Time to get a grip and start the Matchday Thread a trip to London for the Mighty Whites and a chance for Gianni to play against his "mate Pepe" , Another tough game but hopefully another performance like the last 2 will see us reap the rewards
Venue...Emirates Stadium...Date...14th Feb...Kick Off...1630hrs
Team News
Leeds United
Leeds are monitoring midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who came off in Monday's win over Crystal Palace with a calf injury.
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa doesn't expect any of the injured members of his squad to return. (looks like no Pablo again )
Arsenal
Arsenal will be without Thomas Partey, who strained a hamstring during last weekend's defeat at Aston Villa.
Kieran Tierney remains sidelined with a leg injury but goalkeeper Bernd Leno and centre-back David Luiz are available after serving one-match bans.
Links............…...Sky Sport ...…….……..
Video....... Hesgoal, usagoals Beinsports ? getting harder to find
(there's also streams on Social media I believe )
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Arsenal won 5-0 the last time they hosted Leeds in the league back in 2004.
The Gunners are unbeaten against Leeds in the past eight meetings in all competitions (W6, D2).
Leeds have failed to score in each of their last three matches against Arsenal.
Arsenal
Arsenal have lost successive league games but they are unbeaten in five at home and have not conceded in any of the last three.
They could keep five successive home clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since a run of seven from December 2013 to February 2014.
The Gunners are unbeaten in their past 27 home league fixtures against promoted sides (W23, D4).
Only two of Alexandre Lacazette's eight Premier League goals this season have come at the Emirates.
Bukayo Saka has created 26 chances and won 42 fouls, more than any other Arsenal player in the Premier League this season.
Leeds United
Leeds have won three of their past four league games.
They are aiming for a third consecutive Premier League away victory.
Marcelo Bielsa's side have scored and conceded 22 goals away from home in the top flight this season - only Leicester City and Manchester City have scored more but only Southampton and West Brom have conceded more.
Leeds have lost their last six Premier League fixtures in London by an aggregate score of 2-18.
Patrick Bamford has scored twice and had three assists in his last three Premier League appearances.
There it is then, a tough game in the London (not our happiest hunting ground), I can see this being a tight affair with both sides scoring, in fact I would go so far as to say this has 1-2 written all over it with Paddy and Struik netting for us
Over to You..........................Predictions etc..........................
Come Onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeds!!!
MOT
Can we go Live Please Admins
Leeds Utd v Arsenal Matchday Thread
posted on 14/2/21
comment by Dan Arsenal (U21084)
posted 0 seconds ago
comment by Mi Pelea (U18355)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Lubo - We're Home! (U14008)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Mi Pelea (U18355)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by montleeds (U18330)
posted 2 days, 1 hour ago
comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137)
posted 1 minute ago
Venue...Emirates Stadium...Date...13th Feb...Kick Off...1630hrs
Sorry to ruin your valentines plans, but the game is 14th.
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don't think a victory for the whites is going to ruin our valentines day. can't go out anyway.
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it’s amazing how much arrogance Leeds fans have when they get battered every 2nd week
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It's amazing how many Arsenal fans are here bragging about being two points ahead of a team that gets battered every 2nd week having played a game more
Who'd have thought you'd be battling for tenth with us Wolves and Southampton seven years ago
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Who is bragging???
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Literally no one from.
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......from Arsenal
posted on 14/2/21
Arsenal deserved the win. No doubt t about that.
We weren’t good enough first half and really struggled against their press. We were also unable to keep the ball if we went long or win the ball Back in their half.
Despite that Arsenal didn’t look that dangerous but we were just under constant pressure territorially and that pressure showed with a number of horrendous mistakes.
Better second half but can never argue with the result.
