Leeds Utd v Bolton Wanderers Match Thread

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Another 13 results like that will do folks you discuss all you like re performance, irrelevant wins a win

[weasel]

If only we could shoot/head the ball on target. in the end our winner was a fluke & goalkeeping error.

Our crossing was woeful too

As others have said prior to the match we were well overdue a bit of good luck, and well overdue a penalty too. Sometimes a bit of luck is the most important stat.

[BGwhite]

Everything seems flat considering we are still in control of the auto's and I put it down to all these games where it is too close for comfort. In our position we should be hammering some teams by 2-3 goals as well as having to grind out results but I'm afraid when every single game becomes a panic to hang on for 3 points or even 1 it just doesn't inspire confidence which probably explains the negative reaction from fans. Just watched SU beat WBA quite comfortably which I'm sure won't be the case next Friday when Leeds play WBA.

[Genghers]

Everything seems flat considering we are still in control of the auto's and I put it down to all these games where it is too close for comfort. In our position we should be hammering some teams by 2-3 goals as well as having to grind out results but I'm afraid when every single game becomes a panic to hang on for 3 points or even 1 it just doesn't inspire confidence which probably explains the negative reaction from fans. Just watched SU beat WBA quite comfortably which I'm sure won't be the case next Friday when Leeds play WBA.

We've not really been blowing teams away since the first month or so of the season. We came out of the blocks incredibly well and teams didn't know what to expect. Can't think of many games we have won by large margins - only Norwich, Stoke and Derby (x2) really.

We still control games, but I do agree that it would be nice to have a 2 goal cushion in the last 5.

[rab_rant]

As others have said prior to the match we were well overdue a bit of good luck, and well overdue a penalty too. Sometimes a bit of luck is the most important stat.

I don't know how the ref could have given a penalty to Roberts.
As he was running into the box at speed he quickly bent down
and undid the laces on both boots and in a flash he tied the laces
on the opposite boots together so that he tripped himself up.
Then with some slight of hand before the ref could see, he untied them
again, and raised both hand claiming a penalty.

It was a total and utter travesty, a mockery of a shambles, a shitehole
of simulation, that will forever tarnish the reputation of the EFL who
quite clearly state in the FA rule book section 3 paragraph 4 that referees are
not permitted to award penalties to Leeds United FC.

I will take this injustice to the houses of parliament and the highest courts in the
land to have that penalty decision rescinded and also ask for a heavy fine and
points deduction of no less than 10 points, and a further investigation into
the tactics of Marcello Bielsa, who dares to teach players acts of gross simulation
within the penalty box, and thus brings the game into disrepute.

Disgruntled - Royal Tunbridge Wells

[1964white]

As others have said prior to the match we were well overdue a bit of good luck, and well overdue a penalty too. Sometimes a bit of luck is the most important stat.

I just highlighted the reasons why we don't win matches convincingly apart from another fact of late that we are unable to keep clean sheets

No excuses for hitting the ball miles over the bar/often missing the target/ or shooting & heading straight at the keeper

[SG90]

I presume the ref will be demoted for having the audacity to give us a penalty?

[The Subhuman]

We're not winning all our games, right now we're probably 3rd or 4th best team in the division. SU and Norwich for me are the ones that can lose it atm. If we beat WBA it'a 3 horse race but we've guaranteed the playoffs barring a finish worse than Heck last season

[SG90]

We're not winning all our games, right now we're probably 3rd or 4th best team in the division. SU and Norwich for me are the ones that can lose it atm. If we beat WBA it'a 3 horse race but we've guaranteed the playoffs barring a finish worse than Heck last season

The problem with our fans is they hype up any team that wins a few games. Hull were the best thing since sliced bread two months ago, Villa were nailed on for automatic promotion in December, Bristol City were top 2 contenders until today, WBA were incredible until today. Now Sheff Utd and Norwich are now unbeatable. Despite being rubbish, we've taken 7/9 and still have a game in hand on everyone else. Not a bad position to be in.

[Cjay]

If only we could shoot/head the ball on target. in the end our winner was a fluke & goalkeeping error.

Our crossing was woeful too

Story of our season, poor finishing and sloppy goals conceded.

