The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fans!

For everything Leeds United related and everything not - Have your say... the Marching on Together way!
Forum rules
Please be sure you are acquainted with the forum rules outlined within our FAQs.

Help support the site by using our Amazon Affiliate link when making any purchases from Amazon.
User avatar
Ellandback1
Site Contributor
Site Contributor
Posts: 8774
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 3:01 pm
Twitter: @EllandBack1
Location: The truth is out there

The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fans!

Post by Ellandback1 »


Good Morning. It's Monday 12th August, and here are the Leeds Utd headlines


It only takes one shot on target

Nottingham Forest's scrappy equaliser twelve minutes from time knocked Leeds of the top pirch leaving both fans and players frustrated at not being able to keep Forests only shot on target from crossing the goal line.

Let's take a look at the Championship's top clubs and how they fared in all disciplines.

Tackles

1 Hull City 31 #HCAFC
2 Cardiff City 27 #CCFC
3 Blackburn Rovers 23 #Rovers
4 Leeds United 21 #LUFC
= Middlesbrough 21 #Boro
6 Bristol City 19 #BristolCity
= Sheffield Wednesday 19 #SWFC
8 Wigan Athletic 16 #WAFC

Aerial success

1 Cardiff City 67% #CCFC
2 Birmingham City 65% #BCFC
3 Barnsley 61% #BarnsleyFC
4 Reading 60% #ReadingFC
5 QPR 58% #QPR
6 Swansea City 56% #Swans
7 Brentford 55% #BrentfordFC
8 Millwall 55% #MillwallFC

Second week in a row Leeds have not featured in aerial success!

Passing accuracy %

1 West Bromwich Albion 88% #WBA
2 Fulham 83% #FFC
= Reading 83% #ReadingFC
4 Derby County 81% #DCFC
5 Leeds United 80% #LUFC
= QPR 80% #QPR
= Stoke City 80% #SCFC
8 Barnsley 78% #BarnsleyFC
= Bristol City 78% #BristolCity

Possession

1 West Bromwich Albion 72% #WBA
2 Leeds United 68% #LUFC
3 Barnsley 64% #BarnsleyFC
= Reading 64% #ReadingFC
5 Luton Town 63% #LTFC
= QPR 63% #QPR
7 Fulham 60% #FFC
8 Derby County 59% #DCFC

Shots on target

1 Sheffield Wednesday 7 #SWFC
2 Wigan Athletic 6 #WAFC
3 Bristol City 5 #BristolCity
= Hull City 5 #HCAFC
= Middlesbrough 5 #Boro
= Preston North End 5 #PNEFC
= QPR 5 #QPR

Leeds had 4 shots on target

Total shots

1 Derby County 17 #DCFC
= QPR 17 #QPR
3 Cardiff City 16 #CCFC
= Preston North End 16 #PNEFC
= Sheffield Wednesday 16 #SWFC
6 Hull City 14 #HCAFC
=Leeds United 14 #LUFC
= Middlesbrough 14 #Boro

Although Leeds did not fare too well with shots on target or aerial success, they are the only Championship club to feature in four of the disciplines! What do you read into the stats?



Is Nketiah the answer?

Apart from the magnificent role Harrison is playing on the left wing, who else is conjuring up opportunities for Bamford? The chances Bamford had, he was in the right place at the right time, he struck the post and narrowly missed a lob. For those of you saying that Bamford is not good enough, if this were the case, why is he predicted to be the highest goal scorer in the Championship (behind Mitrovic) with the Bookies? Will Bielsa play both Bamford and Nketiah together?

Meanwhile Gunners boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the press about Eddie Nketiah and how he wants his young starlet to play 90 minutes every week (every Sunday apparently).
“With Eddie Nketiah, my first decision was not to let him leave,”

“But after he spoke with me and [considering] the possibility of how many matches he is going to play with us, I said to him I could give him a lot of minutes this year but maybe he can improve more playing regularly 90 minutes each Sunday with Leeds.
"Our objective with him is: 'play and come back here, we want to be with you in the future.' “It's the same with other young players.”


Is Bielsa becoming too transparent?

Long before 11.30 on Saturday Morning when the Leeds team was revealed, I'm sure most of us would have placed good money on Bielsa keeping the same team that beat Bristol City on the opening game of the season. Why? Bielsa never changes a winning team! Surely, its easier to play against a side, when you already know who you are going to be playing against? Do we have a strong enough squad that it doesn't matter if our opposition know how we are going to line up?

I remember reading David O'Leary's 'Leeds United on trial, and despite my hatred for the guy for his (alleged) dealing with agents costing the club millions; one thing he said that made a lot of sense was saying sometimes the pretty football won't work, and you have to dig deep and show a gritty resolve'! Do Leeds have the players to 'mix it' when they need to in order to close a game out?

