Leeds Utd v Norwich City Match Thread

[malcolmw]

Not a great performance, but an important win. Some players are starting to look leggy and rotation needs to come into play.

Looking forward to Saturday now

If Pascal can be back before the next league game, that may give chance to rest a few.

Reckon we'll see quite a few changes for Plymouth. Gnonto for Rutter or Summerville, Shacks for Gray? Piroe for Bamford?
Worry about Rodon. Maybe Byrum - and leave Firpo at LB - dunno??

[JoeDenver]

To me, of the top 4, Ipswich are the most likely to wobble in the final stretch.

Their April that you point out may be the tipping point.

I’ll drink to that!

[malcolmw]

Saved Anthony's back who was really poor, another bench player not good enough.

Surprised he was even on the list today to be honest - given the week he's had.

[1964white]

Not a great performance, but an important win. Some players are starting to look leggy and rotation needs to come into play.

Looking forward to Saturday now

Farke was always going to make four or five changes for our cup game, maybe more now!

How can he rotate too much in our league games when he has only about 14 players at his disposal good enough at championship level.

That bench was piss-poor tonight, one enforced change who is a million miles behind James, going by his sub appearances.

Our other three subs were made between the 94th & 97th minutes, basically to protect our lead & also run the clock down.

[weasel]

Farke was always going to make four or five changes for our cup game, maybe more now!

How can he rotate too much in our league games when he has only about 14 players at his disposal good enough at championship level.

That bench was piss-poor tonight, one enforced change who is a million miles behind James, going by his sub appearances.

Our other three subs were made between the 94th & 97th minutes, basically to protect our lead & also run the clock down.

Our bench was a bit weak but that is what happens when you get a few injuries, can't have 30+ first teamers. 5 matches ago who would have thought that Firpo, Bamford and Gruev would be considered as preferred first team starters - now you wouldn't really think about dropping them and bringing back the players who were starting previously. For all our bench was 'piss poor' I think Cooper would start for more than half the championship teams, Byram and Piroe would likely start for most, Jaidon Anthony likely too based on what he did for Bournemotuh, We have already seen that Gyabi and Ayling who weren't featuring for us as now both starters for other championship sides.

[malcolmw]

Our bench was a bit weak but that is what happens when you get a few injuries, can't have 30+ first teamers. 5 matches ago who would have thought that Firpo, Bamford and Gruev would be considered as preferred first team starters - now you wouldn't really think about dropping them and bringing back the players who were starting previously. For all our bench was 'piss poor' I think Cooper would start for more than half the championship teams, Byram and Piroe would likely start for most, Jaidon Anthony likely too based on what he did for Bournemotuh, We have already seen that Gyabi and Ayling who weren't featuring for us as now both starters for other championship sides.

I agree Weasel. I remember saying just that a week or so ago - that we suddenly had a variety of options in defense and midfield.

The problem is also that in the Championship you can't bring in quality players to warm the bench - like City did with Kalvin!
Anyone who signs for a Championship side to strengthen the bench is either old, injured or seriously out of form (or all 3 ).

Nice to have a cup game on the weekend to give some of the bench a good run.

[DDB220]

I do not understand the downer on Anthony. He is to the best of my knowledge better on the left. Prefers the inverted role like a lot of modern day players.
He had some bad moments yesterday, which were focused on because of the fraught nature of the game. He had some good play also.
Like Gnonto he hasn’t had a huge amount of minutes. Gruev has only come to the fore because he has a run of games, same as Bamford and Firpo.

As Weasel pointed out all bench players for the majority of the season. James will likely get rested at the weekend. Anthony may well be starting with Gnonto. If the latter is fit enough to play. Let’s see how he does then / we have a habit of writing off players when they haven’t really had an opportunity.

[lufcconnor]

Norwich had a decent game themselves but at the end of the day, we won and I'm so glad we did. We defended very well today even though a one goal lead is very nervy! We're doing fantastic at the moment and it's vital that we keep chasing the teams above us and putting the pressure on them. Said it before but this group of players are doing brilliant.

[Kennyb41]

I do not understand the downer on Anthony. He is to the best of my knowledge better on the left. Prefers the inverted role like a lot of modern day players.
He had some bad moments yesterday, which were focused on because of the fraught nature of the game. He had some good play also.
Like Gnonto he hasn’t had a huge amount of minutes. Gruev has only come to the fore because he has a run of games, same as Bamford and Firpo.

