The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 11th November) Unconvincing win keeps Leeds in the hunt

[The Subhuman]

Only way I could see it is happening would be if Ampadu and Gruev were both ruled out for the season (or Amapdu was back but had to play in defence due to other injuries) and then we came to a compromise with City over his wages.

You don't think Ampadu can play the 8?

[mentalcase]

Morning all.
Another comfortable win, yes we ought to have scored more, again, regular theme here, but thats up to the individuals to score, the manager has selected them, he can't control their feet on the pitch.
Yes it ought to have been 4-0, but I'll tke 2 and a clean sheet.
Just shows how much much the hierachy hate us to ban firpo, stupid putting himself in that position in the first palce but thats football for you, wouldn't happen in real life, you'd get smashed big time, footballers are a laughing stock that earn millions for it, millwall players actually diving in front of the officials and getting free kicks sums the corrupt game up.
Phillips I hear again, don't be mugs people, don't be mugs.

[Ellandback1]

Special thanks to the good people at ELLUTV (moi)

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[Sean_Nile]

Firpo incident discussed in depth.

[1964white]

That is it in a nutshell. We were expected to win the game. We won the game. We had 21 shots against 5 so we deservedly won the game. We controlled the game, limiting QPR to very little encouragement that they could get a goal whilst continuing to create chances ourselves. But for our composure in the final third it was as comfortable a win as you could hope for.

Under Bielsa, and that is the crux, we had several games where the stats would be similar but the difference would be that we would at times leave ourselves open and concede a goal and not get the result that we deserved, I remember a draw, 1-1, with Derby where they didn't even have a touch in our penalty area for the first hour of the game. We created and missed several chances and despite leading 1-0 failed to close out the game with Derby getting a late equaliser. That happened several times where we'd draw games where statistically we should have cruised to wins or we won games 1-0 (or 2-0 with a late second). There were few matches under Bielsa where we put the game to bed early.

So for me despite the difference in football played the results are the same - narrow wins from dominant performances and continually lacking the composure in the final third to turn domination into comfy wins. With this same set of players I think we'd see a similar points tally if they were managed by Bielsa. The football would be more exciting but the frustrations just the same.

However Farke is not Bielsa and although I loved the footbal played under Bielsa I also love the way we control a match and eliminate danger as much as possible so that we get the result we should. Even the Millwall loss we had several good opportunities prior to them scoring - if we took one of those then we likely win the game. Farke has done his best to make it so we control as much as we can but the onyl thing he can't seem to control is our composure in the final third, Bielsa couldn't do it either.

2019/20
Forest (h) 1-1 - 77th minute equaliser
Swansea (h) 0-1 - 90th minute winner
Brentford (h) 1-0
Derby (h) 1-1 - 91st minute equaliser
WBA (h) 1-0
Birmingham (h) 1-0
Blackburn (h) 2-1
Reading (a) 0-1
Sheff Wed (h) 0-2 87th equaliser & 94th winner
QPR (a) 1-0
Wigan (h) 0-1
Bristol C (h) 1-0
Reading (h) 1-0
Middlesbro' (a) 0-1
Luton (h) 1-1
Swansea (a) 0-1
Barnsley (h) 1-0

Look at all those games we won by a goal, or drew & lost scoring a single goal.

Have our fans forgotten how we made hard work of many games in our promotion season, or was it okay because Bielsa was our coach?

Farke not receiving the same leniency from our impatient fan base.

Cue Kenny, busting a gut to get on here after my last line.

[1964white]

You don't think Ampadu can play the 8?

Tanaka is a No.8 for Japan.

[Ellandback1]

Tanaka is a No.8 for Japan.

Phillips was a No8 for England

[danhirons]

2019/20
Forest (h) 1-1 - 77th minute equaliser
Swansea (h) 0-1 - 90th minute winner
Brentford (h) 1-0
Derby (h) 1-1 - 91st minute equaliser
WBA (h) 1-0
Birmingham (h) 1-0
Blackburn (h) 2-1
Reading (a) 0-1
Sheff Wed (h) 0-2 87th equaliser & 94th winner
QPR (a) 1-0
Wigan (h) 0-1
Bristol C (h) 1-0
Reading (h) 1-0
Middlesbro' (a) 0-1
Luton (h) 1-1
Swansea (a) 0-1
Barnsley (h) 1-0

Look at all those games we won by a goal, or drew & lost scoring a single goal.

