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Leeds United v Ipswich Town: Now that was a strange one! - Gray
Leeds United v Ipswich Town Ipswich keeper Alex McCarthy is sent ooff for handling outside the area.....21st January
I have got to say that Saturday’s game was just about the strangest one I’ve ever seen.
To be perfectly honest, I just don’t know how we won. We simply weren’t in the game and then Alex McCarthy does something stupid – I think he still thought he was playing for Leeds United!
I just don’t know why he charged out from goal from where he was. It changed the whole game.
Then the best pass of the match any of the players received was Ibrahima Sonko’s to Robert Snodgrass, who knocked it in the back of the net. I couldn’t believe it!
With the second goal, the Ipswich sub goalkeeper made another error and hesitated and even when he tried to dive and get the ball, he made a pathetic attempt.
And onto the last goal, I just don’t know what the centre-back (Tommy Smith) was playing at. He let the ball bounce two or three times inside the box. You can certainly understand why Paul Jewell’s side have conceded so many goals with defending like that.
Simon Grayson said himself it doesn’t paper over the cracks, and there were certainly a few of them. We played for 90 minutes and never created one good chance. Andros Townsend had a half-chance in the first half, but even that came from a deflection.
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For me, the shining light once again was Snodgrass. He worked hard and any quality we showed came from him, without being disrespectful to the rest of the players.
The best thing that can be said about the game is that we won. Yes, Simon will be delighted with the result, but will know the performance wasn’t good enough.
Looking at it, with the players we had on the park, it will be a struggle for them to get us promotion without players coming in.
We keep on saying we’ve got to improve, but the ability is there. Yet we keep watching games and it doesn’t keep coming out.
I know it’s not easy to play at Elland Road and I didn’t think the atmosphere was good on Saturday; I don’t think that helped the players, I’ll be perfectly honest.
I said before the game, regardless of what people think about the Jonny Howson situation, the chairman or the manager, that when the players go out on the pitch, the fans have got to get behind them.
But it’s also up to the players at times to inspire the fans as well – and that never happened.
The players have got to have the courage to play and under the circumstances, despite the result, we didn’t show enough to suggest we are going to get promotion.
For the first hour of the game definitely, we just got dominated and Ipswich are an average side in a relegation battle.
Looking at the last three league games, we’ve ended up playing against 10 men in all three of them.
I know we’ve taken seven points out of nine, and it looks good on paper, but when you actually analyse the performances and what happened in the games, you think: ‘It’s got to improve.’
Either that or we’ve got to keep thinking the gods are going to shine on us for the rest of the season and we might get up.
In terms of Fabian Delph on his second debut, I’d say I felt he did alright at best.
I don’t think he was in the game in the first half as Ipswich were controlling the midfield and all aspects of the game for about an hour.
Then the sending-off completely changed the whole game. The writing was on the wall before that.
Obviously, the big news in the run-up to Saturday was the impending departure of Jonny to Norwich City.
Looking at it, I don’t think Jonny has had a great season so far. But I think he’s an effective player when you play five in midfield, although I don’t think he’d done it in a four (man midfield).
Simon is on record as saying he thinks it’s the right decision for the football club.
Personally, I would have taken the ‘gamble’ and kept him and forgotten about the money at the end of the season. If you go up, you forget about that and if you don’t go up, accept it.
If Simon wanted to play five in midfield, Jonny was just the type of player who can score you half a dozen goals in a dozen games and that could get you up.
But the club have made the decision, and Simon thinks it’s a good decision for the football club, so you go along with it.
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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Comments
There are 43 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Yorkshire Lad
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:06 AMWell said oztyke.
Yorkshire Lad
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 12:04 AMWell, originalkoppite, you have made your decision, yes, you choose not to spend any money at LUFC. You DON'T go to games, so what gives you the right to try and lecture other's, who DO GO to ER ?? You really are a clown ! Get a life you saddo.