Paddy Bamford isnt fit yet, not match wise, he will bang in goals when/if he is i have faith.

Its the other end I'm more worried about now.

[1964white]

If you suffer with a dodgy ticker or a nervous disposition watching Leeds United is not a great option of late yes a win is a win but my god we don't half make hard work of winning football matches.
We have the majority of possession, create & miss trillions of chances, score a rare penalty, gift another goal from a set-piece, score a fluke/keeper error, then when you hope we remain calm in the last ten minutes we resort to giving the ball away & inviting unnecessary pressure on ourselves only to concede a corner in the 96th minute against a bunch of giants, thankfully our very own giant Pontus headed away the final clearance of the match. 90 minutes of nerve racking football.
Three points required in the bag.........relief

Positives

We continue to play some lovely football
We're given another penalty
We score a fluke
Pablo Hernandez (created ten chances)
Casilla's important save
Three points

Negatives

So many missed chances
Poor crosses
Failed to keep a clean sheet yet again (another goal conceded from a corner)
Missed out on a great opportunity to improve our goal average
Silly free-kicks given just outside our box
Going into panic mode in the last ten minutes

Funny moment

Klich squirting a water bottle over one of the Bolton players during the melee

Ratings

7 Casilla
7 Ayling
7 Cooper
7 Jansson
7 Alioski
6 Phillips
7 Klich
7 Roberts
9 Hernandez MOTM
6 Bamford
6 Harrison
Subs
6 Dallas
n/a Shackleton

[HarryofOz]

That is a good summation Leon.

I'd say that our biggest issue at this time is that we are not scoring enough goals even though we are creating chances, and that the rest flows from there.

The lack of goals makes us nervous as the time in a match flows on, and we get simple things wrong like poor crosses and really poor shots taken out of desperation to score a needed goal.

It also gives our opponents confidence. Put in two early goals against a struggling team like Bolton and they usually crumble.

Having said that, we are still winning enough of our games for automatic promotion so, on the balance of things, we should be happy enough with our season.

[Cjay]

How was he free 6 yards from goal? Great reactions from Kiko and a strong hand.

Good save actually on reflection, Bamford didnt do much wrong.

Another good save, how The King didnt get an assist today i dont know.

Decent effort, on another angle you can see it really did swerve a lot hence the goalie seemingly going the wrong way at first.

Poor touch Paddy, that should be put across goal but perhaps still rusty.

[1964white]

We're not winning all our games, right now we're probably 3rd or 4th best team in the division. SU and Norwich for me are the ones that can lose it atm. If we beat WBA it'a 3 horse race but we've guaranteed the playoffs barring a finish worse than Heck last season

Saying on the coach this evening if we beat QPR & WBA it's a three horse race

Table would look like this next Friday night

70 Leeds
66 Norwich
64 Sheff U
60 West Brom

[Gandalf]

Funny moment

Klich squirting a water bottle over one of the Bolton players during the melee

New EFL rule being penned as you read this. Season ban.

[1964white]

That is a good summation Leon.

I'd say that our biggest issue at this time is that we are not scoring enough goals even though we are creating chances, and that the rest flows from there.

The lack of goals makes us nervous as the time in a match flows on, and we get simple things wrong like poor crosses and really poor shots taken out of desperation to score a needed goal.

It also gives our opponents confidence. Put in two early goals against a struggling team like Bolton and they usually crumble.

Having said that, we are still winning enough of our games for automatic promotion so, on the balance of things, we should be happy enough with our season.

Thanks Harry

We seem to press the panic button in front of goal snatching at our chances

[1964white]

New EFL rule being penned as you read this. Season ban.

[BGwhite]

Saying on the coach this evening if we beat QPR & WBA it's a three horse race

Table would look like this next Friday night

70 Leeds
66 Norwich
64 Sheff U
60 West Brom

That's a massive ask and doubtful imo.

[Cjay]

Absolute bedlam going on . . Coaches players squaring up to eachother, where was our famously feisty boss?

Checking on his favourite

[HarryofOz]

Poor touch Paddy, that should be put across goal but perhaps still rusty.

Said the same thing during the match, he should definitely have tried to set someone up for the goal. He had little chance of scoring from that angle.