As above, I know we have a few Leeds fans in the forum. Mixed emotions here - will always love what he did for the team, getting us promoted and playing some great football. His refusal to change defensive tactics was his downfall really but I can’t see anyone who comes in being able to change things very quickly. Really missing backbone of the team from last season.
Bielsa sacking - thoughts?
- Thread starter Trabbs
- Start date
I think sacking Bielsa is a mistake, i doubt Pep,Klop or Ragnick could do any better then Bielsa with this lot. They hung him out to dry during 2 transfer windows with no replacements for our long term injury wows. What club in this league does not bring in a striker in a window replace Bamford who wont feature again this season ? And they knew that they just kept it from us. What club in this league would play Dan James as a striker ?
Next home game ill sing his name as will 90% of the ground for as long as i can keep it going, gave us some great memory's regardless of what division we are playing in next season.
Absolutely love the man. Deserved to have a chance turning this around with the lesser clubs we are about to play, we knew we'd get nothing against Man U, Liverpool and Spurs we may have nicked some points of those 3 last season City and Arsenal too but that was with a full squad that included Phillips and Bamford.
I get your comments on defensive tactics but the quality of our defence is poor Lorenti yesterday christ, we have no midfield protecting the back 4 either this can be seen recently when opposing centre backs walk through midfield and go on to score. I can not blame Bielsa for this i blame the club for relying on him to work miracles with players not up to it.
Next home game ill sing his name as will 90% of the ground for as long as i can keep it going, gave us some great memory's regardless of what division we are playing in next season.
Absolutely love the man. Deserved to have a chance turning this around with the lesser clubs we are about to play, we knew we'd get nothing against Man U, Liverpool and Spurs we may have nicked some points of those 3 last season City and Arsenal too but that was with a full squad that included Phillips and Bamford.
I get your comments on defensive tactics but the quality of our defence is poor Lorenti yesterday christ, we have no midfield protecting the back 4 either this can be seen recently when opposing centre backs walk through midfield and go on to score. I can not blame Bielsa for this i blame the club for relying on him to work miracles with players not up to it.
I don’t disagree with you although you do wonder why, in the absence of Bamford, he doesn’t start Gelhardt. Firpo gives the ball away far too often and I don’t know what the question is but the answer certainly isn’t Tyler Roberts. I’m gutted he has gone, Bielsa will always be a legend in my eyes.
We cry out for Geldhardt in the Kop i could only assume Bielsa didnt trust him, when he has had a cameo role he drags defenders all over with his speed of turn causing problems and leaving holes for us to exploit. He would get us goals and i suspect penalties too. This is a mistake from Bielsa.
Harrison is having a poor season because of Firpo . Harrison misses Alioski we do on and off the pitch i believe. Firpo was a poor replacement he can get forward but its hardly ever down the wing helping Harrison with overlapping runs its always down the middle. He carnt defend.
I could go on about every single player but we can all be managers at home so ill not bore you with it.
16 seasons outside of top flight football Biesla comes along and gives us 3 great season first in Prem included with fantastic attacking football id forgotten could be played. He did this with a mid table Championship squad as our spine with a few additions. Our players tired got injured and the Prem learnt how to deal with us.
Hard act to follow.
Gracias Marcelo.
Harrison is having a poor season because of Firpo . Harrison misses Alioski we do on and off the pitch i believe. Firpo was a poor replacement he can get forward but its hardly ever down the wing helping Harrison with overlapping runs its always down the middle. He carnt defend.
I could go on about every single player but we can all be managers at home so ill not bore you with it.
16 seasons outside of top flight football Biesla comes along and gives us 3 great season first in Prem included with fantastic attacking football id forgotten could be played. He did this with a mid table Championship squad as our spine with a few additions. Our players tired got injured and the Prem learnt how to deal with us.
Hard act to follow.
Gracias Marcelo.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,413
- Reaction score
- 7,025
When your side start to concede goals for fun you have to change the tactics and try to stop the goals going in.
There's goals in the Leeds for sure, 3 against West Ham 3 against Burnley 2 against Utd 3 against Villa side but for me you must shore up the defense something he turned a blind eye to in the hope of glory.
It was though he was on a "we'll score more than you" mission and he refused to budge on his tactics.
If he had of stayed and kept Leeds up ?
They build a statue,
If he fails
He walks.
Some press say he was sacked some say he left I'm not quite sure were the truth lies with that one.
He was definitely parked up at the bar hammering it in the last chance saloon. Right now Leeds need to plug holes even if it means 8 at the back. The confidence of these players will be shot at.
For me Leeds need an experienced manager a confidence builder a Neil Warnock Sam Allardyce type manager on a short term contract just to shore up the ship and retain Premiership status.
But I've a feeling that won't be the case and Leeds will opt for a foreign "who tf is he !??" Manager. If they don't stop the 3 pops in football it will be Championship football next season. If they can start to nick wins and grab a few shoddy draws then there's hope for Leeds.
If I were a Leeds fan I'd be happy with dull drab draws from now to the end if it meant we dodged the drop.
