Leeds Banter Archive January 07 2020

07 Jan 2020 22:04:12
I note in previous threads about last night's game the depressive amongst us have suggested we only played well first half because Arsenal couldn't be bothered or at most had underestimated our threat, and that they bossed us second half when they actually tried. Might there be another explanation to the the turnaround in the second half?
Did Bielsa actually want to win the game or risk being saddled with a replay? Perhaps he sent the team to play to the maximum first half to show the watching fans, media and the players themselves just how well they could play, then playbthe second half in a manner which would achieve the desired result of being able to concentrate on the league.
Bielsa himself described the fixture as an obligation - suggesting that, given the choice he would have opted out. Beckford commented that the second half performance was the worst he had seen from Leeds - almost inexplicably poor.
Just saying.

07 Jan 2020 22:48:29
Wild and far fetched theory. Bielsa actually tried to lose? I think not.

08 Jan 2020 00:06:36
Alf - do you honestly think Bielsa wanted an FA Cup run?

08 Jan 2020 07:20:20
I don’t think he wanted fa cup run but not in his blood to try and lose.

{Ed047's Note - I agree because if you’d scored 3 or 4 in that first half what would Bielsa have done then 🤷‍♂️

08 Jan 2020 08:19:55
Yes, agree with Alf. Even tho my post said I was happy that we lost (a post that was berated by Ed047 and yet my reply to his accusations has gone conveniently missing) I don't believe it was a cunning plan by Biesla. Like Alf says, Biesla doesn't coach to lose or draw, and neither would any of us want that.

{Ed047's Note - it was certainly of no inconvenience to me to simply delete it.

If you weren’t bitter about it you wouldn’t have made the bitter remarks in the first place or sent in your childish reply.

08 Jan 2020 08:46:27
Yes, but we didn't actually score, though I accept we were trying to score a goal at the time - and not even Bielsa could have believed that Arsenal could be so comprehensively dominated in that first half.
Alternatively, perhaps we were going all out for the win first half, but as we failed to score he suggested at halftime that if Arsenal did happen to score first, we shouldn't go all out to earn a replay. Why risk an additional game before the punishing February fixtures - particularly when losing the game would provide a two week break ahead of those fixtures. Yes it isn't in Bielsa's nature to lose, but it is widely accepted that he has only given himself two shots at promotion with Leeds - and that is the victory he is focused on - so why would he put it at risk?

08 Jan 2020 09:11:11
Alternatively, it could have been the players themselves who, even sub-consciously could have thought 'why should be bust a gut to earn a replay', knowing the ultimate prize (on which they are also totally focused) could be put at further risk by doing so. They would have known Bielsa would take that defeat philosophically, in the context of the overall project.

08 Jan 2020 10:42:28
not sure about this at all

truth is for me very simple. we outplayed them first half. partly because we played well. partly because they played badly. they then upped there game and we couldn't live with them

i don't think any sportsman at any time every doesn't try their best to win

we was outclassed when they went up a gear. that's fair enough they should out class us but to suggest anything else to me seems a bit of a push.

08 Jan 2020 11:08:50
Clueless. I’m with you, and suggested as much immediately after the game. I thought the reduced urgency in pressing, the deeper sitting defence, less pressuring on their back line was apparent. So far fetched theory or not, I believe it was intentional.

{Ed047's Note - you’ve not convinced me, we did to you exactly what you did to us in that first, we over ran you but we scored.

But you don’t have an extra fixture so alls good. 👍

08 Jan 2020 11:33:41
Berm they didn't really outclass us in terms of skill, their intensity and focus went up significantly - they had clearly been well and truly wound up by Arteta at halftime (Lacazette or Nelson commented in interview after the match "he shouted alot") - and ours dropped off a cliff in comparison with the first half. Their goal was a scruffy one, rather than the result of any particular skill.
Our players could have fought fire with fire in terms of intensity and aggression but had they done so they would have risked escalated aggression from Arsenal and risk of injury/ suspension which would undermined our promotion push. It was clear from the handling of Xhaka first half that we were not going to get anything from the officials - further illustrated by failure to deal with Lacazette's petulant kicking of Bera. And if we'd got a draw - we'd have faced at least 90 more minutes of the same - with the same risk. So perhaps subconsciously our players backed off a little. Winning promotion is worth far more in all senses to the players (and they know it is to the club and fans too) than a draw at the Emirates.