As Weasel pointed out all bench players for the majority of the season. James will likely get rested at the weekend. Anthony may well be starting with Gnonto. If the latter is fit enough to play. Let’s see how he does then / we have a habit of writing off players when they haven’t really had an opportunity.

This ^ All of it.

What did Anthony do so wrong in your eyes Sid coming on in a game going at 100mph ?

You can't judge a player on 10min cameos, it's usually more down to luck if a 'supersub' happens to grab a goal,

The bench seemed ok to me, we had cover allover ?

[Kennyb41]

I do not understand the downer on Anthony. He is to the best of my knowledge better on the left. Prefers the inverted role like a lot of modern day players.
He had some bad moments yesterday, which were focused on because of the fraught nature of the game. He had some good play also.
Like Gnonto he hasn’t had a huge amount of minutes. Gruev has only come to the fore because he has a run of games, same as Bamford and Firpo.

As Weasel pointed out all bench players for the majority of the season. James will likely get rested at the weekend. Anthony may well be starting with Gnonto. If the latter is fit enough to play. Let’s see how he does then / we have a habit of writing off players when they haven’t really had an opportunity.

Sorry i said all of it. Not sure about the bit in bold now after last night, he left me wanting to see some more of him on the right, and i probably will on Saturday now.

You definitely do need a run of games so the manager can go over them with you about what he wants/doesn't want from you and where you went wrong/right.

I wouldn't mind seeing the game again to see what alteration DF made to our team to get us back on the front foot when Norwich came out all guns blazing 2nd half and had us under the cosh for a bit looking like they had extra men on the pitch, you usually only see that being live at the game. Our defence is looking even better with Ampadu in it rather than PS

[1964white]

This ^ All of it.

What did Anthony do so wrong in your eyes Sid coming on in a game going at 100mph ?

You can't judge a player on 10min cameos, it's usually more down to luck if a 'supersub' happens to grab a goal,

The bench seemed ok to me, we had cover allover ?

You obviously didn't watch the same game as me, Anthony was on the pitch for 45 minutes, not a 10 minute cameo.

His dilly-dallying nearly cost us the game.

If the bench is that good, why did Farke only use one enforced substitution up to the 94th minute, DF knows the score, as he mentioned in his post press conference "our squad is small"

Any injuries to key players such as Rodon, Ampadu, James, Summerville, Rutter & Bamford & we'll struggle to win matches, as there isn't one bench player who comes close to their level. Piroe is decent, but he can't do the job Paddy provides our team.

We need to sign that Godfrey fella who would walk straight into our first XI as he can play CB & LB, every time Rodon goes down I shake with fear. Pascal is injured, Farke doesn't fancy Cresswell & knows the limitations of Cooper, who is coming to the end of his Leeds career.

[1964white]

I do not understand the downer on Anthony. He is to the best of my knowledge better on the left. Prefers the inverted role like a lot of modern day players.
He had some bad moments yesterday, which were focused on because of the fraught nature of the game. He had some good play also.
Like Gnonto he hasn’t had a huge amount of minutes. Gruev has only come to the fore because he has a run of games, same as Bamford and Firpo.

As Weasel pointed out all bench players for the majority of the season. James will likely get rested at the weekend. Anthony may well be starting with Gnonto. If the latter is fit enough to play. Let’s see how he does then / we have a habit of writing off players when they haven’t really had an opportunity.

Strange how Ipswich & Southampton substitutes effect games & don't have the same limitations as our lot.

[The Subhuman]

Not bad, not bad at all...

Source: https://twitter.com/LUFCDATA/status/175 ... gr%5Etweet

Liverpool
Aston Villa
Man City
Leeds United

Final 4

[The Subhuman]

Our bench was a bit weak but that is what happens when you get a few injuries, can't have 30+ first teamers. 5 matches ago who would have thought that Firpo, Bamford and Gruev would be considered as preferred first team starters - now you wouldn't really think about dropping them and bringing back the players who were starting previously. For all our bench was 'piss poor' I think Cooper would start for more than half the championship teams, Byram and Piroe would likely start for most, Jaidon Anthony likely too based on what he did for Bournemotuh, We have already seen that Gyabi and Ayling who weren't featuring for us as now both starters for other championship sides.

erm ..me. Certainly that they could become starters if needed, and even hold their place when injuries cleared up. I think the same of Gnonto, Cresswell, Piroe, Anthony, Hjelde, Fernandez and Kleasson, I reckon Poveda would be good given a run if James and Gnonto were out for a while

Most of our bench would start for most other clubs in the division, Gyabi is starting for Plymouth and he was nowhere near our bench..

