This time last year we'd gotten Bielsa in after the disaster of Heck, we expected complete control of everything or Bielsa would walk just like that.
There was talk of high profile loans from pals Pep and Poch, high profile ex Bielsa players coming in etc etc.
Blackman was going to be number 1, Izzy Brown was class act who would propel us to promotion, Vieira wasn't all that, we'd never do well with Philips in the side....
I wasn't convinced that it would work with Bielsa, I'd believed the hype of him walking at drop of a hat and didnt think he'd manage to get so much more from the squad, especially after seeing them pre season at Oxford.
A year on, we've got some continuity for once with Bielsa still in charge. The pre season is a bit of a shambles and disappointed in transfer activity, but I do trust Bielsa to know what he's looking for and what he thinks he can get from a player.
I'm really not fussed about pre season results, just the players adapting to his systems, getting more match fit and avoiding injuries.
Yes teams will know our style and yes there are effective ways to counter it, but teams could see that early enough last season (Swansea, Boro) but we still had a hell of a season.
I'm hoping Philips, Roofe and Klich contract sorted soon, that Casilla has worked on communication with defence, that Berardi has made some sort of commitment to try not to see red this season and that fans get off Bamford's back at matches.
I hope that board do ALL they can from now on to back Bielsa, that a couple more U23's make the step up (especially Edmondson) and would be more than happy if we have no more centenary activities planned, but get promoted.
Can't wait for this season to start now, even though I'll be in Romania when it does!
12 months on
posted on 18/7/19
Phillips won't be here I suspect and I think we've seen the best of him, in my opinion. Think Forshaw might also move on and I'm not convinced he is that good.
posted on 18/7/19
We have the makings of a good Premier League club. Everything we need outside of the team is there save the financial infrastructure and promotion brings a huge percentage of that.
posted on 18/7/19
Fair enough stevie and promotion
Thought you were thinking on top of them 👍🏻👍🏻
posted on 18/7/19
Not at all Wakey. I think AR & co have other ambitions. Bielsa would replace both with wingers. On loan. From Oldham Athletic and Cambridge United.
posted on 18/7/19
From doc on Not606:
20 players out of the door so far with another 5 sold any day now as deals progress
Sold
Wilks - £1.2m
Sacko - £0.5m
O'Connor - free
Halme - £0.9m
Kitching - £0.2m
Jannson - £5.5m
Clarke - £9.5m
Wollerton - undisclosed
Denton - undisclosed
Dalby - undisclosed
Rey - undisclosed
Saiz - £2.5m
Minimum Total - £20.3m
Released
Diaz
Rae
Odunston
Machuca
Balboa
Loaned Out
Grot
Coyle
Close to leaving
Pearce
Ekuban
Anita
Ideguchi
posted on 18/7/19
Rae was a sub at Tadcaster last night, has he gone now?
posted on 18/7/19
Ekuban is already showing as out the door on Transmkt, Fee looks like £900k....
As I have said previously, gutted by Ekuban.
I look through that list and I’m also a bit gutted for Pearce, I thought he had a bit about him.
posted on 19/7/19
A good number arrived before Bielsa so logical that we'd see a good number moved on if El Loco doesn't feel that they'll meet his strict criteria.
I do wonder what will be his legacy when he actually decides that his Leeds United project is over. Another squad re-build?
posted on 19/7/19
Posted this on another thread but thought it was relevant here too:
Bamford strongly believes that the team will be better next year, having gotten used to Bielsa’s methods and knowing exactly what he wants from the team.
There will be no deviating from what supporters became accustomed to last season - it will be more of Bielsa's trademark high-octane style of football going forward, the 25-year-old confirmed.
“If you look at it, that was our first year getting used to the style of play, the high intensity, the constant pressing,” he continued.
“He’ll admit that he demands a lot of his players, but if you think of it that way, the second year we’ll be more acclimatised so we should be able to do it for longer.
'You believe in everything he does'
“Keeping it up is the right way to go, we shouldn’t change our style just because we fell at the last hurdle - we learn from it, but you stay true to your identity.
“When you’ve got a coach with such a big character and name, then immediately you show respect, you believe in everything he does and I think you can see on the pitch everyone wears their heart on the sleeve for him.”
posted on 19/7/19
Spot on Stevie Dee unfortunately don’t think we can get rid of Forshaw and of course Berardi
As for KP he’s okay buy sell for silly money