Good Morning. It's Monday 9th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road They think it's all over Leeds slipped back into the bottom three, for the first time since October 30th, after losing at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon. A momentary lapse of concentration by Meslier, and a predatory strike from 12 yards out, and suddenly, Leeds were two-nil down with only ten minutes on the clock. En route to another hiding, the players dug in deep, and with a combination of luck, and last gasp defending, managed to fortify their goal-mouth for the remaining eighty minutes. To make matters worse, a reckless challenge from Ayling midway through the first half, and Leeds were down to ten men. Martinelli had tormented the Leeds right back from the start, and had breezed pass him (and Koch) far too easily to set up Nketiah's second goal. It was an unfair duel that was never going to end well. There was no malice in his challenge, yet it reeked of the same desperation Dallas had shown last week when challenging Grealish. It was continual one way traffic until the 60th minute when Leeds finally had an attempt on goal, and to their credit, they made it count. Harrison's inswinging corner was flicked-on by Firpo, and Llorente charged in at the far post to reduce the deficit to one. Rodrigo had a guilt edged opportunity to steal a point in the dying minutes, but his finish only begged the question of why Leeds thought they could go the entire season with one goal scoring striker! please log in to view this image Can Shackleton save Leeds Normally, when there's an injury or suspension, Leeds could always rely on Stuart Dallas to fill the void, but with the Northern Ireland International recovering from surgery after snapping his femur, that luxury has gone. Following Luke Ayling's red card, Leeds will have to see out their campaign with only one wing-back, Firpo. Unfortunately for the Whites, they can't even recall Cody Drameh, even though Cardiff City's season is over. Instead, it looks like they will have to rely on Jamie Shackleton. The 22yo has been used sparingly this season, starting only seven games (the same as Bamford). He's also had his fair share of injuries. The wing back position has been instrumental to Leeds success in the past three seasons, and the loss of the experienced duo will not make the season finale any easier. please log in to view this image U23's relegated A dramatic late comeback from Chelsea U23's saw Andrew Taylor's young Whites relegated back to Division two at the weekend. Chelsea needed to beat bitter rival Spurs to maintain their top flight status, and although they went behind on the hour mark, staged a late comeback to break Leeds hearts. All season, the Leeds youngsters had been propping up the first team, leaving them short of experienced players. Unfortunately, both the U23's and the first team were spread too thin, and after a horrific season of injuries Leeds have to face up to the fact that sub-standard signings, lack of investment and a blasé attitude towards relegation may have set Leeds Utd back another sixteen years! please log in to view this image
I watched the game last night as I missed it live and the only reason we managed to keep it to 2-1 is their poor finishing. They constantly picked out a man wide open in our box who just plain missed. I watched as we chased after the man with the ball who then pinged it past us to take several players out of the game. That group would then turn and chase after the next man who would ping a ball across field to a wide open Sako, Cedric, Tomiasu or Martinelli. It was literally like watching 10 year olds play. When we had the ball, as every team now does to us, they use an intelligent press, closing the trap until we hoof it or give it away. We have no plan or purpose, which is why I really fear for our survival. Cooper's injury has cost us. There is no way Ayling would have lunged in like that if Cooper was there. We have no voice at the back at all. Yes, we only lost 2-1 but it was the manner of it.
Morning. I know were in a bad way but a headline of "can Shackleton save Leeds" sort of sums up how weak we are. Still hoping Burnley will continue to lose and we get a point somewhere to survive. Just looked in my box of straws, a month ago it was almost full, that's the last one Ive plucked from it this morning
Sub-standard signings, lack of investment and a blasé attitude towards relegation may have set Leeds Utd back another sixteen years! Radz, Orta, Kinnear............read this and weep.
Morning all Shackleton, Roberts, Klich and a few others really should have been sold off long ago. It’s all hindsight now, we can’t change the past or fix those errors at the moment. We just need a miracle to save this season then what after that I just don’t know. We need so many new faces if we’re going to do this again next season
It must matter to them. Relegation will cost Radz and his investers millions. I agree that we are staring into the abyss if we go down. We don't have a Mitrovic or Pukki to get us back up. We'll need a complete rebuild and won't be able to attract the type of player we need.
100% agree about us in possession. Re out of possession, i have commented before that zonal press is a bit like my boys u7s team. Everyone knows it leaves players free on the far side of the pitch for sides/players good enough to find them. That’s why ‘triggers’ for it and timing and everyone doing their job is critical. Also part of this narrow formation is it’s an acceptable risk to give up the wide areas on the opposite side of the pitch as you will still have players in the middle that they have to get through or pass through to score. So under marsch, you have a lot of moments that look scary from a fans perspective but are usually actually quite difficult to score from. The palace game was a case in point - they had lots of promising positions but few clear cut chances. I agree yesterday we weren’t picking up their men in the box, a few people not doing their job properly - and that’s the crux… is it the concept or the execution? Not sure myself! As in my earlier reply to you. Their xg yesterday was 2.7, nearly half of that will have been the actual goals. It was against 10 men. 2.7 is still high I grant you but it’s not outlandish.. and significantly lower than the reverse fixture.
I don’t think we’re in as a bad a shape as some think if we go down. It will be horrible, but we’re not in a financial mess, we have parachute payments and sellable assets and a club that commercially at least has been better run (couldn’t have been worse historically). Hey we could still do a stoke or Sunderland, who are a warning to any well supported side with a big stadium that it can still go horribly wrong… but we could just as easily bounce back straight away. Fingers crossed still we don’t have to.
Really fear next season if we go down, because it depends on who we keep and who we sell. For example I see Phillips, Bamford and Raphinha gone, also Rodrigo, Koch, Firpo and Llorente. We will retain players like Klich who should have been sold, likewise, Roberts, Shackelton Poveda, Davies, Bogutsz. We may also rely too much on Bate, Joffy, Greenwood and Drameh. Summerville will demand a move. Sheer carnage potentially….
My perspective for what it's worth, is we have no striker or anyone who knows how to finish, and 95% of the team are not up to premiership standard. If by some miracle (because that's what we need) ie Burnley results to be worse than ours, if we do and it's a big IF we stay up, we will need to spend a fortune on players that will be up to the task, but i very much doubt Radz or the 49'rs have the funds to do this, or more realistically Orta to find and acquire players from the championship or America, but to be quite honest i don't think he is up to that task either. We unfortunately have problems from the top down. who would have thought that after last season, we would be in the position we find ourselves in, Total mismanagement of the club, it's so sad
Anyway some good news...after watching the Toon get beat 5-0 at City yesterday I'm confident they'll go to Burnley on the last day and get a result. Forget the scoreline as they actually played well, also Callum Wilson & Trippier made their returns from injury. Competition for places will be high and it's obvious that Eddie Howe wants a strong finish to the season as a building block towards next.
That’s the same for pretty much any relegated team though doc and if we do sell those big players there is money to invest in the next generation. My point is it’s not like we’re being run by Bates or cellino… and if they sell up we’re a reasonably attractive proposition for buyers now.
It's funny how quickly some peoples opinions change. Not that long ago some on here were spouting of how MB was building a club for the future and when he leaves he would hand over a ready made set up that would be pushing for a place in Europe. It would be so seamless. Now it's all hands to the pump as we're in the crap now he's gone.
Thats a great point and maybe would have been possible as long as no chance of relegation. If relegated the base Bielsa built will become the first team in the main
Yesterdays first half performance was poor, unprofessional, sub standard and not acceptable in any shape or form. The second half was gritty and showed the true colours of some of the players. Meslier…. get a descent offer take it. Ayling….. posted on here many times he was not good enough, goodbye. Rodrigo….. paid way too much, under achieves get rid of him. Raphinha… we’ll they say the best thing from Brazil his the Brazil nut, and boy o boy is that true, the lad is brain dead, good riddance. Philips…… not interested, pity but he his going, been got at. If we go down a good clear out is what’s needed and an opportunity to do so. MOT
Philips, don't know what's going on with the lad, but he needs to sort his head out, he's doing himself no favours atm playing like he is, if he does want that big move he needs to buck up his ideas, as other clubs will lose interest and he will see his value decrease, which would be bad news for everyone concerned.
