Brighton are a decent well-organised side. They’re not pushing for a European place just through luck…
What was obvious was that Garcia set us up as 4-4-2 and has told them to stay in position - no wild chasing down, no pressing. This works for solidity but removes that 100mph rollercoaster effect - it also allows their defenders to stand over the ball time after time, happy that they are not going to get challenged. This is something that many in the crowd seemed to be made restless by. Big problem yesterday - apart from Roca & Aaronson’s almost non-existence in the middle - was Ayling. It wasn’t that the guy on him was fast and tricky - he was - but that he got done 6 times in then first half alone just by a lofted ball over the top. He was nowhere near the winger. If you get caught once or twice early like that, you drop 5 yards, you move closer to the guy. But it kept happening. Then he got out-jumped by the winger at the back post, for the first goal. V poor game. However, Harrison decided he was going to chase and harry, and in doing so, closed the defender down, got a bit of luck with the bounce, which just rolled along the touchline without going out, fed Bamford, who took a touch and smacked in off the crossbar - albeit with a slight deflection. Out of nowhere we were level. Then Jack gets unlucky in the second half with a ball ricocheting around the penalty area, eventually bouncing off him and in - he looked like he was shaping to clear it, but the winger pressing him, was close enough that Harrison could not draw his foot back…and there you go. 1-2. The second equaliser - coming after Gnonto, Rodrigo and McKennie were introduced - came after a reasonable spell of pressure from us, all these three pushed us forwards. Short corner from Willie 2-balls, Harrison steps inside the defender and lashes it into the far top corner with his right foot. Lovely goal. Couple more half chances each - best fell to Wellbeck who cut in again from our right, beat about 3 defenders before hitting the south stand. I do not buy the doom and gloom - there are 12 games to go, 4 points cover about 8 teams (not counting Soton, but that may change after today) - plenty of time to get things right. The same people who say “we’re down” are the ones who would db going “C’mon Leeds we can do this” if there were a 4 point gap with 2 games to go. Oh yeah, and Rodrigo was fouled in the box as he went through. Nick > On 12 Mar 2023, at 11:14, Steve Gillen <sjgil...@gmail.com> wrote: > > I pretty much agree with all this except to add that yesterday's performance > was about as poor as I've ever seen of Leeds. I mean insofar as we have > players of talent who are excellent and may be enough to save us but those > players are just that. They are not playing much as a team, I'm pointing to > Utter and to some degree Harrison, they try to do it alone it felt. The > exception being Gnonto, he did play for others and was the spark we were > looking for often. I very much got the feeling that our coach has laid the > law down that we don't all fly forward and leave ourselves open at the back > (Ayling take note) which meant that we were not as exciting to watch as we > have been, but not the walkover we used to be - well not as much as we used > to be, we still had our moments of squeaky bum - sadly though that meant that > we struggled to force ourselves upon Brighton. I honestly could see no way we > might score until up popped Bamford, but even then he didn't receive service > so much as he had to make it himself. > > I struggle to see how we can make it this year as everyone around us is doing > something and we aren' - sigh. I am so disappointed. > > Steve G > >> On 12 Mar 2023, at 10:09, nattan--- via Leedslist <leedslist@gn.apc.org> >> wrote: >> >> Well, similar to last season we salvaged a point at home v Brighton, and >> similar to last season we left wondering if it is enough. Wins for >> Bournemouth and Everton suggest not, but to be honest Brighton are a much >> better team this season, as shown both by their league position and the fact >> that their fans were going " ole" after 15mins of dominance even though it >> was still 0 0 >> Pre game the mood in the pub was down beat, no one could see where our goals >> were going to come from and you can't win if you can't score. >> It was good therefore to see Bamford back up top and Rodrigo on the bench , >> getting back to full fitness >> Despite that we were very much second best for long periods of this game as >> a super confident Brighton side all knowing their roles gave us a chasing. >> It was no surprise when they took the lead , the winger tied Roca in knots >> then crossed over Luke aylings head to the other wide player who nodded it >> back to the striker, unmarked, to head home. >> We feared the worse, but there were a few things to build on yesterday , >> if we can, and one was our tenacity and refusal to be beaten. Harrison >> chased a ball and managed to keep it in play, passed to Bamford who took a >> touch to beat the defender and lashed it home with his right foot off the >> underside of the bar, a great hit ( even with the possible deflection) We >> then got lucky as Brighton missed an easy chance and so 1 1 at half time. >> Second half was more of the same with Ayling and aaranson both missing >> chances. We then shot ourselves in the foot, a cross was intercepted by >> wober (?) almost giving an own goal but Mes saved him only for the save >> to rebound to Harrison who sliced it in - a betting scam with big money on >> an o.g. ? - Harrison did make amends with our second equaliser and became >> the first Leeds player to score at both ends and get an assist in the same >> game ( assists have not been recorded for long) >> We then got lucky again as welbeck danced through our defence but fired wide >> and high over the advancing Meslier, that would have finished us. Instead >> we hung on and made a few subs, Rodrigo, Gnonto and Mckennie all coming on. >> To audible groans from the crowd Wlillie played another short corner to >> Harrison but this time it worked as Jackie sent the defender the wrong way, >> cut inside and unleashed a great curling shot , a top goal, but followed by >> a brief panic as we waited for confirmation and Brighton moaned about two >> balls on the pitch >> We saw out the last 10 minutes or so and got a point. >> Bad bits, Roca invisible again, Mckennie was so poor we discussed who he >> was on a par with, after dismissing Spring and Westlake, we decided he is >> the new Jermaine Wright - not an accolade Rutter also looked like his one >> trick will not fool defenders at this level ( he was only on for a few >> minutes so dont want to judge him harshly) >> Good stuff, Rodrigo and Sinisterra both returning to fitness, the goal by >> Harrison, maybe he can now find some form, the goal and general play by >> Bamford, maybe we can score the goals we need. Finally the fact that in a >> game where the opposition were better we twice came from behind. >> Having said that we need to get some wins, and at least two of my mates are >> 99% resigned to going down. We spent plenty of time in the pub saying how >> much more fun it is in the championship. We do still have time and the two >> games in a week at home to forest and palace could be pivotal but we need to >> start winning beginning with wolves next week >> Dave >> _______________________________________________ >> 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/ >> >> Dave Dowden, a legend, a Totty Twin, a pie man! R.I.P. > _______________________________________________ > 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/ > > Dave Dowden, a legend, a Totty Twin, a pie man! R.I.P. _______________________________________________ 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/ Dave Dowden, a legend, a Totty Twin, a pie man! R.I.P.
