Leeds United (A) Match Thread

[Jourdan]

I want to believe in us. I want to believe that we'll see a stirring performance that kickstarts our season. I want to believe Cocu will deliver a tactical masterclass. I want to believe that we'll pull a performance out of the hat. I want to believe our luck will turn and we'll catch Leeds cold. On Friday, I made a prediction that we'd somehow beat Leeds and go on to win eight in a row. One win could lead to seven more - that is the kind of season-changing impact a win on Saturday could have.

But if you sit down and reasonably dissect this game, it appears that it couldn't have come at a worse time for us and the prediction I made looks positively King Lear-esque.

A stable Leeds is a dangerous Leeds. I don't blame anyone for fearing for us on Saturday, because they are everything we don't want to come up against right now. They are organised. They are supremely well drilled. They are aggressive. They play with confidence, commitment and desire. They dominate possession. They open teams up. They press and win back the ball well. They attack and defend as a unit. Their system is settled. Their style of play is settled. Every player knows their role and is trusted to perform it. 

It is a genuine team, a team playing in the manager's image, with players entirely invested and on board with what the manager wants. It was frightening how quickly and how smoothly the Leeds players embraced Bielsa's philosophy just weeks into his tenure. We've all been waiting for the bubble to burst. But a year on, and they have kept the same manager, the same group of players, the same philosophy, and look stronger and more evolved for it.

We have gone in the complete opposite direction so far and I'm not sure we are settled enough to put in the determined, organised and crafty performance this game requires. If this game was in November, I think we would be competitive. But I think it'll probably be a case of too much, too soon for us. Cocu is still weeks away from figuring out his best eleven and then maybe months away from getting it to work effectively.

At Huddersfield, we were able to put in the classic away performance. At Brentford, we failed spectacularly. The signs are that this game is more likely to be a Brentford 2.0 rather than a Huddersfield 2.0. But the fact that this is pretty much a nailed-on home win will make any potentially positive result we get that much sweeter.

King Lear costume at the ready. ?

[Rammy03]

1 hour ago, Jourdan said:

It is a genuine team, a team playing in the manager's image, with players entirely invested and on board with what the manager wants.

On the other hand we look like we're playing as individuals, not as a team. It's all a bit stop start and not free flowing. Hopefully this is just the squad taking time to click together and play fluently. Because at the moment, I still can't figure out what the plan is and how we're trying to play.

[Dean (hick) Saunders]

They using Bamfart as their main centre forward though.

Maybe they have loads of possession and chances and he will mince around and miss them all and we smash and grab a robbing 0-1.

[BathRam72]

2 hours ago, Jourdan said:

 

But if you sit down and reasonably dissect this game, it appears that it couldn't have come at a worse time for us and the prediction I made looks positively King Lear-esque.

 

Well if this is true then I am happy to be playing Leeds this weekend.

Losing at Elland road at any time and no matter how well you are playing is no disgrace for all the reasons you waxed lyrical about.

So Imagine if we were playing Reading, Luton or Millwall this weekend. It could easily be 3 points lost then another 3 when we get to Leeds in November.

I would rather take Leeds now and the others when we do have it together.

[Jourdan]

11 minutes ago, BathRam72 said:

Well if this is true then I am happy to be playing Leeds this weekend.

Losing at Elland road at any time and no matter how well you are playing is no disgrace for all the reasons you waxed lyrical about.

So Imagine if we were playing Reading, Luton or Millwall this weekend. It could easily be 3 points lost then another 3 when we get to Leeds in November.

I would rather take Leeds now and the others when we do have it together.

I see what you are getting at, but sometimes you just need a gimme, a pick me up.

Over the years, teams have been on barren runs where they couldn’t win for toffee. Derby would roll up and be their pick me up.

Who will be ours?

I say it’s the worst time possible to play Leeds because of our polar opposites in form. Yes, losing to Leeds is no disgrace but it could be more damaging than we realise.

Our need for that pick me up is becoming greater and greater. Another meek surrender of a performance and that run might threaten to spiral out of all control. Whereas if we lost to Leeds in December in the middle of a good run, the setback would be easier to recover from.

In the Championship, there are no guarantees, but I’d feel more confident if it was Luton away next up and Leeds nearer Christmas.

Leeds with Phillips, Klich, Hernandez and Bamford et al seem too good for us at the moment, but let’s hope we rip up the script.

[Jourdan]

38 minutes ago, Dean (hick) Saunders said:

They using Bamfart as their main centre forward though.

Maybe they have loads of possession and chances and he will mince around and miss them all and we smash and grab a robbing 0-1.

This could happen, absolutely. We’d all love it to happen.

But we are Derby, let’s not forget.

Do we deserve nice things? ?

[Marriot Ram99]

2 hours ago, Dean (hick) Saunders said:

They using Bamfart as their main centre forward though.

