Written off stars shine brightest tonight

[weasel]

No doubt all around the Leeds fan base there were groans as Bielsa's team line-up was announced. Dan James up front and Gelhardt on the bench again. Dan James the player being played out of position and being used by many fans as another stick to hit Bielsa with. It was James though that was electric in the first half. His first goal showing great composure and confidence to finish with an immaculate finish. His goal though was not the only highlight as he continually linked up play with clever flicks and round the corner passes. A thunderbolt shot was millimetres from putting Leeds 2-0 up thumping off the crossbar. A second goal then would have probably killed Villa off but football is such a fickle game and within moments of that let off Villa were level. Villa have their very own written off star in Philip Coutinho. Coutinho never seemed to fit into the Barcelona side despite the huge fee they paid for him. Discarded by Barcelona but snapped up by his pal Steven Gerrard he showed his class as he scored and then had 2 assists. The game had turned on its head. Back though came the 'midget,' James, jumping highest and putting his head where it hurt to bring Leeds back to 2-3 on the stroke of half time.

Half time saw many Leeds fans eating humble pie. Bielsa's faith, ridiculed as madness, in playing James up front paying off as he once again shows how he can improve players. Man Utd fans watching would surely be wishing they still had the player.

Fans who quickly write off players were also being treated by an impressive performance from Rodrigo. Many fans who wanted him to leave on loan to Barcelona were being treated to a show of class by a player who has hardly had chance to get a settled run in the Leeds sidde due to injuries and Covid.

Will the same fans who are quick to judge now jump on the back of Raphinha? It was a subdued performance from the superstar whilst the lesser stars took their chance to shine.

[Byebyegeegee]

James was excellent tonight, Rodrigo was decent, Raphinha was the weak link, I think that’s the first time this season we’ve had that combination. If the 1st two can reproduce that sort of form regularly through to the end of the season and Raphinha can get back to his usual performance level then I’m sure nobody will be complaining.

[velo]

James was excellent tonight, Rodrigo was decent, Raphinha was the weak link, I think that’s the first time this season we’ve had that combination. If the 1st two can reproduce that sort of form regularly through to the end of the season and Raphinha can get back to his usual performance level then I’m sure nobody will be complaining.

Agreed, but with the small squad we struggle if one or two have bad games, as there is no back up

[weasel]

Agreed, but with the small squad we struggle if one or two have bad games, as there is no back up

We did. I think if it was James or Harrison playing that poorly on the wing they would have been subbed. I'd have personally taken Raphinha off around the hour mark to bring Gelhardt on and put James on the wing. I think though the temptation is to leave Raphinha on becuase even playing that poor he could just provide a moment of magic.

[velo]

We did. I think if it was James or Harrison playing that poorly on the wing they would have been subbed. I'd have personally taken Raphinha off around the hour mark to bring Gelhardt on and put James on the wing. I think though the temptation is to leave Raphinha on becuase even playing that poor he could just provide a moment of magic.

Yep, I think Rapha was poor, but as James was on fire, we didn't get to see Tyler( thankfully) As much as everyone, I'd have loved to see Gelhardt , but Roberts would have got the call first

[1964white]

We did. I think if it was James or Harrison playing that poorly on the wing they would have been subbed. I'd have personally taken Raphinha off around the hour mark to bring Gelhardt on and put James on the wing. I think though the temptation is to leave Raphinha on becuase even playing that poor he could just provide a moment of magic.

Raphinha had a mare!

Obviously, the two games for Brazil & all the travelling knackered our star player.

His teammates stood up to the plate tonight.

I'm exhausted just watching that game

[1964white]

James immense tonight

[Byebyegeegee]

We did. I think if it was James or Harrison playing that poorly on the wing they would have been subbed. I'd have personally taken Raphinha off around the hour mark to bring Gelhardt on and put James on the wing. I think though the temptation is to leave Raphinha on becuase even playing that poor he could just provide a moment of magic.

Agree absolutely with that weasel. Raphinha never really looked “at the races” tonight but with him you just never know.

[Mountain]

I’m sure nobody will be complaining.

Oh I'd be fairly certain the complaining won't stop!

Villa haul in Coutinho on 380k a week. Leeds missing crucial players like the main striker and midfielder. The only reason we narrow the gulf is because of Bielsa. But I'm certain he'll still get the square pegs and pet projects abuse because we're not 8th and, you know, if you don't improve you stand still or something...

[velo]

James immense tonight

MOTM by a long straw

[Finnatic]

Apart from the West Ham (A) game when Raphinha had a good game, when we play well, Raphinha seems to put in a poor performance by his standards, it’s unfortunate because those are the games we’ve drawn and should have won and had he been on song we might have won them.

[Cjay]

James had his best game for us and finally dfound some end product.

Rodrigo to had by far his most effective offensive game this season(all be it the defensive side was still lacking imo).

Raph had an absolute mare, truly plummeted.to depths I never knew he had, was the knock for Brazil more than we felt?

Regarding James and Rodrigo though this was 1 game so I don't think we can start slating people just yet, £55mil between them, they need to show more consistency before we should go daft with praise.1

[CHAPELALLMAN]

James had his best game for us and finally dfound some end product.

Rodrigo to had by far his most effective offensive game this season(all be it the defensive side was still lacking imo).

Raph had an absolute mare, truly plummeted.to depths I never knew he had, was the knock for Brazil more than we felt?

Regarding James and Rodrigo though this was 1 game so I don't think we can start slating people just yet, £55mil between them, they need to show more consistency before we should go daft with praise.1

True - look at Harrison since the West Ham game.

