Manchester Utd v Leeds Utd Match Thread

[Leeds1000]

Can someone explain to me what you all mean by being defensive? Show me the personal that Bielsa can bring in to change things up? We don't have any defensive players?

Today we saw Struijk & Davis and neither filled me with confidence. Struijk looks like he need too much space to set himself up, he got caught a few times in possession. I now join the chorus in thinking he would be better at the back.

[John in Louisiana]

Forget it. Never happened.

Let's get three points from Burnley.

[Peter in Blackpool]

Why do we never hear from you after a win?

Two games ago you were calling for him to be given two games, then no sign of you when we battered Newcastle.

Internet only run at the weekend in Blackpool?

You think the team did well against Newcastle?

One of the poorest teams in the league and if VAR did its job properly we would have been 3-2 down and it would have been us chasing the game and Newcastle hitting us with a 5 v 2 break.

We flatter to deceive. Got the breaks against Newcastle....lets hope we can do the same against burnley and WBA. They are both capable of scoring many goals against us, lets hope we get the breaks in these games otherwise we could finish the year in the bottom 3

Don't please get nasty because my opinion differs from yours, this forum is for everyone to express their genuinely held beliefs, or are my views no longer welcome here?

[HarryofOz]

There was an early moment in the match that made me laugh.

The commentator said that the rivalry between us and them goes back to the start of the Premier League. Admittedly he did go on to say 'and beyond that', but it did make me think yet again about how at times some treat the Premier League as the 'start' of football.

[Carrick Dave]

I’ll keep this short and sweet. I’m not embarrassed at all at losing today, it’s hardly a shock taking everything into account. What’s embarrassing is the reaction by some fans on this and other ‘fan’ forums. For heaven’s sake, get a grip.

Tonight is a reality check, but some just refuse to be realistic.

We didn’t get anything from a game we weren’t expected to win,

I’m not embarrassed either. We move on to a game we should have a better chance in and I’ll continue to appreciate the mindset and endeavour that I’ve so enjoyed watching these past two years.

[Cjay]

Agreed useless. Can't take a player on, cross or finish (with very rare exceptions like last week!). Really hope we don't buy him

Agreed.

He is nowhere near consistent enough.

Be horrified if we spent £10mil on him, unfortunately according to Phil Hay we will.

[Peter in Blackpool]

Manchester United play 6 games every season against newly promoted sides, but its 9 years since they last scored 6 in any PL game

[Finnatic]

What do some people on this forum want?
Set up not to lose, lose 1-0, not create a chance in reply ?
It’s still a defeat.
I’ve never known us have 17 attempts at goal v scum ever.
Koch and Llorente in defence and Ayling at right back, surely it would have been closer.
It is what it is and it will be the same style against the next opponent.

[YorkshireSquare]

I thought we'd be given a bit of a lesson today but that first 3 minutes really cost us the game.

I love the style of football we play, it's been a joy to watch but perhaps we have to be a bit more pragmatic when playing teams with much better players than us. Feel out way into the game before unleashing our all out attacking style.

[Leeds1000]

You know its bad when OGS is giggling in his presser. TF the fans were not there. I'm dreading work.

[Stan]

Can someone explain to me what you all mean by being defensive? Show me the personal that Bielsa can bring in to change things up? We don't have any defensive players?

Today we saw Struijk & Davis and neither filled me with confidence. Struijk looks like he need too much space to set himself up, he got caught a few times in possession. I now join the chorus in thinking he would be better at the back.

Isn't that the managers/coaches job to identify areas of weakness and manage risk by ensuring we recruit appropriately, yes I agree we are missing Koch and Llorente and hopefully they will come good but never but linked with any full backs or defensive midfielders, only ever hear about wingers. We haven't even got a back up striker! Anyway we move onwards and upwards, bad day at the office.

[YorkshireSquare]

What do some people on this forum want?
Set up not to lose, lose 1-0, not create a chance in reply ?
It’s still a defeat.
I’ve never known us have 17 attempts at goal v scum ever.
Koch and Llorente in defence and Ayling at right back, surely it would have been closer.
It is what it is and it will be the same style against the next opponent.

I think people just expect better than that first five minutes

We can't give the ball away that much, we can't lose our men like that. Just not at the races at the start

I don't think we embarrassed ourselves, came back into it, could have (should have) scored more

[SG90]

I'm not saying we should stick 10 men behind the ball, but why not stick another midfielder in there? We are far too open for teams allowing so much space.

[Prisoner37]

Last 2 games:
P 2
W 1
L 1
GD -1
Mid table form.
Phillips and Klich saved from 5th yellow.
Just such a shame it was Scum.

[YorkshireSquare]

Can someone explain to me what you all mean by being defensive? Show me the personal that Bielsa can bring in to change things up? We don't have any defensive players?

Today we saw Struijk & Davis and neither filled me with confidence. Struijk looks like he need too much space to set himself up, he got caught a few times in possession. I now join the chorus in thinking he would be better at the back.

It's the midfield that's the issue. Rodrigo pushes higher leaving Klich and therefore Phillips with more to do. Last season we started with Klich and Forshaw in there to tighten things up, maybe we need more options in there.

[Cjay]

Manchester United play 6 games every season against newly promoted sides, but its 9 years since they last scored 6 in any PL game

Conceding 6 isnt acceptable i dont care who its against.

Speak your mind

[SG90]

Did we concede after Davis came on? I don't think we did.

[Carrick Dave]

I thought we'd be given a bit of a lesson today but that first 3 minutes really cost us the game.

I love the style of football we play, it's been a joy to watch but perhaps we have to be a bit more pragmatic when playing teams with much better players than us. Feel out way into the game before unleashing our all out attacking style.

My honest opinion on the lack of variation in approach is that Marcelo doesn’t believe the squad have sufficient quality to be capable of assimilating two differing styles to the required level, so he focuses solely on trying to play one as well as possible.

Just my take.

[BobHirst]

The commentators here in the States were saying that they love watching Leeds but at the same time think that they need to have a plan B. We rely too much on man to man match-ups and are getting easily exposed against better players, They remarked that even Liverpool, Man City etc adjust their tactics to fit who ever they are playing.
It's pretty obvious that we just don't have the quality of players to play this way against the better teams.
I didn't expect to win today but I am still concerned about how easily we were torn apart today. We will stay up if we continue to get results against the teams below us but it would be nice if we could become a bit more competitive against the top level teams.
From past evidence I'm not sure that Bielsa is willing to change anything though.

[HarryofOz]

It's the midfield that's the issue. Rodrigo pushes higher leaving Klich and therefore Phillips with more to do. Last season we started with Klich and Forshaw in there to tighten things up, maybe we need more options in there.

But when Bielsa started Dallas and Klich in the midfield and we failed to win, the fans were calling for Rodrigo to start.