Are Mathisen

In 2019 #LUFC’s then manager Marcelo Bielsa sent a scout to watch Derby train ahead of their upcoming fixture. The scout stood on a public footpath and took a few notes. The modern equivalent of a dark ages witch hunt followed, spurred on by hyperbolic pundits. Keith Andrews accused Bielsa of not giving a damn and not adapting to the culture of England. In fact, Bielsa explained in a 45 minute impromptu press conference that he cared too much. In the extraordinary presser, Bielsa broke down a tactical analysis of Derby - showing that he had amassed such an unprecedented amount of information and statistics on them - that the training session the scout watched could give him no extra information that he didn’t already have. Bielsa explained that he sent the scout anyway because if he didn’t do everything he possibly could - within the rules - to help Leeds win, then he would feel irreconcilable guilt. And after spy gate had been investigated by the EFL - and Leeds were found to be in breach of the “spirit of the game” and fined £250,000 - Bielsa refused to let #LUFC pay and instead paid it out of his own pocket. What was that Keith Andrews said about Bielsa not giving a damn and lacking respect? Today, the ‘spirit of the game’ has never felt less vague. Was it in ‘the spirit of the game’ to drag Bielsa’s name through dirt on every show throughout the spy gate scandal? And where is the ‘spirit of the game’ now, with football club-owners-cum-charlatans taking fans for a ride on their get-rich-quick schemes of stripping a community’s cherished possession of its assets and selling to the highest bidder? Where is the spirit of the game in agent payments and state-funded sports-washing? Or in the ceaseless betting advertisements that ruin lives? Or Man City’s 115 charges and the PSR hypocrisy that fails to create a level playing field - PSRs sole reason for existence? Is VAR in the spirit of the game? Is making away supporters travel 100s of miles at midnight in the spirit of the game? I’m not sure I have ever seen, I’m not sure I’ll ever likely see, a more erroneous use of the term and law being applied to punish a club. Those few weeks in 2019 were bizarre. The media made an avalanche out of a snowflake and pundits and wannabe coaches got paid to lambast Bielsa from the rafters. And after hearing about how Marcelo has revolutionised the game wherever he went and was idolised by the world’s best coaches. And after seeing Leeds United become “everyone’s second team (for the first time in the club’s existence)”- these pundits and analysts finally had a reason to tear Bielsa down off that pedestal and they did so with relish. They talked of Bielsa in the scathing tones usually only reserved for war criminals. Yet his only crime was that he sent someone to stand on a public footpath and watch a football team train because if he didn’t he’d feel guilty. It was a ridiculous moment for the culture and the irony was compounded when Leeds and Bielsa won the FIFA Fair Play Award for letting Aston Villa score a goal in another bizarre story for another time. If anyone embodies ‘the spirit of the game’ it is Marcelo Bielsa - or at least, football would be lucky to embody his spirit. The Argentine will be back in the country this month as his Uruguay side play England. Tonight, Keith Andrews returns to Elland Road as manager of Brentford. A timely reminder of what Andrews’ said about Bielsa during spy gate ⤵️

@marshyleeds @TEAMtalk No, no, no!! Hauge will never survive in PL. He is perfect for Bodø. Let them keep him (and Hogh) 🤞🤞🤞

⚪️🟡🔵 Leeds EXCLUSIVE Whites sent scouts to Norway on Wednesday night to run checks on Bodo/Glimt winger Jens Petter Hauge. Also understand Whites ran rule over striker Kasper Hogh, though it's the Hauge who is their main focus. @TEAMtalk | #LUFC teamtalk.com/leeds-united/l…

"HERE WE GO!": the lowdown on "football journalist" Fabrizio Romano sportingintelligence832.substack.com/p/here-we-go-t…

@GrahamSmyth We where really poor, that felt like a robbery of a point. And that is important! I don't think I'll ever understand Farke in-match tactics, feels random and rarely help. But, he's the boss.

FT Aston Villa 1-1 Leeds United A sucker punch given how long they led, but a big, big point on the road. #lufc

@ForFarkesSakeV2 This has to be investigated. At least three blatant, big fouls, and only "play on". This was an easy match to ref, so I hope Banks gets some sort of penalty.

Aaronson has been kicked to fuck tonight and the ref has given him nowt.

@LUFC Nailed it despite Farke's impotent game management, very important win 🤩 70 good minutes was enough. Sooo good to have going in to the weekend 🔥💛🤍💙

😍 THESE FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!!

