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Leeds United: Back to basics

12/1/2014

10 Comments

 

By Shaun Stone

Picture
I always try to be as positive as I can be when it comes to our future, but I am starting to grow more and more concerned after every game. The performances seem to be getting worse. Now Brian McDermott tells us the team need to go back to basics.

Many, if not all Leeds fans are scratching their heads as to what has gone wrong. I would love to give you all the answers but all I can do is give my opinion on what I think the problems are.

We are seeing all to often the cost of individual errors and that is not something new. Every team has players who have a bad day. However, what I am seeing now is how a collection of individuals are causing errors. I could list all of these, but anyone reading this should already be aware of the issues I am referring to - Poor passing, the inability to keep the ball and a lack of desire.

In my opinion there is something seriously wrong at our club, but I can't put my finger on it. I doubt very much that Brian McDermott is to blame for this turn in form. How can a team go from being second in the form guide to what we are now? Ok, some could argue and say that we often struggle at this point in the season, but why is this the case?

The game yesterday, against Sheffield Wednesday eclipsed the Rochdale game in terms of embarrassment. Yet again, over 3000 of our fans went to the game to watch a Leeds United team that couldn't be bothered. Well, if this is the case then may I suggest any player who doesn't want to give their all to the team, to put in a transfer request and leave the club. Our fans deserve better than what has been on show of late and the players clearly didn't learn a thing from the Rochdale game and the aftermath.

Do we have the right captain? I don't think so. A captain is supposed to lead the team on the pitch and set an example. Has this really been happening?

Brian McDermott says we need another striker. I won't deny that we do, but I would also like to see a strong central midfielder and an accomplished central defender. Both of which can be given control of their lines. A commanding presence in the middle of the park and at the back. There is a lot of arguing among the players because nobody is taking control and their seems to be a lack of respect growing within the team.

All of that being said, we can't obtain these players without the funding. I hope the owners are paying very close attention to what is going on at Leeds because it needs addressing as soon as possible. I'm not saying we will be in a relegation battle at some point, but if teams like Sheffield Wednesday can do what they did to us, what does this tell you? At this moment in time we are simply not good enough. I don't feel like we are creating any chances and when we do, I don't feel confident that we will score. When other teams attack us I can see a goal before it even hits the back of the net.

The formation against Sheffield Wednesday was an odd one. Brian McDermott said he was experimenting, but was this really a good time to do this? Is there ever a good time? On the training field maybe. Plus, it is easy to say something didn't work after the event. Regardless of the formation, the players never showed up anyway.

Whatever the issues are at the club, I hope they are fixed soon because we deserve better than this. The fans show up and it's about time the players did too.
10 Comments
alwaysleeds
11/1/2014 10:41:25 pm

I saw the game on the tv, I could not believe the team selection and the formation we played. Why play 2 wingers and 2 wingbacks, its crazy. We would have done better to play 4-4-2. The only reason we have the points we have, with the personnel we have, is by loading the defence and midfield. 3 at the back is suicidal we don't have the quality of player to pull that off. As for playing Ross as lone striker that beggars belief. Back to basics is definitely the order of the day.

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Barry Hughes
12/1/2014 02:50:12 am

Why get 2 wingers in then leave your biggest forward on the bench, to play with 2 wingers and a big target is quite basic to me.

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Brian T
11/1/2014 10:45:15 pm

I think the different formation that Brian has tried to implement in both games has thoroughly backfired on him. The players couldn't work with it and this showed in their individual performances. They aren't bad players and they have put in some good performances this season. I am hoping that this meeting will give them a chance to tell Brian what they believe will work and allow them the opportunity to build for the future.

