Interesting tie tonight against a born-again Bolton Wanderers. Almost relegated last season they've made a reasonable start to the 2018-19 campaign.
A good result away to WBA and a creditable draw against Bristol City having thrown away a two goal lead.
Despite the influx of new players Bolton Wanderers is considered to be odds on for relegation, whereas the Bielsa Boys are now firm favourites for promotion.
Leeds United is facing a different test tonight. I'm not expecting the Mighty Whites to suffer through a change in personnel, the players have trained together for some time, each undergoing an intensive regimentive pre-season, each drilled in the nuances of the "new system" and the need for high energy performances.
Interesting to note, with the exception of Shackleton, substitutes haven't seamlessly slotted in when coming on despite the starting 11 showing signs of fatigue. More a question of tempo rather than ability I would suggest.
Bolton Wanderers doesn't have the quality of a Stoke City or a Derby County, teams expected to dictate games from the off. I reckon Bolton Wanderers will set out to nullify the marauding high tempo pressure from Leeds United. I don't think we'll find the spaces as readily as we did in our first two games.
Bielsa appears to want to take the competition seriously. Unlike others I think we should. A good cup run improves revenue and provides for more game time for the whole squad.
After the trimming we don't have peripheral squad members any longer so each player is a potential first teamer save the youngsters. With changes already confirmed it will be good to see some consistency in performance from the others.
I'm predicting 3-0. Might take us a little longer to unlock them but their spirit will break once we get the second.
Bamford to get off the mark......
League Cup; Bolton Wanderers
posted on 14/8/18
I'm looking forward to seeing the fringe players get a run out.
Watching the u23's last night they played in the same way, countless pressing and everyone looking to get on the ball.
Its impressive how the club has turned on its head so I'm hoping this carries on in to tonight with the new players Bamford, Harrison, Baker etc
posted on 14/8/18
------------------Blackman---------------
?????------PJ---------????--------Pearce
???????
Harrison---Baker----Shack-------Roberts
Bamford
whos in the gaps?
posted on 14/8/18
Shaugnessy played last night so he wont play, so did De Bock.
Not sure what the defence will look like.
posted on 14/8/18
over the past few seasons when i didn't think we had a chance in the league all i wanted was a good cup run.
this year i'm hoping to win with a completely changed eleven.
posted on 14/8/18
the team ive put above suggests that we still need an alternative to phillips and a CB at least.
posted on 14/8/18
I don’t want the distractions of cup runs, it’s sll about promotion.
The revenue is relatively peanuts.
posted on 14/8/18
I’d expect Jansson and Cooper at CB, Pearce LB and Berardi at RB. The CBs haven’t done as much running as the others so not as fatigue vulnerable. Saiz won’t play neither will Pablo so I’m guessing:
Blackman
Berardi. Pontus Cooper Pearce
??????
Harrison Baker Shack Roberts
Bamford
can’t think who the DM would be though, assuming we are going to play 4:1:4:1
posted on 14/8/18
Shackleton to play RB by the sound of Bielsa's PC.
posted on 14/8/18
O’Kane to play
🤣
posted on 14/8/18
You'd hope the players coming into the team like Jansson and Bamford will really want to make their mark and show they should be starting.
With that in mind, I'd expect a fairly straight forward victory. I doubt that Bolton will be putting too much emphasis on this game and will play a weaker team that ours.
Funny thing about talking about squad depth, is the bench contains some of the players we were expecting to be first choice this season.