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29 Aug 2021 19:17:02
We all agree that we would like to have new additions to raise the level of the team, but unless there are surprises, this will not happen. And we have to compete, at least until the next transfer window, with almost the same team from last season (and in my opinion, the juniors are incredible promises, but they are still far from what it takes to be able to demand them what it takes, to be competitive at the premier league)
So, the players are the same, so let's focus on the style of playing, is anyone noticing (or feeling) that we are more permeable in defence than the second half of the last season?
- That the defensive system is different (rotation of mark in zones, instead of man-to-man)
- And because of that, the players are being seen running less in defence, the typical man-to-man chases that we used to see all over the field (which added to what is run in the attack led us to be the team with the most sprint and meters run by far of last season)
- And this is the second game that we see the team playing with a 3-3-1-3 (typical Bielsa style) and not with the usual 4-1-1-3-1
Marcelo Bielsa talked about wanting to make improvements in the team, would he be talking about these changes in the playing style?
The level showed by Leeds during the last games of last season should be our floor, and today we are far from that level
In attack I do not see so many differences (perhaps I saw them more sacrificed the previous year, but I see them a bit more precise now)
But in defence, I do see many differences, in the way that they are marking the opposite team, and if we are not as good as we were before defending, the opposing team ends up imposing their game plan, and not us
(without taking into account the big 6 (or big 5 today if you want) because of the abysmal difference in the players, but with the rest of the teams)
in last season, regardless of we lost many times, usually, we imposed our style on other teams during most parts of the game, and today that no longer happens.
Did anybody see this change of style too?
Are we paying the price (and losing points) because of being adapting a new defensive style?
I feel that we are having changes at the defensive level and in tactics that are harming us (regardless of particular specific errors of the players that they always demanded)
mmm.
1.) 29 Aug 2021 20:39:04
Not right to compare end of last seasons defence yet with this season as to me the main reason we did so well last was a fit Llorente playing 90 mins which we have yet to see this year.
Will be well worth taking your points into consideration in a few games when hopefully we have a fully fit Llorente running the show.
2.) 29 Aug 2021 23:17:41
I guess I couldn’t make my point clear. I’m not talking about any particular performance (also it will be difficult to suscribe the whole defence performance of a team of 11 to one single player) Anyway, I’m referring to the changes applied on the tactics of the defensive game, and their outcomes, and not in any good or bad particular performances.
3.) 30 Aug 2021 05:23:20
If we have changed tactics defensively then that will take time for the players to implement and get used to so that should improve with time. Let's hope in the long term the changes end up improving us as we are conceding alarmingly at present.
12 Jan 2022 22:58:29
If Andrea Radrizzani was just a businessman, Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera would never have renewed his contract with LEEDS UNITED. Bielsa himself has said that, despite the fact that every owner of a club is a businessman, the owner of LEEDS UNITED, is an entrepreneur, who understands, attends to, and shares the needs and desires of the club's fans. And it is for that reason, among many others, that MB is happy in LEEDS.
(On the other hand, if Andrea Radrizzani were someone who only seeks profit, he would never have hired VÃctor Orta, who has brought him and brings him several headaches, precisely because he is more of a soccer fan than someone who is profit-oriented)
31 Aug 2021 20:54:49
I understand that Rodrigo was a V. Orta idea (which Bielsa of course accept) and Costas did a great job on the championship but apparently not as good level for Premier requirements.
After the time of adaptation, Harrison bench and James inside, no 10 for Rafina. My point of view. :)
29 Aug 2021 23:17:41
I guess I couldn’t make my point clear. I’m not talking about any particular performance (also it will be difficult to suscribe the whole defence performance of a team of 11 to one single player) Anyway, I’m referring to the changes applied on the tactics of the defensive game, and their outcomes, and not in any good or bad particular performances.
25 Aug 2021 11:26:15
In the previous cups games, Bielsa was taking care of the players not to overload them (one of the usual risks of Bielsa with his teams is that he physically and mentally overloaded his players) so he used the substitutes to play to give them the minutes and rhythm of the game so they do not have the much lack rhythm when due to injury they were needed in the starting team.
Today, having apparently improved this aspect of overload in his teams, he decided to make play those starters that he sees very disconnected from the game and lacking in rhythm, clearly his first objective is to improve the rhythm of the game and the performance of the first team.
When those usual weeks of 2 premier league games per week begin, we will see how Bielsa only put substitutes in the cup.
23 Aug 2021 12:50:12
Totally agree, the only thing he could see is that he was wearing the (substitute) Real Madrid shirt, nothing else. He exchanged good moves, (like Rafinia or Llorente) with bad ones, (like Casilla, Poveda or Rodrigo, who is not bad at all, but even so it seems that he does not fit in well with the team) . Some will say that he's learning, I wonder, learning process? Too old to learn yet? Normal mistakes as part of any job? Learning when a lot is at stake?
22 Aug 2021 18:21:29
From my point of view, Rodrigo did not play yesterday for tactical reasons.
Rodrigo, I understand that he is a natural partner of the central forward (9) or second forward, but since Bielsa does not play with that position, he is a 9 here (today a substitute for Bamford) and, in order to do not leave a player of such hierarchy (compared to the rest of the team) out of the game, he alternates 10 with Robert, and sometimes also Klich
Instead of playing with their usual 4-1-1-3-1, yesterday, I mostly saw him played with a 3-3-1-3. (The 3-3-1-3 scheme is the one most used by Bielsa since its inception, following the school of Louis van Gaal, but since he is in English football, he has taken that extra man in defence and uses it as an extra midfielder)
When he plays with his usual Leeds scheme (4-1-1-3-1) Ayling and Dallas usually play for different bands, but yesterday they were playing both on the same side (the right side) for a long time in the game.
Harrison - Bamford - Raphinha
----------------- Klich --------------
Firpo -------- Phillips ----- Dallas
Cooper ---- Struijk ----- Ayling
In this scheme (3-3-1-3) there is only room for 2 central midfielders (Phillips, Klich) and not the usual 3 (Phillips, Klich, Rodrigo) that he usually uses when standing 4-1-1-3-1.
For this reason, he was forced to take out one of the 3 usual media, and the one who has less weight of the 3 would understand that it is Rodrigo and that is why he was left out.
At the press conference, from my point of view, he simply lied about his pain or the pain was real, but not the reason that he did not play, in order for Rodrigo does not to sit outside the starting team and disappoint him or make him feel like he wasted effort in all his preseason preparation. After all, let's also remember that Rodrigo is one of the highest-paid players (along with Philips, Rafinia, and now Bamford since he signed his new contract) in the club.