Good Morning. It's Monday 1st April, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Not a Good Friday for Whites Leeds fought back after going behind twice to earn a share of the spoils at Vicarage Road on Good Friday! Leeds were well overdue a poor performance, and duly obliged, with a rendition resembling the horror show of last season. It was always going to be a difficult ask after the International break. Whilst the Hornets had six players out on International Duty, Daniel Farke had a total of six players to work with at Thorp Arch. Four of the Leeds contingent were also involved in the Euro play off between Wales and Poland, which went to extra time and penalties just days before the Watford game. If that wasn't bad enough, the Leeds gaffer had to contend with fresh injuries to Conor Roberts, Ilia Gruev and Wilfred Gnonto, not to mention Georginio Rutter's surgery just ten days prior. The hosts took the lead on the half hour mark. Meslier could only parry Emmanuel Dennis' goal bound from 12 yards out, and the rebound fell kindly for Vakoun Bayo who smashed the ball home before Cooper had time to react. Leeds drew level seven minutes later with a spectacular solo effort from Crysencio Summerville, bending the ball past Bachmann's outstretched dive, from the edge of the area; sending the 3000 travelling fans into rapturous jubilation. The half seemed destined to remain level pegging, until the stroke of half time, when Dennis (who had been a constant threat to the Leeds defence all half) regained the lead with a solo effort of his own, rounding two Leeds defenders in the process. Leeds looked better in the second half, and when Ampadu dropped back into central defence, the visitors started to find their feet. This coincided with Firpo being bought on after an hour, freeing up Archie Gray to move to midfield. Byram switched to right back (where he looks far more comfortable) and finally Leeds started to resemble a side worthy of their Championship pecking order. Why it took Daniel Farke so long to make these changes is difficult to fathom; Leeds had been over-ran in the middle of the park, with absolutely no support to their lone striker who may as well on have been on the field. Summerville (who has not been at his best over the last couple on months) ran the show for Leeds, and was the contributing factor when Leeds drew level five minutes before time. He picked out Joseph in a congested penalty area, who somehow managed to scramble the ball over the line. It wasn't a great performance, but all will be forgiven if they can get back to winning ways this evening for the arrival of Hull City. please log in to view this image Social media boo boys point finger of blame at Cooper Ever since the Tom Lees era, the Leeds faithful have developed a habit of pointing the finger of blame at a single individual when things go wrong on the pitch, and Liam Cooper is never far away from criticism! His inclusion in the starting line-up was his first since the visit to the Hawthorns just after Christmas, and that didn't end well either! Having conceded just three times from their previous thirteen games, Leeds relinquish two goals in quick succession on Friday night, and unfortunately for the Leeds stalwart, he is the common denominator. Does he deserve the criticism he is getting on social media, or just the latest in a long line of fall guys when things go wrong? Should Farke have started with Ampadu alongside Rodon? Perhaps Cresswell should have been given the nod; either way, when substituted midway through the second half Cooper looked dejected and troubled! please log in to view this image Bamford's dire statistics How on earth was Patrick Bamford afforded 90 minutes on Friday evening? The 30yo striker may as well have been playing in a different postcode, such was his contribution on Friday night. No goal, no shots either on or off target, no assists, no blocks, no dribbles, no interceptions, one tackle, and only 10 out of 15 passes completed! I'm not saying it's all his fault. The service he received was shocking, but when it became obvious that he was frozen out of the game, why wasn't he replaced to either beef up our midfield or replace him earlier by the more mobile Matteo Joseph? please log in to view this image
i think that awful hornet's kit bamboozled us for a while..................young mat surely deserves extra game time shortly!
Morning all Bamford ain't great let's put it like that. He had no shots on target but Joseph scored within 5 seconds of coming on. Speals for itself doesn't it. Funny how we've been the on form team of the league with Rodon and Ampadu in CB then when Cooper starts we draw to Watford.
Morning all. Bamford struggles understandably when rest of team isn’t firing. In the little I’ve seen of Joseph he seems to be able to lift things. Had he had a Half hour Friday then who knows. However we all thought the same about Joffy with his ten minutes here and there and he was a flop in the end
All started well on Friday with Leicester and Southampton faltering Ipswich probably played the worst out the 3 but took 3 pts. even though we snagged a draw feels like a loss to me. Cooper wasn't great Friday but lets be honest here lads nobody was. all this League one Liam again and all the blame over social media for him we just don't need it man. Support your team no player goes out there to lose. 60 mins of that game we were not League Leaders and were getting outplayed. Having a few days to think we really have to give Watford credit for three quarters of that game. They suffocated us, wouldn't let us turn, doubled up on key players and niggled certain players all game and once again these type of tactics worked against us, we don't like a physical battle. some players go to pot when they are hassled and bustled. We just couldn't play them 1st half was that us being under par yes of course it was. but, also you have to say well done Watford. I heard from fans it was the best they have seen from them this season. Also Understand the Bamford frustration but he got no service he's a striker and got basically nothing played to him you can't blame him for that. I watched him and he even had to go deep to get in the game 1st half that's how much we were struggling. Once Watford took their attacking players off they changed formation and tried to hold on to what they had that's why we had much more of the ball 2nd half. It wasn't coz we turned the game. Firpo made a big difference when he came on and we missed the Batty type player Gruev who the ball winner and plays the simple passes to get us moving. We just weren't at the races Friday and I'm not afraid to say it Watford were the better Footballing team for the majority of that game. We have to get the ball rolling again MOT!!!!!!!!
and yet that combination of Ampadu and Rodon were unable to stop Huddersfield scoring and we end up drawing against a team that played with 10 men for over 45 minutes Did Cooper have a good game against Watford, I would have to say no. But we didn't just have a bad result because he was in the team, we had a bad result 5 games ago and he wasn't involved in that
Evening all Ipswich are getting the rub of the green, they’re this seasons fortunate team, they’ve been good in patches, when they’ve not been good they’ve managed to come away with points. If we win tonight it, becomes a three horse race. We might need to hope Southampton can take points from Leicester, Ipswich will be panicking about the injury to Moore
