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Roberto De Zerbi *OFFICIAL*

Mighty Yids vs Dirty Lids

DCL is certainly a big threat in the air. Likes to score at home, 4 Prem goals at home this year.

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He has really turned around his terrible fitness record. I wonder how?
This article doesn't give any particular answer, but it does have some interesting bits if you're bored.

consistency. That’s what the 29-year-old striker has found at Leeds. It was his arrival at Leeds, in many ways, that was the springboard. Leaving Everton in 2025 was a big decision, particularly given his connection to the club. It came during a period of change off the field, too, as he adjusted to fatherhood and married life. It was time, he said, to start a new journey.

Leeds and Daniel Farke will be glad he did. Since the forward’s arrival, only four Premier League players have a better goal-per-game ratio than Calvert-Lewin. Over the last 15 months, he’s scored 20 goals. Across his final four seasons at Everton, the ones that came after his career-best 21-goal season, he netted just 18.

Calvert-Lewin is in the 95th percentile in distance covered. He's in the 74th percentile in top speed. Yes, he leads the league in aerial duels, but he's also significantly more mobile than people give him credit for.
Hold up!

The OMT has landed.
 
That's me looking forward to the weekend then.

So, more on the question of the defense, here's a view of our first 6 games vs. last 3 in the league

Defense improvements

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Controlling game (which is the old, if you have the ball, the opposition can't hurt you)

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Interesting how the goals came as well

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Full video for anyone interested

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Some interesting points

- Good to call out ref issue, nothing for Tel tackle, yellow for tackle where Porro won ball
- Called out the players but kept it as part of the "learning process"
- Caught some of the observations in general (e.g. Kudus tired)
- Maddison only trained one day, and choice was him (in middle?) or LWB left
 
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Some interesting points

- Good to call out ref issue, nothing for Tel tackle, yellow for tackle where Porro won ball
- Called out the players but kept it as part of the "learning process"
- Caught some of the observations in general (e.g. Kudus tired)
- Maddison only trained one day, and choice was him (in middle?) or LWB left

I think this is a game which really shows how many injuries we have in the attacking spots. Leeds away is a hard game and we ended up way down our list of options in those spots.

I don’t know how RDZ solves it, but I am getting completely fed up with our players making bad decisions in the final third. I can’t work out whether it’s stupid, or selfish, or lazy, or more generously ‘lacking confidence’ in those areas and therefore snatching at stuff.

But it is extremely obvious that when LWB gets the ball in the final third, he slows down. He lets the opportunity appear and goes after it. I think Madders and Xavi are this way too, and Savio. But today we just had none of it on the pitch.

Kudus took a 30 yarder when we had players busting a gut to get forward and outnumbered Leeds. Porro hit the first man on a cross when we had an overload in their box. Marmoush snatched at a chance where he could have squad it to Kudus. They’re just going for the easiest, laziest options, smashing the ball. They need to fake, they need to work an angle, and then get into the space that opens up.

Even if they don’t feel confident to do the fakes, I don’t think there’s any excuse for not being aware of what options are around them, and being able to judge whether a long ranger or a snatched contested shot is the highest percentage play. It’s seriously getting on my nerves now. Because these are good players, and top level professionals should be able to see the picture of the game around them.
 
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