A Ray Of Hope

[Cjay]

Was watching the highlights on Quest yesterday and there was a moment where i saw a bit of hope for the future.

Think we have to recognise what a huge loss Patrick Bamford has been, he was our big money signing, the proven goalscorer Bielsa requested (admittedly maybe not 1st choice).

So to only have him available for 7 of 30 league games was a huge blow, take nothing away from Roofe but it is the equivalent of Pukki or Sharp or Gayle being unavailable for there respective sides.

Doesn't mean Jordan Rhodes wouldn't have done a decent job for Norwich or Leon Clarke for Blades or Robson Kanu for WBA, they have sporadically done decent jobs for there sides this season. But if there sides had had to rely on them for the majority of there games would they be where they are now? Probably not.

So i think we should be very proud in that sense, despite the frustration, to be where we are now without our most proven Championship goalscorer is quite an achievement, credit to Roofe, Roberts, the side as a whole.

But as i said, there was a moment 2nd half where i saw something that cheered me up, it was simple play, not particularly fast or slick but it was effective. Had seen it during the game, hadn't really recognised it for was a good piece of play it was.

Jansson got to half way, least i think it was him, he passed wide to Jack Clarke who had a few yards on Jemal Lewis, Clarke dribbled at Lewis then cut inside a  few steps, Clarke played the ball  to Roofe, Roofe made room for the cross, Bamford got to it, ended in a corner and we scored from that.

Doesn't sound much but that sequence of events was an epiphany for me. It showed how simple things like dribbling the ball rather then looking immediately for a quick pass can open a team who have defended well up.

Clarke running at Lewis and then coming inside meant Lewis had to go with him, couldn't just let Clarke go, Clarke was running into Vrancic but Lewis still had to go with his man.

With Clarke running at Vrancic Vrancic stopped to meet Clarke but that meant Roofe who was behind Vrancic was let go, Tettey couldn't follow Roofe because he was watching Klich so Roofe ran into the space Lewis had left behind by following Clarke.

That meant Ben Godfrey the Norwich cb had to leave his area of the box to go after Roofe down the right edge of the box. That left a big gap in the box, Tettey again he as dm could have filled it but because Klich was hanging back Tettey seemed it two minds and thus didn't fill the space as quickly or effectively as he could.

Roofes low cross was into the space Godfrey had vacated to track him and it was there Bamford ran to meet it and get his shot away to earn the corner.

It was simple stuff and yet great intelligence from Clarke, Roofe, Klich and Bamford. It would have been easy for Clarke to go down the line to get a cross in, or for Roofe to hang back as Clarke came inside or for Klich to charge into the space Godfrey left behind.

But they didn't and because of that we carved Norwich open maybe for the only time in the match.

Clarke coming inside pulled Lewis out of position,  Roofe had the intelligence to take up the space left, Klich had the intelligence to not just charge into that space thus dragging Tettey with him and Bamford had the intelligence to anticipate the area the cross was going to go in.

That imo gives great hope, all started by something as simple as Jack Clarke running with the ball, he didn't actually dribble past anyone, it didn't matter, he didn't need to.

He created a dilemma, made defenders come out of there comfort zone, had he not done that, just maybe passed the ball to Klich or Roofe then Norwich would have been set, all players happy with there position and picking up there men.

It was a small moment in a depressing game, but was something to cling on to imo, cheered me up.

Pass and move is great, but sometimes a little bit of variation can be the best thing.

[weasel]

Well that is why we miss Saiz as he has he ability to get the ball and get a way from his marker. Like you say the knock on effect is then like dominoes because someone has to go to meet the player dribbling with the ball and that then means their man is free. People moaned about Saiz but even on an off day he brought that to the team, sometimes yes he'd get tackled or lose the ball but the second he got free then things begin to open up.

It is also why Ayling is so important to Bielsa's system. Whilst Ayling doesn't do what Saiz did, or Clarke in your example, what he does do is pop up in areas he has no right to be in. As such someone has to mark him but unless the winger has tracked him back then it gives Leeds an overload as if someone goes to mark Ayling then someone else is left free. Ayling gets knocked for his poor passing, poor tackling etc (like Saiz got knocked for his faults) but it is vital to have players like him to open space up for other players. What you then need is the ball to find its way to a player in space that can then do something purposeful with it, ie. Klich to shoot, Hernandez to slip a sublime pass in etc

[The Subhuman]

So Ayling as a decoy? ...fine but can we afford to do that?

[Cjay]

Well that is why we miss Saiz as he has he ability to get the ball and get a way from his marker. Like you say the knock on effect is then like dominoes because someone has to go to meet the player dribbling with the ball and that then means their man is free. People moaned about Saiz but even on an off day he brought that to the team, sometimes yes he'd get tackled or lose the ball but the second he got free then things begin to open up.

It is also why Ayling is so important to Bielsa's system. Whilst Ayling doesn't do what Saiz did, or Clarke in your example, what he does do is pop up in areas he has no right to be in. As such someone has to mark him but unless the winger has tracked him back then it gives Leeds an overload as if someone goes to mark Ayling then someone else is left free. Ayling gets knocked for his poor passing, poor tackling etc (like Saiz got knocked for his faults) but it is vital to have players like him to open space up for other players. What you then need is the ball to find its way to a player in space that can then do something purposeful with it, ie. Klich to shoot, Hernandez to slip a sublime pass in etc

It highlights why Saiz was a loss, and also regardless of the whys and hows, why failing to replace him at all was very poor.

That sort of player who can commit defenders is vital in our style.

Messi for Barcelona, an extreme example perhaps but how often does he dribble with the ball attract players to him which opens up space?

Or Sane for Man City.

You need that sort of player because pass and move especially without a target man is a very difficult style to make work without some variation.

Norwich had it with Buendia (how the hell did we not see the talenthe had) they had it with Hernandez to or Stieperman (or however its spelt).

That imo is why Clarke has to start.

Take your point on Ayling but the player who would probably replace him is Shacks, he is another who has shown himself to be a good dribbler of the ball to.

Ayling pops up in good positions but his passing means that he often will ruin good situations anyway.

We will need someone willing to do that vs Boro.

Without it then we just wont break them down, best defence in the league, keep there shape brilliantly, pass and move will struggle vs them unless we mix it up.

Hope Bamford is fit enough to start, get the 1st goal and gaps will open up.

[paddy parrott]

Love it Cjay hope is what we all aspire too.
Faith in Marcelo Beislsa and Love for his affluent style.
On and Off the pitch ;
Up's and Down's ( recent results); and still up there at the top of the table.

[BGwhite]

That last sentence for me is the important one.
Get the first goal !
We are so different when we are ahead as opposed to having to chase the game.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

[Cjay]

Love it Cjay hope is what we all aspire too.
Faith in Marcelo Beislsa and Love for his affluent style.
On and Off the pitch ;
Up's and Down's ( recent results); and still up there at the top of the table.

Hope we still have . . . For now