Sutton United 1 Leeds United 0: YEP jury - Needless humiliation was built on a lack of respect

Our YEP Jury have their say on Leeds United's FA Cup exit at Sutton United.
Mallik Wilks, deserves credit for his courage, reckons the Leeds United YEP jury. PIC: Jonathan GawthorpeMallik Wilks, deserves credit for his courage, reckons the Leeds United YEP jury. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Mallik Wilks, deserves credit for his courage, reckons the Leeds United YEP jury. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe

MATTHEW EVANS

A result built on a lack of respect; for the competition, for the opposition and for the Leeds United fans. Not for the first time we found ourselves needlessly humiliated when a good cup run looked well within our grasp.

This was a performance that had all the hallmarks of Leeds United in previous seasons, lacking passion, urgency and any sign that the players cared about the result. Even the penalty awarded to Sutton looked like a throwback to a time when Marco Silvestri was orchestrating chaos at the back nearly every week.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Silvestri and Lewie Coyle had actually been our better players up until that point but when they combined for two quick fouls inside the area either of them could have conceded the penalty.

Sutton had the better chances in open play as well and it seems almost unthinkable that Leeds would carry so little threat going forward. Garry Monk’s team selection will take the brunt of the criticism but wholesale change is a tactic that had already worked to good effect in the League Cup against the likes of Luton and Norwich.

The difference this time was the attitude of the personnel. It was a sloppy and casual display that will have done no favours at all for the future careers of those involved. The likes of Phillips, Doukara, Grimes and Antonsson showed nothing and, as a result, failed to inspire the less experienced players up to a standard anywhere near good enough. Liam Cooper’s second yellow card for a very lazy challenge was the icing on this particularly miserable cake.

Leeds will have to put this behind them quickly and move on to Blackburn where an entirely different XI will likely start the game. Some of those involved yesterday can expect a lot of time at Thorp Arch to think it over and wait for another opportunity that may not come.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Picking a man of the match out of that lot is nigh on impossible but let’s recognise the bravery of Mallik Wilks who showed great courage in making his debut under such personal stress and grief.

Good luck to Sutton, they played very well and took their opportunity.

As for Leeds, we move on and forget this disgrace as quickly as possible.

Man of the match: Mallik Wilks.

KEITH INGHAM

Sutton made the headlines after beating a terrible Leeds team in the fourth round of the FA Cup. It was painful to watch; in saying that the non-league deserved their ‘moment’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Before the match report I would just like to put it out there that another sale of a player that was featured in the ‘New Beginnings, New Future, New Choices’ campaign a couple of years back disappointed this Leeds fan, we must stop selling young players at ‘knock-down’ prices because their contracts are nearly up.

It’s been such a good season so far but this knocks the ‘gloss’ of it. Good luck Alex.

Garry Monk ignored my pleas for him to be sensible with his team line-up. Eleven changes, yes 11, the same amount he did at Luton.

There were debuts for under-23 squad players McKay and Whitehouse. Mallik Wilks and Jack Vann also made the 18.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a shockingly bad performance by a very under strength Leeds team, Sutton won the game thanks to a penalty by Collins after 53 minutes. I can’t remember anything else I can write positively about the display, so I won’t! Leeds have a couple of days in which to bring in additional players. Surely the owners can see that without them the play-off’s could slip through our fingers.

Man of the match: Mallik Wilks, an incredibly brave young man.

MIKE GILL

Firstly congratulations to Sutton. As for Leeds – one change too many? Perhaps, as the midfield wasn’t competing enough.

Marco Silvestri saved United in the first half before running to the edge of the box and demonstrating the lack of assertiveness that has dogged his career at Leeds. The penalty followed and then it was an uphill struggle. Ironically another senior player, Liam Cooper managed to get himself sent off. A day best forgotten.

Man of the match: Tyler Denton.

GARY NEWBOULD

Dear Mr Cellino and Mr Radrizanni,

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If you think that our squad is good enough to get us promoted “on the cheap” you now have your answer!

This performance and result was completely unacceptable and further highlights that we have a decent team and a far from decent squad.

The transfer deadline is tomorrow, act quickly or we may lose our manager also.

Man of the match: The 700 brave, loyal fans.

STEPHEN CLARK

Leeds limped out of the FA Cup without a whimper after a humiliating defeat at the hands of non League Sutton United.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Garry Monk seemed to make a point about the paucity of his squad, following the sale of Alex Mowatt this week, by selecting players who are not even on the fringe of the first team. Even so, full time professionals should still have enough to beat a team of part-timers. The goal came following a calamitous error from Marco Silvestri which should put to bed any further calls for his reinstatement to the team. So no more Cup distraction, now the team needs to regroup and win at Blackburn on Wednesday. The club needs to add to the squad. Anything less than the play-offs will be a huge disappointment.

Man of the match: No one came out of this with any credit.

DAVID WATKINS

When I put my forecast in a few days ago I noted that this was never going to be an easy game on a synthetic pitch against a well-organised side used to playing with each other and with all the incentive of playing in front of the TV cameras. I assumed at that time that Leeds would play their 2nd XI and that we ought to have enough quality to come out on top.

What I never dreamed we’d do is play so many players who were not even recognised as being in our first team squad! With the likes of Paul McKay, Billy Whitehouse and eventually Mallik Wilks in the squad it looked more akin to a third XI. We just did not have enough quality on the pitch and the players with the experience necessary didn’t step up to the plate. Sutton did their job well in closing us down ferociously, playing a physical game and taking their chance when we proffered it to them on a plate.

It’s gone now, done and if the first XI can now beat Blackburn on Wednesday it will largely be forgotten.

Man of the match: The whole Sutton team.