Leeds Rumours Archive April 23 2017

 

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23 Apr 2017 21:03:13
Trying to figure why Antonson has not figured at all? Monk obviously doesn't rate him but what has killed our play off chances is a lack of goals. I know we are lacking creativity most of the time but when decent crosses have gone into the box Wood is mainly on his own. Roofe wasn't played enough either.

Monk will stay, and our better players, and that he has the financial backing to bring in the players he wants.

Believable0 Unbelievable0

24 Apr 2017 09:11:51
Out scored in the cup by an off the bench Wood, Outscored in the league by Bartley (when he was getting games) , outscored by Doukara and Wilks in the reserves, Antonsson hasn't exactly made it hard for Monk. We need goals but Wood has done that up front, its the RW, AM, LW that has let us down, 15 ish goals between 7 of them (Dallas, Doukara, Roofe, Hernandez, Sacko, Pedrazza, Barrow) , our defense has provided nearly as many. The starting attacking midfield need to provide about 25 goals, 10 more goals from them would have given us a much better points total this term.

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24 Apr 2017 12:31:58
Bit harsh gumming, in monks own words our style don't suit him so that don't make him a bad player it just shows there's no strength in depth to enable us to switch formation and play to his strengths. How many games has he actually started?

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24 Apr 2017 15:44:06
Dont think its harsh Martyn, never said he was a bad player just that when he has come in he hasn't made it hard for Monk to drop him again (and he was playing the full 90 as a front 2 in the reserves so no excuses there) . Said when we first signed him that I had looked at the goals he had scored in Sweden and I was skeptical as 8 out of the 11 would have been saved by a Champ keeper.

He has good movement and he hits the target constantly but its not enough to get your shot on target at this level. I've stated a few times that we should have shipped him out on loan to a lower league team to find his feet and get used to English football, haven't changed my mind on that.

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24 Apr 2017 18:34:10
I agree about putting him out on loan but you can't judge his form from the reserves or under 23,s as there prob the worst in that league this year and I've seen great players look bad in bad teams. He hasn't been given a chance. Everyone was shouting for roofe to be given a chance by monk and looking at Saturdays stats he didn't complete 10 passes in 90 mins so maybe it's monk that can't pick or buy quality strikers as he bought both roofe and anttonson.

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23 Apr 2017 17:59:11
Been a long time reader of the site, and thought it was about time i registered! After yesterday's disappointing result, it would be easy to drop heads and think we have failed. I know i did! I also don't think we have been found out etc, we just chose the wrong moment to have a slump. On average in the past 10 years 73 points would have got you play-offs. Even if we win 1 of the remaining 2, that would be 76 points and in most of the other seasons would have guaranteed playoffs. Main thing is now to keep hold of Monk, and let him build on this season. MOT

Believable5 Unbelievable0

23 Apr 2017 19:37:46
Matt the best post I've read on here in ages. Welcome aboard mate.

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24 Apr 2017 13:43:18
glad to see you've made the leap from lurker to poster Matt - we welcome your thoughts and that's a decent one to start off with.

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23 Apr 2017 17:53:06
I've got a feeling those wanting rid of Monk may get their wish. Not because the owners get rid of him but because he leaves us. I would have thought a few chairmen of lower level premier league clubs and championship clubs with money think he has done a pretty good job with the lack of investment he has been given. I'm sure if ANY premier league club comes in for him he'll be off. Also he's been with clubs for a long time that play in white, he might fancy a bit of colour in his life! 😁

Believable1 Unbelievable1

23 Apr 2017 18:53:37
Don't think he's a quitter. He'll want to see the job through.

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23 Apr 2017 19:41:54
Hope your right big man. But. he ain't stupid and unless he's backed in transfer market he probably will go and who would blame him. 15 mill in transfer fees will go a long way to the squad and sometimes you have to gamble. Remember Silver and Fotherby?

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24 Apr 2017 09:16:14
I can't believe some fans want him to go?

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23 Apr 2017 15:32:20
Think next season what we need: Bartley perm, plus 3rd CB. Maybe Tarkowski or Mee from Burnley. Experienced CM, Leadbitter, Britton someone like that. Jota from Brentford. A young PL striker on loan, Armstrong, Gallagher, Solanke.

Think Abrahams will be in the PL next year. LB, wouldn't mind seeing Denton get a chance or we could look at Vital N'Simba from French Ligue 2, very quick and gets assists. Pedraza for a season long loan, think he would be a very good player. Another creative midfielder.

Believable1 Unbelievable1

23 Apr 2017 14:43:50
Certainly time for a little TLC with Kalvin Phillips. Recent games have shown a dip in form. We all know what he is capable of when on song but at his tender age consistency and confidence are very brittle. Maybe it's time for Garry to throw an arm round young Kalvin and say that he is young, he will come again but for now he needs taking out of the firing line.

