Like Rich, I don’t see Struijk as the holding midfield player either, and despite being a fan, it is amazing how often he’s stood still in a game as it bypasses him? I think his natural tendency to go forward and pass has been stopped as a centre half - square ball only! It seems only Cooper is allowed to do the long aimless punt? Playing in the Pj Phillips role I don’t know whether to push forward, stay in front of the defence or slot into the back four? On the positive side, his heading at corners when we’re attacking is an asset, and that was a belting goal.
The question is does Bielsa learn from his mistakes, or will he do it again? There can be no-one who cannot see Alioski’s limitations, and surely either Huggins or Davis is a better option? Wolves have very nippy forwards/wingers - Alioski looks like he’s running in treacle, and when he makes a mistake, he falls over to try and con everyone he’s been fouled? I think Wolves have the players to pressure us like Arsenal did, so we need less russian-roulette at the back. I felt for Meslier - he gets some awful passes to deal with, but he definitely has an issue with his near post positioning. His dribble was just unlucky - stupid, but unlucky. It’ll happen again. I’m not sure about Roberts - I think he’s feeble much of the time, but occasionally his passing is good. Is he a passenger re workrate though? Sent from my iPad > On 15 Feb 2021, at 12:43, Robert Heath <heathpalai...@gmail.com> wrote: > > (Sorry to drone on..............) > > This longterm approach, I think, also explains why Bielsa so rarely drops a > player. He knows that any given player may have a dip in form, but he > believes that player is the best we have at any given time so he keeps > picking them. And guess what............it works! If you listen to > interviews with players, the common thread - Bamford, Ayling, > Harrison.......- is that when asked how they have gone from Ch/ship > plonkers to PL stars they say "the manager showed confidence in me." > > I know Bielsa took Struijk off after 20 mins v Villa, but that was just to > protect him after a yellow card, knowing what diving cheats Villa and esp > Grealish are. By putting him straight back in there as soon as Kalvin was > injured shows him that Bielsa has confidence in him. > > Which is a great policy............except when it comes to Alioski! > > On Mon, Feb 15, 2021 at 12:52 PM Robert Heath <heathpalai...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> I think the thing about Bielsa is that he is way more longterm in his >> thinking than most managers (and all supporters!) If he has Stuijk marked >> down as his backup for Kalvin, then if K is out he plays Struijk there. He >> may not be perfect, but how is he going to learn if he never plays there? >> (And to be fair, he did improve even during the game.) The fact that he has >> played really well at CH is irrelevant b/c Bielsa thinks that Koch or >> Llorente are the long term solutions there. >> >> In other words, making all those positional moves may not have been the >> best way to beat Arsenal, but Bielsa feels (I think, although what do I >> know?) that it was the best solution for the long term development of the >> squad. >> >> Anyway, as I just said in my last post, I think our problem stemmed from >> us continually giving them the ball back all through the 1st half. I don't >> think it would make any difference who was at the back..........if we keep >> letting 50 million quid strikers and Real Madrid loanees come at us time >> and again we're going to be in trouble. >> >> (Plus the fact that The Curse of London was bound to find some way of >> getting us.) >> >> Alioski, though. Now there IS a problem. >> >> On Mon, Feb 15, 2021 at 12:19 PM Richard Walker via Leedslist < >> leedslist@gn.apc.org> wrote: >> >>> I love Bielsa, he's worked miracles and continues to do so but every so >>> often he makes a fundamental mistake. Usually, he's pretty quick to try and >>> rectify (pulling off Struijk after 20 mins against Villa) but I still find >>> it mind boggling that he makes these mistakes. Yesterday, he decided to >>> split up a defence which had been showing real promise through a clean >>> sheet and some good defending in recent games and then decided to replace >>> Phillips with one of those central defenders. This is a move he's made in >>> the past which hasn't worked so why repeat it ? Why break up our best >>> attacking threat down the right side with Ayling and Raph ? and when you're >>> going into a game like this with an unfit midfielder (Klich) why supplement >>> it with a central defender ?? Mind boggling stuff from Bielsa and it was no >>> suprise that we were quickly 3 down (could have been more). >>> In his defence you could argue that we are down to the bear bones of the >>> squad and cover is difficult but I'd argue against that with some midfield >>> options provided by players on the bench Pablo, Shack, Gelhart , Roberts. >>> But in Bielsa's mind he has 2 players for every position and he rarely >>> thinks outside that box. The holding midfielder role is Philips or Struijk >>> and that's that even if it's never worked. The weird and wonderful Mr >>> Bielsa. >>> At 4-0 down we've no chance but credit to the players for keeping going >>> and pulling a couple back although they had countless chances to bury us 6 >>> or 7. >>> One to forget for me, but will it happen again on Friday night ? I >>> suspect it will. >>> Scores: >>> Meslier - 2. I thought this was his poorest game for Leeds. All over the >>> shop. They caused us all sorts of problems by pushing high. With Struijk >>> walking around aimlessly there was no outlet and we struggled all the way >>> through the first half. >>> Ayling - 5. Poor first half, was all over the place. Better 2nd when he >>> was able to offer something going forward. >>> Allioski - 2. Really poor >>> Cooper - 5. Suffered with the team but kept battling >>> Shackleton - 4. I don't think he's a right back. All their attacks came >>> from their left in the first half. >>> Struijk - 4. First half it was like watching someone who has never played >>> before. He was all over the shop but I have to give him credit for growing >>> into the game and almost looking like a midfielder by the end but it's not >>> a position he plays well, anyone can see that (well almost anyone). >>> Klich - 3. Poor game. Turns out he wasn't fit and Bielsa was thankful for >>> him to agree to play ? What !!!??? You don't go to Arsenal with a half fit >>> midfielder ? Madness. >>> Raphinha - 5. Didn't get into the game mainly due to our lack of a >>> midfield. >>> Harrison - 4. One decent cross and one half shot, not much else. >>> Dallas - 4. One man midfield but he didn't do anything. >>> Bamford - 5. Feeding on scraps. Claim for a pen 2nd half after a great >>> move from us but I don't think it was. >>> Subs: >>> Costa - 5. Yeah, he scored but a few mins early he dallied with the ball >>> and lost it which led to their 4th (I think). Let's hope he pushes on from >>> his goal and starts to make a difference when he comes on because he really >>> hasn't produced since joining the club. >>> Roberts - 7. For me he was our MOTM, he looked sharp, good passing, good >>> movement. He's ready for a start for me. >>> Huggins - 6. Looked tidy. >>> So what about Pablo ? Almost single handedly won us promotion but now >>> can't get off the bench in front of the likes of Costa ? I think it's >>> shocking. He would have caused Arsenal some trouble in that 2nd half. >>> Onwards to Wolves on Friday night. Please don't play Struijk im midfield. >>> We all know he will. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leedslist mailing list >>> Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist >>> To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org >>> >>> Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ >>> >>> Rest in Peace Guy, and wear your hat! >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Leedslist mailing list > Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org > > Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ > > Rest in Peace Guy, and wear your hat! _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ Rest in Peace Guy, and wear your hat!