Maybe they have loads of possession and chances and he will mince around and miss them all and we smash and grab a robbing 0-1.

He's a bell but is actually quite a decent player, and they have Nketiah on the bench who is very good . The main player to look out for is Pablo Hernadez if we let him have time and space we are done for.

[Jourdan]

1 hour ago, Marriott Ram99 said:

He's a bell but is actually quite a decent player, and they have Nketiah on the bench who is very good . The main player to look out for is Pablo Hernandez if we let him have time and space we are done for.

Hernandez is dangerous, but personally I think it's Phillips at the base of midfield that makes them tick.

He was at the heart of everything when they thumped us 4-1 last August.

[DCFC Kicks]

                  Hamer 

Bogle   Keogh   Clarke   Malone

             Bielik   Shinnie

Waghorn    Martin    Holmes

                 Marriott

-Martin to wind up Phillips into getting sent off by constantly falling over and winning FKs 

-Martin scores FK

-Hang on till stoppage time at 1-0

-98th min - Marriott scores on the counter 

2-0 win for Derby

[derbydaz22]

6 minutes ago, DCFClks said:

                  Hamer 

Bogle   Keogh   Clarke   Malone

             Bielik   Shinnie

Waghorn    Martin    Holmes

                 Marriott

Martin to wind up Phillips by constantly falling over and winning FKs 

Not seen much of Hamer but if he can catch a ball he’s in for me

[GB SPORTS]

6 hours ago, Dean (hick) Saunders said:

They using Bamfart as their main centre forward though.

Maybe they have loads of possession and chances and he will mince around and miss them all and we smash and grab a robbing 0-1.

Just reminded me of 2/11/74. Best smash and grab we have ever done.

[Bubbles]

4-0 down after 24 minutes so Cocu chucks shinnie off the pitch and enters himself and bags a hattrick followed by a Chris Martin brace

[ThePrisoner]

Just now, Squid said:

4-0 down after 24 minutes so Cocu chucks shinnie off the pitch and enters himself and bags a hattrick followed by a Chris Martin brace

[Rammy03]

7 hours ago, Dean (hick) Saunders said:

They using Bamfart as their main centre forward though.

Maybe they have loads of possession and chances and he will mince around and miss them all and we smash and grab a robbing 0-1. 

This is a fair shout, it's true they have a lot of shots and don't take their chances. We need to take advantage of this. If the red dogs can scrap for a point, we can do that at the least.

[Van der MoodHoover]

2 hours ago, Rammy03 said:

This is a fair shout, it's true they have a lot of shots and don't take their chances. We need to take advantage of this. If the red dogs can scrap for a point, we can do that at the least.

Forest did a real number on Swansea according to reports of the match. Maybe this is a time for cocu to set out deliberately to negate the opposition rather than taking the “let’s play our football “ approach.

hernandez is 34 ffs and some on here are painting him as untouchable whilst others bemoan is signing the same aged Rooney as being completely past it.

put one of our young terriers on him with instructions to follow him around , ankle-tap him at every opportunity and make him run a bit.....?

[DCFC Ram]

I reckon that it will be: 

                    Roos

Bogle (if fit)  Keogh   Clarke   Malone

             Bielik   Huddlestone

Waghorn     Holmes   Bennett

                 Marriott

Martin to be brought on for Marriott and Zoon for Bennett. The Zoon / Bennett one could be the other way round (ie Zoon starts to be replaced by Bennett). 

[B4ev6is]

I think Derby going to win on saturday there not that good.

I martin and Marriott upfront togather.

[Rammy03]

45 minutes ago, DCFC Ram said:

                  Roos

Bogle (if fit)  Keogh   Clarke   Malone

             Bielik   Huddlestone

Waghorn     Holmes   Bennett

                 Marriott

Just can't stand waghorn being shoved out wide. Recently he's done better there than I thought but I'd rather see holmes out wide taking defenders on

[DCFC Ram]

agreed - but its whether Marriott, Waghorn or Martin at CF. I think that he'll stick with Marriott but not want to drop Waghorn. Personally I'd try another formation to have 2 up top or even go 3-1-3-1- 2 

[Derby blood]

Any team in this division or any other division. for that matter, can beat anyone , look at Norwich beating Man City last weekend for proof of that, heard at the mo Derby have sold 1300 tickets for this, so all off you going well done get behind the boys and bring home the 3 points, I will be watching at home, due to the price and dropping my other half off , at the airport at 7 in the morning, going to Barnsley instead, think we can do it, Marriott is due a goal, for me I would play a midfield 3 of Bielik for his strength and composure  Shinnie for energy and Holmes for his running on and off the ball, my prediction 2-1 to the Rams, let's see the Leeds scum crying at the end again.