@marshyleeds Arsenal in the cup. I don't know how, but his distribution was SO good, and also a few nice saves. I was SURE we had a world beater on our hands. The fall was probably inevitable 😥

I know he fits into the ‘much-maligned’ category, but Illan Meslier did have some good moments - particularly early on - during his time at #LUFC. For a possible article tomorrow, please share your stand out moments from his time with us: best saves, moments in games etc

@isaacjohnsonLL Stop being a f*** victim and blame everyone for your shortcomings 😡🤬😤

Farke on GK transfers: "Our board knows my feelings what we should do. "I won't speak in public about my opinions. Sadly I can't answer that honestly." #lufc

@GrahamSmyth This is the day that Leeds will regret for not changing manager early enough and getting a top class keeper.

That's a Darlow howler I'm afraid. Came to punch on his line, DCL in his way and the keeper puts it in his own net. 0-2 #lufc

@theadelites We are bad at defending leads, and sat so deep in the second half that Everton suddenly looked good. Why wait to counter Everton subs? Why sit so deep? Why all the long balls without support? There are so many why's. Always feel we'll stay up despite Farke, not because.

FT Everton 1 #LUFC 1 Farke simply waited far too long to react to the changes made by Moyes at HT. He had to switch it up after 60 minutes when it was clear they were under massive pressure and Everton had all the momentum. Farke is reticent at times to make aggressive changes and it is really frustrating because when he has made those aggressive timely changes it has more often than not worked out. Ultimately it’s another good point away from home but there was a win there for Leeds and with 4 of the next 5 really tricky it would have provided a healthy cushion. Plenty of positives for Leeds. Darlow made a nice save but really needs to settle when in possession. JJ adapted to LWB and took his goal well but Gudmundsson was missed. DCL fantastic again. Special mention to Rodon who was marshalling that backline and making sure they didn’t sit too deep which they tend to do if left unchecked. Overall a good point away from home but that Forest game looks like a must-win now.

@GrahamSmyth This is a disaster. He dumped us, he'll never play with heart. I'll be surprised beyond anything if he becomes a good signing.

Told Buonanotte has pushed for a move to Leeds, club confident he wants to come and play minutes. And it sounds pretty close to being done (again). #lufc

@LeedsXtra_ It will be too late in the summer. How has he been scouted as a better option I'll never understand.

Sell off Perri in the summer. Bring in a new keeper. Useless. No clear improvement on Meslier. #LUFC

@TheGriftReport Østfold 👌

@DirtyLeedsFC He has the lowest save percentage (56.7%) in the Premier League this campaign (10+ apps) and the 2nd-lowest distribution rate by any PL goalkeeper (53.3%) (LUFCdata). He can be the negative difference if we go down.

I’m not having this with Perri. He saves several certain goals tonight and because he NEARLY got to a reverse shot through a crowd from 10 yards away it’s all his fault! 🙄 #lufc

@GrahamSmyth Perri keeps getting at least a point too much. There MUST be someone at Leeds seeing he isn't the solution. Getting a quality keeper could be the difference now. And Gruev/Gudmundsson was awful defensively, 'Castle came again and again, we lost the game from there.

The ratings #lufc yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football…

@GrahamSmyth I'm depleted, what a game. We need Trafford or similar quality in goal. I have a bad feeling this is the kind of loss that will see us spiral downward, a typical negative turning point 😥 The left side was awful, but the battle was good. A draw would have been massively deserved

FT Newcastle United 4-3 Leeds United An absolute classic. Either side could have won it. Leeds will kick themselves over the missed chances and some of the defending. Unbeaten run comes to an end. #lufc

@leeds2023456 Get Trafford in asap, Perri is Meslier in a kind of disguise

Told you he was as useless distribution positioning is horrible #LUFC

@LUFC @Cli5hy Let's hope he casually says; what about that guy at City, just buy him and Europe awaits in due time?

😍 @Cli5hy on media duties!

@CalltoActivism I cannot understand how this is allowed and why no one is stopping this. Just, ridiculous.

🚨In a staggering lie, Karoline Leavitt claims Trump has secured "nearly $9 trillion" in investment to the US. That’s larger than the GDP of every nation on earth except the U.S. and China. It’s not just false - it’s cartoonishly stupid.

@talkaboutlufcv2 All he needed was a little bit of game reading, and he would have that comfortable save. How does he seem like an upgrade?? It's a wonder.

Lucas Perri you can honestly see yourself out. Got to so lucky there, exact same as palace last week. Shocking decision making. #LUFC