Even by past Leeds United standards 2018-19 was an incredible season. Under Bielsa we saw a brand of football that was as exciting as we saw under O'Leary before he started to believe his own press.
Incredible given that the nucleus of players used were the same that limped towards the end of 2017-18. More energy, more purpose, more a team.
Ironically, in my opinion, it was the energy, or lack of it, that affected our run in together with a predictable style of play that led to an increasing number of teams working us out.
Bielsa restored pride in all things Leeds United, raised expectations beyond belief and put the club well and truly back on the football map.
It's good that he's stayed on, consistency is something we've missed for far too long. I do wonder, however, what convinced this highly principled man to stay on at Elland Road. He's a man with history, history of walking if "promises" aren't delivered upon.
Little point in staying here to achieve the status quo. As others have rightly said, the only way we can progress is to achieve promotion. This against a backdrop of AR telling us, and it's an inevitability of where we are, that we don't have unlimited funds. Frustrating when you read about the Qatari interest but FFP rules would limit investment on the pitch.
So the ER hierarchy has a vowed intent to reach the promised land on a limited budget but what Bielsa demands have they acceded to? Equally, what concessions to his own blueprint has the Mighty B agreed to?
For the most part a smaller squad supplemented by youth worked. We were dramatically caught short. Again as others said, we need a bigger squad and maybe, just maybe, a few more older heads.
I accept that there's going to be sacrifices to make way for/fund new blood. Who though? Too many changes or indeed the wrong ones will stop the club building on last year's campaign. Hitting the ground running is key. Loans were, with hindsight, atrocious last time around, greater efforts are required here.
I hope AR and co have been honest in their assurances to Bielsa for 2019-20. I hope Bielsa has recognised our shortcomings and is prepared to adapt and adjust as we go again.
I was devastated on missing out this time around. We were better than both play-off finalists. Falling at the last hurdle has given me serious doubts this time. I don't doubt the desire and belief just the ability to replicate those performances that made us an unstoppable force.
As ever, another "interesting" Summer ahead. I wish all my fellow fans a happy, healthy, peaceful close season and hope that Leeds United, at all levels, gets it right over the next few months so that we can truly celebrate our Centenery.
Campaign #2 - Lessons learnt?
posted on 29/5/19
Put a Chris Wood or Ross McCormack in last years line up & we’d be up in the prem as league winners & debating which new signings are joining us.
Injuries, burn out, teams sussing us or any other contributory factors mask the fact we had more than enough chances to win at least another 6 games last season. We had a bucket full of chances against the Blades but didn’t put them away, & they scored the inevitable sucker punch goal.
We need an Abraham type player up front, signed or loaned I don’t care, plus 3 or 4 other quality players & we can nail promotion.
Bielsa has to learn & adapt too. This league is a tough ask with constant demands on players. Key players, played relentlessly became passengers at the key part of the season.
posted on 29/5/19
Abel hernandez is available, he didnt have a great season in Russia.
Was a very good player in this league, might be worth a punt.
posted on 29/5/19
2019 was ?
posted on 29/5/19
Next year ppl will do as they did in the latter part of the season, and that is defend deep and hit us on the counter.
Its imperative we get better players in, to enforce the style and impose our way on teams.
Make no mistake about it, Bielsa having a 2nd season is massive and it's what we really needed. His re signing comes as a major shot in the arm and gives us direction. Remember, AR is the king of limbo and likes to PR his way through transfer windows.
posted on 29/5/19
Come on Radz we need to back the man.
posted on 29/5/19
If AR doesn't honour guarantees or do things as MB expects they should be done , MB will walk and AR knows that if that happens he will have no where to hide as very few will blame the Manager only the board.
posted on 29/5/19
We all hope that lessons have been learned. Going into a season with only 2 CBs, signing players on loan who would not be fit until at least halfway through the season, a pair of strikers who are injury prone, not strengthening in January, the list goes on.
I certainly hope that Bielsa also looks at his decision making as well. Whilst I gladly acknowledge he is the best thing to happen for us for many years, he should not be thought to be beyond questioning. Substitutions, selecting the same team every game irrespective of the opposition strength and weakness and form or fatigue of our own (eg. Pablo). Never adapting tactics even when things are obviously going wrong. I pray that the things out of MBs control are addressed (squad quality, loan signings and January window) by AR. I also pray that MB can look at the things he could have done differently and correct these few areas to take us up next season MOT
posted on 29/5/19
Spot on tslufc.
posted on 29/5/19
comment by AndDonRevieistheKing (U7852)
posted 13 hours, 31 minutes ago
Bit of luck with injuries might help, read that Wolves had six injuries we had over 50, going into a play off semi without Roofe, Douglas, Pontus, Roberts, Alioski yet we are bottle jobs, our bench for most of the season looked like a youth club outing,
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And yet our worst spell, towards the end, was when we had most of our first team players fit.
posted on 29/5/19
Depends on your definition of fit I suppose.
I wasn’t convinced then or now that some of them were brought back before being truly fit physically. I also think the likes of Pablo & Mateusz were spent for the last few weeks.