Manchester United v Leeds United Match Thread - Dallas at left back, Koch in for Phillips

[Leeds1000]

I think it will be Pascal & Coops if pre-season is owt to go on. I would prefer Koch in instead of Coops, Coops will struggle with the pace of MU but i think they all will at the back tbf. Will Bielsa be tempted to go with a Phillips Koch defensive line with Phillips pushing on when we are in possession? its been mentioned on here and its a option for sure, it would certainly plug that gaping hole in CM.

My dodgy stick is on the production line as we speak hopefully arriving tomorrow, then its all systems go. Well not really, i am working for the game but you can't win them all. Come on Leeds lets show this bottomless snake money pit lot what spirit we have developed.

[whiteroseboy]

If that's the case with Cooper & Koch starting, Pascal would be very unlucky to be dropped as he has already proved his worth in the 2nd part of last season, been decent in pre-season friendlies too!

Agree Struijk would be in my first 11 based on performance.

[The Subhuman]

It'll be interesting, MB likes his right side left side CB pairing so Struijk and Cooper doesn't make a lot of sense, Neither are right sided..

Llorente or Koch on the right, Llorente is injured

Cooper or Struijk on the left. Struijk is better but Coop gives us an experienced captain

[1964white]

I think it will be Pascal & Coops if pre-season is owt to go on. I would prefer Koch in instead of Coops, Coops will struggle with the pace of MU but i think they all will at the back tbf. Will Bielsa be tempted to go with a Phillips Koch defensive line with Phillips pushing on when we are in possession? its been mentioned on here and its a option for sure, it would certainly plug that gaping hole in CM.

My dodgy stick is on the production line as we speak hopefully arriving tomorrow, then its all systems go. Well not really, i am working for the game but you can't win them all. Come on Leeds lets show this bottomless snake money pit lot what spirit we have developed.

Stop them running straight through the middle of us as they did with great effect last season.

Can't see Bielsa going with that option tbh.

[Byebyegeegee]

Another very tough opener for the 2nd season running and again I’m not particularly expecting a win. I thought we were unlucky to lose to Liverpool in the 1st game last year but that narrow defeat seemed set us up for what turned out to be an impressive season. If we can play well against Scum this time round and get a decent result - even a narrow defeat might have the same effect.

Come on Leeds!

[danhirons]

If that's the case with Cooper & Koch starting, Pascal would be very unlucky to be dropped as he has already proved his worth in the 2nd part of last season, been decent in pre-season friendlies too!

I agree, think it would be very harsh on coops too though who played great last season as well. Just think coops seems to start whenever he's fit under Bielsa and it's hard to not start your captain (although if anyone would do it, it would probably be bielsa!). Not long now anyway...!

[Cjay]

No we're not. Koch is as good and how we wailed when we lost him last season.. There's zero step down to Koch/Struijk from Llorente/Struijk. It wasn't jus Llorente that contributed to the better defensive effort. We got better through time and familiarity too.

We adapted and were less gung ho and familiarity helped as you say.

However imo Llorente was a major reason for our improvement and it would be doing him a massive disservice to say otherwise imo.

Koch did ok, Struijk was good generally, Llorente was an absolute rock.

[The Subhuman]

We adapted and were less gung ho and familiarity helped as you say.

However imo Llorente was a major reason for our improvement and it would be doing him a massive disservice to say otherwise imo.

Koch did ok, Struijk was good generally, Llorente was an absolute rock.

Because he got the game time, Koch was playing very well when he went down don't forget. Had he stayed fit Llorente hardly plays last season ..

[rab_rant]

Lay off Tyler and Helgar you big bullies, I'm going to report you to maton and she will go to the headmaster and you'll all be in for six of the best.

Just because Helgar's cornrows compete with Bill's man bun, and Tyler copies Kalvin's frizz that is no reason to be so mean.

If you do not stop it will be detention for the lot of you... besides Helgar is Raphinha's BF so just lay off will you... or you might find a frogs head under your pillow back in the dorm.

[mothbanquet]

Why couldn't we have had Arsenal for our opening game...

[White Riot]

Lets hope Struijk is one of our CB's

Our 2nd best CB imo!

Yeah, I'll second that Leon, for a young lad Struijk is brilliant

Bielsa's press conference the other day clearly illustrated that he has fell in love with Leeds United. It was really good to hear him say that he's happy with the squad and he virtually said that this is the most organized and well run club he's ever encountered. That's very high praise from a football guru

I'm hoping Bielsa goes with:

Meslier (Brilliant news that we've tied him down until 2026 )
Ayling (Never a CB imo, he's an amazingly passionate and committed person )
Koch (Never a DCM, and needs time to settle in again at CB, but is 2nd choice to Llorente imo)
Struijk (Will progress further and become one of the best EPL CBs)
Firpo (We should be patient with him, him and Ayling need to stop crosses coming in, end of, we failed to do that last season and it cost us many goals)
Phillips (Just needs to avoid the distractions and get his head down and play, has the potential to be world class and he leads this team imo)
Dallas (More of the same please and ditto what I feel about Ayling)
Klich (If he's got over the injury that hampered him last season, then he could really shine and improve this season)
Raphinha (Our flair player, who keeps defenders guessing, could he develop into our vacant position at 10?)
Bamford (Has muscled up and looks full of confidence, I expect great things from him this season, would be nice if he proves Southgate wrong)
Harrison (Great first season in the EPL, just needs to be more confident and not dally when he gest the chance, amazing first touch)

9 subs allowed:
Klaeson
Cooper
Cresswell
Shackleton
Costa
Rodrigo
Poveda
Summerville
Roberts

I really hope we can start well against the dirty Manurinals, get in their faces and catch them cold, like they caught us last season. I still feel we need a playmaker, a winger and to move Costa, and probably Roberts on, neither is good enough at EPL level imo.

Come on Leeds let's have these bastards

[White Riot]

Why couldn't we have had Arsenal for our opening game...

Cos we want to humiliate the Scum in their own backyard Moth

[White Riot]

Bielsa's happy with where we're at, so I'm expecting a good performance. Opening game, predicted a draw, but could go either way.

So you're 3 X sitting on the fence there Sara

[WestgateRun]

A capacity 76,000 crowd is expected at the "Theatre of Dreams".
It wasn't long ago that their fans were invading the stadium and getting fixtures postponed.
A couple of bad results and the wheels could fall off Ollie's wagon.

[danhirons]

A capacity 76,000 crowd is expected at the "Theatre of Dreams".
It wasn't long ago that their fans were invading the stadium and getting fixtures postponed.
A couple of bad results and the wheels could fall off Ollie's wagon.

protesting against the owners, not solskjaer

think they're pretty content with him tbh, done a reasonable job

[danhirons]

also please get behind coops when he inevitably starts! ;)

[The Subhuman]

[danhirons]

wow firpo not starting...odd

[danhirons]

no phillips...ffs bielsa

[Irish Ian]

Anything better than the 2-6 will do.