The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 15th April) Leeds are falling apart - again

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Monday 15th April, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Leeds are falling apart - again

Leeds unbeaten home record came crashing down, and their automatic promotion hopes severely dented, as Blackburn Rovers produced one of the surprises of the season at Elland Road on Saturday lunchtime.

Having just been thumped 5-0 (Blackburn) three days previously, expectations were high in the Leeds camp, but in football, you can't take anything for granted. In fairness to the Whites, their performance wasn't all that bad, especially when compared to their previous four. They dictated play in all but the most important discipline, but were duly punished for their wasteful execution and poor distribution.

For all Leeds superiority, Blackburn produced the best two chances. Meslier had to be at full stretch to deny Szmodics, after breaking free of Ampadu on the half way line, followed by one of the best tackles you're likely to see in the Championship, with Connor Roberts denying Dolan a simple tap-in at the far post.

The creative duo were not to be denied, and combined well for the winner eight minutes from time. Dolan sliced the Leeds defence wide open, finding Szmodics in acres of space on the edge of the area. His first time effort was both clinical and assured, something desperately needed by Leeds during their final three games of the season!





Why don't Leeds have a set piece coach

On average, Leeds are producing 15.4 efforts at goal every game (second only to Southampton who have 15.6), yet have one of the worst goal ratio's from set pieces in the Championship! The amount of wasteful free-kicks and corners has been totted up, and doesn't make for pleasant reading. Leeds have scored just eight times all season from set-pieces. Only Blackburn (5) and Plymouth (5) have worse!

The club have invested heavily in the squad, and have some of the finest players in the division, so why have they not scored directly from a free kick in three years, and only once from a corner in 110 attempts? Aerials won is also a problem area for Farke's team, with only 13.4 headers won each match (19th). The Whites are top on goals from counter attacks (12), and spend the most time (42%) attacking down their left flank.

[Clitheroe White]

Whilst Saturday felt bad we still have everything to play for. I think many thought that Farke's changes on Saturday were just what we needed (me included). We've now got a week until the next match which lets tired limbs recover for the final push.

Given the unpredictable results from this league (and PL) I expect many more surprises!

[WhiteRose]

Whilst Saturday felt bad we still have everything to play for. I think many thought that Farke's changes on Saturday were just what we needed (me included). We've now got a week until the next match which lets tired limbs recover for the final push.

Given the unpredictable results from this league (and PL) I expect many more surprises!

I think they were and I think we would have won had Farke not gone bonkers with subs, there was no need to bring those 3 players on when he did, all just felt a bit desperate, chasing a goal whilst forgetting the other team could still score.

[The Subhuman]

I think Liverpool's unbeaten home record also crashed and burned. Am I right? If so we're in good company ...

Don't think it was a player issue, we were comfortable with almost zero chance of losing until we made those bizarre substitutions. A draw now looks pretty good and it was still likely we'd sneak a winner had we not taken the side apart and destroyed the balance and teamwork

Dunno what it is with managers and their theories, Marsch's playground football and now Farke's chaos theory, neither seem to have any merit whatsoever. But both have cost us points

[The Subhuman]

Whilst Saturday felt bad we still have everything to play for. I think many thought that Farke's changes on Saturday were just what we needed (me included). We've now got a week until the next match which lets tired limbs recover for the final push.

Given the unpredictable results from this league (and PL) I expect many more surprises!

Not here... hated the subs the second Paddy was getting warmed up and I think most of us didn't like the removal of Gnonto, Roberts and Gruev, even at the time

[wilsdenwhite]

I understand why Farke made the subs, he's done it before and it worked. All seems very desperate though, didn't work this time. Thought Gruev was having one of his best games before he was taken off.

Those set piece stats are pretty damning.

[WhiteRose]

I wasn’t even pissed off on sat, just switched the tv off in resignation as it was all so dam predictable- I said it on the other thread once Leicester lost that we wouldn’t capitalise on their result and so it proved - Leeds isn’t an easy club to play for, we have years worth of teams failing to achieve what they should that backs this up - look at Revie’s team, should of won far more than it did

[VinnysTattoo]

In the cold light of day the one small consolation for me is that finishing in a playoff position was my target for the season.

The caveat to that however is that I hoped we would be the late season form team coming into the playoffs.