08 Jan 2020 12:36:36
Ed you tried pressing us at the start of the first half, but we went through you, or over you (with accurate distribution by Meslier) and so you backed off. This was noted by commentators on both BBC and Talksport. It was the increased aggression in your pressing that was different at the beginning of the second half - more Birmingham City than Man City. The officials saw nothing of course but bought every dive of yours and of course booked Klich for a tackle on Xhaka that was no worse than four he himself had committed with no sanction by the ref. Plus the Lacazette incident. Face it, you should have been down to nine men, but it would have been Leeds players given their marching orders if they had met fire with fire.
Had we won a replay it would have been TWO extra fixtures overall and TWO fixtures more than we now have ahead of a very tough schedule of fixtures in February which in large part will dictate whether we are promoted on not. Put yourself in the the boots of a Leeds player in that second half - what would you have done.

{Ed047's Note - I didn’t see us doing any pressing the the first half, we were abject.

Stepped it up in the 2nd half which we needed to, closed you down all over the pitch and won the game.

I’m taking nothing away from your team nor trying to big up mine, we won a game of two halves, it’s that simple.

I’m just not believing you let it go, like a said, what if you had banged 2,3 or 4 goals in first half which your football deserved.

2nd your boys would have stood around watching us bang 4, 5 or 6 in.

If your a big team or want to be one you have to battle on multiple fronts mate and winning breeds winning mate.

08 Jan 2020 15:26:50
Ed - if you read my posts again you will see that I suggested three SEPARATE alternative scenarios - the third of which is most plausible. Having NOT scored in the first half and then gone behind, the Leeds players (perhaps subconsciously) , when faced with battling against a highly motivated Arsenal team and extremely poor officiating just to get a draw, concluded is was not worth going all out to do so at the risk of jeopardising the main aim of promotion. Your point ready what if we had banged in some goals first half is not relevant to this scenario.
On your last point, we have a big and passionate fan base and a notable history and yes we do want to get back to the big time. However we are not there yet, and we currently have a paper thin squad which has already been blighted by injury, so pragmatic choices need to be made, whether subconsciously or otherwise.

{Ed047's Note - mate it’s no problem, it’s differing opinions and I have no problem with yours was just giving one from my perspective.

There is no right or wrong and as I said you now don’t have the extra game so alls good.

08 Jan 2020 16:11:39
Ed - any chance of posting my previous reply to your comment.

Thanks.

{Ed047's Note - it hasn’t gone anywhere, it should still be on this thread unless you’re talking about a reply I don’t know about.

07 Jan 2020 12:41:21
After the Euphoria perhaps a reality check. We lost. Why? Because we couldn't convert our chances. We are also vulnerable at set pieces. We are top of the division because we have won games by the odd goal and the and the rest of the high flyers have also dropped points unexpectedly.

We are nine points clear of the third placed team but we were in a similar position last season. We have thrown points away when we have scored a few ie Cardiff. We almost blew against Birmingham and we scraped a draw with West Brom. We lost to Fulham when other championship were beating them. The point. We are playing very entertaining football but we can drop points.

If we do we could easily get overhauled like last year. I've never been a an of Bamford as a goal scorer although the rest of his game is very good. We still need a goal scorer but not like Eddie. We need a Bamford who can score when there are half chances not tap ins. We also need a better defensive centre half who can dominate from set pieces. As an aside I thought the young keeper was excellent. I still think we have a better than evens chance of promotion but there are likely to be a number of bumps in the road.

07 Jan 2020 13:27:48
If we play a 'goal scorer' we won't create as much as playing Eddie showed.
Issue is we appear fixed on our style and formation which required a physical hard working CF.
If there is one out there who can put in the shift Bamford does and be better at conversion rate that would be perfect but I can't think of one right now.

07 Jan 2020 13:51:17
Hess What you and all Leeds fans want is a complete centre forward of PL quality. You do realize they cost big bucks? A natural goalscorer would turn us into a very dangerous side and I'll turn to a point recently made by Notts but originally made by yours truly which I expressed in a different way. Namely, accommodating the 2nd striker. Yes, Cork, my fabled probably now infamous 4-4-2. Had we played like this at home at least, Eddie would still be with us. I accept he can't hold the ball up and is no Bam when it comes to all round play and if we played him we'd sacrifice something in midfield, but when it comes to regular chance conversion he'd score much more than Paddy.