A few games in the reserves or even just on the training pitch will make him refocus on just what he is good at followed by a good long rest. A fit and hungry Kalvin Phillips is an asset to Leeds United and with the right coaching could become a fixture in games to come?

Believable7 Unbelievable0

23 Apr 2017 19:54:46
Another player that would benefit from a loan move, get him somewhere that he can be a star man, somewhere a couple of bad performances won't hurt their season. You want youngsters coming through but calmer, senior heads tend to send you up when the pressure builds. One young midfielder is all we need in the squad right now and vieira is the better of the two.

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23 Apr 2017 11:58:21
Please, let's not talk about a new manager. For goodness sake have we not seen what chopping managers has done in the past? Good or bad, right or wrong Monk has got us feeling that 7th is abject failure. Surely the last thing anybody wants is to return to the dark chaotic days of only too recent times.

When, may I remind everyone, we all longed for stability. We now have the foundations of stability and yes I know it's a disappointment considering what it nearly could have been but you must agree this year has been the best for many a long year and given us a taste for the future. So please let's stay stable, strengthen, build in the close season and go again. Just build it and we will come.

Believable6 Unbelievable0

23 Apr 2017 13:42:44
A lot of fans have bemoaned Monk for being too defensive minded and only having a plan A but honestly I just think the legs fell off the team towards the end. Look how we where playing during the mid part of the season and I don't think others knowing our game play would have stopped us, we just had too much energy and power at that point.

I saw something a couple of weeks back that said we had used the joint lowest number of players over the season and that lack of depth has killed us for me, another CB (wish we had kept Bamba another season, has done well for Cardiff this term) , a more forward thinking CM and a proven Champ striker to take some pressure off Wood (Antonsson and Roofe where always risks having not played at this level, Roofe has done well but doesn't look an out and out forward) and I think we would have kept pace with the top 2, just too many tired legs at the end. Not blaming anyone for it, we maybe had targets and clubs wouldn't sell in the Jan window (Think we missed out big by not chasing Canos more aggressively mind you) .

Whatever else though Monk deserves another year, he built a team to challenge the top six on a shoestring budget, properly backed in the summer and you have to feel he can do even better.

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23 Apr 2017 13:42:43
I agree that he's done well in terms of making an average team get to 7th, but look at Preston and Huddersfield and what they have achieved with their respective squads. I personally can't see monk bettering 7th next season as he appears to lack ideas and no maker how much money you throw at a problem the same formation and attitude of the team wouldn't change. If we stick with him he needs to make sure he knows how to adapt to what is happening on the field. The very best teams and managers do. i think based on what monk has shown this season he is not at that level.

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23 Apr 2017 15:34:41
Cura to a certain extent I agree with you with regards to a plan B and negative approach the only unknown is what he sees on the training pitch. With what he has he may feel that his approach, is the only one, at this stage. Hopefully he is young and will learn. Hopefully we will strengthen and hopefully will will go again, stronger, with a plan B. that's a lot of hope I know but that's the world we live in.

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23 Apr 2017 17:33:05
True Leo about the training ground. perhaps the answer is back him, see the kind of players he signs (no doubt more wingers) , and see how he goes at the start of next season, but not expecting playoffs. That's always the gamble though, because if we have seen his level, then that's probably another wasted season.

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23 Apr 2017 17:55:26
Is it a lack of a plan B though or just a lack of players to have one? People wanted two up top but Antonsson has looked out of his league and Roofe and Doukara have been ineffective when played as strikers, people have suggested a back 3 but to do that we would have had Cooper as a starter which would weaken the back line, again not at the required quality.

You could play people out of position but that rarely goes well. Now maybe Monk really doesn't have a Plan B but I would think it more likely that we just couldn't sort deals for the players he wanted, Fletcher for instance would have left us with 2 championship level strikers, Beuglesdijk 3 big, powerful CB's, both of those got mooted as targets we pushed pretty hard for but the clubs didn't want to let them go half way through the season, Maxim as well would add more attack to the midfield but again they wanted to wait.

Still think if he is backed with a reasonable war chest he will provide the goods, would have been a huge ask for him to take a bottom half team up first try and he almost got us a chance (and technically could still, not betting the house on that though) .

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23 Apr 2017 18:48:48
To Ben fair I don't antonsson had enough playing time to pass judgment. Also three at the back could have been barts, Pontus and ayling. Maybe it was lack of players, but as far as I've seen he hasn't tried anything different to know

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23 Apr 2017 19:49:19
Couldnt have Ayling as part of a back 3 Cura, he is our only RWB (Once again lack of squad size) , that would mean Cooper or playing one of Berardi, Taylor or Bridcutt out of position.

As for Antonsson you can't hope somebody comes good in the Championship if you play him enough, especially not a striker, Its a tough league and you can't start the season late.

