Pre-season Games - Villarreal v Leeds

[Carrick Dave]

As we were at Stoke last year ...

No problem, as long as we don't get mercilessly humped at Old Trafford. Otherwise it looks like we got a timely wake-up call and deliberately ignored it.

[Irish Ian]

So... on a scale of 1 to 10.

How bad was it?

[Smudge3920]

So... on a scale of 1 to 10.

How bad was it?

5

[Cjay]

You really dont get it do you.. so dissapointing Leon...you are the one SAYING we will be beat before they even take the field!... What gives you the right to speak for "all the fans" as you put it...some accept what pre season is all about, you it appears base everything on it .

Pre season is about fitness, finding your best 11, polishing your style of play, moulding a cohesive unit.

I am sure Bielsa doesnt shrug his shoulders though and go "ah well never mind" after every defeat in pre season. Especially when the performances are so poor

And lets not make out Ajax to be this European powerhouse, they are miles off that these days and rarely even trouble the latter stages of the Europa League never mind Champion League. In fact this since 2000 we have played in more European football semi-finals than Ajax (2 to 1).

So they arent this footballing powerhouse.

Yet their reserves who were mainly teenagers beat us comfortably this afternoon despite 4 or 5 members of our first choice match day 18 appearing and then their first team ran rings around us this evening.

So i dont see why you feel personally offended if others arent happy about our crap performances recently.

And Bielsa isnt perfect, maybe he wont fix it? Maybe the core of this team have nothing left after 3 4 years of Bielsa ball? Maybe they needed more of an evolution as was said?

Nobody knows how a team reacts to four seasons of BielsaBall, it hasn't happened before, what has is our players have spoken about their tiredness, Bamford, klich etc, maybe they cant do any more?

We dont know yet, i have my own opinions as i have addressed before, maybe i am wrong maybe not but its perfectly understandable for people to be very concerned this pre season imo given what we have watched and i hope if the club were in any doubts then this has now changed their mind.

We need investment.

[Cjay]

So... on a scale of 1 to 10.

How bad was it?

3

Having a 2nd string 11 including multiple first team members dicked by a group of teenagers then the first team played of the park in the same day is a low.

[Carrick Dave]

3.

Really wasn't good Ian. Very few Leeds players who could claim to have bested their opponent at full time. Ajax were excellent by comparison.

[Smudge3920]

Pre season is about fitness, finding your best 11, polishing your style of play, moulding a cohesive unit.

I am sure Bielsa doesnt shrug his shoulders though and go "ah well never mind" after every defeat in pre season. Especially when the performances are so poor

And lets not make out Ajax to be this European powerhouse, they are miles off that these days and rarely even trouble the latter stages of the Europa League never mind Champion League. In fact this since 2000 we have played in more European football semi-finals than Ajax (2 to 1).

So they arent this footballing powerhouse.

Yet their reserves who were mainly teenagers beat us comfortably this afternoon despite 4 or 5 members of our first choice match day 18 appearing and then their first team ran rings around us this evening.

So i dont see why you feel personally offended if others arent happy about our crap performances recently.

And Bielsa isnt perfect, maybe he wont fix it? Maybe the core of this team have nothing left after 3 4 years of Bielsa ball? Maybe they needed more of an evolution as was said?

Nobody knows how a team reacts to four seasons of BielsaBall, it hasn't happened before, what has is our players have spoken about their tiredness, Bamford, klich etc, maybe they cant do any more?

We dont know yet, i have my own opinions as i have addressed before, maybe i am wrong maybe not but its perfectly understandable for people to be very concerned this pre season imo given what we have watched and i hope if the club were in any doubts then this has now changed their mind.

We need investment.

1...I dont "shrug my shoulders" and say "ah never mind" either.
2...Ajax have been more consistant than we have by far over the last 17 seasons...so dont give me that crap.
3... They deserved to win, but they did not run rings around us as you state...we made some glaring mistakes and as I stated earlier...

Post by Smudge3920 » Wed Aug 04, 2021 2:08 pm

There we have it, some pointers to take away from this game. Ajax fully deserved the result, but it was not an emphatic 4-0 hammering. We definately missed the glue that holds us together in Kalvin, Llorente sorely missed to control the box. Luke needs to be at right back we need his skills down the right side. Lets not forget, pre season or not this is not a minor team we were playing, but one of the top clubs in the world, a techniclly gifted team. We showed them far to much respect at the back and we were a little lack luster up front.

