Championship 18/19

[leedsmad]

Tbh fella's, I'm a bit worried about Sunday, mainly because Smith knew how to get into us with Brentford and now with better players and us with a weakened back 4 from then, I do fear the worst, nice to have that points cushion though, if it does go belly up.

Totally agree Gessa was talking about this last night with a mate of mine . I'll gladly take a Draw now as i feel Villa will beat us , as long as we beat Blackburn and Hull the 2 games after at home all is not lost .

With Derby and Forest drawing ( loosing points ) and others from the Weekend Norwich , Middlesbrough , Villa , Sheffield United we are in a good positon but as we know it can quickly turn around with a few losses.

[weasel]

Halme is 6'5....he should really start against an attacking team shouldn't he. Philips sweeper.

I would expect Halme to start as Bielsa seems to decide based on the opposition's strength. Against Bolton and others he seemed to think they wouldn't really be going for the win so went for the extra midfielder, with KP dropping into defence. Given Baker's lack of influence on proceedings so far it would seem to make sense to bring Halme in with Baker dropping out and the other midfielders reverting to their normal roles.

[BGwhite]

Villa will have Leeds on the back foot from the very start as they are fast and direct going forward which troubles any team but Leeds are very weak in midfield and also a weak defense especially with a lack of height so it gives Villa even more of an advantage. Halme surely has to play for his height alone plus it gives us something else at our own set-pieces...can't remember the last goal from a set-piece. Play like we did against the Baggies and it will be at least 4 in the goals against column.

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[Dalton]

Cant wait for the prediction forum to come up on this one!

[gessa]

I would expect Halme to start as Bielsa seems to decide based on the opposition's strength. Against Bolton and others he seemed to think they wouldn't really be going for the win so went for the extra midfielder, with KP dropping into defence. Given Baker's lack of influence on proceedings so far it would seem to make sense to bring Halme in with Baker dropping out and the other midfielders reverting to their normal roles.

I hope you're right, it's what I'm hoping for.

[Dalton]

I think Halme should start as you cant get experience unless you play.
MB will go with Alioski to hopefully keep things tight and I think he will hope to open Villa up in the second half like Bolton.
or maybe the bold approach would be to start Clarke and take the game to them?

[weasel]

Villa will have Leeds on the back foot from the very start as they are fast and direct going forward which troubles any team but Leeds are very weak in midfield and also a weak defense especially with a lack of height so it gives Villa even more of an advantage. Halme surely has to play for his height alone plus it gives us something else at our own set-pieces...can't remember the last goal from a set-piece. Play like we did against the Baggies and it will be at least 4 in the goals against column.

Think we need to forget the WBA performance as a bit of a one off (in the hope it doesn't happen again). Even then though it wasn't until the 2nd goal went in, from a keeper error, that the floodgates opened as we lost our confidence and WBA gained confidence. At 1-0 down we were very much in the game and as shown by how strongly we finish games may well have taken a point.

Hopefully if Villa come at us we can hit them on the break as long as keep our composure and our shape is right. The concern would be that the Villa manager has played against us this year and set his team up well on that occasion - even then it took a very dubious penalty for Brentford to score. It does also mean though that Bielsa also has the advantage of seeing how Smith lined up Brentford to play against us so should be able to come up with potential solutions if Smith sets Villa up to play the same way.

We are also overdue an early goal and this could be the game.

[1964white]

Think we need to forget the WBA performance as a bit of a one off (in the hope it doesn't happen again). Even then though it wasn't until the 2nd goal went in, from a keeper error, that the floodgates opened as we lost our confidence and WBA gained confidence. At 1-0 down we were very much in the game and as shown by how strongly we finish games may well have taken a point.

Hopefully if Villa come at us we can hit them on the break as long as keep our composure and our shape is right. The concern would be that the Villa manager has played against us this year and set his team up well on that occasion - even then it took a very dubious penalty for Brentford to score. It does also mean though that Bielsa also has the advantage of seeing how Smith lined up Brentford to play against us so should be able to come up with potential solutions if Smith sets Villa up to play the same way.

