Leeds Utd a sad sad story.

[sovietsong]

Why would you sell Wood?  Does the club need to money to survive?  Is this just a case now of Leeds never having the finances or ownership to fund even a half hearted attempt to get back to the promised land?  I actually thought you had half a chance this year.

I was pretty confident coming into this season too. Our new owner brought in a new manager, 9 new signings and the team looked to be shaping up nicely.

We hadn't really replaced Bartley at CB but other than that I was excited. I even got a season ticket for the first time in about 6 seasons as Cellino had fucked off. The first few matches were okay, a win and two 0-0s (both at home unsurprisingly, we look a pacey courter-attacking team) but when we sold Wood I was really concerned about Saturdays game at Sunderland. I didn't see how we could score goals without him. I mean we had no strikers left in the squad.

But the new signings were brilliant on Saturday. We have changed everything in one summer. We now have an abundance of small fast skillfull players in midfield/attack so maybe just maybe, Wood isn't the perfect fit. Saiz and Alioscki look the 2 most exciting signings we've made in a decade. Saiz came from 3m from Huesca and a friend who has a season ticket at Almeira (not joking) said he was the best player in the Segunda last season. He plays just off the striker and runs everything. Left footed, great finish, hugely intelligent. And Alioscki was Motm vs Sunderland, 3.5m from The Swiss Pro League where he scored 15 goals last season, hes fast as fuck on the wing. I don't know who is behind signing these players but whoever it is, it looks mighty fine work. With those 2 and Pablo Hernandez playing off an unnamed striker, it promises to be the best football this season we've seen since about 2004. I'm not saying that will be enough to get us up this year as I'm not convinced we will have enough goals but I certainly think we will finish 5th-9th again.

We do need a couple of strikers and fast. Our manager, Thomas Cristensen, played under Johann Cryuff at Barcelona and is trying to adopt a philosophy of football that hasn't been seen before at Elland Road. Personally, I hope we can sign some pacey, skillful strikers to compliment our AM's and not a carthorse like Gestede.

Top write up Brent, shame that the other Leeds lads have disappeared, i'm more a lurker than regular contributor now but i still have a little peep at the sad sad story thread in the vein hope of a write up like this.

Post more leeds stuff mate, its v good...

PS - anybody see LeedsRhodesy get killed on twitter the other week?

[tikay]

Leeds sit atop the Championship, but the thread is deathly quiet. If you don't enjoy watching Leeds now, you never will.

Best Goal Difference by a mile, most goals scored (average 2 per match), joint least conceded (just 2 in 7 games).

Can it last?

What has made all the difference?

Forecast of position at end of season?

[tiger]

Leeds sit atop the Championship, but the thread is deathly quiet. If you don't enjoy watching Leeds now, you never will.

Best Goal Difference by a mile, most goals scored (average 2 per match), joint least conceded (just 2 in 7 games).

Can it last?

What has made all the difference?

Forecast of position at end of season?

We have had a fairly nice run of fixtures. Burton and Bolton look like they may be on their way out. We couldn't score against either Preston or Fulham at home although I think they were a bit too early in the season where Wood's head had been turned and TC didn't quite know his best team. Sunderland don't look up to much but we were very good against both them and Forest. Last night wasn't great. Birmingham are much better than their early position shows and we were certainly not as fluent as we had been in our previous 3 games. That being said they say the sign of a good team is winning when not at their best.

I think the stability is obviously great but I think the manager is a very good one and Orta has done a great job on recruitment. Samuel Saiz looks to be a gem of a find and the rest of the foreign recruits have given us some great depth for the first time in years. Eunan O'Kane was never a Monk favourite but he has been superb so far this season. Incredible engine, allows others to push forward but most importantly always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Pontus Jansson is another who is playing out of his skin. He just always seems to be there. TC has instilled a mentality of trying to win games where you always felt under Monk it was a set up to not lose and see if we can nick it. The fact we have kept 6 clean sheets in a row is testament to O'Kane and Jansson along with the rest of the back 5.

The next few games will tell us a lot more. Millwall away on Saturday will tell us plenty about the character and trips to Cardiff and Wednesday are just around the corner. But hey this is the most optimistic the City has been in years. We're gonna win the league!!!

Maybe

[Horneris]

I think Tiger has hit the nail on the head there. Decent fixtures so far and the challenges are coming.

The market over-estimates us currently, I'd still have us below Wolves, Fulham & probably Middlesbrough. But that being said its still very exciting as we have a bit of depth in the squad all of a sudden and very exciting players. Pontus Jansson might be the greatest centre back to have ever graced the Championship (this isn't peak John Terry at Villa by any means).

Birmingham were good last night. Not too surprising, given the amount of signings theyve brought in (9 on deadline day) but when they gel they will win matches. Boga who is on loan from Chelsea was excellent with Jota, a recent 6m signing from Brentford the other obvious dangerman. I've backed them to beat Preson this Sat @ 7/4 and they might be worth a look for top half, top 6 etc. although top 6 might be a touch optmisitc.

[TightEnd]

Leeds United are looking for their seventh manager since May 2014.

Another one bites the dust

[Horneris]

Its different this time though because they are different owners from the previous 6 managers and I genuinely think they gave him time. We lost 8/9 games in October and they stuck with him. I think its just gotten to the point where things are looking very very bleak and they still want people buying tickets in March/April so are desperate for something to improve.

Paul Heckingbottom is 1/10 favourite for the job now so its looking nailed on. Would be interested to hear Sheriff's thoughts on that. I'm not too excited personally as I've only seen Barnsley 3 times this season but all 3 times they looked hopeless. I'm aware they always sell their best players and don't re-invest much so to still be a point outside the releation places is probably something of an acheievement?

