I hear what you're saying, but it's my opinion that a good team will always impose their style of play on the opposition. Sure, they may tinker with minor aspects, or a player or two here and there, but they should generally do what they do and let the opposition worry about them. Going into each game thinking about how to combat the opposition strengths more than how to impose your own is what weak teams do. I don't think teams win championships doing that.
So I for one applaud Bielsa's attitude. I think it is what got us a draw the other night, and I think it will instil a belief in the team that they can get results, home or away. I do agree though that he needs to find a way to keep the team playing the way he wants them to without relying so much on Saiz. Because shutting him down (and frustrating him in the process, so he gets petulant and booked etc.) was what caused us the most problems last year, and without him operating freely we will struggle to be as effective. Nigel (the Dublin one) -----Original Message----- From: Leedslist [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: 24 August 2018 11:30 To: Leeds List Subject: [LU] Bielsa I remember posting a while back questioning how MB will cope if and when other teams suss us out - I suggested that he would have a Plan B, C and even D - from his presser yesterday this clearly is not the case He has one Plan - Plan A and if that is not working he will tinker with personnel etc until it does - he will not be changing the way we play. Not sure I 100% agree with this Crespo story - I (as a parent and cub leader) see nothing wrong with telling a youngster something that is not true if it helps them in their development etc - surely part of being a manager is knowing when to 'big someone up and when to pull them down a peg or two' - instilling belief is not a bad thing even if you have to lie / exaggerate a bit) I do get the meaning behind the story - a manager cannot tell a team how to play and tell them this is the best way and then change it when the game is going against them -but I am not sure he is correct, surely there is an argument for 'horses for courses' and on occasion adapting your method to cope with the opposition ? I do have faith in MB and to be honest the early games have been great to watch , even Swansea when we never really hit the heights was excellent at times but I worry what will happen if we cannot impose our style on other teams . Various things went wrong last season - having a rubbish keeper and the defence losing confidence in him, injury to ayling, Saiz being banned, not having a reliable goal scorer etc BUT one of the main things was being 'found out'/ being bullied by the likes of Millwall and Cardiff - will this side be able to stand up to teams like that ? Coming from behind twice at Swansea is a good start but it is very early days Anyway lets hope we can continue our early season form - Norwich away and Middlesboro at home are both difficult games (not that many look easy on paper in this Division) - so 4 or 6 points would be amazing. I expected us to have 4* or 5 points rather than the 10 we have so it has been a great start (fancied a point v Stoke with it being first game at home v a relegated team, 0pts at Derby, 3 at home to Rotherham, and 0 or maybe 1 v Swansea) Dave _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ RIP Jimmy WAC-COE _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ RIP Jimmy WAC-COE
