Down to 3rd and form since Pablo got injured which is distinctively Heckingbottomish (lower mid table)
I've said it before and I'll say it again but that starting 11 will be lucky to make the play offs and today, for the first 70 minutes it was clear that we were second best. Our passing was terrible led by Luke Ayling whose performance levels have been plummeting all season. Yes I would say that since he arrived, he has been a great signing but I'd say at the moment he's not worth his place in the team. For the first 20 minutes he hit new lows as all his passes went astray, he was out of position frequently and then had to foul to recovery his position putting us under pressure. Hopefully he'll come back strong after the break. Mind you, he wasn't the only one who was finding them second best to a very good Brentford team. With Brentford completely dominating midfield we struggled to create with Allioski and Harrison ineffective and isolated and an unbalanced left side with Dallas filling in for the injured Douglas who I thought we missed. Too many times Dallas pushed forward leaving holes at the back and it was left to Jansson to mop up. Playing Dallas at left back was just a very poor managerial decision and all about accommodation of a player who is in Bielsa's 22 rather than selecting Pearce who isn't a great defender (although as good as Dallas) but would have provided much better balance. I thought Bielsa was better than that. We did have one or two chances the best falling to Philips who was denied by a great point blank save by their keeper. At the other end they hit the bar and Peacock made a great save to deny them. The ref didn't help and from the start you could see he just didn't have control of the game. Every free-kick was contentious and it seemed he was reacting to players and the crowd for his decision rather than being on top of it. Refs like that will ruin games and this ref should be sent back to non-league to learn his trade before he ever takes charge of a league match. Second half wasn't much better and Brentford continued to have the best chances and look the more likely to score. Their goal looked at the time to be a definite pen and I thought Peacock might have got his marching orders but looking at it this morning their player conned the ref, however I don't blame him for that decision just the 100 others that he got wrong. The subs for Leeds - Clarke for Dallas, Forshaw for Siaz and Baker for Klich did change things. Allioski went to left back and did ok and in midfield we looked quicker and stronger and for the first time in the game we began to control things in midfield and create chances. It made me realise that the midfield of Siaz, Philips and Klich is too pedestrian. We finally got the goal we deserved for some good play in the last 20 minutes with Jansson stooping to nod over the keeper into the net. Queue some scenes in the stands and on the pitch. Scores: Peacock - 7. One or two decent saves, good kicking and also one or two moments of confusion with his defence. Ayling - 3. Very poor. His passing has deserted him and he looks vulnerable at the back. Weak link today. Dallas - 3. Kept going forward on his right foot leaving holes in the defence. Huge mistake to play him at left back. Cooper - 4. Bad mistake for their pen. Same old Cooper will fuck up when the pressure is on. Jansson - 8. Held us together time and time again. Philips - 5. Battled hard but offers little. Klich - 5. Definitely not himself today. Siaz - 4. Didn't contribute. Harrison - 4. Don't rate him. He has no real pace and rarely beats his man. Allioski - 5. Offered nothing going forward but when moved to left back he seemed to be more at home. Subs: Clarke - LIke the look of the lad. A tall James Milner type player. Forshaw - Does everything Philips can't Baker - decent free-kick and he looks like a player to me. Did we deserve a point ? I don't think so. Brentford are a better side than us and I think we will slip out of the play off places if we continue with this starting 11. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ RIP Jimmy WAC-COE
