Just my thoughts on a dismal and really poor performance on Saturday.
It's really simple - we can blame the defence, the midfield or the front players - but for me, and several close to where I sit, the problem is quite fundamental. It's the tactics.
We were painfully slow - we passed laterally at the back and Birmingham had acres of time to get back and set themselves up defensively - it happened every time. Where the defence did lump it forward, it seldom went to our players. We offered no incision (until Botaka came on). From Silvestri he passed to a defender, they daudled and played keep ball for minutes before passing laterally, while all the time the Birmingham team were getting back and having time to set themselves up for the pedestrian passing game we were playing. All probably good in terms of possession stats, but means nothing if you're not achieving anything with it.
A young kid behind me, no older than 8, made a comment in the 2nd half to his dad - "god, it's like watching paint dry dad" !!!!! Spot on from an 8 year old - it was. Pedestrian, predictable - probably very continental. It may work against an opposition playing similarly, but against a very quick on the break Brum, it's flawed.
Worst performance in a long time that I can remember on Saturday. It was only the inclusion of Botaka (and to an extent Ant), that saw us create any real threat. We're in trouble, real trouble, if this is the tactics going forward. Brum could have brought deck chairs and still coped with us for long periods. Opposition will suss us pretty quickly and we'll be at the wrong end of the table if not careful.
Seemed obvious from Saturday
posted on 5/10/15
One good thing is Rosler seems to have admitted that the way the team is setup isn't working and will be changed. With the break for internationals it gives a chance for everything to settle down and come up with a solution. I wouldn't put it past us to hand brighton their first defeat of the season.
posted on 5/10/15
Exactly right.
Poor tactics and formation, it doesn't just stop there though as we've not seen them come out of tunnel and look like they've wanted to put right the previous weeks poor performances, not looked fired up or bothered enough for me, few individuals have but on the whole 1-11 it's not been good enough.
This division is the poorest it's been in a long while, we could get playoffs with this squad.
Not sure Rosler the man tbh.
posted on 5/10/15
Good points i bet Bamba touched the ball more than anyone else in our side saturday and we said the same during the game about Taylor,
As i said elsewhere fridays training was all about stopping Birmingham and how they were going to play not how we were going to play, we all have opinions on here and im sure we all think at times people are talking rot but in general we can all see whats wrong so if Roslers any good then he should be able to work it out himself, i do think you need to be mentally strong to play at Elland Road and it takes time for some players to settle.
posted on 5/10/15
Don agree with everything you say apart from playing at elland road.
I think it's a myth, and actually going to other grounds, our fans are a lot more forgiving.
I actually think that half the problem, most of the fans have just accepted were garbage.
posted on 5/10/15
Not sure I agree that the division is weaker this year. The parachute payments get more generous as time goes on, which gives recently relegated teams a big advantage if they retain their manager and most of their squad. Added to that you get upwardly mobile teams with ambitious owners, like Southampton and Bournemouth in recent years. For a club like Leeds to get in the hunt for promotion requires a combination of owners with deep pockets and leadership abilities, talented youngsters and a gifted manager. Which is why I don't believe it will happen under Cellino.
posted on 5/10/15
I actually think that half the problem, most of the fans have just accepted were garbage.
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Unless those fans have exceptionally large wallets and have the means to do something about it then perhaps they do. Most fans know and accept we're not as good as we want to be ......... but unless we have an owner with the means to spend/invest, or luck on a really good coach who can identify and amass a cracking squad - we're living on what we can. That's a combination of what we can afford supplemented by a seemingly regular supply of youngsters through our club.
No one wants garbage, and no one truly wants the continual status quo we seem to find ourselves in season after season. ALL the fans I go with, along with myself, want soooooo much better than what we get (or pay for!).
posted on 5/10/15
Vof
So you agree that expectations are really low ??
And my point is, are players really under that much pressure compared to other clubs.
Or are the players just simply not good enough ?
posted on 5/10/15
Agree, we haven't suited 4-3-3/4-5-1 at any point.
Let's wait and see what happens after the international break.
All our players look exhausted before we've even kicked off...
posted on 5/10/15
Liw ......
I think for the most part our fans turn up in numbers, be that home or away, more in hope than expectation. I think the vast majority are equally frustrated with years of abuse of our club, and false promises. Signings this summer have given a bit more optimism I sensed, but performances like Saturday sap that pretty quick.
I do think there's a greater expectation at our club, yes. Although that being said so far this season the crowd have stuck by the team during matches, I've not heard any "wtf is going on coming out - yet !!".
Despite all I've said I still think we've the nucleus of a good side - but we seem to avoid the obvious - a real leader in midfield. Botaka seems to have introduced pace, but we've no one in my view to bring experience and guile to a youthful midfield. (I thought Mowatt was anonymous on Saturday for the most part).
Love him or loathe him, we missed a trick (or maybe he didn't want to come?) not trying to get Barton into our squad.
posted on 5/10/15
I think its more to do with the player's being able to play the same as any other in this league but being asked to do what they cant do!..
Did Rosler not say in an interview that he likes his system and told people to leave it when questioned about changing it?..
I think he did!..
We have Player's that can play, but I think the system as has been for a long time is our downfall!..
Sometime's its as simple as changing the basics to make a plan work!.