Sheff Wed v Leeds - Team/Reports/Ratings....

[1964white]

O'kane passed to Hernandez who bottled it allowing Lee to get there first . Needed 3 in midfield . Alioski is a luxury player away from home.
Jansson and Cooper are a better two than pennington/jansson. Phillips offers little so time for Viera or Klich

Agree

Pontus (if fit) & Cooper plus Kiich & Vieira for the Reading game

[Durly]

Samuel Saiz was class today

He's different class. Offers us so much. Wouldn't swap him for any other player in this division. First name on the team sheet every time.

[Durly]

Agree

Pontus (if fit) & Cooper plus Kiich & Vieira for the Reading game

Assuming Pontus is fit, I'd go:

Lonergan; Ayling, Jansson, Cooper, Berardi; Vieira, Klich; Sacko, Saiz, Hernandez; Lasogga

I agree that Berardi was given a torrid time today but not sure Anita or BJ are the answer at left back either.
Might give Cibicki a go for Sacko. Alioski will come good, I'm sure but isn't justifying his selection currently.

[Cjay]

Just seen the 1st goal again.

Lees rose above his marker cant see where jansson could get the blame. There was Lees marker behind him couldn't really jump.

Wiedwald should have come flying out taking man and ball.

But it was Phillips who let Hooper go.

[1964white]

Assuming Pontus is fit, I'd go:

Lonergan; Ayling, Jansson, Cooper, Berardi; Vieira, Klich; Sacko, Saiz, Hernandez; Lasogga

I agree that Berardi was given a torrid time today but not sure Anita or BJ are the answer at left back either.
Might give Cibicki a go for Sacko. Alioski will come good, I'm sure but isn't justifying his selection currently.

After seeing Berardi's last two atrocious performances I would play Anita at LB if he is fit to play

Agree with the rest of your team mate, definitely the one I'd go with v Reading

[1964white]

He's different class. Offers us so much. Wouldn't swap him for any other player in this division. First name on the team sheet every time.

A delight to watch playing in a Leeds shirt

I'd say worth the gate money but today I may as well have chucked my money in a river

[1964white]

0 Wiedwald
2 Ayling
6 Jansson
2 Pennington
2 Berardi
2 O’Kane
2 Phillips
2 Roofe
8 Saiz MOTM
2 Alioski
5 Lasogga
4 Hernandez
5 Sacko
4 Dallas

[Oscar]

It does just show how much goals change games thought we started the game really really well, they get the 1st goal against the run of play but our reaction to that was so so poor. The first goal is awful Ayling is totally out of position and Phillips loses Hooper too easily, Felix then stops running for some reason despite it being 90-10 in his favour to win the ball. Second goal is similar Berardi lets the cross come in too easily, Ayling out of position Pontus leaves Hooper. 3rd goal is laughable.
We still created a lot of chances but we are so poor off the ball and defensively atm. Felix getting most of the blame and he is out of form but he is the least of our problems atm we could have Neuer or DeGea in goal atm and we would concede a lot of goals. That's not me saying Felix is faultless far from it but Lonergan isn't going to stop us conceding either think we have some massive problems defensively and off the ball atm.
Ratings:
Wiedwald 4
Ayling 4
Pennington 4
Jansson 5
Berardi 4
Phillips 2
O'Kane 3
Roofe 3
Saiz 7 MOTM
Alioski 3
Lasogga 5
Subs:
Sacko 4
Hernandez 7
Dallas 6

[Durly]

It does just show how much goals change games thought we started the game really really well, they get the 1st goal against the run of play but our reaction to that was so so poor. The first goal is awful Ayling is totally out of position and Phillips loses Hooper too easily, Felix then stops running for some reason despite it being 90-10 in his favour to win the ball. Second goal is similar Berardi lets the cross come in too easily, Ayling out of position Pontus leaves Hooper. 3rd goal is laughable.
We still created a lot of chances but we are so poor off the ball and defensively atm. Felix getting most of the blame and he is out of form but he is the least of our problems atm we could have Neuer or DeGea in goal atm and we would concede a lot of goals. That's not me saying Felix is faultless far from it but Lonergan isn't going to stop us conceding either think we have some massive problems defensively and off the ball atm.
Ratings:
Wiedwald 4
Ayling 4
Pennington 4
Jansson 5
Berardi 4
Phillips 2
O'Kane 3
Roofe 3
Saiz 7 MOTM
Alioski 3
Lasogga 5
Subs:
Sacko 4
Hernandez 7
Dallas 6

Pretty fair assessment. A few weeks ago we were excellent without the ball, pressurising teams and working really hard to win it back. That's not been the case against Millwall, Cardiff or yesterday and it's really important that we keep playing this way, especially away from home where teams are looking to get at us.
I'd still drop Felix and bring Lonergan in though.

[Gurj]

An Absolute shambles. We thought Millwall was bad and Cardiff a shocker, this was even bloody worse !!

