Everton v Leeds Utd Match Thread

[VinnysTattoo]

Sooo deflated when I saw the substitutions. It’s not Roberts fault that he’s a bang average Championship player, it’s the manger’s in his myopic view of him.
I get that we needed a bit more in midfield so Forshaw I could see was needed. What we also needed was a minimum of two goals and the most talented natural striker at the club was once more passed over.
It almost seems to me MB is persisting with a selection he thinks will eventually bear fruit. Thing is, we haven’t got the time now.
Every manger down the years has had a blind spot when it comes to certain players. MB is no different. Problem is it may cost us big time, because if we persist with the same “ solutions” to games, I feel we run a big risk of dropping down the trap door into the Championship.

[WhiteRose]

Sooo deflated when I saw the substitutions. It’s not Roberts fault that he’s a bang average Championship player, it’s the manger’s in his myopic view of him.
I get that we needed a bit more in midfield so Forshaw I could see was needed. What we also needed was a minimum of two goals and the most talented natural striker at the club was once more passed over.
It almost seems to me MB is persisting with a selection he thinks will eventually bear fruit. Thing is, we haven’t got the time now.
Every manger down the years has had a blind spot when it comes to certain players. MB is no different. Problem is it may cost us big time, because if we persist with the same “ solutions” to games, I feel we run a big risk of dropping down the trap door into the Championship.

I believe if we get Philips back for the march/Early April fixtures we will be ok. these are the games we must get points from, any results rest of Feb will be a bonus for me. Yesterday all game CM was non existent at least with Philips we have a chance of finding players further up the pitch from deep. must get raph back on it aswell god knows what’s up with him.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Quite true, but lets be honest our Midfield is non existent, that's the main problem IMHO

I wouldn't disagree Velo.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Sooo deflated when I saw the substitutions. It’s not Roberts fault that he’s a bang average Championship player, it’s the manger’s in his myopic view of him.
I get that we needed a bit more in midfield so Forshaw I could see was needed. What we also needed was a minimum of two goals and the most talented natural striker at the club was once more passed over.
It almost seems to me MB is persisting with a selection he thinks will eventually bear fruit. Thing is, we haven’t got the time now.
Every manger down the years has had a blind spot when it comes to certain players. MB is no different. Problem is it may cost us big time, because if we persist with the same “ solutions” to games, I feel we run a big risk of dropping down the trap door into the Championship.

It might seem a bit harsh to say it, but at the end of the day this is probably MB's last season, and he has put together a very nice retirement pot over the last 4 years at the club. Once he walks away he will probably go back to his ranch in Argentina, and the club will be left picking up the pieces. So I think it's more important to him for reasons of pride to be shown to be proven right about Roberts than it is to think about what the consequences may be for the club if it is relegated. There will come a time for him when his only interest in LUFC will probably be to look out for the PL results on a Saturday afternoon.

[Ellandback1]

[CHAPELALLMAN]

But bet on those forums, many posters also defend Guardiola, Klopp and Rodgers, don't they? Bet they refer to how much they've achieved, they've hardly become "bad"? Bet they point to injuries or loss of form to key players like de Bruyne, Van Dijk or Vardy? Bet they note that fans can be fickle, it's hardly as if they know more than Guardiola, Klopp and Rodgers and so on?

And bet those who defend the likes of Guardiola, Klopp and Rodgers don't get slated as belonging to a "cult" for defending them? Bet they're not told they're like scientologists or anti vaxxers, or say they give them the creeps etc. (to be fair, I think that was Chapelallman, not you)?

just block me if you don't like what I write - otherwise push off.

[Byebyegeegee]

Now that the dust has settled a bit, although like all other Leeds United fans, I’m sure, I’m still demoralised by our abject performance yesterday, my exasperation has tempered slightly and I feel I can comment with a little more clarity of thought.

I know this is a hobby horse of quite a few posters on here and certainly one of mine, and I know it’s been done to death already but no-one yet has given a rational explanation as to why Marcelo Bielsa insists on playing Tyler Roberts in just about every match and what Bielsa thinks he brings to this team.

2-0 down at half time and I’m thinking oh well, we have to improve in the 2nd half - we can’t be any worse. Perhaps bring Gelhardt on for Harrison and move James to the left wing, a fairly obvious change surely? Then I see Roberts standing on the touch line waiting to come on and my heart sinks, I just know that the game is gone!

It may be unfair of me to single him out from yesterdays horror show, he wasn’t the only poor performer but he certainly underperforms a lot more consistently than the rest, even Rodrigo showed a couple of flashes of brilliance yesterday.

To be honest I feel sorry for him, I understand he’s a very nice lad, does a lot in the community etc. and I hate having to be so critical of him all the time. But it’s obvious, to me anyway, and has been for a long time, that he’s just not up to this level of football, and what is more, I think it’s unfair of Bielsa to keep persisting with him for both their sakes.

[Orange Box]

Marcello did get it wrong yesterday.

Allowing that whining child Summerville into the dressing room upset the equalibrium in Bielsas brain.

I recall reading that there is a well under the pitch at Elland Road.

Throw him in there, if he drowns its all good. If he floats.

Burn HIM!

Not sure who you are asking to be burned here, but I do recall the Don believed there was a gypsy curse on ER, not sure if he didn’t even try to have an exorcism on the place?
Anybody know the story?

[SG90]

Sooo deflated when I saw the substitutions. It’s not Roberts fault that he’s a bang average Championship player, it’s the manger’s in his myopic view of him.
I get that we needed a bit more in midfield so Forshaw I could see was needed. What we also needed was a minimum of two goals and the most talented natural striker at the club was once more passed over.
It almost seems to me MB is persisting with a selection he thinks will eventually bear fruit. Thing is, we haven’t got the time now.
Every manger down the years has had a blind spot when it comes to certain players. MB is no different. Problem is it may cost us big time, because if we persist with the same “ solutions” to games, I feel we run a big risk of dropping down the trap door into the Championship.

