Leeds United v Everton Match Thread - Bamford & Raphinha Start

[1964white]

4 goals and 4 assists in just 13 matches of action.

At that rate he will reach 10 in both, its inevitable i think.

Will test Radz's ambition.

Bit like Villa and Grealish, if we have ambitions above being midtable we keep Raph

That's the return we should be acquiring from our wingers/midfielders.

We'll surely build a team around Raph & last summer's signings

[1964white]

I haven't seen it back yet 64 but the space he had was criminal at first glance. Their top man aswell as you say.

You won't want to see it again 1000, the defending was truly shocking

[CHAPELALLMAN]

What a difference 90 minutes makes. After our win against Leicester we were 'looking up the table'...now

With our stuttering ER form and our inabillity to do the basics in terms of defending, we are looking at somewhere between 11th to 15th.

We may have an exceptional CB in Charlie Cresswell - he captains the U23s despite playing alongside a few 1st teamers. Time to look for an alternative to Cooper. I don't think we will see much of Llorente this season.

[1964white]

Why don’t we just put someone on the post for corners? We are so crap at corners it’s a bit of insurance that would have given us a point tonight. These self inflicted goals have robbed us of so many points this season. So much good work and play undone so easily.

I think we have conceded goals to unmarked players at the back post on five occasions this season.

It won't be the last time too

[1964white]

Have to say for all the positivity, our defending on both goals was dreadful.

KP lost Sigurdsson totally on the 1st and Cooper on the 2nd.

Well taken goals but lapses that cost us.

MB has to do something about set pieces, its been crap for 3 years now.

Woeful Cjay

[1964white]

I'm looking forward to having a fully fit Koch....

That's a bit personal Chilli

[danhirons]

With our stuttering ER form and our inabillity to do the basics in terms of defending, we are looking at somewhere between 11th to 15th.

We may have an exceptional CB in Charlie Cresswell - he captains the U23s despite playing alongside a few 1st teamers. Time to look for an alternative to Cooper. I don't think we will see much of Llorente this season.

Mmm yes let's drop our captain for an u23s player who's played probably less than 5 senior games, all in meaningless cup games, to partner our other extremely young and inexperienced centre back struijk!

[Cjay]

Woeful Cjay

Very poor unfortunately.

Hopefully when Koch and Llorente are fully fit it will improve

Didnt reflect well on Cooper and Struijk either with a free man in the pen box on goal 1.

[1964white]

When Pablo entered in the pitch our attacks automatically started with him. I think he was unlucky with the rain.

Pablo also had to contend with defensive fresh legs Everton brought on who were quick to close him down.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Mmm yes let's drop our captain for an u23s player who's played probably less than 5 senior games, all in meaningless cup games, to partner our other extremely young and inexperienced centre back struijk!

Let's keep looking back at how we won the championship with mainly championship players and thereby stay a mid PL side at best by refusing to move on from some of the mainstays of that side. You would think that we have an excellent defensive record which we are afraid of tinkering with...

As someone else mentioned, Ayling acts more like a captain on the pitch. Cooper has no presence in the air quite simply - I've lost count of the number of times that the ball comes in to the box an inch or two above his head. It's usually a case of ' he didn't quite make it. '

White was an inexperienced CB at the start of last season - I remember many saying that we were taking a big chance with such an inexperienced player. Well 1.5 seasons later he is a decent PL CB....If you are good enough you are old enough. At one time the club took a chance on inexperienced teens such as Lorimer, Hunter and Gray...

[Prisoner37]

If anyone is feeling a bit down after tonight; Burnley have had a total of 3 shots in their last 2 games, none on target.

[Cjay]

Dont think replacing Cooper with Cresswell makes sense, at the end of the day we are 11th and Coops has played his part.

He is however one who needs to be a squad player at best next season.

Like a few in our side (and MB actually said similar the other day about the squaf) he is having to perform above himself at this level to compete. That wont last, no shame in that.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Dont think replacing Cooper with Cresswell makes sense, at the end of the day we are 11th and Coops has played his part.

He is however one who needs to be a squad player at best next season.

Like a few in our side (and MB actually said similar the other day about the squaf) he is having to perform above himself at this level to compete. That wont last, no shame in that.

