Leeds v Monaco (Friendly) Match Thread.

[The Subhuman]

I suppose Farke is trying things out.

I thought Ampadu & Gray worked together well & were very good, midfield was poor in the second-half.

Thought we looked more together second half ... had more of the game versus a good Monaco side. Though missed the last 7/8 minutes

[marie67]

Dya think Bert should've been sacked Marie ?

I think that the players couldn't keep up the intensity that he required and they were not listening to him any more.
Also they did not replace Pablo.
So something had to change, the manager or some players.

[Kennyb41]

Thought we looked more together second half ... had more of the game versus a good Monaco side. Though missed the last 7/8 minutes

Oh we had more of the game Sub, but why was that ?

Here, you probably won't answer so i'll tell you - We were knocking it about, without getting anywhere.

[1964white]

Positives:

- 1st half performance
- Ampadu in midfield
- fitness and ball movement
- Struijk on the right

Negatives:

- 2nd half
- deal with the pressing
- Rutter not a 9
- youngsters impact in the 2nd
- final third and consistency

[malcolmw]

Whatever you do do not be shooting Farke for this shite we are in and the shite players he is having to try and work with.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

It is NOT his fault.

And no amount of Tactics, Formation, Parking the bus to try and keep the score down, Trying the youth, Playing Cresswell, Giving Joffy a try, playing 5-3-2, Going for a point, Playing Hjelde at LB, Making the defence more solid, etc etc etc - will make these players better.

He has inherited as much shite as Bert did, and it's about time you so called 'football' fans sat up and took notice.

You o not blame a good workman if he has shite tools.
From the last 30mins i saw today we are a lot more than 'a work in progress'

And anyone clamouring for the likes of LC and PB to be shown the door better worry who's gonna take their place in the side, because as much as i'd like to see the back of them, we do not have anyone better to take their place if we are gonna try stroking it about which is the evidence i saw for 30 mins.

Fck me he's got his work cut out, and jeez Weasel if you saw any of this 'knocking it about' today it was dreadful, they just don't get 'it' the majority of these.

But one shining light was that Ampadu does, but the rest - Lord help us.

Kenny I agree with you. Farke is still figuring out the mess and trying to develop a plan.
It's very short term thinking to be criticizing him right now.
It's the old having to make lemonade from lemons.
I still feels Coops and a couple of the others have still some Bielsa blood in their DNA. We can't jettison them (just) yet.
What we do need to do is show the door to anyone who doesn't want to be there, right now, before the season starts - young or old. As a famous CEO said after taking over a new company - if you're not on the bus, you're under it.
Most managers would rather have a mainly average squad with the right attitude, than a talented bunch of Prima Donna's.
There is a lot of sweat to be spent. If you're not up to it, clear off and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out.

[1964white]

Thought we looked more together second half ... had more of the game versus a good Monaco side. Though missed the last 7/8 minutes

Didn't you miss the first 30 minutes due to driving home?

We were far more efficient in the first-half.

[Kennyb41]

Kenny I agree with you. Farke is still figuring out the mess and trying to develop a plan.
It's very short term thinking to be criticizing him right now.
It's the old having to make lemonade from lemons.
I still feels Coops and a couple of the others have still some Bielsa blood in their DNA. We can't jettison them (just) yet.
What we do need to do is show the door to anyone who doesn't want to be there, right now, before the season starts - young or old. As a famous CEO said after taking over a new company - if you're not on the bus, you're under it.
Most managers would rather have a mainly average squad with the right attitude, than a talented bunch of Prima Donna's.
There is a lot of sweat to be spent. If you're not up to it, clear off and don't let the door hit your arse on the way out.

Very well put and about sums up where we're at.

It could be a long road, i'm not totally despondent, i'm just trying to put it into perspective the job in hand, and the players he's got at his disposal to try and get 'playing'

And 'playing together' at that.

[Kennyb41]

Didn't you miss the first 30 minutes due to driving home?

We were far more efficient in the first-half.

Well that gives me hope as i missed it.

[60sUnited]

Pascal's best game in a long time.

Our youngsters really struggled physically against them.

Very worried about Rutter now. Just seems to lumber about.

Imo Rutter is a lucky lad who must have had a decent game when our nutter was watching....not Rutters fault that he was picked up by a prem club and paid mega bucks despite him probably being Conference League standard.......just complete insanity all round.