But the great thing is we are disappointed and ruing what could have been. Against a side that we are competing for league position with, who have spending power and wage budget multiple times larger than ours over the last however many years. A side that has plenty of expensive players expected to be competing in Europe. Let’s be real we are doing very well and we will be looking to improve again for next year. What more can we ask for?
posted on 14/2/21
I can't imagine ever getting this annoyed about beating another team 4-2.
posted on 14/2/21
Let’s not forget we haven’t had our full strength defence all season. The two Internationals we signed in the summer are both out with long term injuries and we have had to depend on our Championship and under 23s players, so to be doing as well as we are is surprising and the team should be proud of themselves.
posted on 14/2/21
comment by Sol (U2745)
posted 3 hours, 56 minutes ago
I can't imagine ever getting this annoyed about beating another team 4-2.
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It’s like catching mackerel
posted on 14/2/21
...and our game in hand is Southampton.
Definite loss then
posted on 15/2/21
comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 4 hours, 58 minutes ago
Arsenal deserved the win. No doubt t about that.
We weren’t good enough first half and really struggled against their press. We were also unable to keep the ball if we went long or win the ball Back in their half.
Despite that Arsenal didn’t look that dangerous but we were just under constant pressure territorially and that pressure showed with a number of horrendous mistakes.
Better second half but can never argue with the result.
But the great thing is we are disappointed and ruing what could have been. Against a side that we are competing for league position with, who have spending power and wage budget multiple times larger than ours over the last however many years. A side that has plenty of expensive players expected to be competing in Europe. Let’s be real we are doing very well and we will be looking to improve again for next year. What more can we ask for?
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Excellent perspective, Faith. There is no comparison between the mild disappointment of losing to a good Arsenal team (after giving them a 3 goal start), and the year long depression following defeat at home to Wigan.
posted on 15/2/21
comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 10 hours, 14 minutes ago
Arsenal deserved the win. No doubt t about that.
We weren’t good enough first half and really struggled against their press. We were also unable to keep the ball if we went long or win the ball Back in their half.
Despite that Arsenal didn’t look that dangerous but we were just under constant pressure territorially and that pressure showed with a number of horrendous mistakes.
Better second half but can never argue with the result.
But the great thing is we are disappointed and ruing what could have been. Against a side that we are competing for league position with, who have spending power and wage budget multiple times larger than ours over the last however many years. A side that has plenty of expensive players expected to be competing in Europe. Let’s be real we are doing very well and we will be looking to improve again for next year. What more can we ask for?
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Excellent well thought out andvfair post.
Leeds are on the up, no doubt. Bit too gung ho for sustainable success in the prem in my view Need to shore up the defence and limit the space between midfield and defence as sometimes you are too wide open. Good first season back though
posted on 15/2/21
comment by Dan Arsenal (U21084)
posted 3 hours, 7 minutes ago
comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 10 hours, 14 minutes ago
Arsenal deserved the win. No doubt t about that.
We weren’t good enough first half and really struggled against their press. We were also unable to keep the ball if we went long or win the ball Back in their half.
Despite that Arsenal didn’t look that dangerous but we were just under constant pressure territorially and that pressure showed with a number of horrendous mistakes.
Better second half but can never argue with the result.
But the great thing is we are disappointed and ruing what could have been. Against a side that we are competing for league position with, who have spending power and wage budget multiple times larger than ours over the last however many years. A side that has plenty of expensive players expected to be competing in Europe. Let’s be real we are doing very well and we will be looking to improve again for next year. What more can we ask for?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Excellent well thought out andvfair post.
Leeds are on the up, no doubt. Bit too gung ho for sustainable success in the prem in my view Need to shore up the defence and limit the space between midfield and defence as sometimes you are too wide open. Good first season back though
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I completely understand the judgement of 'gung ho' from other Premier Legaue fans. But I don't think it's that simple. The tactics are not gung ho, last season we played the same tactics and philosophy and won the league by a street predominantly on our defensive record. The difference this season is obviously coming up against much better players than our own, but even this season we have proved that when the opposition is of a more similar standard we are pretty solid. We have still kept 7 clean sheets (Same as Spurs and West Ham, 1 less than yourself). You have to remember that most of this side are from the Championship, our new signings been injured more than not, especially in the defence. So their is hope and there will be a plan to massively reduce the goals conceded. It isn't just a tactic that accepts we will always concede is what I am trying to say, as it appears to many who haven't followed us religiously.