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Captain_Peacock
11/1/2014 10:47:25 pm

I agree 100%. I could not not work out the formation yesterday and as it transpired, neither could the players! I'm a McDermott fan and still believe he is the right man to take us forward, but has to hold his hands up after yesterday and admit he got it badly wrong. We need a 4-4-2 against Leicester with the best players available in their best positions so for me that is Byram at RB and Warnock at LB. I would also make Warnock or McCormack captain as Austin has gone missing too often lately. Maybe the weight of the captaincy is affecting his performances? With the 4-4-2, if a full back bombs forward, then a winger has to track back to cover and our holding midfielder should stay back most, if not all, of the time. We need a physical presence up front with McCormack against Leicester and out of our availalble pool of players only Varney fits the bill as he is good in the air and has a bit of pace. None of this is rocket science so please sort it out Brian! Oh, and no more experimenting until the next friendly or development match....

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Gazza
11/1/2014 10:50:39 pm

This might get a lot of criticism, but I think McDermott is completely to blame. His inexperience as a manager is showing and he has lost the players. I think the poor performances can be put down to the fact that our playere were giving 110% and burnt out after the Barnsley game. Since then Brian has completely lost the players with his utterly inept tactics. I would say the game he completely lost the first team was when he played them in the FA cup after they had all trained xmas day and played 4 games in 10 days, rather than letting the fringe players and youngsters have a go. As well as this, his tactics and formation were diabolical.

Not nearly as bad as yesterday though. 2 wingers for the first time in 2 years with Kebe not fit and signing only the day before, thrusts them into the first team without any real training, further complicating a system that the players didn't understand BEFORE he tampered with it and made it into that ridiculous 3 4 3. What chance did they have? He said after the game it was back to basics, I was saying well before the game time for 4 4 2, how the hell did a professional manager who is surrounded by the players every day not see it?? Smith or Byram didn't start etc... Wells for 1.3 Murphy for 1 million, dear god.

I could carry on for some time pointing out basic errors. I was a supporter of Brian McDermott but in the last week he has made as many mistakes as a sacked manager makes over a few months, he fit it into 1 week! The truth is the system was set up for him at Reading and he stuck with it. He has very little managerial experience and this job is far too big for him, he has lost it!

I was filled with optimism this week and always look at positives, im no boo boy and I can't stand perpetual moaners but I honestly don't see anyway back for Brian and I don't see us getting someone else who can take us to the next level which leaves us in a terrible position.

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Billy Boy
11/1/2014 11:03:02 pm

Answer is simple but won't happen, Either MacKay or Giggs (hard to write but would work), A big problem is that the club is full of previous managers' dross, could just pay up the contracts and get them out of the club - not sure the current owners can afford to do this and finance rebuilding though

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Bluesman link
11/1/2014 11:33:31 pm

Years of freebies and loan players. Squad lacking in quality, guile and courage. The problem is bigger that BM. I know that David Haigh is supporting BM, but the problem is so acute that the MD and Board need to take charge of the situation. Get rid of the building projects, get rid of the community projects and concentrate on sorting the squad out! Get us a group of players that we can be proud of.

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Henry
12/1/2014 12:15:26 am

Don't confuse the formguide -points gained - with the performance guide - if we had one!
We have picked up points, but rarely dominated a game.
In truth nearly every team we have played, have been more skilful than us, including Rochdale.
Our players are slow in mind and body, with the odd exception.
We are not a team who have lost form.
We are a team who have been found out - AGAIN!
It does not matter whether we play 4-4-2 or 3-4-3 or 3-5-2. if we cannot keep the ball we are lost.
I would make Ross captain.

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Luke W
12/1/2014 02:20:55 am

Playing 2 Wingers in the starting 11 who have been at the club for 2 days is stupidity, I would have gone 5-3-2 and unleashed them + Matt Smith after 70 mins if 0-0 or better...Grayson played that game when he arrived and we got into the playoffs.

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Barry Hughes
12/1/2014 02:58:17 am

Its not the playing of 2 wingers who have just joined us, its playing them without something to aim at ie mat smith or whoever in the middle what else are wingers for.

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