Millwall came to kick us and break our continuity… The ref failed to get a grip. In the end they left with nothing and we sit at the summit (for now) in one of the most miraculous transformations since Bielsa’s miraculous transformation of lufc. Pleased as punch. And joy of joys, yet another clean sheet.
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I see Foxes have done the double and been charged by both the EPL & EFL for financial breaches. Been there before of course. Tax payer bought their new ground for them last time. Trouble is any punishment (if guilty) comes too late for clubs disadvantaged by the rule breaking.
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The problem remains the rules. Poorly thought through from the off. Always going to be unintended consequences.
Impressive performance from Ampadu tonight. His whole game has gone up a few notches. Even James can finish now. What is going on?
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Farke effect. You can’t fight it.
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If Leeds go up I hope Farke gets the backing that he never received at Norwich.
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Can only hope we’ve learnt from past mistakes & Farke benefits as a result. Time for it all to fall apart this season so we may never know.
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Farke wasn’t backed after the 1st promotion. He said himself that he absolutely was for the 2nd. Got everything he wanted. To the tune of £50m or more as I recall. Was asked explicitly what he thought of his squad and actually said he’d got all he asked for. Sacked after finally winning a 1st game of the season and failing to beat any of the teams around or below them. Suggests, as ever, that the weakness was tactical not financial when he got to the EPL.
Despite this he continues to have the lowest win percentage of any Norwich manager who has been in charge for more than 40 games.
Absolutely fascinates me that when Leeds have been picked apart this season it’s been through the middle and because he doesn’t play a true defensive mid. Great for getting you out of the Championship but a major achilles heel in the EPL where the speed of press and turnover/transition means that lovely attacking teams in the Championship suddenly look defensively inept once promoted.
Barclay has been excellent for Luon but you do suspect that a defensive mid would see them a good few places higher. Leeds have placed Ampadu in a defensive role and yet for Wales he’s a defensive mid. He was superb last night.
In short, I’m happy to assume Leeds will back him financially. It won’t make much difference. Hos tactical blind spots remain the issue. Just like Bielsa he won’t do the screamingly obvious. It makes both distinct but it also makes the outcome predictable.
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It was Webber who dealt with the transfers and Farke held the company line.
The £50 million was wasted on players who were not up to the task and whom we are having great difficulty in off loading.
Since Kieran Scott left our acquisitions have been very average to say the least.
The big difference at Leeds is the fact Farke now has a couple of players who can play holding midfield whereas at Norwich we lost Skipp at the end of the last promotion season.
Farke brought on several of the younger players notably, Maddison, Buendia, Aarons, Godfrey and Omobamidele.
The football he plays is exciting and good to watch and it’s obvious looking at the current Leeds side that it is better defensively than the one he created at Norwich whilst still retaining the attacking flare that is his trade mark.
Leeds supporters seem very pleased with the effect he’s had on their club.
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We play 2 defensive mids, one indeed is now our centre half. We have zero attacking threat from midfield. All our threat comes from our front 4 with full back support. Our real strength is defence. We play 6 defenders + GK. I have no idea what went on at Norwich but they were one of the best teams to visit ER under Farke. I think you’re carrying an idea formulated whilst watching Norwich into your assessment of a very different LUFC side.
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I guess we’ll see how different next season. I suspect midfield is his blind spot. His approach to the Leeds midfield does appear to be, in part, a reaction to the repeated criticisms of his Norwich midfield but just creates a different set of issues. Those won’t be exposed until he’s back in the EPL.
I’m not clear where this comes from. Webber, the Smiths and Farke were all clear that the former identified players; they all reviewed them and then Farke made the final decision. If £50m was wasted then there’s little doubt he had a significant role in that. Both Farke and Webber, having left, have no company line to toe and yet both have made or clear this is how they operated and in Farke’s case he’s repeatedly said it’s his preference.
As Webber has noted, Burnley have spent £100m+ and likely won’t stay up. He’s also said that if Norwich had that amount he didn’t think he or anyone else could guarantee they stay up. Of course, had they had that, the debt you wring your hands about would be triple what it is now.
On the other hand I do love that even when the momentum is wholly with Norwich you still can’t bring yourself to fully endorse such a remarkable achievement given the circumstances.
Anyways, changing topic. Long trip to Cleethorpes for me tomorrow. It’s a sell out and i’ve a spare ticket I can’t get rid of. Setting off before 8am and if all goes well I’m expecting to be home by 11pm. Not expecting a win, although a draw could be achievable. Main thing for me is that I’ve missed so many games through illness that, with 8 games and maybe some play offs, I’d like to see as many games as I can.
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Still not been to Grimsby and can’t make it tomorrow. I do have ticket for the Doncaster game though. Hope we’re still well in the mix by then.
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It’s a great away trip. Picturesque journey. Relatively quiet train past Leeds. The sea. Great old ground. Fantastic chips. Did it in the NL and loved it.
I’ve tickets to Doncaster but don’t appear to have a way home.
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For completeness. We’ve conceded 28 in 38 league starts. That’s 5 less than Foxes and 21 less than Ipswich. Since Farke got his best 11 on the pitch no one’s picked us apart. We have the best defence in the division. Farke’s stats with both Norwich and LUFC show him to be pretty much the ultimate Championship manager. If promoted he may well fail. Let’s hope he gets the chance to try again in 24/5 with his choice of players. But blind spot midfield … not sure where that comes from.
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Been explained in many previous posts but either way you’ll find out next season.
I guess that makes you a true supporter. 
I’d agree the big difference in comparing Farkes Leeds team to the one at Norwich is the quality of the defenders. Norwich were never as comfortable bringing the ball out from the back as Leeds are.
It’s a pity Byram has suffered so many injuries as he is real quality. Looked very comfortable on the occasions he played for us in the premiership.
Ampadu is the player I’m most impressed by.
After Kieran Scott left Webber ran the transfer side. Although Farke asked for certain types of player the quality was down to the procurement.
I would never expect money to ensure success. What I was criticising was wasting £50 million that a club like Norwich could ill afford. I’d also add that without it surviving in the premiership is impossible.
Anyway, Farke has once again not only turned around a troubled club but in doing so produced a very entertaining team. Next year could be interesting.
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Byram is quality at championship level, fragile quality but quality never the less, even playing out of position as he has for us.
Out of interest, amongst supporters I talk to, Norwich is the team we’d least like to meet in the play offs should we miss out on auto promo.
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I can understand that. Although we make school boy errors defending in Sargent, Sainz and Rowe we have, arguably the best front three in the division and in Sara one of the most creative with a lethal left foot.
If we get to the play offs I fancy our chances.
If we went up I would worry about next season.
Sounds like it was a good day out Mike. It’s so tight at the top though. Think I’d prefer a Stockport win later.