Have our fans forgotten how we made hard work of many games in our promotion season, or was it okay because Bielsa was our coach?

Farke not receiving the same leniency from our impatient fan base.

Cue Kenny, busting a gut to get on here after my last line.

under bielsa it was often the same painful performances that we see under Farke, where we dominate the game but can't create clear opportunities or can't take our opportunities, often relying on a moment of magic from pablo or somebody else to scrape through. Performances were often very frustrating under Bielsa since teams lined up very defensively against us, as they do now. For me there's very little difference other than we probably have a much better squad these days than Bielsa had to operate with

[John in Louisiana]

For the second time in three games we held the opposition to zero shots on target.

Pretty convincing to me.

[1964white]

under bielsa it was often the same painful performances that we see under Farke, where we dominate the game but can't create clear opportunities or can't take our opportunities, often relying on a moment of magic from pablo or somebody else to scrape through. Performances were often very frustrating under Bielsa since teams lined up very defensively against us, as they do now. For me there's very little difference other than we probably have a much better squad these days than Bielsa had to operate with

True, Dan.

Although Bielsa's championship boys Meslier, Ayling, Cooper Struijk, Alioski, Dallas, Phillips, Klich, Harrison, Bamford & Hernandez held their own in the PL, finishing 9th in our first season. Also. Ben White went on to have a successful career with Arsenal & still is of course!

[1964white]

For the second time in three games we held the opposition to zero shots on target.

Pretty convincing to me.

I can't recall our defence churning out those sorts of figures in the 60 years I've supported Leeds, John.

[Broad Ford]

Is DF taking the patient approach to the top considering those in pole position have everything to lose?

Years ago, a mate who loves horse racing showed me a meeting on telly and pointed at a large horse right at the back of the pack. He said this horse will win and it romped home. It's name was Frankel a horse I'd never heard of before.

DF and his squad are in position without the pressure of being in the spotlight and everyone aiming to topple them. Sunderland are now drawing matches and losing their lead, so the pressure increases for them. Leeds on the other hand have closed the gap to just 2 points with Amps and Rama still to return. I'm expecting a Frankel like conclusion to the season with Leeds sprinting clear unchallenged.

[Ellandback1]

I can't recall our defence churning out those sorts of figures in the 60 years I've supported Leeds, John.

Leon, can you recall a quieter Elland Road?

[CUSSIE01]

Leon, can you recall a quieter Elland Road?

I’ve been there when ER has been bouncing and we’ve come away with nothing, I know which one I’d prefer.

[1964white]

Leon, can you recall a quieter Elland Road?

Yes, at times when we were really

[Finnatic]

under bielsa it was often the same painful performances that we see under Farke, where we dominate the game but can't create clear opportunities or can't take our opportunities, often relying on a moment of magic from pablo or somebody else to scrape through. Performances were often very frustrating under Bielsa since teams lined up very defensively against us, as they do now. For me there's very little difference other than we probably have a much better squad these days than Bielsa had to operate with

Opponents were defensive against Bielsa most of the time, but they at least kept ‘one upfront’ and a couple of others ready to pounce if we lost the ball or forgot to take it with us in our haste to bomb forward.

Most teams now are even deeper, Plymouth’s formation until we scored was 6-4-0 and afterwards was 6-3-1 when they decided to make a go of it.

We used to drag opponents out of position as we ran faster and further - now other teams don’t take the bait and just sit in hoping not to lose.

[Ellandback1]

I’ve been there when ER has been bouncing and we’ve come away with nothing, I know which one I’d prefer.

[Leeds1000]

I think it was a convincing performance just not enough drama and excitement to go with it. I don't know how we change that when only one team comes to win? Its like when you go down the pub and play pool against someone who is crap. You get bored easily but keep going as not to hurt their pride. Whilst i will never forfeit a game and patronise them if the black goes in off the break who cares...

[Jammy 07]

Elland Road was reasonably noisy at the weekend and everyone enjoyed the win so not sure where the negativity is coming from ?

Ok the game wasn't a thriller by any means but there was a certain tension entering the last 10 mins plus scenes of joy when Piroe sealed the victory in stoppage time.

Some people it seems are looking for something that isn't there.

[Phild]

Let’s be honest and look at the current top 4.
Most grinding out points without blowing sides away.
We are creating far more than the others and to me it is clear why we are rightly the bookies hot favourites.
As other rightly say our issues in front of goal stretch back to the Bielsa days.
Farke and Bielsa similar in that they only have one way to play