Leeds Banter Archive February 10 2020

10 Feb 2020 23:09:38
Come on Leeds, let's get back on track. We still 2nd and in our hands but need to improve.
Brentford will be confident in beating us and will attack, hope that can suit us.
I don't think beilsa will change team much apart from KP back in, think it a mistake and would make changes myself, but we have to trust him, I love what he has done for our club.
I feel this is our time to stop the London rot, think we will win and then go on a good run.
Come ON!

11 Feb 2020 09:43:12
Their manager is very confident that they will beat us.

11 Feb 2020 10:11:11
Sadly jt feels like the negativity of some fans, particularly on social media, is snapping the mental energy of some of our players, possibly more than the effects of Bielsa's under-rotation of his small aquad - at precisely the moment when our fans need to redouble their support, to help turn things around. We are often praised for being the twelfth man for our team, but it seems as if some are unintentionally becoming an extra player for our opponents. Bielsa is clearly rattled by the criticism and this will obviously transmit to the players.

It is unlikely that Bielsa or his lieutenant's read what is written on this site, I presume that all or most of the posters on here are not stupid enough to repeat deeply negative/ personal comments about anyone at Leeds on popular social media platforms. However deeply disparaging comments made to mates in the pub etc can help feed the building narrative - so can we be a little careful not to help our opponents - both our rivals and the 'authorities'. I found derogatory comments about Big Kev to be particularly galling. The lad had been very keen to join us - drawn by the great fan base and the prospect of working with Bielsa, and had even turn down late overtures from that lot over the Pennines (yes I can hear some of you saying that was just more spin and guff from the Club) . Yet before he has even kicked a ball in anger some on here and on more public platforms were saying he was overweight (effectively questioning his professionalism) and that he was a desperate and worthless signing (questioning his ability) - and using this to further criticise the management (so much for the famously supportive fan base he was attracted to, marching on together in this great promotion project) . All Leeds fans presumably agree that Bambam is unlikely to score the goals needed this season so why the f#*k would anyone be stupid enough to undermine Augustin's confidence in his abilities and or the project he has signed up to. The kid has skills, and we need him to get firing asap. For our sakes as much as his, let's help rebuild his confidence in himself and our collective cause.

Apologies if this seems like bit of a rant - but we're not now going to get any more players, and we're not (I hope) going to change coach. We all profess to want promotion this season - so can we please do our utmost to support, not undermine, that endeavor. We all hate the song, so let's not all fall apart again!

11 Feb 2020 10:32:21
So your hypothetical scenario is more factual than a medical fact that fatigue sets in to athletes . That's a poor poor attempt at trying to explain the dire form .
Are the players professional or children . Stick + stones mean absolutely nothing online .
The players to a man need to do what their payed handsomely to do PLAY with huge effort . However if we used other players instead of a certain clique then I am sure things would be different .

I realise you will totally not accept a word of this Clueless, but equally I also feel the same about your thesis on the current state.

11 Feb 2020 10:36:36
So it would seem, Notts. How sweet it would be if we could stuff that confidence back down his throat tonight - so far that he could feel he'd been talking s#:+. Here's hoping.

11 Feb 2020 11:19:19
I agree Clueless.

11 Feb 2020 12:06:05
Chris - I'm not saying fatigue doesn't play a part - if you'd stop seeing things so black and white, you might have noticed I have in previous posts been questioning of some of Bielsa's decisions and said that rotation would help the situation. But it's also more than obvious that the negativity is getting to Bielsa - and that is bound to transmit to the squad.

I'm afraid comments online do not mean nothing - they help build a narrative. They're picked up by the media, most of whom despise us, but also more importantly can transmit to the terraces. While Bambam tried to suggest he is not affected by that and remained confident in his abilities, which in itself was then derided online etc arrogant, it was obvious from his reaction when he scored against 'wall that it was getting to him.

So to summarise, I don't disagree with all you have said, and hope that you might come to realise that social media comments do have an impact, even on highly paid professionals - they are human too. Augustin has been struggling to get minutes at Monaco so his confidence is bound to be on the low side currently. He's just come into this Club, enthused by the challenge of this project, so why is hectic him to personal attacks, the toxic worst side of Leeds fans before he'ds kicked a ball in anger. To believe/ pretend that because we help pay their high wages, we can just say whatever we like without any possible impact on performance is rather sad.

11 Feb 2020 13:23:25
The reason for my. reply Clueless was because the. narrative is now changing from all along the debate was quality of players/ squad, so that was divided into believers / whingers on here, (not my words by the way) but we all agree there the relevant ones on this forum now.