[White Riot]

Strange how Ipswich & Southampton substitutes effect games & don't have the same limitations as our lot.

For whatever reason, our substitutions are ineffective, and that's a combination of Farke not making them at all, not making them at the right time, not changing tactics and either not having any game changers on the bench, or not using players like Piroe in an effective way.

Norwich were pretty good, but I still felt like we should have ran out comfortable winners, but we didn't it.

We're playing some decent football, but not punishing teams. If we got these matches stitched up early we could then give players some pitch time. Anthony was rusty as heck last night, but I wouldn't be too harsh on him. He's hardly been given minutes and has just lost his Mother.

So if anyone should be given sympathy and leeway it's Jaidon Anthony, he needs a fair crack of the whip and he might be a good un.

I couldn't figure out why we came out in the second half and just sat in a low block and stopped pressing? Our defence ain't that good that we can do that, against anyone. It gave Norwich hope and they started pushing forward and exposing our weaknesses.

Meslier worries me. He has little to do, but still doesn't do it well. Doesn't like catching, or commanding his area, even when unchallenged. Suspect on the near post and has regularly conceded from the first shot on target.

I'd have stuck with Klaesson, as he did well while Meslier was suspended. Meslier can go for me in the summer, I just don't see the improvement. We can and need to do a lot better, especially as I expect we will get promoted, and things won't be so quiet at the back in the EPL.

Good result, but we do like to make life difficult for ourselves.

[Sean_Nile]

I think the subs did exactly what they needed to do and that was to defend.

What with goalkeeper Gunn going into the box for set peices we needed Cooper who is a defender and Joseph who added some height

The substitutions worked because we survived... it is called game management.

[1964white]

erm ..me. Certainly that they could become starters if needed, and even hold their place when injuries cleared up. I think the same of Gnonto, Cresswell, Piroe, Anthony, Hjelde, Fernandez and Kleasson, I reckon Poveda would be good given a run if James and Gnonto were out for a while

Most of our bench would start for most other clubs in the division, Gyabi is starting for Plymouth and he was nowhere near our bench..

I think you overrate some of our players mate.

Only Gnonto & Piroe are likely to get minutes in Farke's team

Piroe has shown he is a goalscorer, but can't play the Bamford role.

Gnonto has generally been unproductive when given a chance.

Anthony has had one decent outing when we were comfortably 2-0 up against Watford, he was hopeless at Stoke & wasn't much better last night.

Hjelde has struggled in the cups against League One opposition.

As our mate Riot said to me as we walked back to the coach park, "I've seen nothing of Joseph to impress me". I agree with him, Joseph is one for the future & not ready for the hustle & bustle of the championship yet!

Poveda is a League One player imo!

Farke obviously doesn't rate Cresswell.

Klassson is the nice surprise for me, think he did well for us when called upon.

Byram is one I trust when he starts or comes on off the bench.

Btw, you were right about Firpo, maybe the championship is his level & Farke has instilled confidence into Junior's game.

[1964white]

I think the subs did exactly what they needed to do and that was to defend.

What with goalkeeper Gunn going into the box for set peices we needed Cooper who is a defender and Joseph who added some height

The substitutions worked because we survived... it is called game management.

Three of the came on in the last three minutes of added-on-time to run the clock down,

Farke doesn't trust our subs to give them too many minutes.

[Sean_Nile]

Gnonto in dressing room after Norwich game. Read into it what you will

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[SG90]

Farke was always going to make four or five changes for our cup game, maybe more now!

How can he rotate too much in our league games when he has only about 14 players at his disposal good enough at championship level.

That bench was piss-poor tonight, one enforced change who is a million miles behind James, going by his sub appearances.

Our other three subs were made between the 94th & 97th minutes, basically to protect our lead & also run the clock down.

So the likes of Piroe, Anthony, Gnonto, Byram, Cresswell and Shacks are no longer good enough for the Championship now? Lol.

Midfield is looking shot. Ampadu, Kamara and Rodon all need a rest at some point, as they play every international game too. Lack of rotation cost us 6 points over Christmas.