Leeds Utd v Brighton Match Thread - Casilla starts in net as Meslier missing for Leeds

[Carrick Dave]

Was excited about Rodrigo but he is definitely the wrong player, if it was a De Paul or a Rodrigoit had to be De Paul.

According to Kinnear we were never in the frame for De Paul. Whether we should have been is another argument.

[YorkshireSquare]

According to Kinnear we were never in the frame for De Paul. Whether we should have been is another argument.

I'm not sure he put it quite like that. He said we never made a formal offer but I think there were definitely conversations going on. We just weren't keen on the prce tag.

[SG90]

Totally agree ‘64.

I am convinced that the Crawley game is coming back to bite us. When you’ve an “easy” chance to build momentum, build confidence and settle people in a system you really should take it. Instead there was damage done, confidence dented and a certain amount of disharmony from such a self inflicted wound.

Today, playing on our own pitch, which is like a ploughed field, we play both our wingers on the wrong side all game, we expect a 21 year old who has around 10 starts for us to step into Philips boots and hold his own, we saunter around the pitch for 45 minutes as if it’s a warm up and we bring on three subs that haven’t even come close to scoring this season and think that it will all work out. Daft!

The pitch won’t change and neither will the squad but our attitude certainly can. There was no passion. We didn’t hunt them down like we know we can. There are stupid mistakes made far too often and we are not utilizing the players we have to their maximum putting then in new and unnatural positions. Players like Klich, Rodrigo, Dallas, Alioski and Raphinha all look incapable of catching up with opponents that go past them. If we’re so fit, what is that about? A full ER would have had something to say about all of the above.

Bielsa needs to sort all of what can be sorted urgently. We knew we’d lose more than we won this year, but losing through lack of effort, constant silly errors and daft use of the class we have, isn’t good enough.

Well said. Completely agree.

[Carrick Dave]

Each season with MB we have a rough patch around midway. Every time, without fail, fans lose their s**t and go into apocalypse mode. Every time, there are also reasons to see, with injuries, forced rotations, loss of form and, more rarely, superior play or tactics from the opposition. Every time also, we've shown the character, desire and quality to come through it and succeed. We are where we are for a reason. We have a superior coach, some excellent players, and a superb spirit and philosophy.

We were never going to win every game at this level. Is this the first time we've lost to a lower placed club? It takes us time to click into gear and build momentum. I feared a Cup hangover for this reason. We need games and continuity, not breaks and constant disruption. Players are returning to fitness and from suspension... we'll get it back.

[Cjay]

According to Kinnear we were never in the frame for De Paul. Whether we should have been is another argument.

Looks ideal for us and how many newly promoted teams get a come and get me plea from one of the top players statistically in Europe over the last few seasons in a position they need and ignore it?

If Kinnear is telling the truth then Orta and Kinnear should sod off (still personally dont rate either of them tbh, not sure what Kinnear does and Orta's so fortunate MB is good at polishing).

But as SG said how have we gone from Cuisance (whether he was right or not i dont know) but we wanted a creative cm in the summer, whats changed?

[SG90]

Looks ideal for us and how many newly promoted teams get a come and get me plea from one of the top players statistically in Europe over the last few seasons in a position they need and ignore it?

If Kinnear is telling the truth then Orta and Kinnear should sod off (still personally dont rate either of them tbh, not sure what Kinnear does and Orta's so fortunate MB is good at polishing).

But as SG said how have we gone from Cuisance (whether he was right or not i dont know) but we wanted a creative cm in the summer, whats changed?

Same with Almada as well.

[White Riot]

If you look at the positives we are are still well placed at 12th, and only one point below Arsenal.

And injuries to Koch and Llorente haven't helped our cause either. This year it's all about surviving to be honest.

You're right, survival is more than sufficient for us.

The inadequacies of this squad have been fully exposed over the last three matches.

I still think the biggest factor that's killing us at home is that ploughed field.