Onwards...MB will have it sorted for the opener...MOT

4...Where you get I am personally offended by all this I have no idea...just wanting to start a flame thread methinks...
5...Maybe you are right, maybe MB cant fix it... but I bet he doesnt whine and cry about it like most on here...he will do his utmost to correct it.
6... The old Bielsa crap... they are professionals, paid lots of money with the best care in the world at their dispposal...
7....Of course there is concern...I have it also...what I will not do is waste my time whining and crying about it, when there is so many variables in all this.
8...A SG said we lost 3-0 to Stoke last pre season and the usual culprits all had there meltdown just as now.

We are moving forward and all the whining and crying as not changed that yet... MOT

[Cjay]

1...I dont "shrug my shoulders" and say "ah never mind" either.
2...Ajax have been more consistant than we have by far over the last 17 seasons...so dont give me that crap.
3... They deserved to win, but they did not run rings around us as you state...we made some glaring mistakes and as I stated earlier...

4...Where you get I am personally offended by all this I have no idea...just wanting to start a flame thread methinks...
5...Maybe you are right, maybe MB cant fix it... but I bet he doesnt whine and cry about it like most on here...he will do his utmost to correct it.
6... The old Bielsa crap... they are professionals, paid lots of money with the best care in the world at their dispposal...
7....Of course there is concern...I have it also...what I will not do is waste my time whining and crying about it, when there is so many variables in all this.
8...A SG said we lost 3-0 to Stoke last pre season and the usual culprits all had there meltdown just as now.

We are moving forward and all the whining and crying as not changed that yet... MOT

edit i removed my response because i very nearly let your rudeness turn me into someone i never have been on this forum.

And i wont let that happen.

If and when you leave i will come back but until such a time i am out.

[Overman]

edit i removed my response because i very nearly let your rudeness turn me into someone i never have been on this forum.

And i wont let that happen.

If and when you leave i will come back but until such a time i am out.

Don't take the bait, he's a wind up merchant and clearly over compensating for some sort of inadequacy. What I find more perplexing, is how he is given free reign on here to insult and belittle others. It must be some sort of 'old boys' brigade, as he gets away with it time and time again.

[Irish Ian]

Don't take the bait, he's a wind up merchant and clearly over compensating for some sort of inadequacy. What I find more perplexing, is how he is given free reign on here to insult and belittle others. It must be some sort of 'old boys' brigade, as he gets away with it time and time again.

[Smudge3920]

The potential head injury to Shacks is very worrying, let us hope that it is not a severe concussion, indeed not a concussion at all, but he sure looked shaky going off... Was it just me or did it appear as if MB was giving Shacks a bit of a hard time?

[Smudge3920]

[hector]

Don't take the bait, he's a wind up merchant and clearly over compensating for some sort of inadequacy. What I find more perplexing, is how he is given free reign on here to insult and belittle others. It must be some sort of 'old boys' brigade, as he gets away with it time and time again.

Let me put you straight on a few things here please.

Out of the 2 of you, Smudge does not have free reign to insult and belittle others, and there is no 'old boys brigade'

In fact you come on here after anyone has a go at Smudge and then join in, and freely insult Smudge with absolutely NO provocation..

So if anyone gets away with it, so far it has been you.

You will note, that Smudge has not replied to your insults and 'digs' and this puts him now on the moral high ground.

Let me assure you, if Smudge was half as insulting to other members as you are to him, there would have been multiple shouts for him to be banned. This has not happened.

If you don't like what he writes (which to be fair is bloody obvious) don't reply, and please do not just jump in and insult him without provocation.

Thank you

[danhirons]

has anyone got a list of the results from past pre-seasons?

I just don't get this though because Bielsa is well-known for every training session to require 100 per cent intensity as if it were a game - and so it just doesn't naturally follow to me that he would allow friendlies to be played at such a low intensity/effort level.

[Overman]

Let me put you straight on a few things here please.

Out of the 2 of you, Smudge does not have free reign to insult and belittle others, and there is no 'old boys brigade'

In fact you come on here after anyone has a go at Smudge and then join in, and freely insult Smudge with absolutely NO provocation..

