https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/nov/25/premier-league-marcelo-bielsa-leeds-united
Bielsa is correct, we are not getting value for money at present. But he also says he's not fixed in his ways, I'm not sure that's entirely true, neither is it entirely true that injuries haven't played a part.
Is it just complete bad luck our current predicament, or is something not working?
There seems to be a feeling that when all players fit and well it will be inevitable that we rise up the table. Indeed people already talking about picking up 6 points v Palace and Brentford, 3 points per game when we've averaged less than 1 point per game over previous 13 games.
We weren't playing that well when Bamford and Ayling were fit, so I'm not expecting a transformation when they return, but something overall is not right with the team.
We might be lacking our focal point for attacks, but passing elsewhere of pitch is extremely slack. The usual change of side of pitch with accurate long passes was not there, the passes to players knowing from training where they would be was not there.
We'e changed from a team that everyone wanted to watch and talk about to a team that everyone has forgotten about.
The opposing managers still give us credit (less so than last season) but have seems to work out how to play us.
Bielsa is a great coach. But him being a great coach doesn't mean other players cant be great coaches too.
We spent just over 50 mill this summer, so did Brighton, they recouped all of that with Ben White sale.
Wolves spent about £23 mill recouped about £28 mill.
Southampton spent about £38 mill recouped about £54 mill.
We cant do like for like comparison with team that went up same season as us as they both went down. but these are our near neighbours in table a few years ahead of us, showing that their investment is lower, they recoup more and its working.
I'm not saying aim low, I would like to think we're aiming higher than these teams, but we're investing a lot of money, debt is growing and its fallen flat this year.
We can try and dismiss the second season syndrome, but it feels like we're experiencing it, I don't think trying to spend our way out of it is the solution and hope Bielsa and his coaches and players figure a way out of this.
Everyone will be gunning for us, after some years of win after win its a different job to be continually lifting players, keeping cohesion and morale high.
This situation creates a real challenge for the management as well. How much effort do they invest in finding a replacement for Bielsa for end of this season, or do they trust that he keeps us up and is up for helping us kick on next season? How open are al parties with each other about the future?
Fans are starting to question some of Bielsa's decisions, they should always be allowed this and indeed have done since he arrived. There is no doubt he's been a great manager for us and let's face it, one of the greatest, up there with Revie and Wilko and I fully expect him to be able to turn this round and I would love nothing more than he does that, stays on, and next season we put this season firmly behind us and challenge for top 6.
Complete honesty?
posted on 29/11/21
The worst thing you can do at this point is nothing in my opinion.
^^^^^
I agree 100%. Club is on very thin ice.
posted on 29/11/21
One more win and we wouldn’t be anywhere near these type of articles and conversations. Call me deluded but ABSOLUTELY convinced we are finishing mid-table. Injuries suspensions and luck not gone our way….. people may say I’m looking for excuses - but reality is we aren’t far off
posted on 29/11/21
I like the strength of your belief, A14 - thanks!
I'm feeling very despondent about our difficulties at the mo.
On the one hand, we've splaffed 150mill or something in the last twelve months but we're playing very poorly.
On the other hand, as you say, it's very tight still and a little run of success would reignite hopes and change the situation completely.
Best thing to come out of this might be giving the "babies" a chance to shake things up. Meslier and Struijk are already giants.
But will Bielsa give them time?
And, at this point in the season, as things stand, is it too risky?
posted on 29/11/21
I can’t be bothered to do it, but would be interested to see how much those who have been promoted in the last 5-7 years, and are still here, have actually spent since their promotion ….and wonder how that compares with those that got relegated? Might show a couple of things…
1/ at £100m income per year (?) you need to stay up for 3-4 years ….allows you to spend £300m, then you stay up??
2/ you spend all you earn for 1/2 years, but still get relegated cos its not enough yet…you need to be spending £300/400m to get you the squad depth/quality?
That said… Burnley been in Prem for years earning their £100m a year and they spend nowt….don’t know how they do it but their owners must really be fleecing the club big time.
posted on 29/11/21
The only thing which has definitively changed is that Bamford and Ayling are one year older. As for the other element of form, it’s not a new concept, and neither are Leeds United the first club to suffer from a very poor run.