However now the narrative has changed into the moaning now has caused the team to bomb recently .
This is not the case, we have bombed due to poor/ small squad being clapped out and lack of investment in proper quality .

Just read a piece saying LUFC income returns are going to look very very healthy for the last tax year, yes that's down to Radz, but too many on this forum are of the belief that Radz is to the pin of his collar, hence why he won't buy ready made players.

11 Feb 2020 15:00:02
Read my reply Chris. I'm not saying the moaning has of itself caused the dip in form. Just that it will not have helped and may in part hinder the desired improvement in form - and that, for example, it seemed particularly counter intuitive - or stupid - to be using social media to criticise a player who had not yet pulled on a first team shirt, especially as we will need him to help us sort out our poor chance conversion rate - which we have all been banging on about ad nauseum on here, and have previously criticised the coach and management for not addressing. Can you at least acknowledge that I have a bit of a point here.

11 Feb 2020 15:40:10
Oh, and Chris. Yes we have been going on and on about quality of players/ squad since pre-season. But now the squad ain't going to change before the close season, so it could be argued that that discussion is now in some ways moot/ redundant until the summer. So to suggest we should not bother discussing other points on here seems a little bizarre. I would have thought discussing how we can best support/ avoid undermining those players we now must pin our promotion hopes on was actually fairly relevant. Perhaps it is a little uncomfortable for some. As I said previously, I don't imagine anyone at the club is reading this forum, just concerned that some the social media comments from supposed supporters was potentially unhelpful and we should perhaps be (and I'm sure many on here are already) mindful in our day to day discourse on Leeds matters, not to help feed the growing narrative that the Leeds squad, coaching staff and those around them are collectively and or individually fall apart again - which could in part help it become a self fulfilling prophecy.

Rival supporters delight in singing that hateful song, most of the media love talk or writing on that theme, Sky will be rubbing their grubby hands with glee and of course the EFL and FA must be overjoyed that dirty Leeds seem to be falling short again. So let's pull together out there - sheath our poison pens, or at least direct them at our foes, and help confound the lot of them by Marching on Together towards the Prem once more.

11 Feb 2020 17:00:19
Clueless you make a very clear reply. + raise further debating issues in that, I take that on board without prejudice all of your reply

But I think you missed my point also. When I said. the narrative has changed, I didn't mean YOU +YOUR POST, I meant over the last fortnight or more even,

So if you reread my original reply to you it might make more sense to view it with that point in mind and not as a partizan clash of views between yourself +I .

Anyways here's hoping for the best tonight as we dearly need to get back to some level of better performances, ALAW pal afterall.

10 Feb 2020 22:00:01
My first game since November and I've got a good feeling for a positive result. Brentford a good side but will attack us more and our play will get a result. MOT.

10 Feb 2020 22:30:26
Agreed. Forest played like they were the away team. Casilla’s error undid us and took the wind out of the rest of them. We were playing good football up till then - which is why Sow was clattering into people (but getting away with it) . Brentford will attack. And so will we.

11 Feb 2020 04:19:11
I'll be pleased to lose by only the odd goal. Feel we will lose 4 nil or worse and Bielsa sacked by end of the week.

11 Feb 2020 07:15:39
Bielsa will not be sacked. That costs money.

11 Feb 2020 08:20:38
Morning George, great to have you back with your positivity.

11 Feb 2020 08:26:19
Guess you've been busy this last couple of days - hopefully not working on some more anagrams.

11 Feb 2020 10:00:10
Corky, I think your presence will drive us on to victory tonight!
Ain’t no sackings happening this season, George. What club in their right minds sack a gaffer while the team enters the season run in with a shout at promotion. I certainly can’t recall it happening? Relegation fight, yes, but not a promotion battle!

10 Feb 2020 12:40:43
Tyler Roberts ruled out of next match at least. He's an unfortunate lad!

10 Feb 2020 13:13:31
He is but also has biscuits for legs. I have no doubt that he would prefer to be available however during 2 seasons with us he has missed over a season with injury. A small squad can't carry the likes of Roberts, Douglas and Forshaw.

10 Feb 2020 13:36:05
He was injured when we bought him. We have to ask how does a player pass a medical when he isn’t even fit. Again I think price overruled everything else.

10 Feb 2020 21:38:43
Notts - being kicked hard on the calf would cause a problem for most footballers. This particular issue is not indicative for a diagnosis of biscuit legs.

11 Feb 2020 10:01:44
True clueless. The lad took a right knock, and would’ve come off if we had subs left.

10 Feb 2020 10:35:49
meslier
ayling white cooper dallas
phillips
harrison kilch hernandez poveda
augustin
what have we go to loss.