So if anyone gets away with it, so far it has been you.

You will note, that Smudge has not replied to your insults and 'digs' and this puts him now on the moral high ground.

Let me assure you, if Smudge was half as insulting to other members as you are to him, there would have been multiple shouts for him to be banned. This has not happened.

If you don't like what he writes (which to be fair is bloody obvious) don't reply, and please do not just jump in and insult him without provocation.

Thank you

If you bother checking it's been quite a while since my last posting. So Hector, clearly it's ok for him to continually insult other posters and deride the opinions of others. A few posters have even decided to call it a day on here, does that not indicate something? I have never emailed the moderators asking for him to be banned. I think your posting lacks impartiality, hence my original point. If you feel the need to ban me for posting this, then please go ahead, as I am completely indifferent.

Thank you

[1964white]

has anyone got a list of the results from past pre-seasons?

I just don't get this though because Bielsa is well-known for every training session to require 100 per cent intensity as if it were a game - and so it just doesn't naturally follow to me that he would allow friendlies to be played at such a low intensity/effort level.

There you are Dan.

Our previous friendlies under Bielsa

Hopefully we'll be ready to go with all cylinders firing come the 14th August.

17/07/18 CLF Forest Green Rovers 1 - 2 Leeds United
19/07/18 CLF York City 1 - 1 Leeds United
22/07/18 CLF Southend United 1 - 1 Leeds United
24/07/18 CLF Oxford United 4 - 3 Leeds United
26/07/18 CLF Guiseley 3 - 4 Leeds United
29/07/18 CLF Leeds United 1 - 0 Las Palmas
10/07/19 CLF York City 0 - 5 Leeds United
11/07/19 CLF Guiseley 1 - 2 Leeds United
17/07/19 CLF Manchester United 4 - 0 Leeds United
20/07/19 CLF Western Sydney Wanderers 1 - 2 Leeds United
27/07/19 CLF Cagliari 1 - 1 Leeds United[/color]

[1964white]

Have to add the opposition we are facing are far greater than in the past

Real Betis, Ajax & Villarreal (2021 Europa Cup winners) were always going to be tough!

[danhirons]

There you are Dan.

Our previous friendlies under Bielsa

Unconvincing to say the least. Hopefully we'll be ready to go with all cylinders firing come the 14th August.

17/07/18 CLF Forest Green Rovers 1 - 2 Leeds United
19/07/18 CLF York City 1 - 1 Leeds United
22/07/18 CLF Southend United 1 - 1 Leeds United
24/07/18 CLF Oxford United 4 - 3 Leeds United
26/07/18 CLF Guiseley 3 - 4 Leeds United
29/07/18 CLF Leeds United 1 - 0 Las Palmas
10/07/19 CLF York City 0 - 5 Leeds United
11/07/19 CLF Guiseley 1 - 2 Leeds United
17/07/19 CLF Manchester United 4 - 0 Leeds United View events
20/07/19 CLF Western Sydney Wanderers 1 - 2 Leeds United
27/07/19 CLF Cagliari 1 - 1 Leeds United[/color]

Thanks for providing this!!

As you say, maybe the poor pre season shouldn't be any concern at all then - bizarre though!

[lufc1304]

We're fans, we want our team to win every game, no matter the competition, no matter the opposition so it stings when we get humped. But it is pre-season, it is about fitness and formation and maybe trying players in different positions. A poor pre-season does not necessarily mean we will have a poor season, nor would a great pre-season mean we were going to sweep all before us. I remember us outplaying and beating PL Newcastle a few pre-seasons back only to then have a mediocre Championship campaign. There's no correlation, imo. That said, I am concerned we haven't got an AMF, but I remain hopeful. To finish, we all get worked up because we care, but that isn't an excuse to take potshots at each other. All Leeds, aren't we??

[Allrounder]

The potential head injury to Shacks is very worrying, let us hope that it is not a severe concussion, indeed not a concussion at all, but he sure looked shaky going off... Was it just me or did it appear as if MB was giving Shacks a bit of a hard time?

I commented on that during the match time as well. I have no idea what Bielsa was saying, but it looked like he was yelling at Shacks to get up. If that was the case really poor stuff from MB, the lad got a serious blow. But I need to be careful with premature conclusions as there could be that MB was saying something else?