Brighton 4 Leeds United 0: YEP jury verdicts

Steve Evans made two changes from his line up for the Fulham match with Liam Bridcutt and Scott Wootton replacing Tom Adeyemi and Mirco Antenucci respectively.
Lewis CookLewis Cook
Lewis Cook

The opening 10 minutes was pretty even and United showed some neat touches in possession, and the home side’s Rosenior was booked for a crude challenge on Lewie Coyle. He then committed a high-foot infringement right in front of the linesman and only he knows why he didn’t give the foul that could well have led to the Brighton man’s dismissal. Sure enough that decision came back to haunt United, as, following a challenge from Wootton, Rosenior went down in instalments and the referee gave what could only be viewed as an extremely soft penalty, which was successfully converted.

If United felt hard done to for the opener they only have themselves to blame for falling two behind when, not for the first time this season, Sol Bamba was far too casual and lost possession in a crucial area and the ensuing chaotic defending led to yet another own goal courtesy of Liam Cooper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It went from worse to even worse as the Whites went 3-0 down before the half-hour mark through more naive defending.

Just after the half-hour Alex Mowatt committed a crude challenge of his own, showing his frustration for all to see.

More poor defending from Bamba at a corner turned 3-0 into 4-0 and half-time could not come quickly enough. And, quite frankly, if it had been a boxing match the contest would have been ended some time before the end of an utterly abysmal first 45 minutes.

The second half saw more of a practice match and little chance of United getting back into the game. Perhaps someone should remind this team the motto of the great Leeds United sides of the 60’s and 70’s ‘Keep Fighting’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Apparently owner Massimo Cellino departed the Amex Stadium at half-time, if only United had ‘turned up’ for the first half.

Many United followers believe that the season is now over – if only that was the case. In the region of 12 more points will be needed to ensure Championship safety, and a team that lacks spirit and fight and has won only one match in the last 11, does not bode well.

Coach Evans has spoken about players playing for their future. One can only assume that several of the players representing United must believe that their futures lie elsewhere, and given Cellino’s record with managers, Steve Evans may well be entering ‘injury time’ of his career at LS11.

Time to blood more youngsters.

Man of the match: Every one of the loyal hordes who witnessed this live.

GARY NEWBOULD

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds were hammered at the Amex in one of the worst first-half performances I’ve ever had the misfortune to watch.

My heart goes out to the brave lads and lasses who witnessed that live. Such a shameless lack of of effort, especially in defence, disgraces this once mighty club.

Steve Evans supplied a surprising line-up, Lewie Coyle stayed in but was moved further forward as the head coach’s favourite, Scott Wootton, was restored to his place in defence. Liam Bridcutt returned to midfield; Stuart Dallas was absent from the 18 due to injury. Leeds had a early shout for a penalty; anywhere else on the pitch it would have been a foul, but the referee was not convinced.

On 17 minutes Leeds conceded a penalty, who else but Wootton who brought down the Brighton full-back. 1-0. On 22 minutes Baldock forced Cooper into scoring an own goal. It was far too easy for the Seagulls, but worse was to follow. 4-0 with with less than 40 minutes played. And with that, I switched off until after the break! The second half was academic, the damage was done. How can Evans explain his way out of this shambles? Over 1,500 fans deserve the plaudits for travelling down and still singing when the team were 4-0 down. I salute each and everyone of you.

Man of the match: Not applicable.

KEITH INGHAM

Another shambles of a Leeds United performance.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I thought the days were over where we get embarrassed but clearly not. Lewis Cook was the only shining light. Two centre-backs, awful, and the team confidence is rock bottom.

Man of the match: Lewis Cook.

JAMES HARRISON

Shameful. Shambolic. Disgrace. Just three words that can be used to describe Leeds United in its current state.

Monday night’s capitulation was just another kick in the teeth for the loyal support who give up their hard-earned cash to follow this shell of a club.

A chairman who wants to charge top dollar for a product even he can’t sit through for 90 minutes and then orders his coach not to speak to the press has no regard for those fans. Steve Evans will probably be sacked before the weekend, and deserves to go. Massimo Cellino needs to put up and butt out or sell up and clear off.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Only Charlton are in worse form than Leeds; if we are not careful we will be joining them in League One next season.

Man of the match: Lewis Cook.

STEPHEN CLARK

All that’s really left for us to debate after that mess is whether it represents a new low or merely a continuation of the old low.

This was a microcosm of our season. We started off steady if uninspiring and, at that point, you weren’t quite sure which way it was going to go. We then shot ourselves in the foot over and over again before playing out a meaningless second half as if we couldn’t care less.

Is there only the fan base left to front-up the shambles at this club? The players didn’t turn up, the owner left at half time and the management team, after granting Sky a brief show of the face, refused to speak to our journalists Phil Hay and Adam Pope to explain it all. It’s the sorriest state of affairs you could imagine.

Man of the match: Lewie Coyle (by default).

MATTHEW EVANS

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another dire defensive performance saw this game finished inside half an hour.

Once again I found myself scratching my head to remember the last time we actually conceded a decent goal rather than gifted them to the opposition, though the lack of ability we displayed at the Amex took that trait to a new low for the season. We simply are incapable of defending.

At the other end we also broke new records in our ability to miss the target as we managed to spray 16 of our 17 attempts at goal high or wide. Again, not good enough.

This game raised a question mark over virtually the whole squad; only Lewis Cook, Lewie Coyle and Liam Bridcutt came out of the game with any credit.

Man of the match: Lewis Cook.

DAVID WATKINS