Crystal Palace - v - Leeds United *** Matchday Thread ***

[Monaco_Totty]

I'll give Marsch the benefit of the doubt for a while longer but seen as we now basically have a fully fit squad (he CHOSE not to sign a replacement for Firpo so as far as I'm concerned we are fully fit) it is worrying how **** we look. Even when we look good it isn't loads of good play it is just hit it long, press them and hope we can force an error or catch them out when they're not set up. The rare bits of quality genuinely just look like hangovers from Bielsa coaching.

What was more concerning was how cluelessly bad we looked once they went 2-1 up, we never looked like getting the ball never mind actually threatening their goal.

I'll back the guy as he is here and seems a good bloke but honestly, I am just waiting for the inevitable day he is gone so that we can get someone who can progress the team properly because this hump it long and hope we can press them to win it back tactic is so mind numbingly crap, it will work every now and then but generally we will have performances like last 3

With you Joel on most observations.

But in brutal honesty our recovering experienced 29 year old main striker & 31 year old central defender looked well 'off pace' when it mattered (no decisive conviction from either to attack the ball) should have been 2-0 to us.
Neither fit the JM system sadly.

Bamford should have buried it & Cooper should have defended the ball coming in at him - end of.

Big decisions now - for me Firpo in & Struijk centralised for starters with Bamford as a 'supersub' as I'd suggest mentally he's presently holding back on his fragile recovering body and it shows.

Cannot see JM changing tactical course so urgent tweaking required.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

And that is exactly why he is only an ordinary striker, Hope. Has been since day one. The good ones put them away consistantly.

Yep - also suspect he misses MB who believed in him and seemed to get him to believe more in himself.

We are about three missing pieces from a solid team LB and ST being two of them.

[Rev72]

A long season awaits us.....

[Billyni]

At least we will have a bit of time during the world cup break to get a new man in.

[Rev72]

Arsenal (H)
Leicester (A)
Fulham (H)
Liverpool (A)

Next 4 games,

2 pumpings and 2 draws will just about keep him in a job but also keep us on course for yet another relegation battle

[whitestomper45]

Agree with Totty.
Bambi is arriving at challenges or chances just that bit too late, that’s the deliberate actions of a player lacking confidence.
Cooper, good lad but not the answer now.

[UbiqueLUFC33]

With you Joel on most observations.

But in brutal honesty our recovering experienced 29 year old main striker & 31 year old central defender looked well 'off pace' when it mattered (no decisive conviction from either to attack the ball) should have been 2-0 to us.
Neither fit the JM system sadly.

Bamford should have buried it & Cooper should have defended the ball coming in at him - end of.

Big decisions now - for me Firpo in & Struijk centralised for starters with Bamford as a 'supersub' as I'd suggest mentally he's presently holding back on his fragile recovering body and it shows.

Cannot see JM changing tactical course so urgent tweaking required.

Cooper has been a liability for a long time, when he's not missing tackles he's pulling shirts and giving away penalties. Are we the only side in the Premiership who's centre backs offer zero attacking threat from our own corners? I agree with moving Struijk into the centre (where he belongs) and our new left back (when we buy one) to play there with Firpo or one of the 'yooofs' as a temporary fix.

Bamford is too fragile and not sharp enough in the current situation. He could probably get away with it if we were ever coasting at 3-0 up and it didn't matter but not when the entire game hinges on one or 2 golden opportunities. If only we had some other goal scorers somewhere ........ #maybewatchtheU23s/21s? How can Gnonto be good enough to play for Italy but not good enough to play for a team that managed 1 weak shot on target in the entire 2nd half against an average side?

"Not changing tactical direction" - now THAT somehow seems familiar.

[whitestomper45]

At least we will have a bit of time during the world cup break to get a new man in.

We won’t really,the World Cup not counting lead up is Nov 20- Dec 18. The transfer window starts 1st January.

[spaldy]

Not sure we need "beefing up" at striker.

We have Gnoto, Perkings and Joffy. Of course, we'll never know since we keep playing Rodrigo and Bamford. Since we've promoted we've never really had any true competition at striker. we just gift it to whoever is in favor.

The left back's also a strange position. Alioski seemed to be a good fit, albeit a bit erratic, and we let him go and fixated on a Barca cast off. It's obvious why they cast him off. I am a huge Strujik fan but wish we'd play him in proper position. Cooper is too old and Llorente is too soft at CB.

we just seem cursed to be able to pick those two positions. we are pretty good at picking the others. Our mids are some of the best young midfielders in the prem.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Not sure we need "beefing up" at striker.

We have Gnoto, Perkings and Joffy. Of course, we'll never know since we keep playing Rodrigo and Bamford. Since we've promoted we've never really had any true competition at striker. we just gift it to whoever is in favor.

The left back's also a strange position. Alioski seemed to be a good fit, albeit a bit erratic, and we let him go and fixated on a Barca cast off. It's obvious why they cast him off. I am a huge Strujik fan but wish we'd play him in proper position. Cooper is too old and Llorente is too soft at CB.

we just seem cursed to be able to pick those two positions. we are pretty good at picking the others. Our mids are some of the best young midfielders in the prem.

Hjelde played LB a few times last season and did well - had a bit more pace than Pascal.

Think they are going to play emperor’s new clothes with Firpo and never admit what we can all plainly see.

Need 2 wins out of those next four games to breathe little easier otherwise we end up ina replay of last season.