I hope Eddie is adequately replaced and his departure does not cost us later in the season. I remain positive Orta and Radz will take care of the situation but also have some sympathy for the depressive naysayers like CC and Bazookoid.

07 Jan 2020 14:35:59
We cannot afford to lose the Bamford work rate but certainly need an instinctive goalscorer. Perhaps one exists in the far corners of Europe somewhere. Should that be the case then we are looking at a revolutionary, for Bielsa, two up top formation.

07 Jan 2020 14:49:31
Euphoria? If there is euphoria it is misplaced. We lost to a second string side and dominated when they couldn’t be bothered. In the second half they put some effort in and managed to beat us, mainly because our defence is poor and we can’t score goals against quality. This was in no way an audition for the Premier league and even if it was we still lost. Yes, we didn’t play our first team either but even if we did it would still probably have gone the same way. Anyone who thinks we were brilliant and that tells us anything about our abilities is sadly deluded. The match is meaningless.

{Ed025's Note - come on alf, i thought you were excellent first half and yes you faded a bit 2nd but you gave them a right scare mate, what did you expect...to go to the emirates and batter them?, they have some quality players and i think you are being very harsh on your team there..

07 Jan 2020 15:01:35
Georgey Boy, I am passionate about my club
And
I would be more than delighted for Radz and Orta to prove me and others wrong . sign a quality forward or two in this transfer window . anything that ensures we are promoted this season. we must NOT repeat last season's let down MOT.

07 Jan 2020 15:22:02
George what we want is Wilfred Zaha do you think Radz will buy him 😝.

07 Jan 2020 15:22:17
we can't play 442 though George because our midfield as a 4 is too weak and our defence is exposed without a DM sitting there. Its a way to accommodate another striker but it changes our entire way of playing so it's just not practical.

07 Jan 2020 15:13:33
As long as we are playing this system not sure any striker in our price range would score a boatload, Gayle maybe but he is not coming. We need goals coming from midfield, which we have been doing but a good number 10 would be useful. Pablos goals last season helped us greatly but when he went off the boil no one stepped up. Harrison is looking more dangerous in front of goal and Alioski will also be in there. Thought Costa may have been the answer but not impressing much at the moment.
To last nights game i thought we proved we can trouble the best. We humiliated them first half and although they played better second we did not cave in. In fact if the ref had done his job we would have won against nine men. Yes we do not defend well when under pressure but we are not under pressure for long the way we play. When KP and Ben have to go wide to support full backs it does leave us vulnerable and a no nonsense CB would be great, but who? Think we will have to wait till we get promoted to buy the players we need as we will not get them in Jan window.

07 Jan 2020 15:47:44
I think the original post from Hess was spot on actually . That match was the last two seasons in micro . Great in possession, but don’t take enough of our chances and crap on set pieces . I’ve noticed KP in particular has perfected the art of losing his man at corners . The arse had two free headers last night from corners . We need another striker to keep Bamford honest , to change things and cover for injury . I don’t accept a better finisher will have to cost £15m and or won’t be able to play on his own . The kid Woodrow would surely come for around £6m . Big money in them parts!

07 Jan 2020 15:49:49
Arsenal are not the force they were but are still a top half team in the premier league and were only short of a few starting players. Think you are being a tad disingenuous there Tuppence.

07 Jan 2020 15:51:29
Ed025 we did well first half but I do think that a lot of that was due to Arsenal not really being up for it, expecting to win and underestimating us. In the second half they upped their game and we were found wanting. I just don't think we should take too much from a cup game as it is totally different to the realities of week in week out in the Premier league. We are top of the Champ at the moment but no way are we head and shoulders above the competition like Norwich were last year and they are certainly struggling in the Prem. All I'm saying is let's be realistic - we are not even promoted yet let alone able to compete with the likes of Arsenal on a weekly basis who we couldn't even draw with in a cup game against their second string team.