On another pertinent subject, here is a nice piece on the new logo drama: https://www.marketingweek.com/2018/01/31/mark-ritson-leeds-united-rebrand/#.WniVyv-ECX8.twitter

[Sheriff Fatman]

Its different this time though because they are different owners from the previous 6 managers and I genuinely think they gave him time. We lost 8/9 games in October and they stuck with him. I think its just gotten to the point where things are looking very very bleak and they still want people buying tickets in March/April so are desperate for something to improve.

Paul Heckingbottom is 1/10 favourite for the job now so its looking nailed on. Would be interested to hear Sheriff's thoughts on that. I'm not too excited personally as I've only seen Barnsley 3 times this season but all 3 times they looked hopeless. I'm aware they always sell their best players and don't re-invest much so to still be a point outside the releation places is probably something of an acheievement?

On another pertinent subject, here is a nice piece on the new logo drama: https://www.marketingweek.com/2018/01/31/mark-ritson-leeds-united-rebrand/#.WniVyv-ECX8.twitter

Rather than re-type, here's a couple of things I've written already today, which I can C&P.

"It’s a strange one for me, as he had opportunities to go to Sunderland and Forest recently and, of the three, Leeds is the last one I would have thought is his best long-term prospect.  I can’t see the Leeds fans getting excited about him and I’d be very surprised if he isn’t another casualty in your cycle of sacking someone every 6-12 months.

He’s a great coach, but I just don’t see him fitting into Leeds (and he’s openly admitted previously that he hates them!)

I’m sorry to see him go, and I want him to be a success.  Personally, I think the only upside for him is the financial side of it."


"The club definitely needs to look inwardly to assess it's own role in speeding up his exit. He's sounded frustrated with things since last January and has had to deal with far too much baggage in the role than he deserved.

This was our opportunity to retain a manager for a prolonged period of time. He would have inevitably moved on to bigger and better things (and I don't think Leeds is the right move for him in this regard) but it feels like we contributed heavily to accelerating it. Some of this was unplanned and unavoidable, but a lot of it wasn't, and a manager needs to feel that he's being supported by those around him. I doubt there's many of us who could say we did this well in Hecky's case.

I have no animosity towards him. I want him to be a success long-term. My expectation is that he'll be chewed up and spat out by Leeds in 6-12 months time, because that's what they do and he's not an appointment which will excite their fan-base. I can wait to truly wish him well in the job that follows this one."

Cliff notes: great coach, wrong move for him, will be sacked in 6-12 months as not the appointment Leeds fans want.

[Horneris]

Thanks, that sounds encouraging. I think he will get more of a chance than people understandably assume. The new owners are nowhere near as bad as Cellino was.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Thanks, that sounds encouraging. I think he will get more of a chance than people understandably assume. The new owners are nowhere near as bad as Cellino was.

I think it's more of a factor that there's not a big clamour for him to be appointed.  If things go badly there's nothing within the fanbase to prevent them turning against him.  TC started brightly this season, but things turned around very quickly there too.  I don't see any difference that offers Hecky any additional protection.

[Horneris]

Yeah fair enough.

Also found this on Heckingbottom: http://peacockandsmiley.com/5760/paul-heckingbottom-barnsley-fan-view/

[Sheriff Fatman]

Yeah fair enough.

Also found this on Heckingbottom: http://peacockandsmiley.com/5760/paul-heckingbottom-barnsley-fan-view/

Reasonable assessment and pretty much along the lines of my thinking.  Interesting how we BFC fans all seem to fear his time there will be short-lived, for reasons other than his ability.  I think that's the key to whether he's successful or not.  He needs patience from those above him, and I'm not sure he's going to get it.

Nathan Winder (sports science guy) is a big loss to us.  It's a big plus for Leeds that he's taking the whole backroom team with him and leaves us with a huge gap to fill.

[tikay]

Too soon to remove a "sad"?

Have to say, it'd be great to get them back in the top tier, there are too many clubs in the Prem who will never cut it.

Bielsa-gate only increases my admiration for him too, what a boss the way he has handled it. 

[George2Loose]

Too soon to remove a "sad"?

Have to say, it'd be great to get them back in the top tier, there are too many clubs in the Prem who will never cut it.

Bielsa-gate only increases my admiration for him too, what a boss the way he has handled it. 

Agree with this sentiment. Don’t think he has done anything wrong and just owning up to it is refreshing.

[DungBeetle]

Too soon to remove a "sad"?

Have to say, it'd be great to get them back in the top tier, there are too many clubs in the Prem who will never cut it.

Bielsa-gate only increases my admiration for him too, what a boss the way he has handled it. 

You sound like the absurd Stan Collymore. Maybe we should just do away with merit and reassign Burnley, Watford and Bournemouth to the Championship and replace them with some "Grand Old Clubs" like Sunderland, Sheff Wed and Forest.  That would make the Premier League better.

[sovietsong]

Too soon to remove a "sad"?

Have to say, it'd be great to get them back in the top tier, there are too many clubs in the Prem who will never cut it.

Bielsa-gate only increases my admiration for him too, what a boss the way he has handled it. 

You sound like the absurd Stan Collymore. Maybe we should just do away with merit and reassign Burnley, Watford and Bournemouth to the Championship and replace them with some "Grand Old Clubs" like Sunderland, Sheff Wed and Forest.  That would make the Premier League better.

i would say get rid of cardiff too & pop villa up.