Well replacing Jansson with White seemed to make little sense at the start of last season...We are leaking goals right now, and have all season. Cooper has been part of that. At least bring Cresswell on for half an hour or so from time to time. Let's see what he can do.

[Cjay]

Well replacing Jansson with White seemed to make little sense at the start of last season...We are leaking goals right now, and have all season. Cooper has been part of that. At least bring Cresswell on for half an hour or so from time to time. Let's see what he can do.

He has but the nature of our style makes us easy to get at if just 1 1v1 goes against us.

As the squad improves we will concede less imo.

Cresswell is a kid with no experience in senior football whatsoever, if you chuck a player in before they are ready you can ruin their career.

Casey was seen as a brighter prospect than Cresswell when we played Hull, he was miles out of hia depth.

Its easy to overrate players based on u23 football imo, id ve very nervous if we started our u23s in Prem games over established senior players regardless of my opinions on that player.

White had at least some senior experience toughening up in lower leagues, i suspect Cresswell would look like a boy vs players like Harry Kane and the Prem strikers.

[1964white]

Dont think replacing Cooper with Cresswell makes sense, at the end of the day we are 11th and Coops has played his part.

He is however one who needs to be a squad player at best next season.

Like a few in our side (and MB actually said similar the other day about the squaf) he is having to perform above himself at this level to compete. That wont last, no shame in that.

Coops would have been a squad player this season had Koch & Llorente remained fit.

[Smudge3920]

He has but the nature of our style makes us easy to get at if just 1 1v1 goes against us.

As the squad improves we will concede less imo.

Cresswell is a kid with no experience in senior football whatsoever, if you chuck a player in before they are ready you can ruin their career.

Casey was seen as a brighter prospect than Cresswell when we played Hull, he was miles out of hia depth.

Its easy to overrate players based on u23 football imo, id ve very nervous if we started our u23s in Prem games over established senior players regardless of my opinions on that player.

White had at least some senior experience toughening up in lower leagues, i suspect Cresswell would look like a boy vs players like Harry Kane and the Prem strikers.

Agree with all you wrote there CJ... Casey, Cresswell and Summerville I see getting some game time when we have secured safety...

Coops would have been a squad player this season had Koch & Llorente remained fit.

Cannot disagree that Coops would undoubtlebly have been the 3rd/4th CB had it worked out with Kock/Llorente this season, but I cannot be anything but full of praise the way Coops has stepped up to the plate.

[HarryofOz]

With our stuttering ER form and our inabillity to do the basics in terms of defending, we are looking at somewhere between 11th to 15th.

We may have an exceptional CB in Charlie Cresswell - he captains the U23s despite playing alongside a few 1st teamers. Time to look for an alternative to Cooper. I don't think we will see much of Llorente this season.

I'm not denying the issues that we have defending. But the general mood swings that change from 'it's so good' to 'it's so bad' depending on one result.

I must admit that one thing I would like to see Bielsa do is put a defender on each post when we are defending corners. I know that no team does it nowadays (it's a blast from the past).

Especially in our case where we struggle to get to the ball anyway, so I would like to see that extra line of defence added for corners.

PS Does anyone know why the practice of having defenders on posts for corners stopped.

[Smudge3920]

HarryofOz wrote...
PS Does anyone know why the practice of having defenders on posts for corners stopped.

Something I have hated also H...my best guess is everyone fell in love with the man to man stuff for corners...I agree we should have the corners blocked... I often wondered to if Jack Charlton had anything to do with it ...he used to park himself right on the goal line and could out jump any of them... so pulling the guys of the line made offsides more prominant.

[HarryofOz]

Something I have hated also H...my best guess is everyone fell in love with the man to man stuff for corners...I agree we should have the corners blocked... I often wondered to if Jack Charlton had anything to do with it ...he used to park himself right on the goal line and could out jump any of them... so pulling the guys of the line made offsides more prominant.

I agree, can't stand it.

Obviously there is no way of telling if there is a net benefit (pun intended ) of course, but I've lost count of the number of goals that could have been prevented by having defenders on the post.

[Smudge3920]

I agree, can't stand it.

Obviously there is no way of telling if there is a net benefit (pun intended ) of course, but I've lost count of the number of goals that could have been prevented by having defenders on the post.

IMO at least 5 this season mate ...