Good Morning. It's Wednesday 26th April, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Late equaliser spoils Leeds party Jamie Vardy netted his first goal in seven months as Leicester City came from behind to grab a share of the spoils, last night at Elland Road. In essence, a point will do little to stave off the threat of relegation for either club, but having been behind for so long, it must have felt like a win for for visitors. The Foxes thought they had taken an early lead through Youri Tielemans. His pile-driver from the edge of the box, flew past Meslier like an exocet missile, before clipping the bar on its way in. Fortunately, the goal was chalked off by VAR due to an offside, to the surprise and relief of the hosts. To rub salt into their wounds, Leeds broke the deadlock for real, just minutes later. Harrison clipped the ball to the far post after drifting infield from a wide position. His perfectly flighted cross, left Iverson in two minds as Sinisterra charged in, heading past the Danish shot stopper from close range. Leeds looked relatively well structured in the opening half, not allowing Leicester a sight at goal, but they failed to capitalise at the other end. The visitors started to push Leeds back after the break, and Meslier had to be called upon on numerous occasions. It seemed that it was just a matter of time, until Leeds last line of defence would be penetrated, and sure enough, with ten minutes left, the Foxes equalised. Bamford missed a gilt edged chance from a few yards out, with only seconds remaining on the clock, which kind of summed up our season. Opportunities have been few and far between, and when they present themselves, you need to grab them with both hands. Leicester have not kept a clean sheet in 17 games; Leeds have only kept five clean sheets all season; they are where they are on merit! please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Beckford mystified by Javi Gracia's decision Former player, now pundit Jermaine Beckford was left mystified by Javi Gracia's decision not to use Wilfred Gnonto last night. The 19yo has fallen out of favour with his interim boss, and has dropped down the pecking order, preferring Luis Sinisterra instead. The young Italian must have thought he was getting an early run out when Sinisterra went off injured half way through the opening 45 minutes. However, Gracia opted for Summerville, much to the annoyance of the Elland Road faithful. “As soon as Luis Sinisterra got injured, you could hear the whole stadium just erupting with Willy Gnonto, they started singing his song." “There’s no doubting he’s a fans’ favourite. He’s a fantastic football player. He’s one of those players that as soon as he picks the ball up, he’s so direct, but he’s got such close control, such focus, such drive and passion. “And the fans buzz off that sort of stuff. That’s what you need, especially when you’re at home. He was on the bench. I don’t know [why] if I’m brutally honest, I don’t know." “There was another opportunity to bring him on as well, which is when Brenden Aaronson came on. There were only two substitutions today and one of them was forced. “And that’s bizarre, especially when you can clearly see the players are getting a little bit tired, a little bit leggy, Leicester are starting to dominate the game. I don’t know, if I’m being brutally honest, I don’t know.” “The thing is, he works hard. So when we speak about luxury players, we don’t talk about the work ethic of the luxury players, we talk about how neat and tidy they are on the ball. “Whereas he’s got the other side of the game to him as well. He’s got a naughty little streak in him if need be. He grinds, he works his socks off to get back and defend. He’s also fantastic in attack, so I don’t understand it.” please log in to view this image Five games left... With Crystal Palace, Wolves, West Ham and Bournemouth pulling away from the relegation fodder, it's looking increasingly likely that Leeds will be fighting it out with Leicester City, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Southampton to keep their heads above water. A point or more for Bournemouth (who play Leeds) this weekend should be sufficient to keep them in the top flight next season if they can beat Southampton tonight. Here is a list of all the remaining fixtures that affect Leeds, and their fight for survival:-
Sick of it, it’s been another season to forget, maybe even much worse than last season because a win or even a draw against Palace at home would have meant safety. We were garbage in the 2nd half and got smashed and ever since then we have managed to stab ourselves in the back the chest and the head. We don’t deserve to stay up. Gracia has had a breakdown, no other explanation from the firm right up to the 2nd half against Palace, rabbit in the headlights ever since. Tactics, team selection, substitutions all fooking crazy. Needs to go now
Morning all. Hugely disappointing to concede the same type of goal again, especially with 10 mins of a must win remaining. Why from an innocuous throw in are Ayling and Roca so high up the pitch and then left totally exposed as the opposition burst into the space behind them ? This is partly why it seems Gracia's tactics are at times totally contradictory. It just doesn't make sense to be pressing so high when we have no pace to recover and we've actually defended reasonably well by being a little deeper. Maybe it's the players who get out of the desired shape through lack of concentration as it's almost impossible to believe we'd be doing that deliberately. That brings me nicely on to how when we should have been defending that lead for our lives he brings on the most lightweight player in our history to supposedly defend from the front. What we needed was a Forshaw or Greenwood and 10 fecking players behind the ball you knobhead. Anyway the good news is we didn't lose and the fight now goes on now to Sunday with some signs of improvement and a valuable point in our pockets.
