We've been there and you'll get no sympathy from anyone for being successful and playing 3 games a week but I do agree that this "we've got covid" seems to be a handy excuse for postponing games when the AFCON cup is on. As for us we can only play the team before us and it was a good game, close and I'm glad I actually knew the result before I watched the recording.
Price we pay for getting into Europe, we just didn't have the squad for it, losing Ogbonna or Zouma would've been a blow, but losing both has meant Diop. Hopefully it's his last start.
It seems only the bankrolled clubs like Chelski, Citeh etc can afford the size of squad to make success in European and EPL games possible. How on earth they keep that number of players interested when they aren't playing regularly I have no idea. Probably getting paid zillions a week helps?
Not long ago another team in claret and blue qualified for the Europa. Ever since they have gone backwards and this season should be relegated. You need a big investment in squad to compete and when you cant it takes its toll and then the slide happens.
Well you'll be on the right end of it this weekend as Man Utd have a game at Brentford on Wednesday night whilst West Ham have no mid week game. You play Man Utd Saturday so they only have Thurs, Fri between games.
Raphinha involved in every goal plus the disallowed one & just for good measure hit the post with a superlative free-kick please log in to view this image
How immense was Pascal yesterday? So pleased to see Struijk back Thought he was brilliant. Pascal Struijk was phenomenal for Leeds this afternoon. No player won more tackles (5/5) than him today and he made the most ball recoveries (15), won the most defensive aerial duels (4) and made the most blocks (2) of any other player involved. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
I love Grahme Souness, the best football pundit by a country mile! "Bielsa never moans, unlike other coaches" "He doesn't encourage or his players to fall to ground at will to gain an advantage" “Honest to a man” “Anyone who knows anything about football wants Leeds in the Premier League “ “If I lived in Yorkshire, I’d buy a season ticket “
From the BBC - Garth Crooks team of the week (includes Harrison and Raphinha); Jack Harrison: What a match between West Ham and Leeds. It might have been littered with mistakes but, as far as entertainment, it was an amazing contest. Leeds needed these points and Harrison provided the finishing touches to a Leeds win with a hat-trick and performance that was without question their best of the season. This is a Leeds side who have suffered from injuries, and lost another two players against West Ham. They have had Covid-19 issues and, on occasions, been down to the bare bones but have played on regardless. Well done Leeds, you're a credit to the Premier League. He does gone on to say Leeds only have one star and that's Raphinha...
I have to say at the time both Forshaw & Firpo were injured I was concerned for our season especially if they have long term injuries. Forshaw has been immense & Firpo has significantly improved of late. You couldn't write it, folks please log in to view this image
7 Meslier 7 Ayling 7 Koch 9 Struijk 7 Firpo 7 Forshaw 8 Klich 7 Dallas 9 Raphinha 9 Harrison 7 James Subs 6 Rodrigo 8 Hjeldi 7 Bate
Yeah apart from moaning about Mike Dean, Diop and Antonio she was fairly quiet - especially at full time
Did you manage to keep your mouth shut? I've not historically been too good at keeping a low profile when in 'the wrong end'.
Surprisingly enough I did keep quiet, though it was so difficult to suppress my emotions when Harrison slotted in the 3rd as I was right behind that goal Also I wasn’t too impressed with their support. When Klich scored, loads of them left, and when VAR disallowed it they all came back
