Leeds United - v - Arsenal ***Matchday Thread***

[Orgoner]

Like Spaldy, I've been able (and extremely fortunate) to have seen all of the games thus far in their entirety.

We've been awesome to watch at times and you can see what Bielsa's trying to achieve with the resources he has at his disposal.

We were extremely unlucky not to win yesterday (and could even have cruelly lost, were it not for gadget-limbed Meslier) and, like others have said, I would've gladly taken a spirited 0-0 before kick-off: a point further away from the bottom three.

We certainly had our chances to kill them off, but Arsenal developed a better defensive and strategic backbone when they went down to ten men. Both keepers were quality when it mattered.

Strange to say, but I've a feeling we might've beaten them had all eleven of them stayed on the field. They were largely disinterested and ineffective up until Pepe's dismissal. Going down a man gave them something to work for?

Anyway. Enjoy the ride!

[ozleeds]

I am blessed to get all of the games stateside and have a pub nearby to watch the games on weekends. Leeds is starting to get a following and we play the best, most entertaining football in the prem. It's easy to get people fired up about our team and playing style.
I'm not sure what some of you were watching but Ralphina was a handful, Koch was steady as was cooper. For a team that gave up 8 goals in 2 previous we looked pretty steady considering how many we were sending up on the attack.


I'm not the lecturing type unless it involves turning over control of your life to some ruling elite that want's to control every aspect of your life and you roll over and allow yourself to be f7cked in the a7s but seriously some of you are crazed.

we come off 2 bad losses and run into an Arsenal team that was picked by some to contend for the league championship. We dominate the game and would have whether they had 10 or 11 men. Their keep makes some great stops and we hit the post countless times. We play several youth players including Meslier, Keep, Ralphina and Poveda and still dominate the game.

The pitch was slicker than whale snot and that directly affects out all out controlled passing game and yet still control the game. we also take it to them and punch them in the nose just like we did against Lpool, Man City and Aston Villa. I suspect we'll do the same against Everton, Chelsea, Tottenham and Scumchester.

I'll close by saying we are not relegation material and candidly did we think we were going to come up and qualify for Europe the first season. We are on the trajectory to become a truly good, if not great team, if we can keep MB another season or two. It helps we have a tremendous youth feeder system for the future.

Rant over.

You were aware we were playing a team with a fair chunk of first-team missing, playing at home and playing a half with one more player. When is everyone going to come out Of The MB fairytale dream and come back to reality?

[leedsutdman]

I am blessed to get all of the games stateside and have a pub nearby to watch the games on weekends. Leeds is starting to get a following and we play the best, most entertaining football in the prem. It's easy to get people fired up about our team and playing style.
I'm not sure what some of you were watching but Ralphina was a handful, Koch was steady as was cooper. For a team that gave up 8 goals in 2 previous we looked pretty steady considering how many we were sending up on the attack.


I'm not the lecturing type unless it involves turning over control of your life to some ruling elite that want's to control every aspect of your life and you roll over and allow yourself to be f7cked in the a7s but seriously some of you are crazed.

we come off 2 bad losses and run into an Arsenal team that was picked by some to contend for the league championship. We dominate the game and would have whether they had 10 or 11 men. Their keep makes some great stops and we hit the post countless times. We play several youth players including Meslier, Keep, Ralphina and Poveda and still dominate the game.

The pitch was slicker than whale snot and that directly affects out all out controlled passing game and yet still control the game. we also take it to them and punch them in the nose just like we did against Lpool, Man City and Aston Villa. I suspect we'll do the same against Everton, Chelsea, Tottenham and Scumchester.

I'll close by saying we are not relegation material and candidly did we think we were going to come up and qualify for Europe the first season. We are on the trajectory to become a truly good, if not great team, if we can keep MB another season or two. It helps we have a tremendous youth feeder system for the future.

Rant over.

