Administrator Stan Posted December 17, 2021 Administrator Share Posted December 17, 2021 Kick-off 17.30 Live on Sky Sports VS Last 3 Meetings 26/10/2021 - Arsenal 2-0 Leeds (EFL Cup) 14/02/2021 - Arsenal 4-2 Leeds 22/11/2020 - Leeds 0-0 Arsenal Recent Form Leeds - LLDWD Arsenal - WWLLW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 Big rumours today that we've lost Ayling to 'illness' and Cresswell to injury (One of the U23 CB's we planned to use) If correct, that makes the following out tomorrow. No Ayling -Illness No Cooper - Hamstring No Struijk - Foot No Firpo - Suspended No Phillips - Hamstring No James - Muscular No Rodrigo - Heel No Bamford - Hamstring No Shackleton - Hamstring No Cresswell - Unconfirmed injury The good news? Robin Koch *could* be back Off the back of Man City, I said we absolutely had to show a reaction but I don't expect anything tomorrow. We'll do well to draw but I think after Arsenal's last few aways, they will be keen to prove a point with a good away performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Gonzo Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 I can't see a depleted Leeds getting a result against Arsenal, tbh. I think Arsenal are making slow and steady improvement under Arteta. I still think they've got a lot of issues that have plagued them since Vieira & Henry left the club (a lack of leadership and character) - they were so much better in their first half against us in our recent match... but kind of faded back into a defeatist mentality in the second half. But I think they're good enough to get a good result against a Leeds side that's missing an astounding number of first team players. They've been playing good football and I think have a lot of quality generally - I think they're one senior striker and one really really good midfielder away from being a very good side tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2021 Share Posted December 17, 2021 15 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said: I can't see a depleted Leeds getting a result against Arsenal, tbh. I think Arsenal are making slow and steady improvement under Arteta. I still think they've got a lot of issues that have plagued them since Vieira & Henry left the club (a lack of leadership and character) - they were so much better in their first half against us in our recent match... but kind of faded back into a defeatist mentality in the second half. But I think they're good enough to get a good result against a Leeds side that's missing an astounding number of first team players. They've been playing good football and I think have a lot of quality generally - I think they're one senior striker and one really really good midfielder away from being a very good side tbh. I think we should win because they have so many injuries. I think we are improving under arteta but it is slow like what you said. Hes spent alot of money so a lot of people will say he has to get top 4. But football doesnt always work like that. The top 3 have very good managers so there is only one spot left really. If we got fifth i would say he has done ok. But it's the bare minimum I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 15 year old Archie Gray on the bench What a moment for him. I hope he gets his moment. Ayling makes it contrary to reports but Llorente doesn't so he must be the one with Covid. 20 year old Cody Drameh makes his full Premier League debut at RB, 18 year old Joe Gelhardt up front. The bench are all Under 21's. Absolute incredible scenes. If we win tonight, Bielsa deserves an absolute medal for not one complaint about whose missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted December 18, 2021 Subscriber Share Posted December 18, 2021 Anyway, Arsenal lead through Martinelli after Leeds cause themselves trouble on the ball in their own half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted December 18, 2021 Subscriber Share Posted December 18, 2021 Martinelli again, a brilliant little player. This Leeds performance is the worst of all worlds so far though. High risk, low quality. Asking for trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted December 18, 2021 Subscriber Share Posted December 18, 2021 0-3 Saka following a big deflection. Arsenal in second gear here as Leeds are frankly failing to offer even a base level of resistance. Hard watching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Dan+ Posted December 18, 2021 Subscriber Share Posted December 18, 2021 This is even worse than the other night for Leeds. Arsenal should have about 6 already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted December 18, 2021 Subscriber Share Posted December 18, 2021 11 shots on target by Arsenal in that half and an xG of almost 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted December 18, 2021 Author Administrator Share Posted December 18, 2021 Xhaka is a dirty prick isn't he? Knew exactly what he was doing with that challenge on Raphinha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Depressing to watch this. Love my club to bits, love what these players have achieved from the level they were at in the Championship and love Marcelo, but he has to change this set up to accommodate the personnel we have to work with. I know why he does it. He tries to win every game we play and I adore that philosophy but not when we have so many out. These injuries have taken their toll all season. We've not caught a break with them since the opening day. However, Bielsa is trying to make them play the same way as if we had our strongest XI and it's not paying off. We are versatile but not that versatile. Biggest thing for me is how open we have been in midfield when we know Phillips isnt there. No one replicates his job so why maintain that? If we have