[1964white]

Well that gives me hope as i missed it.

Right now, that is close to the team that should start on the opening day.

Maybe Drameh in for Ayling.
Gnonto for James.
Joseph starting as our No.9.

To be fair to Ayling, he made seven decent defensive actions.

Ampadu, Struijk, Sinisterra & Drameh our stand-out players today.

[weasel]

I think he's shown me the way he's gonna go Weasel, and Wobers not gonna fit into this pal, it really wouldn't surprise me if he's told him he can leave.

I do think you're right and that he is going to be the equivalent of Bielsa sacrificing Vieira so he could bring in a player he needed more (Bamford). The concern would be if Wober leaves on one of these ridiculous loans leaving Farke another player down and no money to buy anyone.

On the plus side it seems Ampadu had a good game and he is someone Farke tried to get for Norwich so it shows that Farke has a decent eye for not only spotting talented players but players that will fit into his system. Far rather Farke being responsible for who we sign than the bearded tw*t.

[1964white]

[Cjay]

Right now, Fenerbahçe & Ferencvaros are at a higher level than Leeds.

So are The Dog and Duck and Red Lion

[Kennyb41]

I do think you're right and that he is going to be the equivalent of Bielsa sacrificing Vieira so he could bring in a player he needed more (Bamford). The concern would be if Wober leaves on one of these ridiculous loans leaving Farke another player down and no money to buy anyone.

On the plus side it seems Ampadu had a good game and he is someone Farke tried to get for Norwich so it shows that Farke has a decent eye for not only spotting talented players but players that will fit into his system. Far rather Farke being responsible for who we sign than the bearded tw*t.

I only saw a little bit of Ampadu, but what little i saw gave me hope he can do the KP role and that he might be able to go 4-1-4-1 which i still feel is the best shot for these lot.

I'd love him to go with that v Forest next, from the 30 mins i saw most were dreadful trying to create defence into attack and didn't seem to have a clue, Drameh caught my eye and definitely looked keen, i'm not sure Gnonto will fit into 'team play' he very much wants to do everything on his own and doesn't see the next pass early enough for me, PB is still our best for the lone role by a country mile.

I wouldn't write Sam Byram off at all just yet and he may start ont tother side, Les Mes is definitely starting if he's taking the 'football' route.

I think we could wing it if he can find the correct 4 behind Bamford, we are desperately seeking another Pablo and i just can't see who that'll be, good luck to him finding that player for that i hope he unearths one, up to now i have 'it' like this...

Mes
Ayling - ? - Cooper - Byram
Ampadu
? - ? - ? - Sinisterra
Bamford

Cresswell Wober can't play 'it' and Pascal i'm worried about too, Drameh could give Ayling a run for his money and Hjelde i didn't see.

Those 3 ?'s behind PB i've no idea who he'll go with, Rutter might be able to play off PB but that's an unknown, i don't think Gnonto would know his role without going awol all over the park a bit Alioski esk'...Gnonto might be able to play off PB but again it's an unknown.

I think Summerville would know and do his role better on whichever side DF feels he is better on the left or right, Sinisterra might be able to play off PB, but another unknown, Jack would fit in somewhere if he's staying, Gray could potentially have a role and might be the player he unearths.

Joffy i'm unsure about for the same reasons as Willy really, they both obviously have individual skills and can produce flashes of brilliance, but contributing to 'team' play leaves me wondering about them.

Basically there's a lot for DF to sort out, i'm praying he can get 'it' right, but more scared most of our players apart from the 'Bert brigade' just can't make that step up.

It wasn't a total washout from the 30 i saw, but it also wasn't good with Monaco just cantering and looking like if they put the gas down our defence would crumble knocking it about.

I wish i'd seen more of Ampadu but missed the first half.

To end, if we were still in the Prem DF wouldn't stand a chance and we'd get slaughtered, the jury's still way out, but i'm hoping he can assemble a decent enough 'team'for the Championship, the biggest worry being that these lot are just way too much of a mish mash of a group.

[1964white]

We have to remember, we won't be playing teams with the calibre of Monaco in the championship.

[weasel]

Watched the highlights and there were some definite plusses. What we have to remember is that Leeds under Bielsa, in his first season, didn't look particularly good and then against Stoke it was wow - there was nothing in the pre-season friendlies to suggest that the Stoke performance was on its way.