We are also overdue an early goal and this could be the game.

It was a one off Weasel

We were still in the game at 1-0, taking Roofe, Klich & Douglas off didn't help our cause as we totally lost our way when the substitutions were made.

We had a much different game plan at Bramall Lane, I feel Bielsa will deploy the same tactics at Villa Park

[1964white]

I think Halme should start as you cant get experience unless you play.
MB will go with Alioski to hopefully keep things tight and I think he will hope to open Villa up in the second half like Bolton.
or maybe the bold approach would be to start Clarke and take the game to them?

Pontus (if fit) & Halme with Phillips back in his natural role would be the ideal senario v Villa

[Cjay]

Villa reportedly closing in on Croatia number 1 Lovre Kalinic.

This is why we cant just let January pass us by, "that'll do" is the wrong attitude and so is just signing squad players.

Other clubs wont.

Be ambitious Radz.

[Dalton]

Agree CJAY.....it is time for a bit of a gamble isnt it...we will be in the top 2 come January barring a disaster xmas programme and ANY Jan investment will be repaid and how if we get promoted especially as we are adored by TV companies.
Surely must be worth splashing a few quid at least. Anyway, the average gate had earned over a million quid surely

[Cjay]

Dalton, youd think so, everything points to a bit of ambition this January, maybe a bit of a loss, we can afford a loss, we know this.

Villa arent worried about losses, they just splashed £6mil on a goalie, if Villa can afford to do that then i fail to see why Radz wont given the precarious situation at Villa. But all signs point to what some of us expected when Bielsa arrived, he is our budget, and the hope is he alone can do it without the quality other squads have, its a risk, its not something i like, it could all go totally wrong and we will look stupid, but is what it is.

Bielsa didnt want to lose Vieira or Saiz, he has, its odd that he hasnt seemingly wanted a replacement for Vieira, and likely no more then a loan for Saiz, its weird, if Bielsa's faith in the squad costs us then thats on him, if Radz tightness costs us thats on him.

Im a pessimist so i only see the worst case scenario

[BGwhite]

I'm with cjay, none of us expected Leeds to be anywhere near this season let alone top of the pile but with 1 game left before halfway through who are we to judge whether they need more signings. The fact that Leeds are top even though they've had such a horrific run of injuries and most are due back before the year is out suggests they don't need more players but the burning question is "can they go and do it all again over another 23 games "? As I'm also a pessimist I'd say no but it's not me who makes these decisions it's primarily an Argentinian guy who doesn't seem to be doing a bad job at all.

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[1964white]

Owls sack their manager Jos Luhukay

[1964white]

I'm with cjay, none of us expected Leeds to be anywhere near this season let alone top of the pile but with 1 game left before halfway through who are we to judge whether they need more signings. The fact that Leeds are top even though they've had such a horrific run of injuries and most are due back before the year is out suggests they don't need more players but the burning question is "can they go and do it all again over another 23 games "? As I'm also a pessimist I'd say no but it's not me who makes these decisions it's primarily an Argentinian guy who doesn't seem to be doing a bad job at all.

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We actually have a top class coach who will no doubt in my mind keep us competitive

The majority of our previous & the current championship managers couldn't lace his boots

Have faith

[1964white]

Gayle gives West Brom a early lead at Rotherham

[Cjay]

Norwich arent guaranteed to get a win vs Blackburn at Blackburn.

If they dont then the only way we arent top at xmas is a Villa win by 5 goals.

[Cjay]

WBA 2-0 Barnes.

4 shots 2 on target 2 goals, that imo is the difference between us and WBA, we are to wasteful.

[1964white]

Derby 0-1 Bristol City

[1964white]

Norwich arent guaranteed to get a win vs Blackburn at Blackburn.

If they dont then the only way we arent top at xmas is a Villa win by 5 goals.

No chance