This has been the problem since (roughly) Christmas, if not earlier, last
season. The bottom line is that the players upon whom Bielsa relies to win the
ball and keep possession for 90 minutes - the superbly fit, strong players like
Harrison, Klich, Forshaw, Alioski (and I'd even include Bamford) - are not the
players who will create loads of good chances, let alone put them away. Forshaw
hasn't scored for three years! To include more creative, chance-making and
taking players - Nketiah, Clarke, Costa - in the first XI, Bielsa would have to
accept a lower percentage of possession. This is something he's clearly
unwilling to do.
One partial solution to the problem would be to fix our corners. There's been a
lot of talk about our "problem" conceding from set pieces, but as we've let in
fewer goals than any other team in the division, this "problem" is only
relative. If we turned the same percentage of our corners into goals as we
concede from the opposition's corners, we'd win every game. But Bielsa, for all
his magic, doesn't seem interested in doing anything other than have Phillips
thump the ball into the middle of the box for the opposition to head out. I
can't understand why we don't try short corner routines with
Pablo/Costa/Clarke/Shackleton playing one-twos along the byline, then sending a
low, dangerous cross fizzing into the six-yard box.
Cheers!
Sean
-Original Message-
From: John Lee via Leedslist
To: Ted
Cc: leedslist
Sent: Sun, Sep 29, 2019 5:29 pm
Subject: Re: [LU] Charlton
Am I imagining this, or did Bielsa not say at the end of last season that he
didn’t think these players could do it all again? I think he was using it as
‘motivation’ when trying to win the last few games, but maybe he was near the
mark?
I still think most of our play is enough to get us up, but the approach to
goal, whether via crossing, shooting or trying to pass it through 7 man
defences, is THE problem. I don’t even think it’s the ‘fault’ of individual
players (although Harrison’s crossing drives me nuts!), but the system. That is
down to the manager, and he has to get to grips with it, otherwise ...
Sent from my iPad
> On 28 Sep 2019, at 17:48, Ted wrote:
>
> I really don't know what the answer is!
>
> We dominate games with great football (at times), but it just isn't going
> for us!
>
> I just think, more of the same and it might click. Other than spending
> millions in Jan (which we don't have), what is the answer?
>
> Saying that, these last 2 seasons have been a lot more entertaining than
> most of the previous 14 - and I suppose at the end of the day I pay to be
> entertained!
>
> So I'll just keep the faith and believe in Bielsa!
>
> (By the way, Man City's away kit?)
>
> Ted H
>
>
> On Sat, 28 Sep 2019, 17:39 Richard Walker via Leedslist, <
> leedslist@gn.apc.org> wrote:
>
>> No doubt we'll hear Bielsa trot out the usual we had the possession and
>> chances to win and there's an argument for that although I thought today
>> was a disaster both in our performance and the manager's tactics.
>> At half-time he did what a lot of fans have been asking for and played 2
>> up front with Bamford and Eddie but then quickly abadoned that and took off
>> Bamford and put on Roberts. In that seccond half we were all over the shop
>> and yes Bielsa did go for a Plan B but it's obvious that he doesn't like
>> doing it but more importantly it's obvious he hasn't a clue what the hell
>> is going on when he's playing. Instructions were being handed to the
>> players by paper and Bielsa and his entourage were all pacing around arms
>> in the air frustrated for most of the second half. We had no central
>> midfield in that 2nd half. Philips sat deep in a back 3 but everytime he
>> got the ball he had no outlet in front of him. All out play had to come
>> down the wings and that just didn't happen today. Helder Costa has been
>> most fans choice to start but today's performance maybe tells you why he
>> hasn't. He was bloody awful. Little chips, dinks, crosses - all to a red
>> shirt and he was unable to take on his man. A real luxury player today we
>> could have done without.
>> On the other wing you've got Harrison, who arguably was are most effective
>> player - he was ineffective but he saw more of the ball and got into more
>> good positions than anyone,
>> Charlton were poor but they had a bit of pace and lots of fight in them
>> and they frustrated the hell out of us. Second half was appalling time
>> wasting but we could have still be playing all night and wouldn't have
>> scored today.
>> We ended the game with a left and right winger who can't cross a ball, two
>> players who are not match fit (Forshaw and Roberts) and a midfielder in
>> Klich who has just completely forgotten how to shoot. He was the biggest
>> disappointment today for me and I think his position should be rethought.
>> Is it all falling apart ? No. but today there was panic and confusion
>>
