Leeds United 1 - 1 Derby County

In the awful first half it was noticeable, particularly of the forward players, how infrequently they retained possession. They were harried into mistakes, or ran into traffic and lost the ball, or passed aimlessly, or a Leeds leg simply nipped in and took the ball away. Apart from his goal, Martin didn't do this. He won a couple of soft free-kicks, he controlled the ball and laid it off to someone else, or won a throw, and generally did the old-fashioned getting-the-team-up-the-pitch stuff which is so important when you are up against it. This gave us a foothold in the game and we were finally able to play a little bit of football.

I would be interested to see the percentages of possession retention for some of our players because they seem very low to me. Marriott was industrious enough and hold-up play isn't really his forte but in such games he needs to give us a little bit more at least so that the ball isn't simply coming back at us relentlessly as it was in the first half.

Wonderful post Vidal, just what I’ve been thinking for two years!

Pearson was an idiot to get rid of Chris.

Meanwhile, refreshment news. I have just come across the White Peak Distillery. Full of goodness.......

I except Cocu is a highly successful coach and knows the game better than me but how can he play Marriott up top on his own?
He provides nothing in that role, is completely ineffective and hinders the side as he doesn’t hold it up at all to provide the platform needed. Cocu is not blind and must see this yet he continues to use this utterly pointless tactic. Martin or Waghorn and far better options in this role.
We glamoured for Marriott to start and rightly so, but this position he’s playing him in can only be bad for his morale. Especially as Martin is stealing the limelight.
I’ll love to understand Cocu’s thinking.
Marriott is a second striker and a top quality one. Perhaps it’s time to play to his strengths and go two up top. With Martin and Waghorn covering the main striker role between them.

How about when fit:

Roos
Bogle Keogh Davies Clarke Lowe
Holmes Beilik Blank
Waghorn/Lawrence Marriott.

I’m open to options for the third midfielder. Loads to choose from, Bird, Sibley, Knight, Shinnie, Paterson, Dowell, Lawrence, Zoon. List isn’t exhaustive.

Marriott does need a striker up the pitch with him, whether it be Waghorn or Martin...

I've got to say that Martin does look fitter than he ever has while being at Derby, he also looks thinner than when he first arrived!

I agree with that as an option Rameses. I would consider Bielik instead of Davies though as Davies isn't very good on the ball. If Bielik played there then probably Huddlestone and Holmes are 2 of the midfield 3. In that particular formation I think Dowell might be decent but I would quite like to have a look at Sibley.

If we were in control of games then I still think Marriott can function as a sole striker but it very much depends on being able to play out from the back, manoeuvre the ball into attacking positions and slip him in. If this isn't perfect he seems almost completely ineffective. To persist with Cocu's preferred formation we either need to play against teams who will allow us to play out from the back or do better at beating the press.

The option to drop Beilik into a back 3 is tempting Vidal. Personally I think he’d be more effective further forward. Correct that Curtis isn’t a ball carrier but Clarke and Keogh are.
If it’s to be alone Marriott up front that’s fine. But FFS stop lumping it up to him. We have to play it through the phases. It just hasn’t be possible to do that much as we’ve been giving the ball away A LOT, which puts us under pressure forcing the quick clearance up field then expecting Marriott to the get on it. Which he hasn’t done.
Yesterday Leeds showed us how our game should be played. The question is do we have the players in our squad to emulate what Leeds are able to do.
For me we don’t and perhaps going more direct, while not being “The Derby Way,” would pay dividends. (1) in getting a win or two. And (b) building on the confidence that brings to then get back to a passing game.

We have been playing OK but not brilliantly, so it was a big ask to expect the players to be able to defeat the very intense pressure that Leeds put on their opponents under Bielsa. We had a right back playing out of position, a lightweight centre forward and a wide player who is very weak. You would have thought we might have been more pragmatic at first, have a more robust centre forward than Marriott and play it longer, competing for second balls. Not so pretty but less vulnerable. Perhaps we should admire Cocu for wanting to play "the right way" and maybe if we stick at it then eventually we will reap the benefits.

Let’s just beat Brum and get our season started.

comment by Rameses, Kom op jij Rams (U7190)
posted 45 minutes ago

Let’s just beat Brum and get our season started.

Get behind the team too.