Ant played cup matches against much weaker teams and hardly tore them to pieces and in the second team he was consistently outscored by Doukara and youngsters. Should have spent the second half of the season out on loan in Lg1 for me similar to what Beckford and Somma did before they broke the first team.

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23 Apr 2017 20:27:58
Honestly gummie I think the thing that disappoints me most is not that we don't seemingly have the players or indeed finishing 7th itself. It's the seemingly lack of ambition on the field. we don't 3 at the back wouldn't work or wood and antonsson wouldn't work together as non of it had ever been tried. If it had been tried and still failed then this would be a mute point.

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23 Apr 2017 23:33:39
Great posts Gummie. Agree with ya 100% Some are obsessed with formation even though they ain't got a clue. Formations never won anything. Players do that.

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23 Apr 2017 23:57:15
It would make sense certainly to try 3 (Ayling, Janssen, Bartley) at the back with Berardi and Taylor in the (defensive) wing back roles. With the urge to get forward at every opportunity but having the skill and understanding to drop back and do a job if we are being battered.

Taylor we know can do this and I have confidence that Berardi would be up to the task. This would give us a strong back 5 if we are under attack but also a serious threat going forward with 2 overlapping wing backs raiding at every chance.

Unfortunately it's our defence that has been outstanding and therefore may mean that the whole thing may have to be re jigged come August so the who does what could be purely achedemic.

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24 Apr 2017 09:10:26
I'm fine trying out 3 at the back, its a popular formation with the top clubs but we have 3 players that can play LWB (Taylor, Denton and Dallas) but only one on the right (Ayling). As for Berardi, Leodis, I truly believe he is probably our best out and out FB on either side but he doesn't have the speed, engine or attacking instinct to play as a WB.

If we sign a couple more CB's its worth a try in pre season but i'm dead against playing people out of position on the off chance it works. Also Ayling, two games at CB, 1 good, 1 bad, not convinced, he naturally wants to get forward, not the best trait in a CB and he seemed to find it hard to hold an offside line.

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24 Apr 2017 09:14:27
Cork unfortunately, with that last comment I think you've negated your own argument about not having a clue. Formations and technical knowledge are as much part of a winning team as the players, otherwise what's the point of a manager/ coach. What's you're saying is go out, buy 11 outstanding players and say get on with it? ! Hmmm, not sure that would work!

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24 Apr 2017 09:15:57
And to be fair cork we may not have coaching badges, but we have eyes and can see what happens on the pitch!

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24 Apr 2017 11:20:47
Why not play Bridcutt with Pontus and the Bartman as a back three? It seemed, against Brighton at ER, as if that's what we were doing in the first half.

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23 Apr 2017 09:48:01
I usually look at teams who fail or sack their manager and think it's usually unjust as it is almost always the players who have let themselves down, but the coach by the nature of the job gets the chop. I do feel that if we do part with monk though that this is probably a reverse situation. Many of them players have tried their socks off this year, but it is the coach who's tactics have failed!

Believable0 Unbelievable1

23 Apr 2017 11:29:20
At the start of the season Cellino would of said try get top 10 or even a few places higher than last season so your been a bit harsh on Monk there. Alright we haven't been great in last 10 or so games but there's a good enough team there that can push on next season for the top 2 places with the backing of the chairman and some quality signings mixed with the next crop of youngsters i think we will be there abouts.

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23 Apr 2017 11:41:10
I think that may be a little unjust. Certainly there are line ups and tactical decisions that I have not agreed with but won't that always be the case no matter who is manager? I am not saying that Monk is perfect but you must see that there are certain players who have not delivered, consistently, what they promised. I most certainly would stick with Monk, based on better the devil you know if nothing else, and trust him to shake up the team and build for another go next term.

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23 Apr 2017 09:45:00
In my opinion we've overachieved this season, when you look at our budget. However we did not do enough in the transfer window to give us the strength/quality in depth that we needed. We are now reliant on other teams results. We may well lose our three best defenders and only goalscorer in the summer! Gutted.

Believable0 Unbelievable1

22 Apr 2017 22:25:05
Anyone else think that this is exactly what Andrea Rad wanted to happen? If he has 50% of the club still to buy why would he want us to go up and have to pay 3 or 4 times more for a Prem club than a championship club? I think he knew exactly what he was doing in Jan and next season we will see a proper attempt on the league.

Believable1 Unbelievable1

23 Apr 2017 09:39:51
Interesting theory, I hope you are right. Guess we will know post season.

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23 Apr 2017 09:30:07
Not sure he planned it, but it's certainly cheaper to by half of a championship club. worked out better for him in the long run

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23 Apr 2017 11:35:26
Not sure about that alftupper if we got promoted he could have sold his 50% share and made 5 times what he paid. don't forget he is a buisness man after all not a Leeds fan.

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