Agree with all of that, I'm not sure what some see or expect of us this season, we're doing well. If people aren't happy now taking into account of where we've come from and where we are trying to be then their never going to be.

[fredlufc74]

You were aware we were playing a team with a fair chunk of first-team missing, playing at home and playing a half with one more player. When is everyone going to come out Of The MB fairytale dream and come back to reality?

Are you aware that 6 of the starting line up were on the books when Heckingbottom was manager? Pepe is worth more than half the squad. So them missing first team players doesn't cut the mustard with me.

Bielsa gets credit and plaudit because of this.

Always more difficult when a team that plays attacking football goes down to 10 men and throws everybody virtually behind the ball.

[WTF11]

Are you aware that 6 of the starting line up were on the books when Heckingbottom was manager? Pepe is worth more than half the squad. So them missing first team players doesn't cut the mustard with me.

Bielsa gets credit and plaudit because of this.

Always more difficult when a team that plays attacking football goes down to 10 men and throws everybody virtually behind the ball.

Reply goes to you and LeedsUtdMan...

I think Oz made the point a few posts back that its precisely the fact that so many of the players who you could describe as "seniors" in the squad are keeping us "afloat" in this new place we find ourselves which is worrying. Not because of their effort and contribution, but because so little has been achieved by the newcomers who have cost the club around £100m.

We are not "doing well" in terms of results, we are surviving, and if those newcomers don't get "in the groove" to use Tichs phrase, PDQ, we might find ourselves trading places with the likes of Blades and Bumley ffs! Playing beautiful football (which we do, for sure), and not winning will be cold comfort when relegation is staring us in the face. I'd rather have seen an ugly 3 points from 2 of the last four games (eminently possible), than 1 point and a lot of artistic merit that counts for f00k all at the end of the season.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

You were aware we were playing a team with a fair chunk of first-team missing, playing at home and playing a half with one more player. When is everyone going to come out Of The MB fairytale dream and come back to reality?

Still had a lot of internationals - are you saying. Leno, Aubameyang, Xhaka, Willian, Pepe and Ceballos are rubbish?

I don’t get why do you want people to stop enjoying being back in the prem and how we play - fine you think something else and fair does but why rain on everyone else’s parade?

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Reply goes to you and LeedsUtdMan...

I think Oz made the point a few posts back that its precisely the fact that so many of the players who you could describe as "seniors" in the squad are keeping us "afloat" in this new place we find ourselves which is worrying. Not because of their effort and contribution, but because so little has been achieved by the newcomers who have cost the club around £100m.

We are not "doing well" in terms of results, we are surviving, and if those newcomers don't get "in the groove" to use Tichs phrase, PDQ, we might find ourselves trading places with the likes of Blades and Bumley ffs! Playing beautiful football (which we do, for sure), and not winning will be cold comfort when relegation is staring us in the face. I'd rather have seen an ugly 3 points from 2 of the last four games (eminently possible), than 1 point and a lot of artistic merit that counts for f00k all at the end of the season.

Point is a lot of us are happy with how we play so why can’t you just let them be?

[WTF11]

Point is a lot of us are happy with how we play so why can’t you just let them be?

So you suggest that those with a point of view that differs (slightly, see my comments on this and other threads about how well we can play, AND WIN!), should just shut up, hmm?

Some "forum" (look up the definition, see if your view if what this place should be tallies).

[WTF11]

Point is a lot of us are happy with how we play so why can’t you just let them be?

And have a look at some if the other FORUMS, and places like Facebook, see how many are "happy" with one point from 9.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

And have a look at some if the other FORUMS, and places like Facebook, see how many are "happy" with one point from 9.

Being happy with how we play is different to being happy with being happy with one point from 9 but hey I guess you know that but just trolling again.

If you want to see crap hoofball then go and watch Boro or Cardiff.

If you thought we were going to tear up the prem week in week out then you are deluded. Fair to say but for the goals we completely outplayed arsenal - look at the XG - read the papers - are the praise from the pundits.