12 months ago we'd endured a horrible season.
Lacklustre signings, a joke of a manager and then managerial merry round to shuffle some deckchairs.
Apart from some bright spots from Gnonto and Sinisterra, it was a horrible season made worse by knowing what we had seen a couple of seasons earlier under Bielsa.
This season, we have a manager, who's is not perfect, but who knows the score, has delivered what he said he would - unity, in the face of huge turmoil and situations with Gnonto and Sinisterra that he has handled pretty much perfectly.
Our signings have been a complete u turn on the scattergun policy of Orta.
Byram, Ampadu, Rodon, Kamara have all delivered big time, Piroe whilst not living up to expectations has delivered too and Gruev also been useful, Darlow, well at least we have an experienced backup.
If the club can continue with this better hit rate in signings then future is bright for us.
We've seen Farke bring out the best in Dan James, Rutter and Summerville. Also Firpo has really delivered going forwards, he seems to have got the balance right of game time for Gray (not wrapping him in cotton wool saying too young), and shown loyalty to Bamford which has delivered whilst still nurturing talented Joseph in the background.
To have done all this first season and put us into second place.....he's done a great job.
If he has an Achilles heel I would say its his use of substitutions, but nobody's perfect and with hindsight its easy too be wise but wisdom is surely saying he's been a great appointment.
If we don't go up, we surely stick with him to go again and if we do go up, I really hope that he is properly supported. We are in a financial pickle but keep up this better recruitment policy, it wont cost us the earth and give him what he needs.
Seeing the unity on the pitch yesterday, seeing players get stuck in, seeing Rutter get hacked down rather than Americanly flopping down shows how far we have come.
If Farke gets us up in first season, I think he is first Leeds manager to have ever done that, it's a big ask, but he is the right man for the job.
Where we're at
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 1 minute ago
Don't want or need any of them back. Aaronson has potential but lacks the physicality, especially against top players, Roca could do a squad job but little to nothing offered by the rest. Harrison is a good player but he comes 3rd behind Cry and Willy.
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4th behind James too
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
It'll take years to unravel Orta's deals, most or all of the loanees will have to stay out on loan. As Wilko says, we are trying to recoup what we paid for Wober, but Gladbach feel that fee is too high...yet if we were inquiring about buying him from them he'd be worth £25m.
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 1 hour, 30 minutes ago
Don't want or need any of them back. Aaronson has potential but lacks the physicality, especially against top players, Roca could do a squad job but little to nothing offered by the rest. Harrison is a good player but he comes 3rd behind Cry and Willy.
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Harrison blows hot and cold, always has done, not really setting the world alight at Everton and as he is now 27 he is unlikely to get better over the next few years. Should be at his peak but this season has been just your average Jack Harrison season, too many games when you'd barely notice he was playing by all accounts.
Offer us a decent amount and your problem Everton.
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
People judge Farke on his spell at Norwich in the prem. I think thats unfair as he wasn't backed at all. But unfair to judge him just based on that in my opinion
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
Bit*
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
I don't follow German football but looking at appearances I note that Aaronson appears to have started all games for Union Berlin of late, that wasn't the case before the midseason break so I assume he is showing an upturn in form. He didn't make the most recent US squad.
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
I understood that Llorente had said his goodbye and there is an obligation to buy. On transfermarkt it says with conditions, I looked into this, the fee agreed is £5m and one of the conditions is that Llorente has to agree to it. Apparently there is a possibility that Roma could pay the £5m and then just flip him making a nice little earner for Roma. He allegedly wouldn't be happy with that. Pretty sure that wouldn't go down too well in LS11 either.
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
We have to have context here; all of those players were made to look average in the Premier League. If we can gain promotion, only then will this current crop experience the acid test.
We already saw with Dan James that hashe struggled previously at the next level up.
The question is, would any of those players have value in our squad. Only a pre season would allow Farke to appraise their performance for himself. Farke has Premiership experience, so be will make the right call I am sure and express his opinions the hierarchy above.
posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago
This current squad - as good as it is for the Championship - is massively ill equipped for the Prem.
posted 2 weeks, 6 days ago
Back to the OP - I think we’ve done remarkably well given the first 5-6 weeks of the season. Sure, play-offs now will seem like a huge disappointment but I’d have taken them end of August last year. If it is play-offs, I still think we’ll win them.