Every scrap of the blame sits with the insane decisions ever since the board sacked Bielsa. The appointments have been rubbish and this lot have taken us back a decade. Dire football, zero fitness, a Johnny nobody coach. Horrible to watch and has become a penance watching our games. Please please remove Orta and his mates from our great club while there is something of it left. Another season of this and well be another Derby or Sunderland, if were not already at that level
Southampton at home. We wanting a home win? Being optimistic for the Saints and giving them 3 pts v Bournemouth (h), Forest (a) and Fulham (h) only puts them on 33 pts with a poor gd. Not going to be a problem
Yep I'd favour a Saints win tomorrow night as well. Keeps Bournemouth right in it and under pressure for Sunday when we leapfrog above them
Couldnt agree more. I actually though Javi would have been a good signing as such, but playing negative football. the bizarre reason (of which we all dont know it) of not playing Gnonto at all, and the teams fitness levels are really crap as well. We used to be the fittest team in the league, but at the moment i think we are the least fittest in it instead.. Shocking. I do wonder that in the long run a full squad reset is required. Total rebuild keeping 1-2 players only and nothing else. I dont think we could afford to do this in the premiership, but could possibly do this in the Championship instead. I dont want them to get relegated, and we could just about survive again this year by the skin of our teeth, but not holding my breath. #SADTIMESATLUFC ffs.
Good morning all I am depressed, don't know why!! bloody football . I think we have possibly just seen our last winnable game go by. A must win at Bournemouth, because a series of spankings will follow which will make our goal difference even worse, possibly only Bournemouth will have an inferior one, that is why it's so important we beat them, and for them to take the last relegation place,with southampton & forrest. bottom line our only chance now is for Bournemouth to go on a horrendous run. As Leicester & Everton will be ok
Yes, keep them in it, so hopefully they have something to play for and not just go through the motions at Everton last day
Tough next 4 for Everton (I'm indifferent at present about the Leicester away game) Newcastle owe them a beating for last season Man City game is in between the 2 Real Madrid games though and if Man City win their next 4 (3 at home) title could be all but over
Last season we made sure Everton survived and so far this season we have rescued Palace and Leicester. We’re a fooking joke and you know things are bad when Jammy starts to agree…. Gnonto is fully fit and has been for a fortnight, but Javi says it’s his decision who he thinks will help the team best. Well Mr Gracia you’ve turned into talking more bollox than your predecessor.
Still struggling to make sense of what actually Gracia was trying to do last night as Leicester made their changes. Twenty minutes or so to go in the game and the fresh speedy legs of Vardy & Daka come off the bench and we respond with Aaronson replacing Rodrigo. Where was the solidity, the extra body, or even two, in midfield to try and see out the game ? Seems the fans wanted Gnonto and whilst that may have led to a 2nd goal it wouldn't have really helped us defensively. Clearly Aaronson was brought on to add more energy and he did to be fair, but it was energy in the attacking third and not where it was needed shielding the defence. The daft and annoying thing is we'd taken a red card (instead of the goal conceded) then we'd probably have defended deeper and better with 10 men. Bamford's miss looks onside to me (replays) but he really shouldn't have been on the pitch for those last 15 mins when we were crying out for fresh legs. So why isn't Gracia making the correct in game decisions anymore and should he be in charge for the vital remaining 5 games when clearly he's not going to be here next season ?
Two words Doc which would have made us safe by now. Sean Dyche. The job at Leeds is too big for guys like Marsch & Gracia as they simply do not have the gravitas required. In the big moments before, during and after critical games they look and sound lost.
