Just because Phil Hay says it, doesn't mean it's true. He's a binary scorer. We win, we get high scores. even if we play badly. We lose, we get low scores, even if we play well. Today was carnage, weather-wise & everyone did their best under the circumstances. Mistakes were always going to happen - and they did. Every single player made a mistake, perhaps with the exception of their 'keeper. But every one of our team played brilliantly too, at times. I really enjoyed watching it, even when soaked & freezing cold. Now it could well be that I'm a shocking assessor myself, as reading PH's comments, Douglas had a stormer of a game, including loads of crosses. Silly me, I've been waiting for this since we signed him, & I missed it. I just remember wondering where he was at the goal, and why the left wing died when he came on. And 4/10 for the ref? WTF? Where did he drag 4 out of? 1 would have been generous. There should have been 2 reds - for them! And a lot of yellows too. Indeed, Sharp should have been off too for his simulation. Every time the ball came to him with a player in front, he dived forward for a free. Ref fell for it EVERY time, even when there was zero contact. The linesmen - both of them - had a much closer view of these divings than me, so why couldn't they see the clear daylight that I could see? In fact, they didn't see too much, so perhaps not all the blame should lie with the ref. Perhaps I'd up him to a 2, given his lack of support.
Me personally, Phillips had zero blame for the goal, not even a hint of blame and I’m watching a different game to you if you feel he should pick up the runner, that was Douglas, watch the Sky replay again on the wide camera angle if you get the chance. The goal was an error by Cooper but not glaring, he made worse errors first half that went unpunished, if we’d have scored it we’d not be blaming their defence but singing the praise of Sharp for his contribution in it. Cooper sliced a massive up and under, the ball was coming down to Phillips who was running towards his own goal but he got fairly beat by Sharp. The problem was Phillips needed to do something spectacular with it, Sharp has him beat for pace, he can’t pass it back to the keeper as his way off his line and he had it nicked off his toes. Bottom line is had Cooper not sliced that ball Casilla would not have been sent off.
I’m not saying PH is right or wrong, Milky seemed to take offence of a poster giving Cooper 5 and Phillips 7 because he blames Phillips to some extent. I too however thought Phillips was in the top 3 performers for us today and Cooper easily in the bottom three, it’s all just opinions on how you viewed the game. I used PHs scoring of the game to highlight the posters thoughts were actually kinder than others I’d read. https://throughitalltogether.sbnati...8623/leeds-player-ratings-leeds-0-1-sheff-utd Cooper 4 Phillips 6.5 https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-sheffield-player-ratings-15983676 Cooper 6 Phillips 7 https://www.express.co.uk/sport/foo...tings-Sheffield-United-Alioski-Casilla-Cooper Cooper 4 Phillips 6 I didn’t have to search for them very hard, all page one of Google for Leeds Sheffield Player Ratings
I noticed a heated exchange between Pablo and Alioski at the end of the game. I’m reading Pablo swore at Alioski about his awful over hit final corner of the game.
I wouldn’t gloat too much, it was a poor result for you as it’s still any 2 from 3 a defeat for Sheffield and you’d have had a 7 point gap.
I was teasing 1964white as he makes Phillips for England comments every game. You are watching a different game...i thought it was a bad mistake by cooper. You saw jfh’s view that it was douglas’ responsibility... i agree Douglas was slow in tracking back... and he had the view of the pitch. My view is, and Phillips is very good positionally generally, is that in those circumstances he needs to be looking around for runners and he didn’t... he went to the ball. He could have got to Basham, Douglas was never getting there. This sort of thing is just opinion. As per the sending off. Yep, it doesn’t happen if cooper doesn’t slice it. The rest of your description? We’re watching different sports never mind different games. Phillips completely miscontrolled it. It didn’t need anything spectacular it needed clearing. All good fun!
If they were starting now we’d get to the final then it doesn’t matter who you are, anything could happen in an all to play for final. It depends who has the momentum and form going into the last couple of games where it will count. I still firmly believe we’ll finish higher than Sheffield United, they have rode their luck the last couple of games, you can’t do that for another 8 games.
Sorry if I appeared to be having a go. I was, but it was aimed at PH. Make one mistake that causes a goal that beats us & you get slaughtered. Make the same mistake when we win 4-1, & you're a hero. Equally, score in a 4-1 defeat & you're a numpty, but miss 6 sitters in a 4-1 victory & you're still a hero. I used to place some reliance on his scoring until I had a good think about it. Since then, he's confirmed the pattern almost every game.
Totally agree, all opinions, I get a bit defensive over Phillips as he is great for us and he has a rough ride by a lot of fans. JFH had one opinion, Brown totally disagreed, I accept it happens. I can see where Phillips could be part to blame for the red but definitely not the tracking back for the goal.
Think you probably have enough a gap now and and an easier run in. Fair play to you, when you play well you win... when you play average you win. You take your chances. You’re more clinical than we are.
