08 Jun 2019 11:30:08
Does anybody see the second half of last season as catastrophic. A collapse of epic standards Bielsa and co didn't seem to be able to cope with what was happening very much like TC the season before. Yet he seems to be untouched by the fan base. The players that performed so well in the first half of the season got none of the credit and Bielsa got none of the blame when it all went wrong. I pray we don't start next season the way we finished. Can someone tell me why it shouldn't happen.

1.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 11:57:59
I know what you are saying Wex, but I believe injuries and lack of investment from Radz in January was our downfall and reason for a poor second half.
I think Bielsa does deserve credit for the first half of the season, let’s be honest, he managed to polish a turd, it was basically the same team as the previous season that couldn’t muster 3 shots a game. He made them play the best football in 18 years or so.
I think with the break, the additional personnel required (that I guess is agreed in order for MB to stay another year) come in, and MB’s increased knowledge of the Championship, we should start well and be pushing for promotion again. Oh yes, the additional billions from Qatar will help as well!

2.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 12:20:17
Wex, your a clever lad, it's a simple answer

Leeds generally have a decent first XI. In the first half of a season we are competitive against most teams, and our huge support gives us the 12th man

By the turn of the year those eleven players are starting to tire. The culmination of bookings is starting to reflect in the suspensions. Injuries are part and parcel of a competitive sport

So, by the turn of the year we are having to use tired first team players and/ or the second string players that lower the overall quality of the team.

It's just the way it goes. We are unfortunate that we haven't got a big enough first team pool yet

. and heres the thing loads of you posters out there say it's all the chairmanship fault. He should be buying this player or that player. Or it's the managers fault, he should have strengthened in the January window. Your always looking for a person to blame.

. loads of posters were having a go at Orta last year for not buying players for the first team but always buying for the reserves. But this season the U23s and U18s do brilliantly with those players and we are all, quite rightly, proud of their achievements

. now those U23s deserve promotion to either out first team squad (or loaned to league clubs to continue their development)

Edmundson, Halme, Wilks, Bogusz, Shackleton and Clarke have all now put their hands up for 1st team consideration. No quick fix, but all I see are improvements, upon improvements, upon improvements.

My 'glass of gaiety and light is fairly overflowing' as I sit here in the 'hot tub of hope'

Btw, Mr Radz, please stay. You are so much better a chairman than Mr Bates ever was, or those other grey men that leads us to division 1
And Mr Biesla, thank you for signing for another season and giving me so much to look forward to. I don't actually care if we are promoted just as long as you play that brand of football. I had a smile on for the whole week after each game I watched. Fan-bl00dy-tastic.

3.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 13:53:11
Axe you can say what you want about lack of Investment and suspensions but Bielsa had a full squad to choose from with 6 games left.

4.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 14:10:12
General, I fully agree and love the Avatar. Axe, again I concur, a top post. We'd, again I concur, Bielsa did have a full squad to choose from, but as the General said, he had already polished the turf and at the end of the day, a turf can only pass itself off as a gold nugget for so long. Bielsa sent them out on the pitch, they capitulated, not him, or Orta, or Radz. My humble opinion is that the current management team deserve some gratitude from us, having done a good job. It is some of the players who should be scrutinised more. Shocking individual mistakes cost us dearly at the end. Onwards n upwards. MOT.

5.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 14:38:06
Don’t think that’s completely true! Douglas, Clarke, Alioski, Forshaw, Roofe (a few games)

6.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 14:56:21
Wex, it’s one point where I think we are very much in agreement. I’m not sure anyone yet has really explained why things went wrong in the key games during the run in. We clearly had enough quality players and were in situations where we should have closed the games out against Wigan and Derby. You might spend a lot on players and then that might not happen but then again it still might if they are not the right type. For me it was about leadership on and off the pitch at key times in those key games. Cooper for me couldn’t deliver in those key moments, but apparently we still see him as a key piece of the jigsaw, Bielsa and Carlos couldn’t effect it from the sidelines, don’t know if lack of fluency in English is more of an issue at key moments. Hernadez, with all his experience seems to get dressed himself with the pressure and usually leads by example but not if he is over stressed or over tired.

I was always taught that you can’t put something right until you really understand what went wrong and way. It’s one of the reasons why I don’t think it is just about money.

7.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 15:01:39
Axe, as you know, I agree with your approach. So much good stuff but everything couldn’t be fixed in one season and to be fair it hasn’t been for lots of other clubs who feel that they deserve to be in the premiership and have been there more recently than us. I am sure we are building something far better than we have seen for a long time, loads of positives, but have to keep learning and being committed to getting better . This year will show us how well, Orta, Radz and Bielsa can do that. I’m really looking forward to the season and the games. It’s a great time to be a Leeds supporter. Move over, open the champagne and turn on the bubble machine, I’m about to do a belly flop into the “ hot tube of hope”!

8.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 15:30:04
Wex Only some mate, only some.

9.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 16:31:13
lets be honest second half of the season was a joke, to fall out of first spot to not go up (only team to do so I beleieve) was poor, our form was relegation form (again I believe)

but let's be honest all season we was poor against poor teams millwall at millwall should of beat us. we were poor, loses to hull, blackburn, brum and qrp also poor. all these happened first half of the season.

all season we were soft touch for poor teams, this was not due to tiredness or injuiries it was due to tactics and lack of bottle.

I hope MB has found a way to break down tough teams who fit back and have a bit more steel about us in defence.

10.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 16:53:08
The only surprise to me is that everyone is surprised that a Bielsa team fades away, back end of the season.

11.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 17:18:54
Fair point Leodis and despite a “ joke” of a second half of the season and “ relegation form” and always being a “ soft touch” for poor teams, we missed out on automatic promotion by 7 points! If KP had been sold at Christmas, Harrison sent back to Manchester City and Beradi played in goal, we would have been champions by The end of March!

12.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 17:44:16
Spanish

No, not saying it can all be fixed in a season. Sorry if it read like that

I am just optimistic that the longer term approach that seems to be in place, will be a huge advantage to the club

I look at the squad that started last season and have seen really good youngster break in. And more good youngsters get on the bench.

I am loving supporting a club 5hat has a long term plan in place.

13.) 08 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 21:20:38
“Full squad to choose from”. Credibility ends there I’m afraid. We were nothing like at full strength, and that’s what crippled our season.

14.) 09 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 23:42:10
Lack of rotation killed us in the second half of the season.

15.) 09 Jun 2019
08 Jun 2019 23:42:44
I kind of rate Bielsa. Didn’t realize he was second rate! Silly me. I suppose some prefer MCs managerial appointments?