Leeds....

[nopigfansintown]

Are you not with the likes of madine & up top with sharpe playing off him. Fleck likes to put himself about.

Madine yes. Sharp and Fleck are midgets and do their best work with the ball on the floor. We have a very small bunch of footballing players, and have played this way for almost three seasons now.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Don’t get me wrong you’re a very good team & are physical.

We must be one of the smallest (height wise) squads in the league. until Madine came along we had no physicality.
It was a noticeable weakness but Madine has transformed us in that area.
The Boro match was a prime example, we couldn’t knock down their solid defence first half because they bullied us but then Madine was brought on at half time and he bullied their bullies, their defence then really struggled and it was funny to see Madines impact.

 

[Glasto]

Sheffield Uited aren't a physical side. We play 3-5-2 though the thirds with overlapping centre backs routinely dominating the ball. Leeds, Norwich and West Brom are all more physical. We've made a slight adaption in recent away games due to injuries. Don't look into that too much.

Leeds defintely aren’t a more physical side, our midfield is slight in stature barring phillips are all are under 6ft tall. Bamford offers a little more physicality but for most of the season has played & is well under 6ft. Our 2 players above 6ft are Cooper & janson again whilst tall not big in stature. Other than that its our keeper who has only played since January. We might press but we aren’t a physical side

 

[LondonBlade89]

As an aside, how embarrassing was Leeds' team celebration after they'd scored that flukey second goal against Bolton at the weekend? That kind of malarkey can feck right off. Shameless.

 

[Cjay]

I think we're in exactly the same boat, to be honest. A finish in one of the play-off positions would've been seen as a success before the season started. Most fans reckoned we hadn't recruited well and thought we might actually regress. Looking back, though we didn't do an awful lot over the Summer, our signings of Henderson, Egan, McGoldrick and then latterly Ollie Norwood were inspired. And our January business already looks very, very good.

I think we're in exactly the same boat, to be honest. A finish in one of the play-off positions would've been seen as a success before the season started. Most fans reckoned we hadn't recruited well and thought we might actually regress. Looking back, though we didn't do an awful lot over the Summer, our signings of Henderson, Egan, McGoldrick and then latterly Ollie Norwood were inspired. And our January business already looks very, very good.

I agree.

Start of the season playoffs would have been a success for you, us and Norwich.

I didnt think you had recruited that well tbh, ok but not enough to be top 2, didnt think we had either.

In hindsight though Norwood was brilliant business, Egan suited you perfectly and Henderson seems a talented young man.

Did think you were overly reliant on Sharp, but Madine has given you something different and Dowell has added some creativity that maybe you lacked before?

Never been a huge fan of McGoldrick but for a free that was good to. I think your January business will be crucial.

 

[Cjay]

Sheffield United aren't clinical. We've improved in that aspect recently though.

We've had 100 more shots then you mate, you are certainly more clinical then us

 

[Glasto]

As an aside, how embarrassing was Leeds' team celebration after they'd scored that flukey second goal against Bolton at the weekend? That kind of malarkey can feck right off. Shameless.

Cringey maybe..... but they can do it for the rest of the season as long as we’re winning. Plus it’s showing their all getting on with a good team spirit which is good for us to see.

 

[Cjay]

yep, agree totally with that. He's a clever footballer and I like what I see in him.

It is for sure a bonus for the other teams around you that he is missing for a bit. Not convinced about Bamford - think he's very light weight - a good touch player - not convinced he's top of the Champ for all the hurly burly high energy stuff.

As they say - we're at the business end of the season - it's getting very interesting.

Edit: just seen the jack Clarke comment - he reminds me so much of David Brooks - you have a star in the making.

UTB

I'm a fan of Bamford, he is actually quite physical which was a surprise.

He doesnt have the energy of Roofe but he is a classier player imo, better technically.

Gives us a different option.

It is, so tight, it would take a catastrophic dip in form for us or you to not get playoffs now though at least.

Jack is, he is class, just hope we can keep him.

 

[sufcboy95]

Second half of the season they haven’t been anywhere as good as they were in the first. Yet there still top of the league if they win there game in hand so they can’t be that bad

 

[nopigfansintown]

We've had 100 more shots then you mate, you are certainly more clinical then us

We create the best high quality chances in the league, but have few shots on goal when you consider the amount of possession we have. It's a classic case of stats being misleading.

 

[wizadry]

We've had 100 more shots then you mate, you are certainly more clinical then us

You can shoot from 30 yards all you like, we barely shoot from outside the box, the stats are only showing you so much.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Leeds defintely aren’t a more physical side, our midfield is slight in stature barring phillips are all are under 6ft tall. Bamford offers a little more physicality but for most of the season has played & is well under 6ft. Our 2 players above 6ft are Cooper & janson again whilst tall not big in stature. Other than that its our keeper who has only played since January. We might press but we aren’t a physical side

We have Fleck, Norwood and Duffy(or Dowell).All could be described as lightweight - although Fleck is a little terrier. Our defenders are all footballing players. It is crucial in our team that they are so. Apart from Madine, I can't think of a player we have who could be described as physical, in the classic sense of the word. The likes of O'Connell and Egan can handle themselves, but it's not their forte.

 

[Brother-Leech]

Hard to say how this season will pan out Norwich look very good going forward but could they carry as much threat if Pukki got injured? Another thing about Norwich they leak goals sometimes 2 or 3 which makes it harder to keep winning.

Leeds to me look like they have been running on empty for the last month or so scraping wins and having loads of luck along the way. They could have easily lost to a very poor Bolton and it has been that way for a while their luck can't hold surely. I can see West Brom turning them over and QPR will not be a routine win no matter how poor their form is just now.

