'˜New signings needed' ... '˜Where's Lady Luck?' ... '˜Need to get streetwise' - YEP's Leeds United Jury deliver their verdict

Our YEP Jury give their verdicts on Leeds United's 1-0 defeat at Ipswich Town.
Thomas Christiansen on the sidelines at Portman Road.Thomas Christiansen on the sidelines at Portman Road.
Thomas Christiansen on the sidelines at Portman Road.
Read More
Video: Kalvin Phillips has no concerns over Leeds United's discipline

MATTHEW EVANS

OUR Thoughts are with the family of fellow jury member, Gary Newbould, whose 2-1 prediction might have been absolutely spot on in different circumstances.

Pablo Hernadez on the ball at Ipswich.Pablo Hernadez on the ball at Ipswich.
Pablo Hernadez on the ball at Ipswich.

The truth is that this game was lost the moment that Eunan O’Kane reacted in front of the referee and was instantly shown a red card. Ipswich Town are one of the poorest sides we have faced so this was a clear case of points dropped whichever way you cut it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

United weren’t totally terrible and there were some bright moments in a game that will live short in the memory.

Pontus Jansson continued his fine form and our defence only conceded thanks to a wonder strike.

Pablo Hernandez was our most creative force and, if we are to do anything this season we need more like him. Over to you Victor Orta.

Pablo Hernadez on the ball at Ipswich.Pablo Hernadez on the ball at Ipswich.
Pablo Hernadez on the ball at Ipswich.

Despite all the negatives surrounding the last two matches, we are only outside the play-offs purely because of goal difference and if we can get three points on Saturday against Millwall we will all feel better.

Man of the match: Pablo Hernandez.

KEITH INGHAM

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds slumped to another defeat at Portman Road, the 1-0 reverse put another ‘dint’ in the challenge to stay in the play-off hunt.

The sending off of Eunan O’Kane in the first half for a alleged headbutt on Jonas Knudsen didn’t help Leeds’ cause and he is the fourth Leeds player to be sent off this season.

Chances at both ends should have been taken in a open first half, Pawel Cibicki having the best opportunity for Leeds when set up by Pablo Hernandez but the winger/striker blazed his effort wide of the goal. The game changed as Eunan O’Kane became the second midfielder in seven days to see the referee’s red card, an altercation left the Ipswich player on the floor.

Thomas Christiansen said the decision changed the game, whether the decision was correct or not, the discipline seems to have gone from his team.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although Felix Wiedwald did well to keep out a Connolly shot early in the second half, he could do not do anything about the goal that ultimately settled the game. Bersant Celina evaded Kalvin Phillips’ challenge and unleashed a superb shot that beat the German goalkeeper ‘all ends up’.

Leeds could and should have got an equaliser, but from near the Ipswich goalline, Liam Cooper unbelievably put Hernandez’s cross high over the bar.

That’s only three goals scored since Christmas, including two in the game with Burton, which shows that the squad are desperately in need of a striker and one that is accustomed to Championship football. If not, Andrea Radrizzani and co are in danger of seeing another season of great promise fall by the wayside.

I’ve got a message for the owner, the fans have bought into how he has changed the football club off the field by buying a record amount of season tickets and memberships. The average attendance is higher than it has been in many years as over 30,000 fans fill Elland Road every home game. Now it is up to him to help Thomas Christiansen on the field with some much-needed signings.

Man of the match: Pablo Hernandez.

MIKE GILL

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A fearless fighting performance from the 10 men of Leeds failed to rescue a point in this bad tempered encounter at Portman Road.

Despite dominating the game for long spells during this match, United could not put the ball in their opponent’s net. After Eunan O’Kane was sent off after 37 minutes for an off-the-ball incident after a theatrical fall by Jonas Knudsen, United refused to curl up and die.

The heartbreaker came in the 67th minute when Bersant Celina’s fine long-range shot beat Felix Wiedwald.

Leeds though fought on with Pablo Hernandez coming the closest.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Conor Shaughnessy put in a good performance in the second half, battling away in a revamped midfield.

Kemar Roofe and Hadi Sacko also fought hard but try as they might, the final touch eluded them.

This was not a deserved result by any stretch of the imagination but United need to come back with a win next Saturday against Millwall to get back on track.

Man of the match: Pontus Jansson.

DAVID WATKINS

What I really worried about before our trip to Portman Road was Leeds turning up with a fully rested team and then not putting in a performance to be proud of.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That would have made the Newport performance and result a complete nonsense. As it was I can’t complain about the display against Ipswich – I thought in the circumstances we did more than enough to win the game even with 10 men. What you also need though is a modicum of luck and just at the moment we look like a side that has broken a huge mirror over the head of our lucky black cat.

Leeds had chances but all of them went begging while the one decent shot Ipswich mustered flew into the top corner of our net. They do say it’s better to be lucky than good and this was a classic example.

The O’Kane sending off looked like more bad luck, a typical case of a player conning an inexperienced referee and I don’t see how O’Kane could have done anything different other than go down holding his face more theatrically than Knudsen did. Maybe we need to get more streetwise.

Man of the match: Pablo Hernandez.