User avatar
weasel
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 14025
Joined: Wed May 23, 2007 10:28 pm
Location: Within a mile of Yorkshire

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by weasel »

What do you read into the stats?

Fairly little. There will probably be more relevant stats that Bielsa and his staff work with.

Is Nketiah the answer?

Hard to know till we see him play but if him and Bamford could combine to get us 40+ goals (even if it is one starter and one sub) then we should do well.

Will Bielsa play both Bamford and Nketiah together?

Bielsa seemed to be playing Roofe and Bamford together a lot in pre-season so it may be that the fluidity of Bielsa's system allows us to do that. It may be that Eddie can also operate wide in the way Thierry Henry did but still predominantly as a striker.

Meanwhile Gunners boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the press about Eddie Nketiah and how he wants his young starlet to play 90 minutes every week (every Sunday apparently).

Sky will probably have us playing most Sundays....

Is Bielsa becoming too transparent?

The thing is no team has really been able to counter his tactics and outplay us. True teams have beaten us but in the majority of those losses if we'd taken our chances then we'd have won. Forest had 1 shot on target, did them knowing our team and tactics help them? Derby in the second leg of the play-offs knew our tactics and changed to a diamond formation, did that help them as they went 1-0 down (2-0 down on aggregate) and were being swamped as we missed several chances to go 3-0 up. Last season we didn't convert enough chances and made too many costly mistakes but those don't come down to tactics.
Genghers
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 5801
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:24 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by Genghers »

Read nothing into those stats tbh... we played well and scored the only proper chance we created. Interesting to see us have the majority of possession and also feature highly on successful tackles - real indication of our style.

Would expect Nketiah to be on the bench until he forces his way in tbh. Hopefully he'll play tomorrow, though I do think it'd be good for Bamford to get a couple against weaker opposition...

Everyone knows how we play, so I don't think it matters that Bielsa reveals his squad early. What in the way that Forest set up suggested they were targeting specific players etc? They were just very compact defensively and gave very little opportunity for counter attacks.
User avatar
HarryofOz
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 16446
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2003 10:46 am

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by HarryofOz »

Stats for one game or even two games mean nothing. Not that stats mean anything in general.

Football is a game of very fine margins. On another day Bamford's mishit goes in, there's doesn't and we win. I am no less confident that Bielsa can lead us to promotion than I was before the start of the season. We will dominate games and win more often than not.
Un Marcelo Bielsa, solo hay un Marcelo Bielsa. Gracias Marcello. Marsching on together.
User avatar
BGwhite
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 6571
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2018 11:02 am

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by BGwhite »

Dont know where Leeds are in aerial success table but we're not at 55% so that's not good and could prove costly. We desperately lack height imo.
Being able to mix it is vital to disrupt the opposition when they're getting on top. Look what the opposition do to disrupt Leeds...fouls, play-acting, wasting time... anything to stop Leeds getting into their stride. Leeds have to do the same to see games out but Bielsa needs to understand this and game management is important just as much as he places importance on his attacking style of play...being one dimensional isn't enough.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127690
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by 1964white »

Ellandback1 wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:00 am Aerial success

Second week in a row Leeds have not featured in aerial success!

Passing accuracy %

1
2 Fulham 83% #FFC
= Reading 83% #ReadingFC
Good morning Matt

No chance of doing well in the aerial duels department

Are Reading still passing the ball in their own half :lol: two losses out of two suggests they are!
Genghers
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 5801
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:24 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by Genghers »

1964white wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:51 am Good morning Matt

No chance of doing well in the aerial duels department

Are Reading still passing the ball in their own half :lol: two losses out of two suggests they are!
Can't remember a duel which cost us. That free header at the corner before their goal was a result of Cooper trying to wrestle their player rather than move to get in position (not his finest moment of the match).

Again, stats are misleading - if there were 2 aerial duels in our game and we won 1 then it's 50%, or if there's just 1 it might be 0% and look really damning. We usually play the ball on the floor, or pass long to feet - you don't see us lumping the ball up and Bamford having to win a headed knock-down very often at all...
User avatar
The Subhuman
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 55501
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:03 am
Location: God's own county

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by The Subhuman »

The stats are completely meaningless because in the main they're subjective and probably innacurately collected.
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127690
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by 1964white »

Genghers wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 8:20 am Can't remember a duel which cost us. That free header at the corner before their goal was a result of Cooper trying to wrestle their player rather than move to get in position (not his finest moment of the match).
We lost the headed flick on at the corner which caused mayhem & led to the goal. Was it Cooper ? I thought it was Forshaw
User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127690
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by 1964white »