One example where personnel will make a big difference is in beating the opposition press. This is something we did at ease last season to the point where every side gave up and played with a low block. We clearly really struggled with you yesterday and I wouldn't say your press was aggressive, just very well organised and structured. You were quite happy to give us time on the ball but wouldn't allow us options. And you waited for the miss control to pounce. Alisoki is a player that really struggles when pressed and you will have noticed this. Struijk was obviously out of position, and we missed out on signing a much needed centre midfielder due to a failed medical. Then throw in that we are missing Koch, Llorente, & Rodrigo on top of Phillips and it's easy to see where we can improve.
While playing out from the back has cost us a lot of goals this season, most of us are content to accept this for now as we can see how effective it can be. We can see that there are solutions to the problem, especially when the window opens in the summer, and most importantly it's hard to imagine that this squad would have won any more points playing a different way this season.
It doesn't mean we are not aware that there are problems or prioritise being exciting over success. We just trust that we can make it work. If next season we don't see signs of improvement and the points total dips then of course it will be a very different conversation. At this stage most of us are pretty confident that Bielsa will improve us again because he always has.
posted on 15/2/21
comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 1 hour, 59 minutes ago
comment by Dan Arsenal (U21084)
posted 3 hours, 7 minutes ago
comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 10 hours, 14 minutes ago
Arsenal deserved the win. No doubt t about that.
We weren’t good enough first half and really struggled against their press. We were also unable to keep the ball if we went long or win the ball Back in their half.
Despite that Arsenal didn’t look that dangerous but we were just under constant pressure territorially and that pressure showed with a number of horrendous mistakes.
Better second half but can never argue with the result.
But the great thing is we are disappointed and ruing what could have been. Against a side that we are competing for league position with, who have spending power and wage budget multiple times larger than ours over the last however many years. A side that has plenty of expensive players expected to be competing in Europe. Let’s be real we are doing very well and we will be looking to improve again for next year. What more can we ask for?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Excellent well thought out andvfair post.
Leeds are on the up, no doubt. Bit too gung ho for sustainable success in the prem in my view Need to shore up the defence and limit the space between midfield and defence as sometimes you are too wide open. Good first season back though
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I completely understand the judgement of 'gung ho' from other Premier Legaue fans. But I don't think it's that simple. The tactics are not gung ho, last season we played the same tactics and philosophy and won the league by a street predominantly on our defensive record. The difference this season is obviously coming up against much better players than our own, but even this season we have proved that when the opposition is of a more similar standard we are pretty solid. We have still kept 7 clean sheets (Same as Spurs and West Ham, 1 less than yourself). You have to remember that most of this side are from the Championship, our new signings been injured more than not, especially in the defence. So their is hope and there will be a plan to massively reduce the goals conceded. It isn't just a tactic that accepts we will always concede is what I am trying to say, as it appears to many who haven't followed us religiously.
One example where personnel will make a big difference is in beating the opposition press. This is something we did at ease last season to the point where every side gave up and played with a low block. We clearly really struggled with you yesterday and I wouldn't say your press was aggressive, just very well organised and structured. You were quite happy to give us time on the ball but wouldn't allow us options. And you waited for the miss control to pounce. Alisoki is a player that really struggles when pressed and you will have noticed this. Struijk was obviously out of position, and we missed out on signing a much needed centre midfielder due to a failed medical. Then throw in that we are missing Koch, Llorente, & Rodrigo on top of Phillips and it's easy to see where we can improve.
While playing out from the back has cost us a lot of goals this season, most of us are content to accept this for now as we can see how effective it can be. We can see that there are solutions to the problem, especially when the window opens in the summer, and most importantly it's hard to imagine that this squad would have won any more points playing a different way this season.
It doesn't mean we are not aware that there are problems or prioritise being exciting over success. We just trust that we can make it work. If next season we don't see signs of improvement and the points total dips then of course it will be a very different conversation. At this stage most of us are pretty confident that Bielsa will improve us again because he always has.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Excellent reply, Faith. Exactly how it is!