Manchester United - v - Leeds United ***Matchday Thread***

[UbiqueLUFC33]

On another day it could have been 6 - 6. I thought that in some areas we played really well and, regardless of the result, the entire team never gave up. We gave the ball away far too easily in midfield and were our usual rubbish selves when defending (or rather not defending) set pieces but there were lots of positives. I though Raphinia had his best game for us and both Shackleton and Strujk made useful contributions. Obviously, it hurts to lose, especially against the Scum but I would far rather watch this brand of football than the tedious, sterile, passing it across the back line for 90 minutes drivel that a lot of Premiership teams play these days. Onwards and upwards ALAW.

[LeedsFTW]

Well, it's the day after the match and I have to say my opinion hasn't changed much about that result.

I still say we gifted them the result with some really shoddy defensive work. The CB pairing was not strong this time and either dived in to early or got caught flat footed. Our marking/tracking of players was off the pace and Philip's, Klich and Alioski were caught out.

It is negative but it hurts to see how easy it was for Scum to carve us open without breaking into a sweat.

Yes we played some nice football but the game was gone before we got into it. I understand why people say we could have scored more etc, but so could they and had better chances whilst taking the foot off the gas.

I still say LB is an obvious weakness, set pieces too.

It is great to be back in the premiership and playing against the best however it is concerning how easy it is for teams to score against us.

Would I change the style of play, no, but there are times were I feel Hernandez would help midfield be stronger and yesterday was one of those games for me. It fantastic having all these flair players and would be even better if they would put a tackle in now and then too.

Was a good match to show our frailties and I hope we learn from it and quickly.

[Billyni]

Cold light of Monday morning and still fked off. We got trashed by the scum no matter how well we tried, or how unlucky we were, or how pretty a picture your imagination paints.
Parking the bus might not be the Bielsa or gentlemanly thing to do but it would have been a fkin good idea for the first 15minutes at least.
Imagine the scenario, Big Sam parks the bus and stays up. Bielsa plays a beautiful game and goes down. We happy with that?
Still think we will be ok but his philosophy dosent work in the English Premier league.
6pts from the next 2 games though and i might feel differently.

[Tichi1]

Don't think we will have to wait too long to see our tactics and performances change - just until next season, I honestly think MB will be off after this season, and then we will be able to judge him and his tactics etc against his replacement.

Sad to say but for me yes - we coiuld have done a big Sam and parked the bus - and only lost 2-0 or even scraped a draw, but despite it being a results business - I for one am happy with the philosophy of both manager and team - and yep, i've given my head a wobble - and I am still happy overall as my expectations where to stay up, and enjoy the style and exilerating performances, not to beat everyone in front of us, butn thats my personal opinion, and I recognise many others on here are far more concerned about losing than how we play I think.

Bottom line is we can bleat on here until the cows come home, MB ISN'T going to change his style or approach no matter what, so you either pick the positives from what we are seeing or you disect every performance and don't enjoy it for what it is, we are stuck with what we are seeing like it or not.

ps - If and when we actually feild a full defense and we still get mullered by the better teams I would be far more concerned.

[ozleeds]

Don't think we will have to wait too long to see our tactics and performances change - just until next season, I honestly think MB will be off after this season, and then we will be able to judge him and his tactics etc against his replacement.

Sad to say but for me yes - we coiuld have done a big Sam and parked the bus - and only lost 2-0 or even scraped a draw, but despite it being a results business - I for one am happy with the philosophy of both manager and team - and yep, i've given my head a wobble - and I am still happy overall as my expectations where to stay up, and enjoy the style and exilerating performances, not to beat everyone in front of us, butn thats my personal opinion, and I recognise many others on here are far more concerned about losing than how we play I think.

Bottom line is we can bleat on here until the cows come home, MB ISN'T going to change his style or approach no matter what, so you either pick the positives from what we are seeing or you disect every performance and don't enjoy it for what it is, we are stuck with what we are seeing like it or not.

ps - If and when we actually feild a full defense and we still get mullered by the better teams I would be far more concerned.

As for the defence thing Ayling Koch Cooper And Dallas played a few games together and we still got pumped.
Trying to dissect the rest in short
We are not good enough.
MB is stubborn wont change for anything.
You understand others concerns about losing but you still like to take Pot Shots.
You know this is a forum and what we say means naught but still find it in you to take pot shots.
Bottom line is everything you just said is what quiet a lot of us feel like and have been saying ohhhh and very sensibly written thank god.

[WTF11]

Trying to tread a middle path here.

We have "issues" and if they are attended to, results will improve, of that I'm sure, but to get this, from Neville?

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/prem...cje?li=BBoPWjQ

Think it speaks volumes for the impact we have had since promotion (unlike some others!)

[Billyni]

Nice comments by Keane and Neville?
It’s easy to be nice to someone when you’ve just stuffed them.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing.

[WTF11]

Nice comments by Keane and Neville?
It’s easy to be nice to someone when you’ve just stuffed them.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing.

It is, but it's even easier to slag off one of your most avowed "enemies", rubbishing their return to the Premiership as "premature" unearned, an affront to the "real" PL teams. They had every opportunity to do so (and Keane wasn't exactly complimentary with his "stupidity" remark, but let's let that slide), but they (and others) didn't and Neville has gone on record since to say he takes nothing back.

Goes back to "we hate Man U/We hate Leeds" mantra and the mindset that kind of attitude creates. Throughout the game yesterday, there were comments by both commentators as to how this was a game of football they would pay good money to watch, unlike the sterile, stilted, nervous, boring, nondescript local derby between City and United the previous week. As a Leeds supporter I welcome the comments then, and since, shows that some of the pundits are prepared to exercise some grey matter when commenting, rather than trotting out predictable, stereotypical drivel that has been Skys stock-in-trade for way too long.

And as for wolves in sheeps clothing, Keane will never look like a sheep!

[asturianblanco]

When we say "we are not good enough", good enough for what exactly, i hope given our squad and level of investment ( less than the Wolves and Fulhams of this world of late) you dont mean competing at the top for the title?
Given the squad, i think we are about where we should expect to be, ive enjoyed watching almost every game so far, and you dont expect to say that given our league position. Its the next games that really matter for us, beat the other sides around us and all will be ok.
Totally agree with others that say we will have plenty of opportunity to watch shighte football next season, then some might appreciate what we had when Bielsa was here.

[ozleeds]

When we say "we are not good enough", good enough for what exactly, i hope given our squad and level of investment ( less than the Wolves and Fulhams of this world of late) you dont mean competing at the top for the title?
Given the squad, i think we are about where we should expect to be, ive enjoyed watching almost every game so far, and you dont expect to say that given our league position. Its the next games that really matter for us, beat the other sides around us and all will be ok.
Totally agree with others that say we will have plenty of opportunity to watch shighte football next season, then some might appreciate what we had when Bielsa was here.

Blanco let me put this to you. Of all the teams that have thrashed us and we know been quite a few. When they put 3 4 6 past us don't they have exciting teams that can play? Is MB style the only exciting football that there is out there?
My thinking is each club plays to their strengths and are dictated by the other teams as to how they play. We allow teams to pump us A game style B we are not good enough to sustain it C players give it their all but as we know as much as they have improved overall they just can't find anymore. MBs philosophies are great but in reality, they are just not sustainable doesn't matter if we had a Liverpool or man city or a Chelsea squad. The reason he has failed at big clubs is just that they are big and players don't like to play his style.