Whackyjacky USA
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 12:09 PMLooks to me as though we are playing "Not to lose" rather than "To Win"
BoysPen
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 11:33 AMGet the ball down and pass it. Simon and his staff should be drumming this into his players every day. Anyone hoofing it should be fined. That will save Ken some wages.
gingerstreak
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 12:35 AMHave to say - i agree with SOME of the comments in particular #28 - Although i am concerned that we should also be saying 'FOR THE SAKE OF LUFC - FANS GET A GRIP ON REALITY, AND START MAKING ER WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE - A CAULDRON OF FANATICAL SUPPORT THAT IS WORTH A GOAL START....... Not as if we dont need it with our defensive record.... KB may be steering our ship potentially into renewed oblivion, but for heavan's sake dont give him the ready made excuse that our inability to perform at home and consequent loss of the points that would have secured a playoff place was directly down to our inability to support the players on the pitch.... I know we are all entitled to our opinion - But i have said numerous times - Bates doesnt respond to threats, or even the chants (His hearing will be fading, and wont hear it in the South of France !!!) Boycott any purchase within ER or connected with KB.... And dont buy the latest top (Revert to the 20002001 top - Remember when even Barcelona Real Madrid didnt enjoy life @ ER!!!!) BUT FOR GODS SAKE GET BEHIND THE CURRENT BUNCH OF PLAYERS - They might not be ultimately good enough to win promotion, but they can certainly help us avoid relagation.... FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH CHILDREN THINK OF IT THIS WAY - IF YOU TELL YOUR SON HE IS A RUBBISH FOOTBALLER BECAUSE HE DOESNT TRACK BACK ENOUGH, OR TACKLE HARD ENOUGH THEN HE IS HARDLY GOING TO GROW UP THINKING HE IS AS GOOD AS LIONEL MESSI IS HE??????? Footballers may be overpaid, but they are human - Why do you think sports psycologists are so much in demand - It is no co-incidence that our home form is dire.........
Sick of Kens lies
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 10:16 PMSorry i forget to say:- BATES OUT. HARVEY OUT. GRAYSON AND COACHES OUT (AND HALF OF HIS SQUAD WITH HIM TOO). LORIMER OUT. GRAY OUT. ORIGINALKOPPITE OUT. LEODIS OUT. THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM CAN GO FOR ME, AND AS UNCLE KEN SAYS, "WE WILL RE-BUILD BRICK-BY-BRICK." The best, most sensible statement ever made on this forum...
Sick of Kens lies
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 10:11 PMYeah Eddie you're right there, we can't beat 11 men you see. It absolutely BEGGARS BELIEF to me that we are in touching distance of the play-off places, what with the dire brand of football we are currently playing, and with the absolute rubbish signings (on the whole) made by SG. It really is a funny old game..
paz
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 10:08 PMSimon Grayson can no longer be trusted in bringing any decent players in, in getting us promotion (what a laugh that appears now) and in what he says. Letting Howson go was a big mistake both in the short term and in the long run.
jjlaca
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 10:05 PMPending Moderation
OzTyke
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:46 PMNice article from Eddie, I'm glad he put the bit in about the players having to inspire the fans - like Eddie did countless times back in the day. Players don't have a divine right to fanatical support and adulation 100% of the time, and neither do managers, administrators and Chairmen. Leeds United is in the entertainment industry, and is competing with other sports and attractions to attract and keep customers. ALL customers deserve and expect good service and a good product at a fair price, and to be treated with respect while on the premises. Does much of what the customers at Elland Road have been getting lately, match up with these reasonable expectations? I would suggest that NO THEY DO NOT! We support Leeds, and accept the "ups and downs" which are part and parcel of supporting any club, but how many times do our Chairman and Chief Exec think we can be led up the garden path? Loyalty and love for the club will only stretch so far, and backing it up with season tickets, merchandise etc even less so. I wish Bates would sell our club for the same price he bought it for, plus how much of his own cash he's put in (total = ZERO) and just leave us alone. MOT
Langhowhite
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:42 PMAs a 50 year + supporter and ST holder I've been on the same emotional rollercoaster as everyone else this week. The atmosphere at ER on Saturday was poisonous and must have affected the team. The way I look at it is I was here before KB and (hopefully) I'll be here when he's gone. Until then I'll get behind the team.
qbywhites
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 08:19 PM#31 only thing we can afford is a pair of wellies
Cranford
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:13 PMChange of subject, is there any truth in the rumour we are linked with Richie Wellens?
LeedsBulldog
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:08 PMComment 7 YEAH - your dad may own leeds united and hes also a lying T*at! MOT 4 EVA WHEREVER WHENEVER WHATEVER!!
leedsls27
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 06:12 PMThis is exactly the point I made regarding the ABB on one of the other threads. One person, whether he's genuine or simply winding you lot up I can only guess, although I suspect the latter, has an opinion that differs to the ABB party mantra and you're on him like a pack of hyena's. Classy bunch, a real credit to the club, and then you wonder what might have inspired the morons quote, although bullies might be more accurate...
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