to be a bit more conservative, so be it. City and Arsenal's midfield have waltzed through this week with ease. It causes an impossible task for the defence. Just annoying to see us as bad as this after how hard we work to be competitive and I hope Marcelo catches a break with these injuries soon but also, we have to help ourselves and set up a bit differently to what we have been recently or else, we are severely in the mud, especially if Newcastle, Burnley and Watford start turning up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ Posted December 18, 2021 Subscriber Share Posted December 18, 2021 Leeds got one back from the spot. Arsenal have pretty much been chilling out this half though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan Posted December 18, 2021 Author Administrator Share Posted December 18, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskey Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 5 minutes ago, Stan said: Yeah I wondered what was going on but Sky reported that racist comments had been made. When Arsenal scored their third, the referee stopped them from celebrating in the corner (probably to stop things escalating further). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6666 Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 Good result and happy that we're not in a position where we need to play postponed games. Interested in seeing Martinelli tried out as a striker at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storts Posted December 18, 2021 Share Posted December 18, 2021 1 hour ago, Stan said: Doesnt surprise me at all unfortunately with Leeds. Worst racism I ever heard was in a Leeds away end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 10 hours ago, Storts said: Doesnt surprise me at all unfortunately with Leeds. Worst racism I ever heard was in a Leeds away end I don't know if the Home Office have released any further figures given the relatively small sample size we've had but before lockdown West Yorkshire Police had significantly more recorded incidents of crime related to football but also had issued significantly less banning orders than any of the other large police forces. Given Leeds are now in The Premier League which comes with a completely seperate level of scruitiny and this is the second Hate Crime incident reported against a footballer in less than a month hopefully we will see more action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Artful Dodger Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Leeds is a racist city. Absolutely awful place. No idea why posh twats from down south love it so much. Bradford is far nicer in terms of buildings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 Good win. I do feel sorry for leeds having all the injuries. However a leeds supporter I know said it was injuries and not covid. Injuries are unfortunately apart of football Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 @Lucas tough few game for your boys. You had ten first team players out. Any team would struggle with that. Whether that is partly because of your medical team or your tactics make you more injury prone I don't know. A Leeds fan I know said most leeds fans still support bielsa. Whether you could argue he is partly to blame because he likes a smaller squad I dont know but when you take everything into account I think they are better of sticking with him. Thoughts?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted December 19, 2021 Share Posted December 19, 2021 6 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said: @Lucas tough few game for your boys. You had ten first team players out. Any team would struggle with that. Whether that is partly because of your medical team or your tactics make you more injury prone I don't know. A Leeds fan I know said most leeds fans still support bielsa. Whether you could argue he is partly to blame because he likes a smaller squad I dont know but when you take everything into account I think they are better of sticking with him. Thoughts?? There's no question for me, I'd 100% stick with him. We are not the kind of team that's going to stick 10 men behind the ball and try to nick goals at set pieces, it's not us at all. Bringing in someone who might try that approach wouldn't work for me, I don't think we could adapt to that style in time. However, I do think he could adapt the way we play to suit the current personnel, rather than over exposing us like we saw against City and yourselves. Phillips normally protects the defence well but without him, no one plays that role well enough and its left us badly exposed. I think when we have the bulk of our team, we're a lot better than 16th. I'd have us around the top half of the second half of the table and if we get those players back, there is no one better than Bielsa to utilise them. Fingers crossed we have better joy second half of the season with players fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber Dan+ Posted December 20, 2021 Subscriber Share Posted December 20, 2021 I think you'll just stay up and I totally get the Bielsa appeal and why you'd want to keep him but I do worry you're in this tough position where they have burnt out a bit, either that or it is just inability to play to your strengths. His sides are great value to watch but some of that defending last night was non-league stuff, Arsenal probably couldn't believe their luck. Random prediction but I think Diego Martinez is your manager this time next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirBalon Posted December 28, 2021 Share Posted December 28, 2021 These kids are starting to become competitive which is so good to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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