{Ed025's Note - it was hardly their second string alf, everyone i have spoken to were really impressed by leeds and their style of play, yes you will need to strengthen if you get promoted but thats only to be expected mate, being realistic is ok but backing your team and being a glass half full kind of guy would be better...marching on together and all that..

07 Jan 2020 16:48:29
I sat through this game in the Arsenal end! As that was only place I could get ticket- It was interesting
Some good comments on the game here but from the opposition end-
- They were very critical in the first half rightly so of their performance, this was down to how we played
- Our fans were amazing out singing the rest of the stadium for most of the match- this is our extra man
- Overheard one of their fans saying after the match " Leeds did outstanding job considering value of Arsenal side is at least 10 times that of Leeds
So my point is we will never have the quality of the Arsenal players whilst we are in the Championship, but WILL get promoted with what we have
WE must NEVER make the mistakes that were made in the past overspending which almost lead to the demise of our club!

{Ed025's Note - good post that spleeds..

07 Jan 2020 17:06:21
think this has been agreat and realstic thread.

touble is our style don't suit a out and out goalscorer and belisa will not make room for one, then we have the paper weak defence

the result and game flattered us. we dominated arsenal but then arsenal are easy to dominate when not up for it and first half we was good but they was poor, then they went up a gear and won. all of that is fair enough

what in a way would of been nice is if they would of scored from there three clear corners as against west brom, forest etc them chances have cost us. almost better to lose four nil to highlight our very real weakness and make rads/ belisa do something about it rather than paper over very real cracks

forest as a team on the up. they had one chance against us. a corner which they scored from, i'd love to change that and take a point from them and add two to us. same with our closest rivals west brom

i don't mind losing to a prem team. i hate battering championship teams and still dropping points. fa cup wasnt realisitic promotion is and that will cost us.

07 Jan 2020 17:12:33
No pleasing some people. A cup game we were not expected to win. Outplayed a top PL side for 45mins, should have scored but their goalie made some fine saves. Second half they were more aggressive and pressed us harder which showed up the flaws we have. It was nothing to do with they were not up for the game first half, this is probably the only cup they have a chance of winning this season. Fact was they did not know how to combat our style first half and were not expecting us to be that good. Just get behind the team why not, and be thankful we got beat because squad not big enough to fight on two fronts.

{Ed025's Note - could not agree more BB..

07 Jan 2020 18:33:29
Good post Spleeds and bb. So long as we replace Eddie, we're in very good shape. I'd go after Lyle Taylor from Charlton now he's become available.

07 Jan 2020 07:47:04
Don't know if I'm on my own with this but I'd sign the young keeper up full time because his values going to rise if his parent club see him playing like last night. Don't know if the fee is already agreed but I reckon he could end up been the first choice French international keeper in about 5 yrs.

07 Jan 2020 08:08:33
I agree and I’d play him before Casilla.

07 Jan 2020 08:11:46
Agree martyn, get him signed up, only going to improve and his price will go up.

07 Jan 2020 08:34:30
Got to agree. Got down really well for a big lad, looked composed and even better than Casilla with his feet. I'm not particularly worried about a possible Kiko ban any more.

07 Jan 2020 08:42:58
Yep, another in agreement here. Bloody good scouting from someone to unearth such a composed 19yo young man.

I was watching on the BBC and the co-commentator mentioned the amazing accuracy of our keepers distribution. It was laser-accurate out to each wingback time and time again. He then pulls of a great save. What a debut. That should give him a huge amount of confidence going forward

I agree, he should be signed up now. He has proved he is good enough, plus that will free up another loan position in future match day squads. go get some decent loanees for the run in.

07 Jan 2020 09:02:11
i agree 100% great young keeper. wouldn't play him ahead of Kiko MOTM cassia just yet though. good shot stopper, good distirbution. only difference between him and kiko and is kiko helps more with crosses. he knows we are useless so gets involved which sometimes helps and sometimes makes him look bad. last night keeper stayed on his line. let us lose the ball as we do and then looked like he wanted to stop the header as a save. which is riksy but makes him look better than kiko.

07 Jan 2020 09:03:02
Fee agreed I believe about £3m.

07 Jan 2020 09:12:54
Just double checked . £4.5 m apparently . On that showing a steal . And he’s saved several pens for the under 23’s .