10 Feb 2020 11:48:00
That's 4 changes OMG. Well he is not known as "Bielsa the Butcher" for nothing. Oh hang on a minute I might have got that wrong?

10 Feb 2020 13:13:51
sorry four you mean phillips funny.

10 Feb 2020 07:03:04
Big test at brentford next, not won there for many years and long time since we beat a London team, big test.
Need to make changes, not working presently, so no real risk.
Not sure if Poveda injured, wasn't in squad, does beilsa not rate him either?
Poor transfer window is hurting us again, needed a CB, should have tried for Ayala or Hector, he has stopped the rot at Fulham and looks commanding.
Would you stick with same team and system or change, what team would u pick.
Mine be as follows-
Meslier
Ailing white cooper Dallas
Philips
Poveda shacks Harrison
Bamford Augustin

If Poveda injured then Pablo.

10 Feb 2020 08:38:47
I'd like to change the system a little more, trying to dominate midfield as well as having two up top, with the following team:

Meslier
Ayling Coops White
Phillips
Poveda Shacks Klich Harrison
Bambam Augustin

Reckon that would give the Bees something to think about - won't happen of course, but I can dream.

10 Feb 2020 09:44:15
Attacking four of Costa and Harrison on flanks, Bam Bam in middle and Augustin up front.
Then have Shacks or another defensive mid fielder sitting as a two in front of back four .

Bring on Alioski, Klich and Pablo later in the game if players get tired

We are too gung ho away from home against the better teams.
Lets not give anything away, keep it tight, keep the ball when we can.

10 Feb 2020 09:56:58
Think it’s 1950 we last won there? Not that that comes from memory!
System won’t change, I think we can all be sure of That!
Also think 3 at the back would be overrun, without wingbacks dropping in, but do agree that faces need to change. Meslier in as a must. Dallas in as left wingback now that Kal has returned. Would love to see what 1970 suggests in terms of Augustin and bam, with bam effectively replacing Klich for the first 60 mins.
Poveda back on the bench, as Costa is showing he can beat his man, but we need more bodies in the box to convert.

10 Feb 2020 10:15:15
3:0 to the bees for me. We just don’t have the steel or firepower. Hope I’m proved wrong but I can see this being the mother of all collapses.

10 Feb 2020 10:56:05
We need to score the first goal to open up their defense a little.

10 Feb 2020 16:16:10
Totally agree Opti but we have a nasty habit of gifting the first then we are struggling to draw let alone gain 3 points. Made even worse if the other team decide to sit back and defend the lead.

09 Feb 2020 23:19:25
Interesting to see how some posters regard realistic assessment and analysis of the teams performance as 'whining and bitching'. If in their eyes you can only be a true fan if you ignore what actually happens on the pitch and replace that assessment with worthless / blind support then there is no purpose in having the site.

I believe fans that go to games or simply watch on the tv want to talk about what they see not continually chant 'we are Leeds, we are the best, champions of Europe etc etc. ' That's fine before, during and after the game but why would you want to write in a post when talking properly and honestly about football, including the highs and lows, is what is really about. Saying the team didn't play well when they didn't isn't negative or disloyal it's simply calling it as it is.

10 Feb 2020 07:20:41
Spot on Hess. The use of words such as whining and bitching are totally inflammatory. I would be more inclined to consider their point of view if some insight was provided.

10 Feb 2020 09:19:31
Insight? I think it is fairly obvious what I was saying.

10 Feb 2020 10:02:16
Insight about the team, the tactics, what you think works well or not. Instead we get vailed insults.

10 Feb 2020 10:04:29
4 loses outta 5 is fairly obvious what we are saying also!

10 Feb 2020 11:37:27
Insight of how the team played, what you see to suggest that we will be promoted etc.

10 Feb 2020 12:03:54
I admit my confidence in promotion is starting to lessen especially after our worst performance of the season against Forest. However MB has us set up to win and to state the obvious we do not take enough of the many chances we create in the majority of games. The system works but players need to take more responsibility on the pitch and not be afraid to shoot.
There is one thing which does frustrate me with Bielsa is not rotating the team. I don’t mean him keeping faith with certain players but making a couple of changes to keep things and players fresh.

10 Feb 2020 12:05:45
Notts you are obviously a very sensitive person if being called a whinger is such an insult to you. Apologies if I upset you.

10 Feb 2020 12:31:25
Cork, your apology means very little as wrapped in sarcasm which by your own standards you dislike. Let's just leave it there.

10 Feb 2020 14:20:14
I wasn’t being sarcastic. I’ll leave that to you. Now that’s sarcasm!