If the form table for the last 10 games is repeated in the next 10 we could be needing a win at home to a doomed Ipswich to secure promotion, think about that. If, if, if, if, that word keeps on cropping up, all I know is we have as much chance as anyone and more chance than the teams below us of getting up via a top 2 spot. I can think of 22 teams at least who would happily trade places with us.

22 teams? Come on, despite what they say, I’m sure bolton would want to swap positions with us too.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

It is "luck of the bounce", a frustration i suppose most football fans have, i can pick 4 or 5 games now that on balance we should have won, you can probably do the same.

Dont think we have had much luck this season, only had 2 pens 1 own goal tons of injuries, little things ..........QUOTE]

Give me your take on your win(ner) @ Bramall Lane ?

 

[Mad Mick]

P

Perhaps the right approach is to think of it as worth 0.1 of a point. Pretty useless, unless you finish level

Never?

P

Perhaps the right approach is to think of it as worth 0.1 of a point. Pretty useless, unless you finish level

Thank you for making that clear.

 

[Cjay]

We create the best high quality chances in the league, but have few shots on goal when you consider the amount of possession we have. It's a classic case of stats being misleading.

Its hard to judge you tbf, i cant watch your matches unless you're on the tele.

All i know is I've watched us this season and almost every game we have had plenty of chances to win, of the top of my head, Boro the other week, Birmingham, 1st game vs Forest, the defeat to Blackburn, thats just of the top of my head.

We have the most possession, the most shots but only 4th or 5th for goals scored, something is wrong somewhere.

 

[Cjay]

You can shoot from 30 yards all you like, we barely shoot from outside the box, the stats are only showing you so much.

Fair point but i can only look at stats, you've scored more goals, we have more possession and shots.

Maybe you are wasteful to, we definitely are.

 

[Cjay]

Yes alright lol but thats 1 game.

How about 3 deflected shots vs Norwich all falling perfectly for them?

I dont think these things balance out anyway.

 

[Ricky]

We have the most possession, the most shots but only 4th or 5th for goals scored, something is wrong somewhere.

It has to be a lack of goalscorers, doesn't it?

If you're only playing with one out and out striker, the likes of Alioski have to score more, and to me he never looks likely to.

Having two strikers scoring regularly has been a big factor behind our success.

 

[nopigfansintown]

I can only think of three games we've deserved to lose this season: Middlesborough and Rotherham away and Birmingham at home. That's football. I'd put the other results down to a lack of cutting edge at the top of the pitch.

 

[South Bucks]

I'm glad all these people who worry about everything don't follow us away, it would spoil the atmosphere, there was non of that at WBA, all behind the team, and at many other away matches this season.

Its why i prefer away matches to home matches these days.

Get a grip please, worriers usually fail, a more positive attitude is more likely to succeed.

 

[Elsecar_Blade]

Don’t get me wrong you’re a very good team & are physical & You’re not going to make it easy you have a very good chance also

You what? You've come on our forum and this is what you spout?

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Glasto which of us has commited the most fouls? I’m not sure we are a physical side :-/

 

[Glasto]

View attachment 50180 Glasto which of us has commited the most fouls? I’m not sure we are a physical side :-/

I don’t necessarily mean by committing fouls I mean you’re a side that has physical presence I.e big man up top looking for knock downs & sharpe to play off.

 

[sheffielder]

I don’t necessarily mean by committing fouls I mean you’re a side that has physical presence I.e big man up top looking for knock downs & sharpe to play off.

It is Sharp, however madine has played what 4 games. He has not defined how we have got to 2nd place.

To call us physical is a it of an insult to be honest and usually comes from people who don’t watch much football apart from their own team.

 

[PokerBlade]

I don’t necessarily mean by committing fouls I mean you’re a side that has physical presence I.e big man up top looking for knock downs & sharpe to play off.

Yes, but this isn't how we play. Sharp's spent the season playing alongside McGoldrick who is pretty weak when it comes to anything other than the ball at his feet.

 

[bromtom]

I don’t necessarily mean by committing fouls I mean you’re a side that has physical presence I.e big man up top looking for knock downs & sharpe to play off.

Since Madine came maybe 40% of the time we use him for knock downs, the other 60% is a mix of our usual tight passing/ wing play and we've added a bit more countering too.

Without Madine though we couldn't win a header in an advanced position to save our lives, McG probably wins one or two headers a game out of maybe 10-20. Sharp is a better holdup man and he's 5 foot 9, so no big man.

Our style has been playing out and getting down the wings en masse, playing triangles around the wings, and switching play through Duffy/Norwood/Fleck to the other side and back until we work a space to get a ball in.

We're not physical at all. To be honest it's rare our players ever touch the opposition outside of set pieces, we try to pass around people rather than force our way through.

 

[ucandomagic]

We've had 100 more shots then you mate, you are certainly more clinical then us

We both average 1.7 goals per game.

Infogol have Leeds average expected goals from chances created as 1.5 per game and Blades as 1.6.

So we are both slightly more clinical than our chances would suggest, and Leeds are slightly more clinical than us.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Home tickets sold out - should be great atmosphere

 

[Fulwood Blade]

The Daily Mail this morning are suggesting that Leeds owner Radrizzani is in financial trouble after pumping in £30m of his own money to fund the promotion push over the past two seasons. This season is a gamble to get out and if it doesn't happen then serious cost cutting will be needed next season. It won't effect this season though. Bielsa is reputed to be on £3.4m per season.

What this shows yet again is the gambles that some clubs are prepared to make. I believe a recent wage analysis of Champ clubs showed Villas wage bill to be £60m per season.

It's unsustainable in the 2nd tier. Melt down in Leeds if they don't go up.

UTB