Looking at the others in the lower half of the table, we have enough to at least survive.

I'll still predict we'll finish 10th

[SG90]

You'll be saying we only won the championship because of Covid next!

Maybe Peter is Karen Carney

[Carrick Dave]

I'm not sure he put it quite like that. He said we never made a formal offer but I think there were definitely conversations going on. We just weren't keen on the prce tag.

I recall him saying he and Orta were amazed at how the media snowballed our interest and allowed it to shield our pursuit of Cuisance - maybe I’m dreaming.

[SG90]

It's frustrating because I think we can finish top half if we get a couple signings in in January. Mid table looks very average this year.

[SG90]

You're right, survival is more than sufficient for us.

The inadequacies of this squad have been fully exposed over the last three matches.

I still think the biggest factor that's killing us at home is that ploughed field.

Looking at the others in the lower half of the table, we have enough to at least survive.

I'll still predict we'll finish 10th

Our last home game was December 27th. Why did we do nothing to the pitch in that time?

[YorkshireSquare]

I recall him saying he and Orta were amazed at how the media snowballed our interest and allowed it to shield our pursuit of Cuisance - maybe I’m dreaming.

I think De Paul was always a Radrizzani pipe dream.

[White Riot]

Same with Almada as well.

Apart from the CBs that we got, our biggest other two priorities in the summer should have been a number 10 and a LB, but we got neither, and it has shown all season long.

Rodrigo's a striker shoved in to number 10 and why we got yet another winger ahead of the above priorities I don't know?

[YorkshireSquare]

Our last home game was December 27th. Why did we do nothing to the pitch in that time?

Do what? We've not had enough time to put a new one in. Was last fully reconstructed 25 years ago with the playing surface last replaced in 2013. They have worked on it a lot but the weather here over the past week and a half probably set them back quite a bit.

[dezzy]

Do what? We've not had enough time to put a new one in. Was last fully reconstructed 25 years ago with the playing surface last replaced in 2013. They have worked on it a lot but the weather here over the past week and a half probably set them back quite a bit.

Agree, the pitch wasn’t in a state for lack of effort from the ground staff. Crazy it hasn’t been replaced in 8 years

[Carrick Dave]

It wasn't burnout or tiredness. I think it's pretty obvious we need 2 games a week, or at least one game a week to maintain the level.

I don’t subscribe to the burnout theory and know where you’re coming from regarding quick turnarounds leading to better performances, but there appeared to be signs of fatigue today for whatever reason.

Some of Pablo’s balls were going astray because teammates - I’m thinking of Klich, Dallas, Harrison here - seemed a half second slow in reading his intention, and they’re usually on his wavelength. Even the commentator commented on tired attempts to get on the end of his passes.

Hopefully it’s a one-off.

[White Riot]

Our last home game was December 27th. Why did we do nothing to the pitch in that time?

I think it's a long-standing issue with the pitch SG that they seem unable to fix.

With the uncertainty of when the season would re-start last summer they were unable to re-lay the pitch, and then we were straight into this season.

From what I heard it takes 10-12 weeks to re-lay a pitch and bed it in, so we haven't had sufficient time to do the job that needed to be done.

Having said all that, the pitch today carved up like a Xmas turkey and really compromises our style of play. So something needs to be done to improve it.

In the current situation I'd be delighted to play all of our matches away from ER, it's handicapping our play and affecting performances and results.

Not saying that's the only reason, but it is a huge factor.

[Chilli D]

Fulham's pitch looks miles better than ours.

[White Riot]

Fulham's pitch looks miles better than ours.

So did Crawley's

[dezzy]

If Meslier was out due to covid, would that have meant the training ground was closed so we couldn’t train for part of the week? We looked off and far from sharp today, lots of wrong options and stray passes. We never really got going. Really disappointed after that result, but fair play to Brighton to play like that with so many players missing, big opportunity missed