I hope everyone’s feeling ok this morning. Not read the thread as it’s always a bit of a cluster after a loss. my thoughts: absolutely proud of the team and their performance. They worked their arses off. Ballard, O’Nien, Hume, Neil and Isidor in particular were top top class Leeds are the best team in the division and deserve to go up. Our loss to Leeds isn’t what will cost us automatics, it’s the Watford’s and Plymouths that will The subs didn’t work although I can see why RLB didn’t want to disrupt Jobe or Neil’s positions. Should have been Aleksic not Samed coming on. Samed looked lost and I don’t think that’s his fault I’m much much much more confident about the playoffs after last night This has been one hell of a season, this is one hell of a team and Reggie, for all his downfall regarding subs and timing of subs, has been brilliant for us. Long time left in season. Automatics IS still possible but I’d put in the “quite unlikely” category. All focus should be on keeping some momentum for playoffs and organically being there if Sheff Utd or Leeds drop off somehow
Aye we haven’t sent them out to sit back we couldn’t get out Leeds doubled up on Jobe Roberts and le fee all night. it left Isidor isolated doing a job he can’t do and meant our midfield and wingers couldn’t retain the ball eventually meaning it was coming back at us nothing we can do. We defended it perfectly for the most part
One thing to add. Both goals were absolutely brilliant balls in from Joe Rothwell. Patto absolutely could have done better on the second one, but that doesn’t take away the quality of the goals from Leeds perspective. I wouldn’t put either in the “clanger” category. If Leeds go up and we don’t I’d be all over Rothwell permanently for next season. He’s brilliant whenever he plays us.
Bang on, it’s not a choice to sit so deep but imo that’s where Mayenda would’ve been better on the pitch with Isidor. Obvs would’ve had to sacrifice someone to bring him on tho. All it takes is one over-committed corner or free kick on the edge of the box and we could break. All hindsight though, if we held on I’d be saying I would’ve done the same as Regis
That's a very good summary and very little I can disagree with. All I would say is that the situation with subs is just opinions, not facts. None of know if we'd have more, or less, points if RLB had made the various substitutions we've asked for. Because our 'choices' didn't happen we can't be proved wrong ... but they may well have made things worse, not better.
I think if we are to close up shop we have to do it the way we did in the first half. They had all the possession but didn't get close to a threat. We had 3 shots all on target, ive got no problem with sitting back but we have to still carry a threat, there's no point just sitting 11 men in an blasting clear them waiting for it coming back. Dan Neil was the only one with any composure when we won the ball back. This is not a criticism of RLB tactics, its just getting this through to the players. I'm sure he would have told them to carry on as the first half, I think it was probably the players as the game went on, naturally start to sit deeper and just clearing there lines
Exactly marra,keeping form and momentum is massive going into the final few games if it’s the play offs, remember Boro a few years ago coasted into the playoffs while resting players in the final few games and went into the playoffs in bad form and then became hard to get back into form and winning habits
Cruel way to lose last night I thought. Having said that Regis had it right, they were the better side second half and I think desrved the win. When you can bring Rothwell off the bench, with his set piece delivery, you are a top squad. That is what did for us, two top class balls in from Rothwell, although the second was avoidable. Lee Fee completely sold himself and gave Rothwell all the time in the world, Patto didnt read it and not sure why we havent learned what their lad can do with his head. All that said, plenty to like. Earlier this season Dan Neil was called all sorts, and even recently has been deemed not a top championship cdm. He was best player on the park last night, and completely stood out. Even loved him wanting a scrap at the end. He was hurting. Thought Isidors goal was class. Thought Jobe physically bossed them. Ballard was canny, Hume too. Dare I say I thought Le Fee was bossed a bit down his side and Cirkin was exposed far too much. Folk will say he should be in the middle, maybe so. Subs looked right, but as others have said not Samed there. He was lost. If it was a player for there Aleksic should have been considered. Long way to top 2 now. The lads wont give up so neither will I.
Sometimes, if you come up against a better team, things won't always go the way you want. All the tactics/subs/selections in the world won't stop Liverpool beating other teams ... they're just better. Thinking RLB could've/should've made 'better' changes is nice but not always realistic.
For the record, “not deserving to lose” and “the better side winning” are not one and the same. I do think the better side won. They have multi million pound players on the bench. But our lads, who literally left it all on the field, didn’t deserve to .ose the game. They were limited going forward and didn’t create a clear chance until the last 15 minutes. That’s my 10p worth!!
Just a point about 'Roberts costing us a goal’. There were tackles, all over the pitch, worse than that. Jobe, Cirkin, Hume and O'Nien spring to mind ... I can't recall exactly but some resulted in deserved bookings. Roberts never gave up on defending imo, deserves credit as I'm sure that's not how he wants to play.
Honestly, even though it’s not impossible. Autos are out of my mind now. I just want us to go into the playoffs with some good momentum and try get all our players back to full fitness. Mundle, Watson etc. I’d also like to see RLB be a bit more bolder now. I’d like to see Mayenda start over Roberts from time to time. We need to get Le Fee in the centre for Rigg. We need to work on keeping our foot on the gas the entire match We need to get used to scoring more goals in a game. Can’t defend 1-0 leads in playoffs
I think Roberts worked his arse off last night and is getting some very unfair criticism. There’s moments he helped us get out of pressure and yes he gave a lazy foul away but the boy was knackered and made a mistake. He wasn’t the only one
I think we did in other games, last night no, i think we seem to dwindle after scoring though, it's like we take our foot off the gas imo
I don’t agree at all and haven’t all season we start sitting back on 1-0 leads late in games when we start to tire and that’s why we concede late goals we push for 3 quarters of a game but don’t take chances, get tired teams start pumping the ball up and conceding lucky goals it’s plain to see for me it’s our weakness we need to be more clinical. The game plan it’s self would actually work