Are fans really still surprised that Roberts is going to be brought on? When Hjelde came on, my heart sank and I knew Forshaw and Roberts would be the next two on.

We always hear that Summerville can't get a game because of Raph, but when Raph comes off he still doesn't get a chance. He could have had proper first team football for the rest of the season, but won't even play a minute now.

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Not sure who you are asking to be burned here, but I do recall the Don believed there was a gypsy curse on ER, not sure if he didn’t even try to have an exorcism on the place?
Anybody know the story?

It may be true - and Don Revie was very superstitious.

[SG90]

just block me if you don't like what I write - otherwise push off.

Some of the stuff I've read about Bielsa, on Twitter rather than here, is very cult like tbh. Even seen some say he's not to blame if we go down. What?!!!

Yes he's done great things to get us up, but taking us back down won't make him a legend. Nor should he be worshipped if we finish 17th.

[Orange Box]

Are fans really still surprised that Roberts is going to be brought on? When Hjelde came on, my heart sank and I knew Forshaw and Roberts would be the next two on.

We always hear that Summerville can't get a game because of Raph, but when Raph comes off he still doesn't get a chance. He could have had proper first team football for the rest of the season, but won't even play a minute now.

To be fair, Hjelde and Forshaw weren’t surprises because we had no alternatives, but Roberts? In the past I’ve tried really hard to defend him because I think he just might come through in the future, and he has a decent pass in him, but the cons in his playing drown out the pros. Joffy or Jimmy coming on instead? Sure why not, Joffy would get my nod but neither will get Bielsa's, and that’s unlikely to change, so where to from here?

[SG90]

To be fair, Hjelde and Forshaw weren’t surprises because we had no alternatives, but Roberts? In the past I’ve tried really hard to defend him because I think he just might come through in the future, and he has a decent pass in him, but the cons in his playing drown out the pros. Joffy or Jimmy coming on instead? Sure why not, Joffy would get my nod but neither will get Bielsa's, and that’s unlikely to change, so where to from here?

If we'd started Forshaw in the first place, we wouldn't have had to waste a sub on him. It's obvious Klich isn't up to the level, but he is still persisted with.

I feel like Gelhardt is being punished because he's more popular with the fans than his love child Roberts.

[Orange Box]

If we'd started Forshaw in the first place, we wouldn't have had to waste a sub on him. It's obvious Klich isn't up to the level, but he is still persisted with.

I feel like Gelhardt is being punished because he's more popular with the fans than his love child Roberts.

Not got a problem with either of those two comments

[CHAPELALLMAN]

Some of the stuff I've read about Bielsa, on Twitter rather than here, is very cult like tbh. Even seen some say he's not to blame if we go down. What?!!!

Yes he's done great things to get us up, but taking us back down won't make him a legend. Nor should he be worshipped if we finish 17th.

Well said - I have to agree SG90.

Maybe ' cult ' was a bit of a strong word for me to have used, however I was just trying to get over the idea that believing someone is infallible is not a very healthy mindset to adopt in any area of life. That's how groupthink tends to develop to give one example.

[SG90]

Look at Southampton. They're playing good football, having a go and getting results against top 6 while giving young players regular first team football. We're polar opposites.

Even Norwich aren't as sentimental as us and got rid of Farke to try and progress.

[SG90]

Another thrashing to scum, this time with fans present, and I think the tide will turn.

[Overman]

Look at Southampton. They're playing good football, having a go and getting results against top 6 while giving young players regular first team football. We're polar opposites.

Even Norwich aren't as sentimental as us and got rid of Farke to try and progress.

We have stagnated and to an extent gone backwards (literally). We didn't strengthen adequately over the summer and not recruiting in January was negligent. Perhaps we thought we could wing it again with the same aging Championship players. Clearly it hasn't worked this time around and the early signs were there pre-season. We have either been complacent or Radz just wants cash in and do one. We've spent so much time and resources getting here, it'd be a travesty for us to go down. I do feel the situation we're currently in could have been easily avoided with the right recruitment. I can't agree with the bollocks about bringing in 'better than we already have'. So we can't find players better than Klich, Llorente, Roberts, Forshaw, Ayling, Harrison, Koch, Rodrigo and Dallas across the footballing globe? I really can't fathom what Orta is actually doing to earn his corn at the moment.

[SG90]

We have stagnated and to an extent gone backwards (literally). We didn't strengthen adequately over the summer and not recruiting in January was negligent. Perhaps we thought we could wing it again with the same aging Championship players. Clearly it hasn't worked this time around and the early signs were there pre-season. We have either been complacent or Radz just wants cash in and do one. We've spent so much time and resources getting here, it'd be a travesty for us to go down. I do feel the situation we're currently in could have been easily avoided with the right recruitment. I can't agree with the bollocks about bringing in 'better than we already have'. So we can't find players better than Klich, Llorente, Roberts, Forshaw, Ayling, Harrison, Koch, Rodrigo and Dallas across the footballing globe? I really can't fathom what Orta is actually doing to earn his corn at the moment.

We were sold lies by the board that we weren't signing players so the youngsters would get a chance. In Bielsa's 4 years only Jack Clarke has ever been picked on merit, rather than injuries. Bielsa has never cared for youth and never will. Who was the last academy graduate to break through? Shackleton and Clarke four years ago? Cresswell has only made one league appearance so can't include him.

[Mountain]

just block me if you don't like what I write - otherwise push off.

I've considered your request and I'll decline...

It was an odd post, wasn't it? If it's any consolation, I'd be a bit embarrassed about it too if I wrote it too!