TC tactics suddenly seem clueless away from home but to be fair to him, what can he do when so many players just don't turn up ?!
I can say hand on heart that only 2 players were half decent to get even a 5/10 ! Saiz and Lasogga.

Rest were just pathetic !

Ayling awful of late, Pontus looks a shadow of the guy we know. Berardi for all he's effort is no left back and so CBJ must be bloody terrible if he cant suddenly even get in the squad ?!

OKane was still ill surely as I have never seen him play so badly - likes of Bannan were just walkinng round him.
Phillips back to the crap player we saw last season. Alioski flattering to deceive again, Roofe headless chicken.
And the Keeper ?! Well I think I could f be a better goalie than him even being the fat old man I am these days - he's much much worse than Silvestri never mind Green !

Massive task for TC to get things sorted in this international break. Reading at home wont be easy but I think we will win that but its the away games where we will have a huge challenge. We just seem to crumble when we go behind........no coincidence that all the away games we have won this season have been through taking the lead. TC has to install a much greater toughness in these players - they cant simply given up when the going gets tough !!



.

[Charity Shield 69]

Strangely the pattern of play in this match resembled quite closely a high profile football match of another code played 30+ hours previously on the MCG.

In the AFL Grand Final the higher ranked Adelaide Crows started particularly well against an apparently more nervous underdog Richmond Tigers who happened to be playing on its regular home ground.
The latter team got its game going prior to being too far behind on the scoreboard and by time it had hit the lead it had sufficient momentum to shut its opponents out of the game and win at a canter.

During much of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters many Adelaide players often looked inept, soft and appeared to be going through the motions.
How could this be for a proven team comprising many highly credentialed players?

I'm fairly sure the Adelaide team went into the game with the inner confidence of a superior team, a status that would have been reinforced in their minds by a confident start compared with the scratchy opening of the opposition.
It's impossible to know whether this provided a cue to the subconscious to back off the intensity a few percent, but once Richmond had grown into the game and gained the ascendency there appeared to be nothing the Crows players & coaching staff could do to arrest the decline.

Of course these players & coaching staff hadn't suddenly become incompetent nor the team bereft of any semblance of coordination, as it appeared. However until the result was virtually decided this #1 team couldn't execute a decent scoring opportunity nor prevent their inspired opponents from carving their defence apart despite the incentive of playing in a match of this status.

Over the first 20 or so minutes Leeds United played some impressive attacking football although lacking the finish needed to grab the game by the throat. At times it looked all too easy against a team that at that time appeared noticeably inferior.
We know all too well what happened after that.

Hopefully the necessary response from within the club will be measured, promote healthy competition but be mindful of the need for suitable support of the players to promote unity and ongoing individual & collective improvement.

Cheers,
CS69

[whiteswan]

Ive been wanting to post on this thread but just havent known what to say really. I feel rather let down by the players and coach because I now feel exactly as I have felt as a Leeds United supporter for the last 10 years or more. The season started with such hope, very good quality football a joy to watch. I felt proud to be a Leeds united supporter once again...and then... what? Where has it all gone wrong to give me this same old let down feeling once again.
You guys who have been banging on all season and before about our need to strengthen at the back have been proved so right, so how did the management and board get it so wrong?
We appear to have a goalkeeper who certainly can't catch the ball, can't even punch it cleanly away, and can't kick it the length of the pitch, but can 'pass' it to defenders who then can't or dont know how to play out of defence. So why does TC keep sticking with him.
I was disappointed with the Millwall result, extremely disppointed with the Cardiff result but to loose like this to Sheffield Wednesday with no passion, no drive and no ideas it seems, it now just feels like the same old same old.....(and now so do I!)
Just one thing I did wonder, have the players, coaching staff etc been guilty of beieving their own hype. The week before the Millwall game, all the aports pundits, sports news channels, local TV were bigging Leeds United up something ridiculous. Returning to the premier league blah, biggest club in the Championship blah, one of the stations even went live to Eddie Gray to ask him about this wonderful resurgent Leeds United. I did think at the time that it may not go down well with other clubs or indeed, knock our players off track if they decided to believe all that clap trap. Rant over....sorry, not a happy bunny!

[Gurj]

I did say in my summary that I thought O'Kane was still ill. Now we find out that illness that LUFC advised us off at Cardiff was in fact cracked ribs !! Rep of Ireland Management advised last night that Eunan had to have a painkilling injection before the game on sunday to allow him to play. No wonder he looked so out of sorts.

Thing is, what does this say about the lack of faith TC must have in young Vieira ?!

[1964white]

I did say in my summary that I thought O'Kane was still ill. Now we find out that illness that LUFC advised us off at Cardiff was in fact cracked ribs !! Rep of Ireland Management advised last night that Eunan had to have a painkilling injection before the game on sunday to allow him to play. No wonder he looked so out of sorts.