07 Jan 2020 09:15:41
Totally agree guys, I hope he gets a run so we can see more .

07 Jan 2020 09:34:53
Totally in agreement.

07 Jan 2020 12:07:56
£4.5m - absolute bargain then

He’s only 19, will makes mistakes as he’s not at his peak for 10 years so his easy on the lad
Hopefully another loan deal with option to buy at end

Harrison looks better and better value too

Not so sure about costa 🙈

Overall Victor isn’t doing too bad a job is he?

Stevens looks a decent player ( ignore his first pass )

We can produce our own talent too

Great to see Phillips and Gotts playing so well against supposedly better players

This can be an exciting next decade

MOT.

07 Jan 2020 12:09:47
Like him a lot was linked with Chelsea and Monaco not too long ago, the option to buy must be exercised, lot of sentiments above i agree with, excellent with the ball at his feet, lovely distribution and gets down very quickly for 6'5. His height would be a bonus in situations like West brom- would surely have come and claimed the ball for their goal.

If Kiko gets a ban deserves the shot to start over the minimum 6 games, don't need to go out and get someone else to cover.

07 Jan 2020 12:11:09
Showed a lot of promise in U23 performances and he just transferred that to the big stage. Would buy him now. Looked composed and the amount of times the players passed it back to him shows the faith they had in him. His distribution was spot on as well.

07 Jan 2020 12:38:54
We will now see rads true colours if he dint buy for 4.5 million he dint have Leeds best interests at heart can you imagine another champ team having him and not buying at that price?

07 Jan 2020 14:19:16
BW we have already seen Radz true colours for the past 3 to 4 transfer windows . He ain't good.

07 Jan 2020 14:22:09
Martyn, AGREED he should go straight in to the first team and be the first on MB team sheet and Be on Radz list for one to sign., I hope he doesn’t let this one slip.

07 Jan 2020 15:25:56
Messlier came to us highly rated and has done well so far but i hardly think you can call for him to be instantly in the first team based on one showing. At 19 he is bound to have mistakes in him and I would imagine if he plays more games there will soon be people hounding him out of the club and crucifying him for his mistakes. I think introducing him gradually might be more prudent but I would like to see us acquire him and I think he could be great in future.

07 Jan 2020 17:09:04
agree alf and bazooka on all counts.

07 Jan 2020 20:37:55
Agree. Actually thought it was already pretty much a done deal already. Loan, with agreement to buy. He’d already proved himself for me in the 23’s to be honest! But the last night cemented it!

08 Jan 2020 19:05:45
Promotion gives us the wriggle room with finances and rids us of the constraints of FFP so these lads on loan with an option to buy is quite savvy business

If we don’t go up I doubt we can buy them without selling

So let’s finish the job.

07 Jan 2020 03:45:23
What a game. Immense performance in first half. Run them ragged.
But didn't score. Same old problem.
Conclusion. Need a striker.
Went off boil and they improved second half but scored scrappy goal in one of their few attempts.
Conclusion. Need a central defender.
Goalkeeper was good. In fact I was more confident in him than I am Casilla.
They were dirty and should have had two sent off.
One other thing. White is getting to clever. Don't know if he trying to impress the big boys but messed up a few times.
Overall happy with the game and that we eventually lost tbh.
I expect premier league teams will be increasing their pre season training ready for us.

{Ed047's Note - what, one of our 15 2nd half attempts. 🤔

You were excellent in the first half but you failed to score even a scrappy goal and we bettered you in the 2nd, you didn’t go off the boil as you put it.

Being fit doesn’t save you in the Premier League either mate, putting the ball in the back of the net and not allowing the opposition to scrape it into yours does. 😉

07 Jan 2020 07:04:44
Another CD, who? Because whoever it is will sit on the bench, can't see MB dropping white or his captain,

07 Jan 2020 07:09:13
I’d call them 15 half chances. And a scrappy goal. Lucky not be down to 10 in first half and 9 in the second. Yes you did win and that’s all that matters I suppose but I think your performance reflected your position in the league. Prob lucky to be that high tbh.

07 Jan 2020 08:23:16
Agreed Ausman1, They were clearly rattled and will know themselves they have a lot of work to do going forward. And I wish I could say I’m surprised by the VAR decision or the ref’s leniency toward Xhaka but I’m not and if we go up last night showed we’ll face the same issues we do now. But we played brilliantly and we need Radz to agree to add that little bit of quality to see us out of the Championship.

07 Jan 2020 09:04:08
agree with ed we battered them first half but second half they battered us. only difference was they scored and looked more dangerous. our final ball descion was off and of course they were more soild in defence but then they are prem and we aint

do agree not sure how xaka wasn't booked at least but then they could of had a pen and both douglas and lacazet could of been sent off for off the ball nonsesnse.

07 Jan 2020 09:12:18
agree with aus about White. great player for us but showed what happened when you up the quality and got found out a few times. that said he has been amazing all season.

07 Jan 2020 09:19:23
Xhaka was lucky not to be yellow carded in the first half, can't see how he didn't .
Very disappointed about the falling over to get free kicks at one stage it was so blatant.

{Ed001's Note - Xhaka was lucky not to be carded on about 15 occasions! Then to follow that up with a dive to get one of yours booked was just sickening to watch. But what do you expect when the referee is a Mancunian? Should never have been given the game, he is abysmal anyway, but a Mancunian should never referee a game involving Leeds, or a Manchester or Merseyside club. Even if they were any good, which Taylor isn't, the pressure on them would almost certainly cause errors. When you add that on top of them being a useless tit, you get an utterly inept performance like last night.}

07 Jan 2020 09:43:40
Am I the only Leeds fan that is celebrating today?

I just can't get over how perfect last night was.

1st half we absolutely battered them. A deluded 'top 6 side' was getting handed their bums. WBA gave us more problems the other week.

In that 1st half their best player was the referee. A red card could have been handed out for 1 challenge alone but a yellow should have been handed out for persistent fouling. Once on a yellow that player would have had no chance against Harrison.

In the first half we had some very real opportunities to go 1-0, if not 2-0 ahead. against this alleged 'top 6 side'.

So, end of the first half we gave shown that if we get to the PL we are able to out play sides in the top half of the division. Sheffield United are already proving that the gulf can be overcome, but it's nice to know we can do it ourselves

In the 2nd half Arsenal were much much better. A much more even match to watch. But in being better, but only scoring the one goal, we again proved our parity with a PL side. Our players are on par with a host of international stars. We don't need to do "a Villa" or "a Fulham" and buy a whole new squad when we get promoted.

And the fact they won is brilliant.

No extra cup games to tire a small squad. No extra cup games that increases the risk of injury. There is honour in defeat. Any cup revenue is paltry compared to the riches of the PL.

HOT TUB SET TO SCORCHIO. PAST THE PROSECCO.

07 Jan 2020 10:05:30
Agree with most of your post Axe and definitely pleasing to more than hold our own against Arsenal

. but not celebrating as the serious issues of not converting chances persists . and having just one striker ( and not prolific striker. at that ) in our first team squad is foolish, arrogant negligent, incompetent .

07 Jan 2020 10:40:41
Fair enough Bazooka

Not as bothered about the lack of strikers as a lot on here. Sure it would be nice to have a couple of 20-goal-a-season guys on the books but I can see that financing 2 expensive strikers when only 1 plays in the system can be an expensive white elephant.

Nekeitha has gone, so by the rules that Biesla uses, a new striker will be taking his place soon. It's the way he runs his small squads. 2 strikers and 4-5 wide players. Some of whom can fill in as a striker for short periods

My opinion is that we had to wait until after the FA Cup last night to see what sort of striker we would require.
If we won we would need to look at only strikers that weren't cup-tied
If we list we had a bigger pool of strikers to look at. Also, teams that went out of the cup this weekend will have lost a potential revenue stream so may be less reluctant to sell/ loan out a striker.

07 Jan 2020 11:13:10
Most of your post makes sense Axe but it would have been nice to win having put away said chances and on to the next round. I get what you are saying about small squad but who prefers to lose instead of win? I always want to win.

That said it does not bother me that we are out.

07 Jan 2020 11:20:51
Fair points Axe let's hope that at least one striker is signed and soon. just wish tbe club had signed more strikers last summer.

07 Jan 2020 12:19:57
Must agree with everything said. For some reason the Arsenal that turned up first half is the one the Gooners have to watch most weeks. At least Arteta will have next year, without European football, to put a team together.