What does markedly separate us is the method of squad set up employed by Bielsa, especially the size and requirement of these players to adapt to multiple positions; there is a feeling that the numerous injuries suffered by his preferred players have exposed the limitations of his approach.
Basically we have a small squad which has suffered unfortunate multiple injuries from early in the season leaving players who have been constantly swapped and moved from game in different positions.
How can it be possibly expected for there to be any kind of effective e coherency when we can’t play the same players in the same position for more than one game at a time?
I recall that last season we used one of the fewest number of players over the course of the season. I wonder where we currently sit this season.
posted on 29/11/21
Its a good article but i agree with Wetherbys point. Teams are not built in two close seasons and some of sides in the Premier have spend 100s of millions more than us over many years to build their teams. The majority have spent more than us over longer periods and we sit near the bottom of the league in terms of our wage bill.
Villa have spent £325m in the 3 seasons they have been up. Yes they recouped £100 with Grealish but its still a lot more than us.
Fact remains we still have a lot of higher end championship quality players who are struggling to play at consistently at the level required along with some signings who have yet to make the desired level.
posted on 29/11/21
comment by A14... 152-0 T20 + Tea was fantastic پاکستان زِنده باد (U2805)
posted 4 hours, 32 minutes ago
One more win and we wouldn’t be anywhere near these type of articles and conversations. Call me deluded but ABSOLUTELY convinced we are finishing mid-table. Injuries suspensions and luck not gone our way….. people may say I’m looking for excuses - but reality is we aren’t far off
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100% agree. we should be mid table right now.
with a bit of luck we could have won one or two of the draws and dont get me started on spurs.
i love bielsa, he has brought back the enjoyment of watching football but his rigid belief in employing a small squad will always hurt our chances of finishing in the europeon spots.
posted on 30/11/21
comment by Kebablegs (U17699)
posted 16 hours, 33 minutes ago
Fact remains we still have a lot of higher end championship quality players who are struggling to play at consistently at the level required along with some signings who have yet to make the desired level.
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Kebablegs, for me you've hit the nail on the head with this point. If we had a small squad of Prem-level players, we could cope with this level of injuries but (and someone tell me if I'm wrong here) we're calling in young players who are inexperienced at first-team football at ANY level, never mind Premier League. There's a time and a place to blood youngsters and that's in matches of no consequence or in the second half of a match we're coasting in (which hasn't happened so far this season), not by dropping them when we're struggling and saying 'Now go and get us out of the sh!t'. Unfair on everyone.
Having said all that, the small-squad philosophy is Bielsa's only major flaw and with Bamf and Ayling on the mend, our mojo will return, I'm sure. I believe we're going to finish the season mid-table.
posted on 30/11/21
comment by Lorralorimer (U18994)
posted 0 seconds ago
comment by Kebablegs (U17699)
posted 16 hours, 33 minutes ago
Fact remains we still have a lot of higher end championship quality players who are struggling to play at consistently at the level required along with some signings who have yet to make the desired level.
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Kebablegs, for me you've hit the nail on the head with this point. If we had a small squad of Prem-level players, we could cope with this level of injuries but (and someone tell me if I'm wrong here) we're calling in young players who are inexperienced at first-team football at ANY level, never mind Premier League. There's a time and a place to blood youngsters and that's in matches of no consequence or in the second half of a match we're coasting in (which hasn't happened so far this season), not by dropping them when we're struggling and saying 'Now go and get us out of the sh!t'. Unfair on everyone.
Having said all that, the small-squad philosophy is Bielsa's only major flaw and with Bamf and Ayling on the mend, our mojo will return, I'm sure. I believe we're going to finish the season mid-table.
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*dropping them in
posted on 30/11/21
I just saw your up and coming fixtures....
after Palace & Brentford (not easy games themselves)
Chelsea(a)
City(a)
Arsenal(h)
Liverpool (a).
Whoever above was talking about "getting a run together" is pretty optimistic. Next couple games are massive for you.