As much as I agree with Casilla now being dropped, I hope that Meslier can step up and make a difference. We've only seen him in an FA Cup game we weren't expected to win. Yes he did play well but I wonder how he'll cope with the high pressure of a Championship game. He's another in a long line of young, inexperienced back-up players. Our squad is full of light-weight youth with a seemingly fragile mentality. Bielsa is responsible for the assembly of his playing squad. A small squad in numbers and size, nowhere near enough hardened pros with experience of pressure-cooker battles.
We have what we have though and have to work with it, but the lack of squad depth and players being asked to play in different positions means that players like Klich and Bamford have been run into the ground.
If reports are to be believed, Pontus fell foul of Bielsa when he asked for an extra week off before starting pre-season after being on international duty until mid -June. Bielsa apparently said no and the next thing we know is Pontus is being sold. On that basis it seems to be Bielsa's way or no way. Is enough done to look after the players? Who knows. You would look to blood young players in less pressurised games. If Meslier plays, I hope he plays well for all our sakes including his. Bielsa's stubborn ways are threatening to de-rail our season again. If he's looking for solutions he could do a lot worse than engage in some soul-searching regarding his own methods. His players are mentally and physically shot and we still have a third of the season to go.
The Brentford match will just intensify the pressure even more. I really feel for the players because they just do what they're told. It's not their fault if they're not good enough or there's nothing left in the tank.
How does Bielsa freshen things up? Will it even enter his head to change anything? History suggests he won't but he's fully aware that the natives are restless and the jury is out. He's been saying for weeks that he needs to find solutions but there's no evidence to show he's got any answers.
With each match the intensity of the spotlight increases.
The big question now is how much bottle does Bielsa have to change the habits of a lifetime for the sake of the bigger picture?
Principles or bravery?
Bielsa - Principles or Bravery?
posted on 9/2/20
Meslier would have saved that shot by Ameobi imo, Kiko looks shot
posted on 9/2/20
comment by Lubo - Super Cooper! (U14008)
posted 1 minute ago
If Meslier doesn't work then that's a lesson we've learned. What we are doing goalie wise now isnt working, so a change should be made.
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Agree, it’s not working.
Neither is putting chances away upfront...
neither is Harrison’s consistency....
Neither is Costa’s ability to cross
Neither is Pablo turning up for games
Neither is klitch in his position - been awful last few months
If your container is mostly shtttee, when u tip it over to pour the stuff you’ll only get shhtt coming out.
posted on 9/2/20
comment by Afridi14... ( ليدز_يونايتد )You gotta love it!! (U2805)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Lubo - Super Cooper! (U14008)
posted 1 minute ago
If Meslier doesn't work then that's a lesson we've learned. What we are doing goalie wise now isnt working, so a change should be made.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree, it’s not working.
Neither is putting chances away upfront...
neither is Harrison’s consistency....
Neither is Costa’s ability to cross
Neither is Pablo turning up for games
Neither is klitch in his position - been awful last few months
If your container is mostly shtttee, when u tip it over to pour the stuff you’ll only get shhtt coming out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes but the goalie is a problem we have a potential solution for. I'll stand by this stance, but I think if that goal doesn't get let in against Wigan then we win that game. At the very least that's a point that Casilla cost us right there.
If you keep giving the opposition soft leads then it makes it harder for the attacking players because the opposition can pack their penalty area.
posted on 9/2/20
comment by Lubo - Super Cooper! (U14008)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Afridi14... ( ليدز_يونايتد )You gotta love it!! (U2805)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by Lubo - Super Cooper! (U14008)
posted 1 minute ago
If Meslier doesn't work then that's a lesson we've learned. What we are doing goalie wise now isnt working, so a change should be made.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree, it’s not working.
Neither is putting chances away upfront...
neither is Harrison’s consistency....
Neither is Costa’s ability to cross
Neither is Pablo turning up for games
Neither is klitch in his position - been awful last few months
If your container is mostly shtttee, when u tip it over to pour the stuff you’ll only get shhtt coming out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes but the goalie is a problem we have a potential solution for. I'll stand by this stance, but I think if that goal doesn't get let in against Wigan then we win that game. At the very least that's a point that Casilla cost us right there.
If you keep giving the opposition soft leads then it makes it harder for the attacking players because the opposition can pack their penalty area.
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Fair enough. He was also at fault for the Cardiff comeback and the Sheff Wednesday opener - again beaten at near post
posted on 9/2/20
Surely we have to try Meslier as Casilla is not playing well at the moment? It maybe the discrimination hearing is on his mind? If he gets a guilty verdict then he misses at least 6 games and Meslier would have to be played then, so why not play him now?
posted on 9/2/20
I was shocked we didn’t seem interested in an experienced keeper. Well not shocked because small squad + journeyman keeper isn’t a great fit for bielsa - but really, they know nothing about how meslier will react under real pressure no matter how much they may rate him. Kiko’s blunders cost us last season and they are now consistently costing us points now this season... he got out of jail after a terrible performance at Birmingham too. He’s averaging a howler per game over the last couple of months. Solid keeper and we’re clear at the top despite our goal drought.
posted on 10/2/20
Not totally on the OP track but, for me Casilla and Bamford have both fully earned being dropped.
I'm hoping Bielsa gets a grip of reality and realizes
we're no worse off playing the two players the club brought in for this reason: Meslier & Kev.
And I'm also pro dropping Alioski. Let Douglas have a run of games for God's sake. Again, we'll be no worse
off and he's a true left back. We need balance.
posted on 10/2/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 10/2/20
comment by Batty - Prem4harj (U4664)
posted 33 minutes ago
Not totally on the OP track but, for me Casilla and Bamford have both fully earned being dropped.
I'm hoping Bielsa gets a grip of reality and realizes
we're no worse off playing the two players the club brought in for this reason: Meslier & Kev.
And I'm also pro dropping Alioski. Let Douglas have a run of games for God's sake. Again, we'll be no worse
off and he's a true left back. We need balance.
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Agree with this. You can’t have a stance on the keeper in one breath and defend bamford with another - but equal culprits in my opinion. But Kev isn’t ready for a full game, but bamford needs to pull his finger outta his a55 and put the chances away
posted on 10/2/20
I would just like to say that I don't think Casilla is a bad goalkeeper. I think on his day he's probably the best goalkeeper in this league. I just think it's a difficult position to play when you're clearly as reliant on confidence as he is.
Look at Jordan Pickford the other day. Made a howler for the Palace equaliser, with plenty of people already on his back. He reacts by getting himself up and making a crucial save that helps his team win. If you're a goalie you have to have the confidence and self belief to do that, and I've not seen that from Casilla, which I think is a massive shame.
He's by no means the only player making costly mistakes. He just happens to play the one position where those mistakes are the most costly.