[William]

Agreed, but with the small squad we struggle if one or two have bad games, as there is no back up

Players have BAD games. Even the best do.

Quality managers know that a bad game does not a bad player make.

[The Subhuman]

Rapha probably tired coming off games for Brazil and the travel. He gets a pass

Rodrigo MOTM, almost as good as Raph at his best

James outstanding as the forward but that's been coming, he's looked good through the middle for a couple of games now.

[The Subhuman]

No doubt all around the Leeds fan base there were groans as Bielsa's team line-up was announced. Dan James up front and Gelhardt on the bench again. Dan James the player being played out of position and being used by many fans as another stick to hit Bielsa with. It was James though that was electric in the first half. His first goal showing great composure and confidence to finish with an immaculate finish. His goal though was not the only highlight as he continually linked up play with clever flicks and round the corner passes. A thunderbolt shot was millimetres from putting Leeds 2-0 up thumping off the crossbar. A second goal then would have probably killed Villa off but football is such a fickle game and within moments of that let off Villa were level. Villa have their very own written off star in Philip Coutinho. Coutinho never seemed to fit into the Barcelona side despite the huge fee they paid for him. Discarded by Barcelona but snapped up by his pal Steven Gerrard he showed his class as he scored and then had 2 assists. The game had turned on its head. Back though came the 'midget,' James, jumping highest and putting his head where it hurt to bring Leeds back to 2-3 on the stroke of half time.

Half time saw many Leeds fans eating humble pie. Bielsa's faith, ridiculed as madness, in playing James up front paying off as he once again shows how he can improve players. Man Utd fans watching would surely be wishing they still had the player.

Fans who quickly write off players were also being treated by an impressive performance from Rodrigo. Many fans who wanted him to leave on loan to Barcelona were being treated to a show of class by a player who has hardly had chance to get a settled run in the Leeds sidde due to injuries and Covid.

Will the same fans who are quick to judge now jump on the back of Raphinha? It was a subdued performance from the superstar whilst the lesser stars took their chance to shine.

Great post, well aimed

[weasel]

Regarding James and Rodrigo though this was 1 game so I don't think we can start slating people just yet, £55mil between them, they need to show more consistency before we should go daft with praise.1

i was more highlighting how quick some people write players off. Like with Dan James cos he hasn't scored in every game he has been up front some fans write him off. It takes time to adapt to any new position. So if fans can get on his back so quickly then it is equally fair to give him praise quickly too. He has been excellent in 2 of his last 3 matches.

With Rodrigo it is a little different due to the amount of time he has been with us. Fans writing him off but in the only real period where he had a good run in the team he was banging the goals in.

Maybe James is beginning to feel settled, beginning to get used to the way we play. Maybe writing him off as a terrible Orta signing after 3 or 4 months was a little bit premature. Maybe Rodrigo is finally injury free and not only that but has had chance to get his fitness up to scratch rather than trying to build up match fitness with sub appearances as he comes back from an injury.

[The Subhuman]

If you can't see the quality that James and Rodrigo have then you don't know football

[weasel]

If you can't see the quality that James and Rodrigo have then you don't know football

Not to worry though we have some excellent posts dedicated to female singers

[Cjay]

i was more highlighting how quick some people write players off. Like with Dan James cos he hasn't scored in every game he has been up front some fans write him off. It takes time to adapt to any new position. So if fans can get on his back so quickly then it is equally fair to give him praise quickly too. He has been excellent in 2 of his last 3 matches.

With Rodrigo it is a little different due to the amount of time he has been with us. Fans writing him off but in the only real period where he had a good run in the team he was banging the goals in.

Maybe James is beginning to feel settled, beginning to get used to the way we play. Maybe writing him off as a terrible Orta signing after 3 or 4 months was a little bit premature. Maybe Rodrigo is finally injury free and not only that but has had chance to get his fitness up to scratch rather than trying to build up match fitness with sub appearances as he comes back from an injury.

The problem with James for me was that he came here with a reputation for having an extremely poor end product, not just bad, but awful. Everything you read about him, fans opinions, scout reports, everything always made mention of an extremely poor end product.

And during his time here it has been true, his end product for an attacking player has been extremely bad. His creative stats were worse than Tyler Roberts and Junior Firpo, they are awful for an attacking player who has played the amount of minutes he has, and his shooting stats werent much better.

So whilst it seemed unfair maybe to criticse him i think most people were just frustrated that we had seemingly signed someone who was the nightmare end product we read about and then combine that with Gelhardt who has made a positive contribution on almost all of his matches it just made the anger toward James worse (even though it admittedly isnt his fault Bielsa was playing hinm out of position over Gelhardt).

Rodrigo has quality we know that but tbh i dont think it will ever properly click here, i just think he is a poor fit for the style (which again was highlighted in scout reports done on him after he signed, his pressing stats and all that stuff was well down on what Bielsa likes which made it all the more weird given the Obsession MB has over that sort of thing), and he doesnt have a natural role in the style we play as we know as he has said himself.

He has quality though as a player, he has talent and today that technical ability and vision was on show and full credit to him, he carried the burden creatively on a day whereby Raph who usually does was off. But the midfield was non existent and he is part of that so it wasnt the perfect performance by any means imo.

James surprised me today, he showed an end product and a threat i wasnt sure he had, Rodrigo showed glimpses of the quality on the ball that made him the Spanish international he is.

Both of them deserve credit for that and for taking the burden of an overworked Raphinha.

Now though they must build on it, we need the sort of consistency from James and Rodrigo that Raph has shown, 1 game like today in 5 isnt enough.