Rotherham Utd v Leeds Utd Match Thread

[Jaydog]

Pics from the game.
Cooper doing defensive duties.

[Kennyb41]

Not yet, maybe this evening.

I'm busy today, Kenny boy.

My internet connection was bad and buffering, saw abart 35 mins of the first and 20 of the 2nd, did you go to the game live ? I thought there was a massive fck up from DF, did you ?

[Sara]

Disheartening game. You can blame the break and fridayitis, but we seemed to lack attacking intent. Far too much passing sideways and backwards because there didn't seem to be a forward outlet.

I think, ultimately, that's down to the manager. We can't rely on individuals to create, and then repeatedly drop points against poor opposition if those individuals are injured or unfit. We need to be less passive as a unit.

We probably also need upgrades on Firpo, Cooper, Ayling, Poveda and Bamford if we want consistent quality all over the pitch for 90 minutes.

[Jaydog]

He thought we could brush them aside with his “second” team and was probably fairly confident after the early goal. Then it all became a little casual, wasted chances and the fiasco of their goal.
Watch that back a few times.
They just grew in confidence as they realised we aren’t as good as we think we are.
Rutter was the main miss for me. Even allowing for his assist he was very quiet by his standards.

[1964white]

He thought we could brush them aside with his “second” team and was probably fairly confident after the early goal. Then it all became a little casual, wasted chances and the fiasco of their goal.
Watch that back a few times.
They just grew in confidence as they realised we aren’t as good as we think we are.
Rutter was the main miss for me. Even allowing for his assist he was very quiet by his standards.

I just knew Rotherham were going to equalise, even though we were under no pressure. All that pratting about at the back & in the middle of the park, rather than play where we could hurt them, it was inevitable someone would make a mistake, in the end it was a mix of errors & bad luck that led to the goal.

We not as not good as we think we are, especially if we don't take our chances, the game evened out in the second-half because we lost our rhythm & never recovered our mojo back to win the game. How many times has that occurred this season, we are almost robotic!

[1964white]

Firpo, Cooper, Ayling, Poveda and Bamford if we want consistent quality all over the pitch for 90 minutes.

We definitely need upgrades on those five, I don't want to see any of those them near the first-team squad, they are liabilities & could cost us promotion.

Ayling, Coops & Bamford have served us well in the past, surely their days are numbered now.

[Kennyb41]

I just knew Rotherham were going to equalise, even though we were under no pressure. All that pratting about at the back & in the middle of the park, rather than play where we could hurt them, it was inevitable someone would make a mistake, in the end it was a mix of errors & bad luck that led to the goal.

We not as not good as we think we are, especially if we don't take our chances, the game evened out in the second-half because we lost our rhythm & never recovered our mojo back to win the game. How many times has that occurred this season, we are almost robotic!

I'll wait till you've had your 2nd viewing Sid, i'm interested in your thoughts, i only saw about 40 minutes of it.

But that was enough.

To see.

I actually saw and thought your hero was at times trying to take the matters into his own hands and rightly make a statement of where it was fcked up. You'll probably catch that now on your 2nd viewing.

[Jaydog]

We definitely need upgrades on those five, I don't want to see any of those them near the first-team squad, they are liabilities & could cost us promotion.

Ayling, Coops & Bamford have served us well in the past, surely their days are numbered now.

I’m sure that the usual excuses will be trotted out for Bamford. The through ball that went underneath his leg. The offside where he’s exactly in line and should never be off although it’s debatable whether he touched it tbh.
Firpo non existent. Zero desire.
Cooper scarily slow. Credit for his clearance though.
That was Ampadu's fault with a piss-poor header back to Meslier.

Coops read the game well there!

[Cjay]

This is about Rotherham......Ipswich didn't beat them either.

Birmingham
Hull
Southampton
Sheffield Wednesday
Cardiff
Stoke

They've taken more points than we have from those teams.

So they can afford a draw with Rotherham

We couldn't

[Jaydog]

Very tempted by this treble today.
Would see us down to 4th and trail the top 2 by 10.

[The Subhuman]

That was your inference solely.

The post referred only to tonight’s result.

So kneejerk?

[The Subhuman]

Blaming any of last night on Cooper is silly.
He had a terrific game and managed to nullify their ariel threat time and time again.

When you are on top you need to take your chances.

Piroe was wasteful again. Header in first minute and his glory attempts ...
Struijk 50p head (yanks might need to Google 50p coin)
James and Kamara attempts just woeful.

And my latest bugbear is Gray at RB.
Him doing "okay" won't get us promoted, but an overlapping, underlapping Ayling might. As may a dynamic young MF in rotation with Amps and Kamara.

Poveda looks useless too. Bring back Joffy

Agreed, Coop was as good as Joe last night, he did alright and I think he's fine for now as a back up for Struijk
Gray will learn the position, he's good enough to play most roles given time

[Jaydog]

Wouldn’t say I’d blame it on Cooper. Pure experience took him to the right place at the right time for his clearance but he’s very slow and will get beaten for pace easily time and time again as he did last night.

[Cjay]

Disheartening game. You can blame the break and fridayitis, but we seemed to lack attacking intent. Far too much passing sideways and backwards because there didn't seem to be a forward outlet.

I think, ultimately, that's down to the manager. We can't rely on individuals to create, and then repeatedly drop points against poor opposition if those individuals are injured or unfit. We need to be less passive as a unit.

We probably also need upgrades on Firpo, Cooper, Ayling, Poveda and Bamford if we want consistent quality all over the pitch for 90 minutes.

Basically where I am.

Not convinced DF makes much difference to us in the sense he raises the team the way Bielsa did or McKenna does for Ipswich.

We are very passive at times and slow and seem incapable of having consistent performances even from half to half? Why is that? Attitude? Tactics? No idea but this isn't a first time occurrence.

[Carrick Dave]

So kneejerk?

Again, your inference.

[The Subhuman]

Again, your inference.

But a fair one ..

[whiteswan]

Birmingham
Hull
Southampton
Sheffield Wednesday
Cardiff
Stoke

They've taken more points than we have from those teams.

So they can afford a draw with Rotherham

We couldn't

Ipswich weren't in disarray during pre season and the first few weeks of the season. They were flying high with the same team and manager. Its amazing we are where we are, after the nightmare upheaval we had to contend with.

[whiteswan]

I'm beginning to think Paddy is done.. Joseph needs to be promoted...

I do think this is Farke's blind spot..

I agree re Paddy.....sadly.

I also think you were right about had we played this afternoon at 3.00 we would have won that game.
SKY are going to have a say in this promotion race with their ridiculous scheduling....

[Irish Ian]

Agreed, Coop was as good as Joe last night, he did alright and I think he's fine for now as a back up for Struijk
Gray will learn the position, he's good enough to play most roles given time

My thing about Gray is that yes he will learn the position but for now we lack punch on the right as Gray does not back up James the way that Ayling and hopefully Spence will.

Ayling helps us get in behind and allows us to hit teams where it hurts.

[Leeds1000]

My mates a Watford fans who went to their shellacking....he says they were beyond awful

Your mate was spot on. Unfortunately so was we on the night.