{Ed047's Note - gotta love axe-on-tour, deluded and alleged top 6 side, guess it was too much for him that your “wannanbe” Premiership side was outplayed and out fought in the second half when we could have had more than the one goal.

Not bitter at all. 🤦‍♂️😂

07 Jan 2020 12:45:37
Well Ed yes Leeds are a wannabe prem team that ain’t made it for 15 years but that doesn’t mean arsenal ain’t a deluded top six team either

First half showed all the problems with arsenal but second half you did show your class but against a team that can’t defend and has a midget right back playing centre back so not a great night for arsenal who could find themselves with a bottom half finish if Arteta dint work out

As for the Leeds fans banging in about a striker dint blame Bamford blame the god Belisa we had eddie who is a 20 goal striker but didn’t use him . names linked to lie Gayle wouldn’t make beslisa team he dint want a 20 goal striker he wants a man who works defence nd holds up ball. it is how Belisa plays even if we spent 49 million on an Ian Wright or lee Chapman type Belisa wouldn’t play him


Belisa has many great points but also suffers from football blindness.

{Ed047's Note - mate you were great first half I’m not arguing that, but just adding some realism to the axe’s obvious bitterness.

I said last night you’ll be a great addition to the Premier League, but if you make it up you clearly need additions.

Arteta is an unknown, I’m liking what I’m seeing and he turned it around and they didn’t melt away, they did everything to you in the 2nd half that you did to us in the first.

You are just now starting into the 2nd half of the season and need to make sure, like last season, you don’t get done over by some deluded top 6 Championship teams when you run out of gas.😉

07 Jan 2020 12:46:50
Lol Ed 047 you changed your tune


what happened to all your positive comments about Leeds performance during the match yesterday ' great to see Leeds in the Premier next season ' etc etc .

{Ed047's Note - stand by all that mate, you played a great first half and will be a great addition but the axe was just being a little bit bitter over it.🤦‍♂️

07 Jan 2020 13:39:32
Ed001 Good comments
Ed047 Also good comments.

07 Jan 2020 17:13:06
agree ed we played well first half but second half arta did what a manager should do put a rocket up you and changed the game second hal you was all over us. early days but think arta has done well so far and you cleary have some great talent and very promising oung players (who i think are better than some of the older players)

our problem is getting a very clincal striker but that is same with a lot of prem teams. if we go up we need a Cb more than anything. i would also argue (of course i would) that KP proved last night he is no where near good enough for prem and when up against better midfleiders he becomes anaoymus and can't do a job.

{Ed047's Note - it’s going to be interesting to see what Arteta can do that’s for sure as Emery was taking us backward at an alarming rate
and our squad was definitely better than it appeared under him.

He should never have been allowed a 2nd season after the miserable end to the 1st one.

If you can and I’m pretty sure you will, get promoted that’s when the owner will have money to invest. It’s likely he’ll want promotion with minimal outlay now so he can buy better in the summer when you’re up.

Your football is 100% good enough for the Premiership mate and Bielsa is a great coach.

07 Jan 2020 18:51:55
cheers ed, my cousins and few mates are arsenal and none liked emery

for me the biggest problem with him (apart from defensive failulties) was that even after two years no one knew what his team was or was about. counter attacking or high press or long ball?

with artera that will change and you will have an idenity again and that can only help at both ends of the pitch. i also think he will demand more from oizil and the likes

i always worry about leeds after 15 years i can do nothing but worry. also as much as i love belisa i can't stand him. just wish he could fix the easy problems as he has us playing great football but we are always one free kick, corner or cross away from dopping points

still all the best for the rest of the season ed and keep up the good work on this great site.

{Ed047's Note - and thanks to you too mate, will be great to see Arteta do well and very quickly he has the likes of Ozil and Aubameyang doing so much more than they did for Ozil.

Looking forward to seeing you back in the Premiership and maybe Bielsa just needs to be provided with the right guys to use them.

07 Jan 2020 21:44:19
agreed amabyanga gone striaght back into my fanatsy team got to beat my uncle and mates most of them are wall.

{Ed047's Note - good luck with it then mate, think he’s going to start banging them in again