Tactical Masterminding

[Demitri_C]

For me it's what happens in West brom game. They should beat Rotherham very easily at home therefore  we would most likely have to accept 5th then rest some. But if they somehow mess UK then we have tk go for the win as I think finishing 4th would be huge for us. 

[John]

Who would have thought a couple of months ago that Leeds would be likely to be out of the automatic promotion race and that we would have already made the playoffs with 2 games of the season remaining? We meet at Elland Road on Sunday for what may or may not be the last time this season. The way things are going for Bielsa's boys they might not even make Wembley and should we do so, we might be facing Derby, Boro or Bristol City there. It has been so hard to predict anything, other than another Villa win with any certainty lately.  

This game is unlikely to be as crucial for either team, as it had previously seemed would be the case. We approach the game as the clear form side, they come to it having pulled off a "Derby" like finish to the season. A win will equal our club record for consecutive wins of 11, which was set over two seasons in 1897. That run included league and cup games. We also owe them one for their 3-2 comeback win against us at Villa Park in our last game before Christmas.

Our last win at Leeds was in 2000, we have since drawn there three times and lost twice. Overall we have won 28 and have drawn 28 of the 85 league games that there have been between the two clubs. A win on Sunday would therefore also leave us both on 29 league wins. Both teams may well rest players for this one. The game may have an end of season feel to it, but Leeds will want to sign off with a couple of wins to try to restore their fading confidence before they enter the playoff lottery. They have it in them to recapture the sort of form that so nearly earned them automatic promotion, but we are still riding on a wave of consecutive wins and extending our tremendous winning run to 15 will see us promoted. Win it for us Villa!         

Edited April 24, 2019 by John

[The_Rev]

I'd make a few changes just to allow anybody who has a slight knock more time to heal ahead of the really important games coming up. I suspect the game might be played at 60% by both teams if Norwich and Sheffield United win automatic promotion on Saturday (though Leeds can still get the same number of points as Sheffield United, it's just goal the  difference of -11 which has killed them and I suspect Sheffield will want to hump Ipswich and go up in style).

 

We will probably be facing a Norwich team who have been on the piss for a week in our final home game and that should be our momentum builder for the playoffs. We're gonna play West Brom, away goals don't count in the playoffs  so finishing 4th isn't worth as much as having a fully fit squad. 

[Kingman]

I have a feeling that we will play Leeds in the semis... 

[Lord Willard]

I've been trying to find the Leeds forum Pre match thread. 

Other teams forums are so hard to navigate. 

I wouldn't rest them quite yet. I'd rest them against Norwich. 

 

[BOF]

58 minutes ago, Kingman said:

I have a feeling that we will play Leeds in the semis... 

That would take a mental set of results.  Us coming 6th OR them coming 4th.  Neither of which looks any way likely.

[tom_avfc]

Resting players for a game in three weeks seems a bit strange to me. At what point does a rest become too long and disadvantageous. I guess we can manage the minutes that the players get over the next couple of games to maintain a healthy balance of match fitness and rest.

Must also be an argument for just keeping on as we are to try and maintain our momentum ahead of the playoffs too.

[BOF]

The only thing we need for the rest of the season is to have 5 more games left, and to win the 5th one.  Anything else that needs to happen in order for that to come to pass, I'm OK with.

[TRO]

I think losing Momentum, is the biggest threat.

but its a tough call.

[Kingman]

3 hours ago, BOF said:

That would take a mental set of results.  Us coming 6th OR them coming 4th.  Neither of which looks any way likely.

Not really mate, If we beat them at the weekend and Sandwell win then it's all on the last game. Should Leeds lose or even draw and Sandwell beat Derby then they flip positions. 

[blandy]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

I think losing Momentum, is the biggest threat.

but its a tough call.

Jeremy Corbyn's managed to make a good fist of it over Brexit, so it can happen.

[VILLAMARV]

5 hours ago, Lord Willard said:

I've been trying to find the Leeds forum Pre match thread.  

Other teams forums are so hard to navigate.  

I wouldn't rest them quite yet. I'd rest them against Norwich. 

 

http://www.motforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37453

rest players?

http://www.motforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37452

strawclutching the @Cjay dreams thread

http://www.motforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37423&start=40

Bottled it the not very happy thread

(but yeah, it's all over the place like most)

[Tomaszk]

I think we'll go there to win.

But I don't think Jack has been 100% for three or four games. McGinn hasn't been at his best for two games. They both need a rest and us winning matches needs them both.

If it's fatigue and not any niggles I'd play them both, beat Leeds, and rest both v Norwich.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

What's this talk of McGinn risking suspension? Same rule still applies, as soon as he picks up his next yellow card we shut him down for the regular season. The straight red risk applies to everyone. 

We can easily make 3/4 changes for this game and keep our shape and our standards high, whilst giving others a chance to stake their place, then the same again vs Norwich. I'm not sure if it's that complicated. Maybe rest Jack for this one and McGinn on the last day, or vice versa. Green deserves a start anyway, Kodjia is already in for Tammy. Hourihane in for Whelo makes a lot of sense also for the Leeds game given that Whelan is 34 and we will want to keep Conor raring to go. Get Axel back in there. Maybe the only bold change is giving Lansbury a start? Smith seems to really like him, raves about him whenever given a chance. So here you are Henri, go put yourself in the frame. 

I don't see those as sweeping changes, just utilising the squad as we have done all along more or less, and I am excited by that. 

[Cjay]

3 hours ago, VILLAMARV said:

http://www.motforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37453

rest players?

http://www.motforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37452

strawclutching the @Cjay dreams thread

http://www.motforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37423&start=40

Bottled it the not very happy thread

(but yeah, it's all over the place like most)

Everyone has to dream!!!!!!!

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Hi @Cjay

I notice a couple of your fans mention the lack of quality and/or fight in the starting XI right now and point indirectly to Bielsa's refusal to rotate heavily as a reason why you are 'falling apart', for want of a better phrase (that will probably come back to haunt me) 

As a reasonable chap, is this a fair assessment or is it a bit like when we were busy bottling it last season and having supporters clamouring for the likes of Callum O'Hare (currently on loan in League 2)? 

[Lord Willard]

Leeds fans really don't fancy their chances in the okay offs. 

[Cjay]

1 hour ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Hi @Cjay

I notice a couple of your fans mention the lack of quality and/or fight in the starting XI right now and point indirectly to Bielsa's refusal to rotate heavily as a reason why you are 'falling apart', for want of a better phrase (that will probably come back to haunt me) 

As a reasonable chap, is this a fair assessment or is it a bit like when we were busy bottling it last season and having supporters clamouring for the likes of Callum O'Hare (currently on loan in League 2)? 

Hi @dont_do_it_doug.

Bielsa is very stubborn, he has a strict pecking order and unless injuries occur he is very unwilling to rotate and it has caused frustration to the point we could predict the subs pre game, such and such will come on for etc. His unwillingness to change the pecking order to include some of the kids who we have used who have impressed is another bone of contention, Aapo Halme, Jamie Shackleton to name a few who probably should havw gotten more of a chance fitness permitting.

But rotation hasnt been easy with our injuries, the squad isnt the deepest or the most quality loaded. There are players in our first team who are at best average Championship squad fillers, players you turn to on occasion but not players you really want to rely on to often. At the same time playing kids to often has its own risks and you can understand his reluctance to a degree.

Wont name names but we do lack real individual quality aside from a few players, fortunately largely covered up by effort on the part of the players and superb coaching. 

Its undeniable imo that the board have severely let Bielsa down, rarely do a board allow a squad to get weaker as the season goes on but ours did. Saiz left, a key player who Bielsa greatly admired( maybe not entirely the clubs fault but i dont buy that Bielsa wouldn't have liked a replacement, Baker was a squad filler but even so another body gone. Bielsa was very reluctant to call for signings early doors but as January progressed he did say "a few would be nice but they must be better then what we have" words to that effect.

No question Bielsa has his faults but using largely the same squad that would have been relegated had last season started January 2018 he has had us not below top 3 all season bar 1 week when we were 4th.

My frustration will be directed towards the board more then Bielsa tbh should we not go up, a risk was needed imo, not the extent you have last few seasons but a decent calculated risk.

Not selling Viera to fund Bamford, being far more proactive in securing the best players we could, i dont feel we did that, we missed out on Harvey Barnes, Harry Wilson and Dan James and at least 2 of those were down to money, unwilling to cough up or trying to bargain to much.

We had ages to sort out a replacement for Saiz, we had 4 months to prepare to sign the winger Bielsa wanted in the summer and January passed and still no winger.

Longer then i planned this.

So yes, Bielsa isnt faultless, the squad is short on depth and crucially imo individual quality in key areas, but the board badly let Bielsa down on many occasions and it is them who will have cost us not Bielsa should we fail now.

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by Cjay

[VillaChris]

Leeds have a pretty small squad and as said above had injuries. Bamford was out for three months first half of the season and then as soon as he came back Roofe did his ligaments and missed a significant part. Jack Clark also been out ofr last two months so barely any time this season when all attacking options have been fit as Hernandez has missed games recently.

Ironcially that may actually happen for the play offs.

Seen Allioski is out, what about Barry Douglas? Think he's been missed on the left particularly with his experience of going up with Wolves.

[KenjiOgiwara]

On 23/04/2019 at 09:06, MaVilla said:

I'm really torn for this one.

Part if me says we are in the playoffs now, rest all our key players and give the fringe players a chance.

The other part of me remember when MON rested the first team in Europe to concentrate on the league and push for a champions league spot, losing in Europe and going on a terrible run in the league after losing momentum.

Tough decision.

For me it's not comperable. When MON rested players we still had a shot of winning something, which makes it so annoying. If you can win something I can agree on fielding your first team. But this is a situation where we have nothing to win whatsoever. But we can win something by promotion and thus we should rest our key players. Just imagine the situation where we lost Grealish, McGinn due to injuries next match and we lose out in a playoff. That would suck donkey balls.