There's goals in the Leeds for sure, 3 against West Ham 3 against Burnley 2 against Utd 3 against Villa side but for me you must shore up the defense something he turned a blind eye to in the hope of glory.
It was though he was on a "we'll score more than you" mission and he refused to budge on his tactics.
If he had of stayed and kept Leeds up ?
They build a statue,
If he fails
He walks.
Some press say he was sacked some say he left I'm not quite sure were the truth lies with that one.
He was definitely parked up at the bar hammering it in the last chance saloon. Right now Leeds need to plug holes even if it means 8 at the back. The confidence of these players will be shot at.
For me Leeds need an experienced manager a confidence builder a Neil Warnock Sam Allardyce type manager on a short term contract just to shore up the ship and retain Premiership status.
But I've a feeling that won't be the case and Leeds will opt for a foreign "who tf is he !??" Manager. If they don't stop the 3 pops in football it will be Championship football next season. If they can start to nick wins and grab a few shoddy draws then there's hope for Leeds.
If I were a Leeds fan I'd be happy with dull drab draws from now to the end if it meant we dodged the drop.
Last edited:
I was reading contently till the above .
Your point on shoring up the defence is a glaring obvious one but look at the last 3 teams we have played. We have numerous options at cb none work with a wide open midfield with Phillips missing. Firpo on the left very weak. Ayling on the right is ok using him at CB as we have is imo wrong as we loose his ball carrying on the right.
We were offered Van der Beek who tore us apart v Everton and Harry Winks but Leeds turned them down, blame was aimed at Bielsa but i suspect it was the board not wanting to pay the wages and Bielsa shouldered the blame for the club. We also need to drop the man for man shite.
My thoughts are not really was it right or wrong to sack Bielsa but what could an incoming coach do with this lot. My thoughts still are Bielsa would get more from these players than anyone coming in hence why i think sacking him is a mistake.
My thoughts exactly on who would get most from these players. As far as having a Warnock short term - please god NO. He was a nightmare for us. Easy to say but I think if we are going to get relegated I would have preferred we ride the storm and hope we could pick up enough points when Phillips and Bamford back. It has been painful watching recently and when your luck is out you don’t seem to get decisions. No VAR review when Liverpool keeper wipes out James, 2nd penalty against Liverpool was harsh given we didn’t get one for similar foul against Spurs. Man Utd player not even carded after forearm smash which leads to our player bleeding and later concussed but our player gets sent against Liverpool after winning the ball. They say these things even out but I don’t see that at all. Anyway, will be moving this to rant room if I keep going 
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,413
- Reaction score
- 7,025
When I mention those names I didn't say get those two I meant someone in the mould of them, an experienced UK manager who can get a message across. Roy Hodgson would have been a good choice in my eyes as an interim managerial choice.
It's not about some new foreign guy with his 3-3-2-1-1 foreign tactics it's all about instilling confidence and belief back into the Leeds the players and plugging the casm at the back up.
I'm not so sure some of these foreign managers know how when the turd slaps the fan they seem to believe in full steam ahead in their beliefs.
As for Warnock ?, he's definitely over the hill and a marmite manager but his record speaks for itself.
When he took over at Leeds 10 years ago Leeds were in an utter mess, not even Guardiola would have turned the club around.
It's not about some new foreign guy with his 3-3-2-1-1 foreign tactics it's all about instilling confidence and belief back into the Leeds the players and plugging the casm at the back up.
I'm not so sure some of these foreign managers know how when the turd slaps the fan they seem to believe in full steam ahead in their beliefs.
As for Warnock ?, he's definitely over the hill and a marmite manager but his record speaks for itself.
When he took over at Leeds 10 years ago Leeds were in an utter mess, not even Guardiola would have turned the club around.
I've still got the neck brace as a reminder of the Warnock days.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,413
- Reaction score
- 7,025
Leeds back then were abit like Utd are today., no matter who you got in there was no fix.
I'm afraid pinning your hopes on a teenage Geldhart is not the answer right now. It's all about ugly football and digging in and making the team hard to beat.
This is were man management skills come to the forefront not formations.
Another I would have been in for would have been Chris Wilder, excellent man management skills. I think Leeds demise started about a month after he joined Middlesbrough.
Started off slowly but I think he's only lost 3 in about 3 months and now on their on the verge of a play off place.
I'm afraid pinning your hopes on a teenage Geldhart is not the answer right now. It's all about ugly football and digging in and making the team hard to beat.
This is were man management skills come to the forefront not formations.
Another I would have been in for would have been Chris Wilder, excellent man management skills. I think Leeds demise started about a month after he joined Middlesbrough.
Started off slowly but I think he's only lost 3 in about 3 months and now on their on the verge of a play off place.
Last edited:
Im not pinning my hopes on Geldhardt im pinning them on dropping the man for man marking.
Geldhardt is an actual striker though James is not.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,413
- Reaction score
- 7,025
But do you not think the pressure imposed on a teenager to fire Leeds to safety is all abit too much ?. Right now if Geldhardt scored a hattrick you'd lose 4-3.