Just watched the highlights Tom

Cooper was wrestling with the Forest forward in the box taking his eyes off the ball. Forshaw lost the header for flick-on, first defender has to win the ball

Meanwhile some fans were blaming Phillips, par for the course i suppose!
Genghers
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 5801
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:24 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by Genghers »

1964white wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:31 am Just watched the highlights Tom

Cooper was wrestling with the Forest forward in the box taking his eyes off the ball. Forshaw lost the header for flick-on, first defender has to win the ball
Fair enough. Phillips should have cleared it after that, though. It was also an incredible stroke of fortune for them as the initial shot was off target, but just hit Grabban.
Genghers
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 5801
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 8:24 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by Genghers »

1964white wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:31 am Meanwhile some fans were blaming Phillips, par for the course i suppose!
We defend as a unit - the 'blame' falls at each of the players who failed to clear it.
User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127690
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by 1964white »

Genghers wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 9:39 am We defend as a unit - the 'blame' falls at each of the players who failed to clear it.
Forshaw wins the header & one of the most scruffiest goals I've witnessed watching football wouldn't have occurred

Defending is secondary under Bielsa.....the limited time we have to defend we don't do it well.

When defending corners the first man has to win the ball, next rule is your CB's have to be concentrated to effectively win the ball or your keeper must claim/catch or punch the ball clear of the danger zone

Full-backs need to block or stop the ball coming into the box. Unfortunately Douglas, Dallas or Alioski all struggle on this score, wingers get round the back of us far too easily & inevitably their cross ends up in the danger zone.

Harrison, Hernandez, Dallas & Klich did the same to Forest, unfortunately their defenders with a bit of luck managed to clear the ball on countless occasions !
gessa
Guest
Guest

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by gessa »

It will be really good to get our first goal and first point of the season, it would also be nice to be one of those teams with 4 points from 6 scoring 4 goals in the process.
User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127690
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by 1964white »

gessa wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:43 am It will be really good to get our first goal and first point of the season, it would also be nice to be one of those teams with 4 points from 6 scoring 4 goals in the process.
Ha ha :lol:
User avatar
mothbanquet
Manager
Manager
Posts: 3239
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:11 pm

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by mothbanquet »

We played really well but luck was with the visitors. Only second game of the season so we're nowhere near the finger-pointing stage yet. If this result becomes part of a long unbeaten run nobody will remember the dropped points.
User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127690
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by 1964white »

mothbanquet wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:52 am We played really well but luck was with the visitors. Only second game of the season so we're nowhere near the finger-pointing stage yet. If this result becomes part of a long unbeaten run nobody will remember the dropped points.
That's the key Moth, a winning mentality & maintain a unbeaten run. Also we mustn't lose to the also-rans this season, we need to be ruthless & show our quality in every game
User avatar
The Subhuman
Superstar
Superstar
Posts: 55501
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:03 am
Location: God's own county

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by The Subhuman »

Why does it feel like we're in a relegation battle here. I swear last 4 months feels like we're headed for Division 1 again..Great season last season, probably finished 7/8 places higher than expected, good start this season so far and playing lovely football (Who else would you rather watch in this division)

Nothing can be gleaned from early season form or we'd be in the prem now.
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
User avatar
mothbanquet
Manager
Manager
Posts: 3239
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:11 pm

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by mothbanquet »

1964white wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:58 am That's the key Moth, a winning mentality & maintain a unbeaten run. Also we mustn't lose to the also-rans this season, we need to be ruthless & show our quality in every game
Every game is a bit of a pipe dream mate. Personally, I was bracing myself for a slower start to the season than we've had and been pleasantly surprised by how good we've looked. It's not about how you begin but how you finish - just look at Norwich last season. By all means, we can rue a disappointing result but there's a long, long way to go and the best is yet to come.
User avatar
1964white
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 127690
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:46 am
Twitter: @1964white

Re: The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Mon 12th Aug) All the up to date news from Elland Road - with opinions from you, the fan

Post by 1964white »

faaip wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:59 am Why does it feel like we're in a relegation battle here. I swear last 4 months feels like we're headed for Division 1 again..Great season last season, probably finished 7/8 places higher than expected, good start this season so far and playing lovely football (Who else would you rather watch in this division)

Nothing can be gleaned from early season form or we'd be in the prem now.
Doesn't feel like we're in a relegation battle to me. I still think we are champions material & yes we are the best footballing side in the championship.

So far we are miles ahead of Bristol City & Forest. If I was a Forest fan I'd be extremely concerned after their performances v the baggies & us

We are just debating/analysing the ups & downs of the Forest game, nowt wrong with pointing out the positives & the negatives
Post Reply