Two excellent reports on yesterday's game chaps. Both very objective and both very realistic. (Red Rain, I particularly enjoyed your switch of emphasis towards the players rather than the systems. I think that's more interesting, but I know nothing!) If anything, I think that Red Rain's assessment is slightly more optimistic in that improvement is anticipated. But I'm afraid I side more with Mr Dyson's rather more downbeat assessment that this squad, as it stands is likely to be relegated. I differ slightly on Mamadou Thiam's fitness as I tend to think that is as fit as he can be got - I just think his limitations have become fully exposed. What almost halted our decline last time we were in the Championship was the loan of Ollie McBurnie, who looked Premier League class then and is now going on to prove it. This time around the club have seemingly set their face against any loan deals, so what can we expect in January? We are likely to be struggling by then, and is it really likely that any in-form striker within our budget will be available and willing to commit to a relegation dogfight at that point? A striker coming on loan always has the reassurance that he will return to his parent club at the end of his spell if things don't go so well. One other thing. Can anyone really say we would have fared any better yesterday with Big Keiffer in the side? I think his lack of pace would have been woefully exposed up against that Leeds defence, and I don't think Stendel would have wanted to play to a style that would have suited his game in the Championship. We should have certainly chased more suitable alternatives though. Chaplin looks to have been discarded for the moment - even though we are light up front. Some will say that performance yesterday would, against a lesser side have brought results. But it is salient that Wednesday, Birmingham and Luton also worked out a way to beat us. Still, it's forecast sunny intervals tomorrow!
I felt we were poor with our final balls and were often punting the ball upfield to empty spaces but if that can be worked on then I think we will be fine. Things were fairly even for large chunks of the game. We need another striker in January though. I think we will finish about 18th.
I was not discouraged by the game, the score flattered Leeds and with teeny bit of luck and a more evenhanded refereeing performance we might have won. That said, we did tire towards the end and our subs added nothing.
I believe that keiffer would have offered us absolutely zero this season as would Lindsay in my opinion.
My impression (and it's only that) was that we were pushing ourselves while Leeds were perhaps playing within themselves. Some games you think we might just nick this - or at least hold out for a point. Yesterday I always felt Leeds would score in the end. That said, what a plyer to bring on in Nketiah (as Red Rain remarked). And how shrewd was Bielsa to let Bamford do the lifting for 70 minutes before unleashing the Arsenal striker.
Firstly, thank-you for your praise of Minority Report. Flattery is always welcome. We have to remember where we are and who we are. Some expectations are simply not sustainable given the huge discrepancy between our finances and say, those of Leeds United. Leeds were very good yesterday, and whatever we had done, there would probably have been a mismatch in quality individually between their players and ours. I know that we hate to lose to local rivals, and that it is particularly galling when the defeat comes late in a game, but we have to get things in perspective. Our owner does not want our club to build up the sort of debt that sustains most ambitions in the Championship. Away from the BBS, I have been looking at the Financial Accounts of all the clubs in the Championship, and there are some real horror stories revealed by that comparison. There are clubs in the Championship that are losing staggering amounts of money in the hope that promotion will save their bacon. However, the Premier League takes only 3 clubs per year, and the depth of the mess affecting the Championship means that for many clubs, their gamble will be lost. Now I know that you are a gambling man, but I also believe that you are wise enough not to bet the house. Many clubs in this league have done just that. So what is the answer? What is the alternative to betting the house? Our owners have decided that patience and the long game is the best alternative strategy. That if they wait long enough, more clubs will hit the rocks and we will be ideally positioned to take full advantage. I am not so sure myself. It could be argued that if you are not prepared to invest, you could miss the chance when it comes. That lack of investment simply places the club on a cycle of long term decline. Financial strategy is a hard argument to have, especially when it is not your pocket that bears the consequence of any error. Nevertheless, it is right I think that such discussions are had, if only to clear the air. In future weeks and months, I will be revealing the result of my investigations, and I hope that it will be the catalyst for just such a discussion. In the mean time, do not take these defeats quite so much to heart. After all, we do not support Barnsley because we expect to win. We support Barnsley in the hope that we will.
it was interesting regarding formations yesterday, i thought Leeds shifted theirs ever so slightly at half time. they went to very nearly 3 at the back with Phillips sitting as deep as the central defenders without actually playing as one, this allowed both full backs to push on and create 2 on 1 overlaps every time leeds attacked. Shackleton looked a very good player who not only had quick feet but a very quick brain too.
Agree about moore we played our best when we pressed leeds from the front same with fulham moore wouldn't have been able to do that, the problem is where is schmidt? We would have been better off with toney, for me we only have one striker woodrow.
Click on this twitter link and read the comments from Leeds fans, always interesting the views of the opposition. Some of the best compliments we've had in years.
A really good performance from us I thought,,,,, although the words Brothel, Fifty pound note and Top pocket come to mind.
I thought we made a mistake taking Thomas off. I feel he does a lot of the dirty work that doesn't get noticed by most of us.
I agree there’s a big discrepancy between our finances and those of Leeds. That’s why their success is all the more creditable. Can you imagine how good they would be if they had our financial backing. Amazing. We are the Champions, champions of Europe....repeat ad nausium...
