It's been a surreal few months and without fans at matches, no real public celebrations allowed and shortened pre-season, it still didn't quite feel real that we'd ended this 16 year journey, but once we kicked off the 16 years were gone.
I felt Liverpool were all over us, their movement, touch and numbers committed to attack clearly. different level to what we'd experienced and conceding an early goal could have been curtains.
We tried to impose ourselves and Philips super long range passing ability sets up a wonderful Harrison goal, whose first touch is brilliant and now producing more and more end product.
Obviously missing Cooper and whilst a lot of good things said about Struijk last season, I'm not convinced yet and Koch obviously had a baptism of fire, but it's early days for both and Bielsa knows what he's doing.
Thought Dallas was great but Salah showed great touches to go past him at times, it serves to illustrate the difference in class between Championship and Prem, the Liverpool players had really good awareness, touch and movement, at least the forwards did.
Bamford did well, glad he scored as was fearing it wouldn't be that day after early chance not taken, but I still feel we need another striker who can score, one has to hope that Rodrigo can.
Think Costa will be a good player for us in this league, showed he had pace to spare when pulling away from 2 Liverpool players, we need to ensure we're providing an outlet for him, and what an outlet we did provide with that Klich goal!
The pundits were creaming themselves but actually I didn't think we played at our best and was surprised that they were surprised at us, we've been playing like this or better for 2 years now and was amazing to see the likes of Ayling, Klich, Dallas step up and not look out of place against the Champions of England.
I would liked if we could have held on for a point, but Liverpool ultimately got some reward for the sheer number of chances they created and whist initially I was disappointed, I'm happy with the performance and the comments from professionals watching, recognising the ability and performance of our team.
It's real testament to Bielsa's ability that he has done this. Think of the Harry Redknapp of this world who join a club and constantly whine that they need 10 new players etc.
Bielsa does not blab to press, gets on with it, and improves every single player.
I finish on Souness's comments which were nothing but complimentary about Leeds. I really like Souness, he knows how football from every angle, and he was spot on about the calibre of Leeds performance but also the size of squad and whether we can maintain that.
If we can get some further strengthening done this window I think it could pay dividends as we have a head coach who is taking us to at least top half finish in this division and going to win us a whole load of new fans and admirers doing it!
Thoughts from last night
posted on 14/9/20
Well said Penshaw, that goes for me too. I like read the match day thread the morning after a game - helps to revive the ins and outs and the excitement of it in my head. The contributions from the regulars on here but also from non-regulars and non-Leeds fans have been generally really great!
For me, this and last season are up there with the Wilko and O'Leary days. What a great time to be a Leeds fan!
posted on 14/9/20
Football is exciting because players make lots of mistakes and Liverpool v Leeds was no exception, in between the mistakes are some brilliant pieces of play, cameos if you like, Phillips ball to Harrison for example, Salah's shooting...the defences collectively were poor, both teams should and will improve with games.
From a Leeds POV plenty of hard running, good pressure on Liverpool and 2 well taken, well made goals from Harrison and Klich, Bamford accepting van Dyke's present.
On individual performances my observations were mixed....Meslier the more I see the more I like, has the makings of a very good keeper with time....Ayling, every chance given his experience and consistency looks every inch a Premiership player, thought he was good....Dallas is one of my favourite players from a consistency point of view, Salah was a real handful and Dallas tried hard but at times looked exposed on our left edge, I think he could have done with a bit more help dealing with Salah....the centre backs had no time to forge much of an understanding, Cooper injured was unfortunate, both Koch and Struijk showed enough to suggest they will both come on given playing time, a real baptism of fire for them....Hernandez, had to checking if he was actually playing, had no influence on the game I could see, maybe the powerful Liverpool midfield neutralised him, disappointing he didn't bring anything to the game....Klich, played very well and brought his usual hard working, consistent game, took his chance very well, if he can maintain that form and getting into the box could well be good for scoring any number of goals....Phillips, thought generally he had a poor game for him, apart from the sublime pass to Harrison, just shows you a player can have a poor game but still make decisive, positive contributions....
Harrison, I thought played well, showed some great ball playing skills, smashing goal, can he get consistent?....Costa, on the other wing, had a good game, same applies to him, the issue of consistency, can he step up his crossing and decision making which I thought was poor last season?....Bamford, my opinion is he plays because of lack of options, the club is not in a position to pay big bucks for the genuine article striker to convert the many chances we make, he's chosen in the hope he scores rather than the expectation, I look forward hopefully when we can sign a striker with expectation he will score, rather than just the forlorn hope, will Rodrigo be the answer, time will tell, no chance to show us anything in the game, Liverpool were well on top when he came on...
Just my opinion but empty stands, no crowds, will be a decided disadvantage for teams like Leeds and Liverpool, who thrive on passionate fans making lots of noise, intimidating for opponents, I think opposing teams will take advantage, will equalise the chances of a result....I know it's the same for all teams but teams like Leeds and Liverpool will suffer defeats playing in empty home stadiums.
posted on 14/9/20
NJS, do we thrive on fans making lots of noise?
Our record behind closed doors last season was better than in front of fans.
posted on 14/9/20
Well I think when this pandemic comes to an end, whenever that will be, we can judge better what effect empty stadiums, with no atmosphere, have had on teams?
We'll have to wait until we have more evidence as the season progresses, see how results go, then make more categorical opinions.
I think on balance Leeds could be one of those teams that will miss a voiciferous home support, I'm aware sometimes that passionate home support can be against the team if not going well, but on balance think an empty Elland Road will not be good for us...but as I say let's wait for more evidence...
posted on 14/9/20
We were under huge pressure for those last games to get job done and yet our record was better than with fans.
You cant make comment saying we're better with fans and then when evidence presented otherwise say we cant say that as we need to wait for more evidence!
posted on 14/9/20
You can't be categorical on the basis of a handful of games, the games against Luton and Fulham, even though we won the latter, were dreadful....not sure the point you're trying to make?
We will know whether it's a disadvantage for Leeds to play in an empty stadium when we have more home results to digest....I don't know for sure how home form will pan out, my guess it will be patchy.
posted on 14/9/20
We're playing better teams in the
Premiership which could well make it a lot harder to sustain good home form in an empty stadium, let's see.
posted on 14/9/20
Why do you only need home results?
Who would have thought we would have matched Liverpool in a full Anfield?
Yet we did in an empty away stadium.
Some really interesting thoughts on this actually, its known as the Theory of Social Facilitation and a lot of work done of it by Robert Zajonc.
Essentially the theory says that people/teams perform better when supporters are there if the task is easy, but less well if the task is challenging.
It helps explain why you get more upsets when playing behind closed doors.
posted on 14/9/20
very interesting points made here.
I don't think you can point to a hand full of games and use that as evidance but, as we all have said at some time, the fans at ER can make the task harder by adding pressure.
think NJS is correct though, we surely have to wait until there are a lot of games played behind closed doors... because if we are using that basis, we'd say Bamford is better than messi as he scored more goals at Anfield.
posted on 14/9/20
I think this is a very subjective issue...I actually thought Liverpool didn't play that well and missed the support of a full to the rafters Anfield, I base that on observations from their recent seasons.
It will be interesting to see as the season unfolds what various clubs have to say about whether they found it a disadvantage or no material advantage whatsoever in playing home games or away games in empty stadiums.