Ampadu looks a better defensive midfielder than Adams, likely has better reading of the game in terms of knowing where the danger will be when he finds himself in a defender's position. He took up a superb position to block a cross. Seems like he is more comfortable on the ball than Adams too. I love Adams's workrate and energy but someone reading the game better won't need to do that as they will be in the right position. Hopefully Ampadu can be that player.

Dan James seemed to get slated but put in 2 excellent crosses and also another decent one too. Could easily have had a couple of assists despite being 'anonymous' according to some. Good to see his interview post match too as he seems happy to be here.

Didn't see enough of anything else to really assess but definitely seem to be some positives. Farke has only been here a couple of weeks but is coming accross well and looks like he has got a very good grasp of the situation people can go on about the strength of the french league but Monaco are a decent club and although I don't know much about them I would think that compared to us their squad is much more established and the players far more used to playing with each other.

[DDB220]

I haven’t watched the game yet - but what is apparent from the last page of comments (I will read the in game comments after I watch the game for context) is that doom and despair is already the order of the day.
Farke has been here two weeks ? Trying to instil his ideas, he said at the start it would be a bumpy road but we are all of a sudden a lost cause with many.

Give him and the players sometime to gel ffs.

[1964white]

So Adams, Harrison, Greenwood & Dallas are all injured.

[Kennyb41]

Watched the highlights and there were some definite plusses. What we have to remember is that Leeds under Bielsa, in his first season, didn't look particularly good and then against Stoke it was wow - there was nothing in the pre-season friendlies to suggest that the Stoke performance was on its way.

Ampadu looks a better defensive midfielder than Adams, likely has better reading of the game in terms of knowing where the danger will be when he finds himself in a defender's position. He took up a superb position to block a cross. Seems like he is more comfortable on the ball than Adams too. I love Adams's workrate and energy but someone reading the game better won't need to do that as they will be in the right position. Hopefully Ampadu can be that player.

Dan James seemed to get slated but put in 2 excellent crosses and also another decent one too. Could easily have had a couple of assists despite being 'anonymous' according to some. Good to see his interview post match too as he seems happy to be here.

Didn't see enough of anything else to really assess but definitely seem to be some positives. Farke has only been here a couple of weeks but is coming accross well and looks like he has got a very good grasp of the situation people can go on about the strength of the french league but Monaco are a decent club and although I don't know much about them I would think that compared to us their squad is much more established and the players far more used to playing with each other.

If we say Ampadu can do the KP role and we want to get Adams in somewhere, I think that 'somewhere' could be in the centre 4 behind Bamford, his tenacity and workrate winning the ball back higher up the field could prove a winner, I think Jack had a game towards the backend of last season more in the middle so.....Sinisterra - Harrison - Adams - Summerville with Ampadu behind them and PB in front, i'd like to see tried out.

But anyway Adams is injured but i'm just trying to figure out the best way to go, thank fck we didn't see Firpo anywhere at all, i'd die.

Gray could be that man until Adams is fit.

I hope DF really is getting them all 110% fit if you know what i mean, coz that's where Bert made them excel more than their worth, they're bob standard players but go up a notch with peak fitness that hides a bit of how shite they are.

[Kennyb41]

I haven’t watched the game yet - but what is apparent from the last page of comments (I will read the in game comments after I watch the game for context) is that doom and despair is already the order of the day.
Farke has been here two weeks ? Trying to instil his ideas, he said at the start it would be a bumpy road but we are all of a sudden a lost cause with many.

Give him and the players sometime to gel ffs.

It's not doom and despair from me, it's reality and i'm saying what i see, if anything that Monaco game showed me the route and identity he's going and i like it, whether we've got the players is another matter, some will NEVER be able to play Bertball, it's just not in their DNA.

Cooper is a different player when the defending role is lifted, and he gets 'it' with positional sense and passing going forward, Ampadu hopefully has the braingame in him to read the play and help the defence bring the ball out, Dallas will also have 'it' in him and is also a much better player coz his attacking defending is better than his defending defending.

These lot could/should have enough in them to compete in the Championship, but they would get stuffed if we were this year in the Prem.

Les Mes too can make himself available and that is also his best GK role, he's not that good when he's under the cosh all the time.