Playing like we have been during the last couple of months points to us struggling against teams that see us there for the taking.

[Overman]

I wasn’t even pissed off on sat, just switched the tv off in resignation as it was all so dam predictable- I said it on the other thread once Leicester lost that we wouldn’t capitalise on their result and so it proved - Leeds isn’t an easy club to play for, we have years worth of teams failing to achieve what they should that backs this up - look at Revie’s team, should of won far more than it did

Yes, we certianly have a history of failiure. We lack that mental toughness and that experience. I do think we lack a leader out there to inspire and motivate the side.

[Ropey Wyla]

For the last few games, which have been very winnable ones of significant importance, we have been utterly one dimensional, snail paced and we've somehow had no-one able to take a corner or even a proper shot. We were truly great for a long while but when it counts the most it would appear we have been found out. Need to sort it yesterday. Play offs loom. MOT.

[Irish Ian]

Nice to see the three lads who got awards were honoured today in our news.

Why do that when we can indulge in a bout of self pity instead.

New song.

"Leeds fans are tearing themselves apart again"

[SG90]

I thought the starting line up was good, and had Farke not fucked up with the triple change, I think we would've won. A point would've actually been decent as well.

Unfortunately Farke will panic and revert to the previous failing line up, meaning Bamfraud and James will start and Gnonto will be benched. That isn't where the problem lies.

[SG90]

You could see where the frustration was coming from on Saturday, every time we got near the box, they passed to Rutter, who had about 4 players crowding round him, when there was plenty of space to either shoot or play someone else in. It's predictable and one dimensional, and that's the tactic they've been deployed to play. You could sense Willy getting frustrated and just trying to shoot himself.

[Ellandback1]

I think Liverpool's unbeaten home record also crashed and burned. Am I right? If so we're in good company ...

Don't think it was a player issue, we were comfortable with almost zero chance of losing until we made those bizarre substitutions. A draw now looks pretty good and it was still likely we'd sneak a winner had we not taken the side apart and destroyed the balance and teamwork

Dunno what it is with managers and their theories, Marsch's playground football and now Farke's chaos theory, neither seem to have any merit whatsoever. But both have cost us points

And only Arsenal's second loss at home

[mentalcase]

Once Gruev went off we lost that disipline in midfield, he was MOM up till then, no idea why he took him off, oddly enough I mentioned the exact 3 that would come on, just didn't expect those 3 to go off.
He's not the first manager to do odd things though is he, bielsa was the master of that.
It's a funny old game, anything can still happen even with just 3 games left, problem is, where's our next goal coming from let alone a win !!

[Ellandback1]

You could see where the frustration was coming from on Saturday, every time we got near the box, they passed to Rutter, who had about 4 players crowding round him, when there was plenty of space to either shoot or play someone else in. It's predictable and one dimensional, and that's the tactic they've been deployed to play. You could sense Willy getting frustrated and just trying to shoot himself.

We must be more dangerous, especially from corners. This is someone you can train, so why havn't we?

We also don't have a player that can hold the ball up (without falling over).

[SG90]

We must be more dangerous, especially from corners. This is someone you can train, so why havn't we?

We also don't have a player that can hold the ball up (without falling over).

That's where someone like Cresswell would be a good option to knick one from a corner, but he's nowhere to be seen.

[SG90]

And only Arsenal's second loss at home

Man City now the only team unbeaten at home after this weekend's results

[Kennyb41]

Rutter was the most disappointed sub on the sidelines, he and Piroe just aren't a pairing for whatever reason, they just don't click at all, whichever one you put as the spearhead, it's not for happening with them two at all.

If we're on the attack for the remainder, i'd include Cooper, and move Ampadu back with Kamara, doing that we'd also leave room for subs to be instrumental, Gray Gruev James Joseph Anthony Piroe could be worked into the team whatever is happening after 60 mins

[mentalcase]

It's not the first time we've addressed the set piece situation on here, won't be the last either.
We are frigging appalling when it comes to free kicks and corners, no idea, absolutely no idea what they do in training, run around a lot seems to be the key to getting in the starting 11 as he's said himself "work hard in training" but what else !!
Teams have sussed Summerville and Rutter now, they double even triple up on the, instead of exploiting that space we push the ball back to midfield, very frustrating.