And yes the man marking tactic is utter bizarre, is that in his bible of football tactics ?.
2 banks of 4 or a 5-4-1 all working as a unit would be Leeds best option then if Geldhardt does score even the 1 goal you might just win.
I know one thing, it's gonna be one hell of a dog fight till the end of the season. There's 7 possibly 8 clubs still within earshot of the drop. I'm not quite sure who plays down around there who but if you attend those games bottom play bottom then get the f##kin statins ready at hand.
And yes the man marking tactic is utter bizarre, is that in his bible of football tactics ?.
2 banks of 4 or a 5-4-1 all working as a unit would be Leeds best option then if Geldhardt does score even the 1 goal you might just win.
I know one thing, it's gonna be one hell of a dog fight till the end of the season. There's 7 possibly 8 clubs still within earshot of the drop. I'm not quite sure who plays down around there who but if you attend those games bottom play bottom then get the f##kin statins ready at hand.
As long as he can organise a defence. What is George Graham doing these days?
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,413
- Reaction score
- 7,025
The new Bob Bradley
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2010
- Messages
- 1,688
- Reaction score
- 1,177
I have loved having bielsa here for the last 4 seasons and it was so sad to see him go. If it was the club who sacked him they certainly gave him the time to put his house in order. He was at thorpe arch yesterday and there were people waiting 7 hours to meet him. I also read he was in the morning saying his last good byes. To me, we have been missing that whole spine of the team through the middle of the park. Everything going up the wings tippy tappy style. The problem with Bielsa is that he was unwilling to change tactics like everyone seems to say he played style a and if syle a didn't work you have to do style a better. I'm hoping this new guy jesse marsch if it is him can do something with the defense for starters. We have a couple of home games coming up against villa and Norwich, I hope we can get something out of those.
langland
Elite Member
I think that sacking Bielsa was a disgrace after all he has done. Leeds might have been relegated if they kept him, but equally he might have kept them up.
From what I can make out they have some big players out injured, so the new manager might still get them relegated.
From what I can make out they have some big players out injured, so the new manager might still get them relegated.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,413
- Reaction score
- 7,025
Great managers have a footballing philosophy they believe in but they also have the foresight that as a game progresses they might need to change tactics on the fly, Bielsa was not prepared to change which eventually was his undoing. I remember a certain Martinez doing the exact same thing at Everton which also cost him his job.
I also remember Ferguson going from 1 forward up frontplaying away at somewhere then he changed it to 4 up front when they were 1-0 down, then Utd scored twice, took the lead so he dropped them back just to see the game out. Was Bielsa sacked or a bit of both because from some quarters of the press they claim it was a mutual agreement to leave.
If Leeds stand any chance of staying in the Prem then love him or not he had to go. I think he knew the writing was on the wall and I don't think he could stomach life back in the Championship. Will Jesse Marsch be the answer ?, only time will tell. My only concern is, he has very very little big league experience were as a couple of the those managers in and around Leeds are wiley old characters who know the League and what it takes to stay up. Watford are slowly showing an improvement with 4pts from their last three games and a good point at Utd. Burnley 2 wins and a draw in their last 3.
I think Marsch is on a hiding to nothing and wont get any thanks either way. If he keeps them up it will be because Bielsa built the side and it was his team and if Leeds go down goes it was because they sacked Bielsa abit like a patient thanking God for saving their life on the operating table and not the dozen or so surgeons, doctors and nurses who spent hours in the theatre.
I also remember Ferguson going from 1 forward up frontplaying away at somewhere then he changed it to 4 up front when they were 1-0 down, then Utd scored twice, took the lead so he dropped them back just to see the game out. Was Bielsa sacked or a bit of both because from some quarters of the press they claim it was a mutual agreement to leave.
If Leeds stand any chance of staying in the Prem then love him or not he had to go. I think he knew the writing was on the wall and I don't think he could stomach life back in the Championship. Will Jesse Marsch be the answer ?, only time will tell. My only concern is, he has very very little big league experience were as a couple of the those managers in and around Leeds are wiley old characters who know the League and what it takes to stay up. Watford are slowly showing an improvement with 4pts from their last three games and a good point at Utd. Burnley 2 wins and a draw in their last 3.
I think Marsch is on a hiding to nothing and wont get any thanks either way. If he keeps them up it will be because Bielsa built the side and it was his team and if Leeds go down goes it was because they sacked Bielsa abit like a patient thanking God for saving their life on the operating table and not the dozen or so surgeons, doctors and nurses who spent hours in the theatre.
Last edited:
Number 1 for me but with Geldhardt Rodrigo behind.
Number 2 Like idea of Raph in a 10 role but relying on Ayling and Firpo as wingbacks not for me.
Number 3 Rodrigo as a 9 not for me better playing behind a 9. Its not bad but again Firpo as a wingback nah Ayling could maybe play that with 3 at the back.
Last edited:
Similar threads
