Lots of pre-match optimism after the West Ham performance and everyone confident we could comfortably beat the Geordies. Nothing is ever that simple with Leeds and you probably have to look at a under par West Ham performance to explain that particular result. When the team was announced my immediate concern was the midfield and so it was proved. Rodrigo hasn't got the legs to play as a no 10 in Bielsa's team, at least not for 90 mins and when you consider he has rarely been fit, it takes him ages to regain that fitness. Koch isn't a midfielder and never will be and he looks exactly what he is - a central defender helping out in midfield. He offers nothing going forward and he doesn't even fulfill his quota of square balls. Koch, Klich and Rodrigo were always going to struggle. To be fair, we started strongly and Rodrigo did ok in the first half. Lots of good attacks down the left with Harrison and right with Raphinha but every one ended with a cross or pass to nobody or a black or white shirt. Dan James can run around all day up front and be a nuisance but he doesn't do what strikers do and get in the right position at the right time. He did however have the only shot that required a save from their keeper. Newcastle looked lively on the break all game and they seemed at times just to walk through our midfield at ease. This led to desperate defending from Llorente which led to their free kick for the goal. I'm not going to blame Meslier as that's pretty much his first mistake of the season and I don't think it was that easy a stop. Newcastle could have had more but Meslier made some good saves. At the other end we continued to pass the ball to nowhere. I don't think Raphinha successfully passed to a white shirt in the 2nd half - he was awful but others around him weren't helping. Rodrigo, after a lively first half, just ran out of steam and was a passenger. In the end, I think they just about edged it but overall I was disappointed with our team tactics and performance. The insistence of playing a central defender in the Phillips role does my head in. Why we didn't get back up when Forshaw was injured is beyond belief and we should be putting in another bid for the lad at Huddersfield. Also Bielsa's subs were shocking and just rendered us useless for the last 20 mins. Meslier - 5. Bad mistake but he's allowed one Ayling - 6. Tried to get forward and defensively he did ok against a lively Saint-Maximus (or whatever he's called) Llorente - 7. Did he need to bring down their player ? Probably not, but he did all the best defending for me and also one or two good passes out of defence. Struik - 6. Steady work against donkey Wood. Dallas - 7. I thought he was our best player but I would have liked him in midfield alongside Klich. Rodrigo - 5. Lively first 20 mins but didn't actually deliver much and after that he went down hill quick. Needs to be fitter. Koch - 3. Really ! Come on Bielsa. Raphinha - 6. Decent first half but really poor 2nd. Harrison - 5 Liveley start but like so many others faded badly Klich - 5. Liveely first half but he was a one man midfield and couldn't do it James - 4. Not a striker. Subs: Roberts - 1. Oh dear, he didn't look match fit Geldhardt - 5. Didn't do much but then again we'd collapsed by then Can't believe we haven't got a game now for 2 and half weeks. FFS We definitely need some bodies in.
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