterday I think we deserved to get at least something out of it.
Was just wondering where people think the issues are.
For me it seems to stem from our midfield who don't seem to be protecting the back four.
Is this it or have I over simplified to the problem?

Agreed

And not replacing two key defenders hasnt helped.

[Ratscoot]

Still feel we need a top CB, I love Berardi but we need a real LB who is able to push forwards, get crosses it and pushes the opposition wingers backwards, a Charlie Taylor type and we need a David Batty in the centre of midfield, who does all the dirty work, gets them crushing tackles in and gives the ball to Saiz

[Bennyfishel]

The last season in the Premier Division and EVERY SEASON in the Championship division Leeds have been fielding a team of absolute NO-HOPERS, I doubt, because of the bad name that LU have acquired for themselves, that there are many top class players that would want to play for them. as I have stated on earlier e-mails, I am 88 years old and I never expect to see my team in the top division again.

[Gurj]

I think midfield is the obvious issue right now. I just dont think we can afford the luxury of playing both Pablo and Saiz and on current form if you had to choose between the two it had to be Samu.

We need battling qualities to get us through this bad spell so the likes of Vieira and Dallas have to come in for Saturday in my opinion, with Pablo and Phillips dropping out. Would also consider bringing back Alioski for Roofe.

At the back, what the hell has happened to the aggression from Ayling and especially Pontus. He's like a pussy cat compared to the Lion he was last season. Need him to get back to he's best form and quickly !

[1964white]

The last season in the Premier Division and EVERY SEASON in the Championship division Leeds have been fielding a team of absolute NO-HOPERS, I doubt, because of the bad name that LU have acquired for themselves, that there are many top class players that would want to play for them. as I have stated on earlier e-mails, I am 88 years old and I never expect to see my team in the top division again.

Samuel Saiz is a class player Benny

Sadly those around him are either inconsistent or average

[1964white]

Play Shaugnhessy in midfield (his natural position) with O'Kane & Vieira, would also give us height at the back

If we have to play Roofe, stick him upfront with Lasogga

Forget the wingers, they are passengers far too often. We need to tighten up the middle of the park, defensively & in the engine-room

We've played three players out of their natural positions for much of the season, this has to stop !

[The Subhuman]

Really not that bad, we have some good players here and once we stop forcing the line up and play the best 11 we'll start to improve. Beradi is the best RB at the club, by a distance. Vierra the best DMF, Saiz and Hernandez occupy the same space. The keeper is/was a massive problem and there's been no continuity at centre back. We need a proper left back. We need an extended look at Klich

Bad timing with Lassoga with him having a child and not being able to settle yet and he's not a direct replacement for Wood but more of a off the last defender' shoulder forward (bit like Beckford), I can wait for him

Roofe is a striker to be played off a forward imo, can do a job as a winger but his natural position is inside.

[Gurj]

Faaip, struggling to see resemblance between Lasogga and Beckford's playing styles at all. Beckford had pace galore for a start so he could afford to play off the last defenders shoulder whereas Lasogga is very cumbersome in he's movement from what I have seen and was very static on Saturday !

[The Subhuman]

As I say still settling in, He doesn't have pace to burn like Beckford but is probably a better finisher. He's not a target man and he's not a small agile fox in the box. Jermaine made his living playing off the shoulder but he was a streak finisher and missed an awful lot when out of touch and he did it a division down

Now everyone put down those rose tinted spectacles they either make you see everything as glorious or rotten.

[lufc1304]

Really not that bad, we have some good players here and once we stop forcing the line up and play the best 11 we'll start to improve. Beradi is the best RB at the club, by a distance. Vierra the best DMF, Saiz and Hernandez occupy the same space. The keeper is/was a massive problem and there's been no continuity at centre back. We need a proper left back. We need an extended look at Klich

Bad timing with Lassoga with him having a child and not being able to settle yet and he's not a direct replacement for Wood but more of a off the last defender' shoulder forward (bit like Beckford), I can wait for him

Roofe is a striker to be played off a forward imo, can do a job as a winger but his natural position is inside.

This

TC seems to like utlity players, but the championship is a league where you play round pegs in round holes whenever possible. Out of position players get found out eventually, and this has happened to Berardi who is, in my opinion, our best defender. But only when played on the right. Ayling has been out of form the last few games, and has been an almost ever-present since he joined us, a rest mightn't do him any harm. Vieira has to get a start in midfield, and I like Leon's suggestion of playing Shaughnessy in there alongside him and O'Kane. We need some bite in the engine room; when we aren't given time on the ball, we're powder puff in there. I said it before on another thread, teams have to earn the right to play, we won't just be given the ball. Time for some bite and some muscle, even if it goes against TC's grain

[1964white]

This

TC seems to like utlity players, but the championship is a league where you play round pegs in round holes whenever possible. Out of position players get found out eventually, and this has happened to Berardi who is, in my opinion, our best defender. But only when played on the right. Ayling has been out of form the last few games, and has been an almost ever-present since he joined us, a rest mightn't do him any harm. Vieira has to get a start in midfield, and I like Leon's suggestion of playing Shaughnessy in there alongside him and O'Kane. We need some bite in the engine room; when we aren't given time on the ball, we're powder puff in there. I said it before on another thread, teams have to earn the right to play, we won't just be given the ball. Time for some bite and some muscle, even if it goes against TC's grain

Glad you agree Nick

Reasons for playing Shaugnhessy in midfield

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