Yet another game on Sky Sports Leeds meant I was up early joining the bleary eyed Leeds fans heading for the train to South Yorkshire for the Sunday lunchtime showdown with Sheff Wed. After the midweek loss in South Wales confidence in TC's men had slipped a notch but not as much as the home fans who were still smarting from their defeat to City rivals and an indifferent start to the season. Could Leeds bounce back and destroy Carlos Carvalhal's symbolic £20 note? What changes would TC make to Tuesday's starting line up? Can we repeat last year's 2.0 triumph? We were about to find out.
The Leeds fans rammed onto the Super Tram going to Hillsborough were in good spirits despite the midday kick off. TC had reverted to what is his normal selection with the forced absence of Cooper, replaced by Pennington , and Berardi keeping Anita on the bench. O'Kane and Phillips anchored the midfield with Roofe, Saiz and Alioski supporting Lasogga up front. The game kicked off under slate grey skies and an atmosphere tingling with fear and anticipation. Leeds grabbed the early initiative with Phillips and Alioski going close with headers in the first 15 minutes. Everything was looking good for Leeds until suddenly Wednesday got a flash of inspiration. Wallace attacked Berardi down their right flank with some success. Bannan and Lee in midfield were suddenly stroking the ball about with little or no challenge. Leeds began to wobble. On 25 minutes that wobble became a minor earthquake. Roofe was harshly penalised out wide for a tackle on Hunt. The resulting free kick sailed into the Leeds box where Tom Lees, remember him?, rose to head the ball back across the box for Hooper to poke the ball home.............Hillsborough erupted whilst the massed ranks of away supporters tried to work out why Wiedwald didn't win his challenge with Hooper or better still claim the ball as it came into his 6 yard box?
To say the goal inspired Wednesday and shook Leeds doesn't even scratch the surface of the truth. Wednesday were now on fire and Leeds were crumbling before our very eyes. Lee had a perfectly good goal chalked off for offside before Fletcher had a horrendous miss from 6 yards out with a header. Where had the granite like defence that had seen that run of clean sheets gone? Where was the fight that Jansson talked about before the game. Animals? We were defending like Koala bears on a go slow. Wednesday were tearing us apart and nobody in a black shirt seemed to have any idea how to stop them. The inevitable 2nd goal came 4 minutes before half time after a similar move saw Fletcher head back for Hooper to finish with his head. Again Wiedwald performed like a hesitant demented Octopus when the ball came into his 6 yard box. Wed 2.0 up.
2.0 should have been 3 when Jansson handled in the box too prevent a certain goal before the ref blew for half time. Wow what a woeful showing from the men in black. We had been ripped apart and were lucky only to be 2 goals down. Talk about coming down to earth with a bump this felt like a nuclear strike had hit the Leeds United band wagon. The Urinal Philosophers had saved their bile for the man between the sticks........"That keeper bottled both goals" thought one fan...........We were f****** shite" moaned another whilst one fan was seething at the lack of bite in midfield. Mmm not a good day at the office so far. Would it change in the 2nd half? If we could just get one back?
Leeds attacked straight away and Lasogga found space in the box........he turned his man and smacked a shot against the post..........maybe the game isn't lost after all I hopefully thought. My optimism lasted about 5 minutes as the home team resumed their domination of the game. Bannan blasted high from the edge of the box and soon after Hooper got onto the end of an Adam Reach cross and fizzed a shot inches over. Leeds were struggling to make any impression going forward so the inevitable substitutions came on the hour mark. Sacko on for Alioski and Hernandez for Roofe. Almost immediately Sacko found himself free with just the full back to beat but he hesitated then hesitated again before the move came to nothing. He is frustration personified I'm afraid.
Leeds did have some spark after the substitutions but not enough to trouble Wednesday. To compound the misery Jansson was stretchered off injured. They got a third after a horrendous clearance from O'Kane went straight to Lee on the edge of the box who gleefully volleyed the ball home. The game finished at 3 0 but in truth we were lucky not to concede more. This was the worst Leeds performance for a long time. The midfield were ineffective the defence looked vulnerable every time the ball came into the box and Wiedwald had a nightmare in goals. We were top of the table just a few days ago and now we were witnessing in the words of the song Leeds falling apart again. Funny old game isn't it?
The international break will give Leeds some breathing space but TC now has some real problems to solve. Back to back defeats conceding 3 goals and three reversals on the road have decimated confidence. Reading are up next at Elland Road followed by Bristol away and then Sheff Utd at home. Interesting times ahead. Get them seat belts fastened we're back into rollercoaster mode!
Can't wait
MOT
2 comments:
Woeful and so disappointing, what happened to the team that did not concede goals where are the side that scored for fun, two weeks to sort it out. MOT
At least if we are going to be giving Lonergan a chance he knows how to command his area as shown at Burnley
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