Millwall v Leeds Utd Match Thread - Post match reaction

[YorkshireSquare]

Different reasons each time though, which is why the negative generalisations don't really apply imo.

Same two reasons every time;

• Don't create enough quality chances
• Don't convert enough of the chances we get

We are move defensive this season Forshaw and Shack sitting deeper than Klich did and Klich less attacking than Saiz, Roberts and co. It's working in the sense that we are not giving the oposition many chances but it means we don't break forward through the middle in quite the same way as we did last season. With Roofe gone too we are relying on Bamford being clinical, he isn't.

[Sara]

I don't disagree that we need to create and convert better chances, but it's also true that the points we have dropped have been due to particular circumstances in each game.

[Ellandback1]

We need the services of a specialist set piece coach

Bielsa MUST have a plan B - a different formation - We have been found out.

The team needs rotating.

The opposition knows how we are going to set up shop

[whiteswan]

Sorry for this post. All the 'slate the negative posters' will be out in force. I said pre season when Bielsa signed on for this season that nothing had changed.....and it hasn't. We simply are not good enough. I've been reading all the posts from today.....most of you are spot on!

[whiteswan]

Haven't seen the game nor did I want to and I'm very pleased I didn't after reading everyone's comments. This season will be no different from last season, how can it be ? We have basically the same players bar 3, White who has been superb all season and 2 others - 1 who has just started playing from the start only because Pablo is injured and the other who keeps the bench warm most of the time. We play the same way every game with the same players....der.. i think I could put out a team to nullify Leeds . The players will not get better so why would we expect anything different, MB doesn't expect it , he said so after Charlton. Is Bamford in the team to score goals or to hold the ball up while the midfielders catch up, I've almost forgot as its been so long since he scored. The own goal against WBA only masked over some huge cracks in the team the main one being that there is a huge lack of goals in our squad and this will cost us promotion and possibly a play off place. PB has to give way to Eddie now to see if our fortune will change otherwise MB can stick to his tried and tested but the result will be just the same.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

Absolutely spot on BG

[whiteswan]

Down to our lowest matchday position ever under MB, 5th.

Most defeats out of the top 7.

Its not good enough, no excuses for it imo.

Indeed Cjay

[whiteswan]

I'l probably have to watch Oakland get mullered by the Bears tomorrow at Tottenham Stadium too

Hope not faaip. I'll be rooting for your Raiders

[whiteswan]

Are you going to the game faaip? I'll be watching on SKY.....live at 5.00 pm

[The Subhuman]

Are you going to the game faaip? I'll be watching on SKY.....live at 5.00 pm

No well out of my price range.

[Sara]

Sorry for this post. All the 'slate the negative posters' will be out in force. I said pre season when Bielsa signed on for this season that nothing had changed.....and it hasn't. We simply are not good enough. I've been reading all the posts from today.....most of you are spot on!

You may well be proven to be right in the end, who knows?

The reasons I don't see it like that are:

- We can still dominate virtually every team in the league. The only team so far that we couldn't, West Brom, we fought tooth and nail to keep them out, showing real grit and determination.

- Our potentially creative and goal scoring players are either out injured (Pablo), lacking game time (Eddie and Costa), or out of form (Bamford). Those are all things which can change and improve.

-.We have other players waiting to return to fitness (Cooper, Ayling, Forshaw, Shackleton) who are all first team starters normally. We also have U23s (Bogusz, Edmondson, Gotts, Clarke) who may step up and offer something different.

- We have a tight, close knit squad who all know their roles, and all give 100% every game, including players (Phillips, White, Klich) who are amongst the best in the division for their position.

I honestly think, if we had Pablo, Eddie, Costa and Bamford all match fit and in form, we'd be tearing teams apart every week.

[1964white]

We can still dominate virtually every team in the league. The only team so far that we couldn't, West Brom, we fought tooth and nail to keep them out, showing real grit and determination

Dominating teams count for nothing if you don't put your chances away

Our potentially creative and goal scoring players are either out injured (Pablo), lacking game time (Eddie and Costa), or out of form (Bamford). Those are all things which can change and improve

May do Sara, I won't hold my breath. Alioski playin left back is our second highest scorer with three goals, although he did score his goal yesterday after being pushed forward positionally

We have other players waiting to return to fitness (Cooper, Ayling, Forshaw, Shackleton) who are all first team starters normally

Yes they are a big miss as beyond are first fifteen players we are weak & vulnerable

We also have U23s (Bogusz, Edmondson, Gotts, Clarke) who may step up and offer something different

I doubt any of those four will make an impression in our first team, they may look good in our U23's but we are talking a different level in the championship. Edmondson was woeful v Brum U23's the other night. I like Robbie Gotts & Bogusz but whether they are good enough is questionable. Shackleton will be the only kid to impress in our first team this season imo!

I honestly think, if we had Pablo, Eddie, Costa and Bamford all match fit and in form, we'd be tearing teams apart every week.

We are missing Pablo big-time as I knew we would, we always do as we have no one of the same calibre/quality who can fill his boots. Some on here were even talking about resting him a couple of weeks ago

[SG90]

We are missing Pablo big-time as I knew we would, we always do as we have no one of the same calibre/quality who can fill his boots. Some on here were even talking about resting him a couple of weeks ago

That's because he's 34 and should have been managed correctly, rather than expecting him to play 90 mins for 46 games. He's been overplayed and is now injured as a result.

[SG90]

When is Nketiah going to be bang in form if he never plays? Yesterday was the perfect opportunity to play Bamford at 10 and Nketiah, but predictably Ayling comes in despite being nowhere near fully fit.

[Oscar]

The red card and penalty changed the game massively no doubt about it and both were horrendous decisions, however, we did nothing to help ourselves in that first half. We just gifted Millwall the first half giving the ball away in our own half, wingers running the ball out of play and giving silly free kicks away around the box. All the things you don't do when you are down to 10 men, yes the 10 men didn't help matters but the first half was totally unacceptable.
Second half was better but that was more down to Millwall sitting back (why wouldn't they? man advantage and 2-0 lead no reason to take risks) and the substitutions coming on with a point to prove to try and get themselves into the starting 11. It wasn't even that great yes we got the ball into dangerous areas but created nothing after we scored and the last 10 minutes was a joke almost felt like a pre season friendly for some of those players no urgency at all.

At least half the squad are performing well below their usual levels and letting Bielsa down badly, not saying Bielsa is blameless but players take the vast majority of the blame.
Yes we are only 2 points off top 5th in the table but the signs aren't good we've scored 1 goal from open play since Stoke away August 25th, at least 2 teams Preston and West Brom are both playing better football than us, last 3 games we've stopped creating chances and our success has been built on White and Phillips defensive ability if one of those players gets injured or suspended we will start to concede goals too. Look at our form since Stoke away Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 3 sure we went on poor runs last season but we still created chances and were genuinely unlucky at the minute we can't even claim that the 2 games we have won Barnsley and West Brom we were lucky to win.
Players have got to step up

Player Ratings:
Casilla 7 - Made a few routine saves and some good distribution.

Ayling 5- Started at RB moved to CB allowed Bradshaw to get in front of him on 2nd some woeful passing out the back.
White 6- Mostly composed but almost gifted Millwall a 3rd goal late on with a poor square pass out the back.
Berardi 5- Shouldn't have been sent off but should have defended the situtation better in the first place.
Alioski 7- Defended well at LB and got us back into the game from LW.

Phillips 6- Improved in the second half but just never really got into his usual rhythm.

Costa 5- Poor lost possession far too easily and never got involved.
Klich 6- Much better second half but way off the pace in the first half still showing glimpses of his quality but sloppy passing letting him down.
Dallas 5- Another player who lost the ball far too easily even when switched to RB looked way off the levels he has been at.
Harrison 6- Good assist and did look better in the second half and was causing problems but final delivery was poor again.

Bamford 6- Had no service but effort was their and again showed glimpses of quality.

Substitutions:
Douglas 7- Always available on the overlap and used the ball well.
Nketiah 7- Did well some nice skill and hold up play no creativity from the players around him sadly.
Roberts 7- Got on the ball and didn't take the easy passes and hide showed tenacity ridiculous he's getting so few minutes when we are desperate for a player like Roberts in the middle.

[SG90]

When are the u23s going to get a chance they never are. Shack only played as Forshaw was injured. Other than that, no one else has had a chance.

[Sara]

Dominating teams prevents them from scoring, and potentially opens up opportunities for Leeds to score.

Maybe the stars will align and our creative players will get fit and firing, or maybe they won't - all I'm saying is I can't write them off while that potential is still there.

[1964white]

That's because he's 34 and should have been managed correctly, rather than expecting him to play 90 mins for 46 games. He's been overplayed and is now injured as a result.

There's no alternative SG, we can only blame our recruitment in the summer for that.

God help us if White gets injured we're screwed then, the second goal conceded yesterday was because we had a novice CB marking Bradshaw.

If Phillips sustains a long term injury our season is definitely over

Bamford is also crucial in the Bielsa's set-up

Great spine when all are available but toothless if any are missing as we have insufficient back-up

Could see this coming before the season started, eight games in & reality arrived

[SG90]

There's no alternative SG, we can only blame our recruitment in the summer for that.

God help us if White gets injured we're screwed then, the second goal conceded yesterday was because we had a novice CB marking Bradshaw.

If Phillips sustains a long term injury our season is definitely over

Bamford is also crucial in the Bielsa's set-up

Great spine when all are available but toothless if any are missing as we have insufficient back-up

Could see this coming before the season started, eight games in & reality is here

Yes I said in the summer the most important signing was the one who made Pablo a bit part player. I was shot down for saying our recruitment was abysmal.

[1964white]

The red card and penalty changed the game massively no doubt about it and both were horrendous decisions, however, we did nothing to help ourselves in that first half. We just gifted Millwall the first half giving the ball away in our own half, wingers running the ball out of play and giving silly free kicks away around the box. All the things you don't do when you are down to 10 men, yes the 10 men didn't help matters but the first half was totally unacceptable.
Second half was better but that was more down to Millwall sitting back (why wouldn't they? man advantage and 2-0 lead no reason to take risks) and the substitutions coming on with a point to prove to try and get themselves into the starting 11. It wasn't even that great yes we got the ball into dangerous areas but created nothing after we scored and the last 10 minutes was a joke almost felt like a pre season friendly for some of those players no urgency at all.

At least half the squad are performing well below their usual levels and letting Bielsa down badly, not saying Bielsa is blameless but players take the vast majority of the blame.
Yes we are only 2 points off top 5th in the table but the signs aren't good we've scored 1 goal from open play since Stoke away August 25th, at least 2 teams Preston and West Brom are both playing better football than us, last 3 games we've stopped creating chances and our success has been built on White and Phillips defensive ability if one of those players gets injured or suspended we will start to concede goals too. Look at our form since Stoke away Won 2 Drawn 1 Lost 3 sure we went on poor runs last season but we still created chances and were genuinely unlucky at the minute we can't even claim that the 2 games we have won Barnsley and West Brom we were lucky to win.
Players have got to step up

Spot on Oscar

[SG90]

We might be two off the top, but I can't see us going on a long winning run again or turning around deficits like last season. This is the same team from January onwards last year, not August-December. We lose far too many games for all our "dominance". Norwich only lost 6 all season, we've lost half that already.