Thing is, what does this say about the lack of faith TC must have in young Vieira ?!

I'm still scratching me head at this whole scenario !

There is nowhere I could have played bowls let alone football with broken or cracked ribs. I've been there twice, that injury is extremely painful & can affect your breathing if you exert yourself too much.

What was Christiansen & the medics at ER thinking

[gessa]

Ive been wanting to post on this thread but just havent known what to say really. I feel rather let down by the players and coach because I now feel exactly as I have felt as a Leeds United supporter for the last 10 years or more. The season started with such hope, very good quality football a joy to watch. I felt proud to be a Leeds united supporter once again...and then... what? Where has it all gone wrong to give me this same old let down feeling once again.
You guys who have been banging on all season and before about our need to strengthen at the back have been proved so right, so how did the management and board get it so wrong?
We appear to have a goalkeeper who certainly can't catch the ball, can't even punch it cleanly away, and can't kick it the length of the pitch, but can 'pass' it to defenders who then can't or dont know how to play out of defence. So why does TC keep sticking with him.
I was disappointed with the Millwall result, extremely disppointed with the Cardiff result but to loose like this to Sheffield Wednesday with no passion, no drive and no ideas it seems, it now just feels like the same old same old.....(and now so do I!)
Just one thing I did wonder, have the players, coaching staff etc been guilty of beieving their own hype. The week before the Millwall game, all the aports pundits, sports news channels, local TV were bigging Leeds United up something ridiculous. Returning to the premier league blah, biggest club in the Championship blah, one of the stations even went live to Eddie Gray to ask him about this wonderful resurgent Leeds United. I did think at the time that it may not go down well with other clubs or indeed, knock our players off track if they decided to believe all that clap trap. Rant over....sorry, not a happy bunny!

Hopefully just a blip Swannie, most teams go through a rough patch in a season, hopefully this is our 1 and only, 8 points from the next 12 are realistic and will keep us up there. Keep believing

[gessa]

I did say in my summary that I thought O'Kane was still ill. Now we find out that illness that LUFC advised us off at Cardiff was in fact cracked ribs !! Rep of Ireland Management advised last night that Eunan had to have a painkilling injection before the game on sunday to allow him to play. No wonder he looked so out of sorts.

Thing is, what does this say about the lack of faith TC must have in young Vieira ?!

Read this last night, a very strange decision, especially when we have able replacements, it's not as though we are threadbare in the midfield department.

[1964white]

Ive been wanting to post on this thread but just havent known what to say really. I feel rather let down by the players and coach because I now feel exactly as I have felt as a Leeds United supporter for the last 10 years or more. The season started with such hope, very good quality football a joy to watch. I felt proud to be a Leeds united supporter once again...and then... what? Where has it all gone wrong to give me this same old let down feeling once again.
You guys who have been banging on all season and before about our need to strengthen at the back have been proved so right, so how did the management and board get it so wrong?
We appear to have a goalkeeper who certainly can't catch the ball, can't even punch it cleanly away, and can't kick it the length of the pitch, but can 'pass' it to defenders who then can't or dont know how to play out of defence. So why does TC keep sticking with him.
I was disappointed with the Millwall result, extremely disppointed with the Cardiff result but to loose like this to Sheffield Wednesday with no passion, no drive and no ideas it seems, it now just feels like the same old same old.....(and now so do I!)
Just one thing I did wonder, have the players, coaching staff etc been guilty of beieving their own hype. The week before the Millwall game, all the aports pundits, sports news channels, local TV were bigging Leeds United up something ridiculous. Returning to the premier league blah, biggest club in the Championship blah, one of the stations even went live to Eddie Gray to ask him about this wonderful resurgent Leeds United. I did think at the time that it may not go down well with other clubs or indeed, knock our players off track if they decided to believe all that clap trap. Rant over....sorry, not a happy bunny!

All teams go through bad spells Swan

Better to happen now than to cave in as we did in the run-in under Monk

[lufc1304]

I did say in my summary that I thought O'Kane was still ill. Now we find out that illness that LUFC advised us off at Cardiff was in fact cracked ribs !! Rep of Ireland Management advised last night that Eunan had to have a painkilling injection before the game on sunday to allow him to play. No wonder he looked so out of sorts.

Thing is, what does this say about the lack of faith TC must have in young Vieira ?!

Massive c**k-up by TC (should have played Klich), but hasn't it been reported this week that Vieira is carrying a knock? Maybe that's why he hasn't featured?

[Gurj]

I dont know but I have had the impression since the start of this season, that TC doesnt rate Ronaldo Vieira. He's had ample opportunities to play him and other than the odd cup game, he's hardly had a start or even a place on the bench.

[whiteswan]

Hopefully just a blip Swannie, most teams go through a rough patch in a season, hopefully this is our 1 and only, 8 points from the next 12 are realistic and will keep us up there. Keep believing

Hopefully ges, onwards and upwards.....lets keep going :scarf1: