Thoughts halfway through season

[cherrypie7]

Here are my thoughts/predictions halfway through season:
1. Neither Tottenham Hotspurs nor Arsenal will win the Premier League.
2. West Brom and Sheffield United are going down. Not sure about the third team. Probably Fulham but the next few weeks will be important for the Cottagers.
3. Leeds should get at least 55 points by the end of the season. Not sure if this will be good enough for top ten, but do hope so.
4. I say this every season but I am going to say it again. Jamie Shackleton will get more playing time.
5. Bamford will score 20 goals this season. Raphinha will score 10 goals this season.
6. Leeds will go through the entire Premier League season without a red card.
7. Leeds have conceded the most penalties (6) of any team in the League. I cannot see this changing.
8. Bielsa will continue to wear his grey tracksuit for the rest of the season.
9. Struijk will score a goal from a corner or a free kick.
10. Meslier will save a penalty.
11. Been trying to avoid the major questions but here goes:
(a) I think that Llorente will be fit in 5 weeks, Koch in 9 weeks. So who will be the centre backs? I think (pure guesswork here) that the starting centre backs when everyone is fit will be Cooper and Koch. I know that Llorente and Koch will not happen and Struijk and Cooper will not happen IF ALL are fit. Bielsa likes right footed - left footed if possible.
(b) I think that Bielsa will continue with Dallas in midfield and Alioski at left back. Rodrigo will push Klich to the bench when fit.
(c) Leeds will try to buy Jack Harrison at season's end.
12. Bielsa will try to get a Carlos Tevez type player in the off season. Tevez helped Bielsa win the Olympic Gold medal for Argentina. Its what Leeds are lacking. We tried to get Rodrigo Moreno and Michael Cuissance, the latter actually came for his medical. Both are that type of player who runs directly at the defence opening up space for Barndoor Bamford. We never got them though. Very few of these types of players in the Premier league. One of them is Villa's - Greenish.

[Tichi1]

Good points Cherrypie

Point 4- Dissagree - will remain a fringe player.
6 - Phillips and or Cooper will prove you wrong matey,
11a - why not Llorent and Koch if both fit? definitely the best two we have on our books if/when both available.
12 - We actually did sign Rodrigo Moreno??? perhaps youre thinking of Rodrigo De Paul?
and the Greenish bloke at Villa is actually Grealish...

My additions -

1 - We will finish top half - with the least number of draws in the top half
2 - Gerhardt and Drameh - will be the only 2 to come through from the U23 to at least make the bench this season.
3 - Liverpool/ Leicester and others will be after Raphina in the close season
4 - Berardi will make at least one appearance for us this season
5 - We will beat at least one other big six team this season - Hopefully Arsenal next up!
6 - Fans will be back in the grounds before the season is over
7 - WTF will carry on being a nice guy for the rest of this season
8 - Rev will not return until next season - his transfer was completed weeks ago now.
9 - Costa will leave at the end of the season on a cut price deal to a championship club
10 - Dallas will be voted player of the season closely followed by Meslier and Raphina..

[cherrypie7]

Good points Cherrypie

Point 4- Dissagree - will remain a fringe player.
6 - Phillips and or Cooper will prove you wrong matey,
11a - why not Llorent and Koch if both fit? definitely the best two we have on our books if/when both available.
12 - We actually did sign Rodrigo Moreno??? perhaps youre thinking of Rodrigo De Paul?
and the Greenish bloke at Villa is actually Grealish...

My additions -

1 - We will finish top half - with the least number of draws in the top half
2 - Gerhardt and Drameh - will be the only 2 to come through from the U23 to at least make the bench this season.
3 - Liverpool/ Leicester and others will be after Raphina in the close season
4 - Berardi will make at least one appearance for us this season
5 - We will beat at least one other big six team this season - Hopefully Arsenal next up!
6 - Fans will be back in the grounds before the season is over
7 - WTF will carry on being a nice guy for the rest of this season
8 - Rev will not return until next season - his transfer was completed weeks ago now.
9 - Costa will leave at the end of the season on a cut price deal to a championship club
10 - Dallas will be voted player of the season closely followed by Meslier and Raphina..

Thanks for pointing out its Rodrigo de Paul we didn't get. Llorente and Koch are both right footed I think.
Now to your points. I had number 5 in mind too!! But couldn't think of which team it would be. Except for Man Sh1tty and Arseanl we would have to beat them at home. Something we haven't been able to do all season. Can't see us beating Sh1tty and we haven't won in London in 4 years. Hope you are right about 6.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

15 Man U won’t win the league but Man City sure might.
16 Gelhardt will be this seasons Robbie Gotts
17 Bielsa will sign a new contract
18 Bamford will get picked for England
19. vaccination passports may be required before you can attend a game
20 Tyler Roberts will score in the prem
21. think we may go back in for two players this summer Che Adams and Benjamin Button White

[bathlad61]

Good post, think we just need to finish as high as possible, every place worth an extra few grand.
Hope 2/3 of the U23 lads get their chance, again one may just really step up to next level, and save another few quid.
1st team wise, can see a few departures - Costa / Roberts, may be looking over their shoulders, Forshaw also, but for obvious reasons, Hernandez, just think the tank is nearly on empty for the Prem.
***** we keep hold of the core - Phillips / Raph / Bamford, add 4 real quality players, and hope for a bit of luck with injuries, Llorente / Koch.
Good, solid squad, with genuine competition for all positions.

[WTF11]

Might seem a bit hypocritical/lacking in scientific analysis but.....

The best defense is a f00king good offence. Score more than you concede, acquire more points than you lose, result "happy days".

Do what we did against Leicester.....end of.

[Billyni]

Might seem a bit hypocritical/lacking in scientific analysis but.....

The best defense is a f00king good offence. Score more than you concede, acquire more points than you lose, result "happy days".

Do what we did against Leicester.....end of.

Sorry disagree, if you can’t defend the basic corner, cross, free kick, you’ll end up getting suckered. And we can’t.

Then again, could we ever under Bielsa?

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Might seem a bit hypocritical/lacking in scientific analysis but.....

The best defense is a f00king good offence. Score more than you concede, acquire more points than you lose, result "happy days".

Do what we did against Leicester.....end of.

Agree that the more we have the ball the less we can be attacked but recently we seem to play deeper and if we get pressed and lose the ball there get in difficulties and agree we are shonky from set pieces albeit Struijk helps a bit with his size there.

[WTF11]

Sorry disagree, if you can’t defend the basic corner, cross, free kick, you’ll end up getting suckered. And we can’t.

Then again, could we ever under Bielsa?

Not suggesting you're wrong, just that it doesn't take away from my argument. No matter how many times we get screwed due to defensive frailties, if we score more than we concede, we will win, n'est pas?

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Not suggesting you're wrong, just that it doesn't take away from my argument. No matter how many times we get screwed due to defensive frailties, if we score more than we concede, we will win, n'est pas?

If we had a better depth of quality in the squad then your logic would be pretty much irrefutable but with our frailties - much as I love watching them I see where Billythekid is coming from