Now I appreciate that Cooper ****ed up, but maybe Dameh should of headed it out or away from our end(even though he was far from our goal). Just looking at it from a different perspective. But ultimately Coopers fault.
And how about Roberts, just want to know your thoughts so us uneducated football supporters can understand.
Don’t think any of them were mate but if you watched on Sky and saw the map pop up with Phillips touches on it showing where he touched the ball he was all over the park. He was fouled a few times in possession too and nothing given. If I was rating out of ten I’d give him and Dremah a steady 7 each, they’d be my highest scores. We’re constantly suffering in attack, some poor finishing, a worldly save and more than questionable decision making by the attackers cost us first half. Roberts, Harrison, Rodrigo and James all once again guilty of drawing a blank.
Summerville and Drameh are an explosive, extremely skilful party piece duo down the right. Not sure if its nerves or team orders but it would have been great to show the masses what they can do. Drameh worked his way into the game but it doesnt help being either bypassed or given silly 50/50 balls to deal with. Martinez is a top winger and Drameh snuffed much of his attacks out. His passing was excellent and he was always ready to bomb forward. He is the future
He has a bit of a habit of doing this. Arsenal players completely crowding him at every corner might have been a factor though. I think something should be done about that, didn't impeding the goalkeeper used to be an offence ?
Good shout because we see teams with big defenders like WHU, Everton, Arsenal always target Meslier and we end up in a scrummage. This shouldnt be an allowed tactic, its cheating. The difference in corners last night was massive as Leeds corners showed our players lining up and outside the 6 yard line waiting and loads of space in front of their keeper, and the other way is a car crash scrum on the keepers toes
Agree. It used to be more a dark arts thing... where the billy sharps of this world would just back into the keeper or step in his way. That was a nonsense but this full on crowding is awful... something needs to be done about it. Though you could say we're naive to not play the game better. Jack Charlton, RIP, will be turning in his grave! Having said all that, Meslier, great talent that he is, does have previous of forgetting where his line is, and it has cost us a fair few goals, liverpool and palace, last year spring to mind, there may have been others. He's more than made up for it, and i'm sure it will come with experience.
I played in goal for a season when I was injured and when players tried to crowd me I told my defenders to clear the 6 yard box. That instantly halved my problem. I used to stick a couple of defenders at the near post and it never failed. I got loads of free kicks when they tried to stop me coming out for the ball.
You mention Big Jack and that was my inspiration for telling my defenders to clear out. I remember him saying that his near post tactic came to an end when the Everton keeper told his defenders to '**** off and leave that big **** to me!'. The ball got whipped in to the near post, Jack went for it but the keeper just cleaned him out and left him dazed on the floor. Jack said he didn't do it too often after that. Especially against Everton.
I've liked both when i've watched the 23s. Drameh still clearly has the build of a teenager, he'll strengthen up. He got done a few times yesterday but he wasn't alone, thought he was solid defensively other than that. Passing was solid, but think the pace of passing is crisper in PL football and he'll learn to ping them a bit more. He was understandably nervous yesterday but grew into the game. His first touch was hit and miss but again likely nerves. Definitely one for the future. Would like to have seen both him and Jimmy on the front foot a bit more, but sometimes that's how the game is panning out more than the player. Nothing really happened for summerville yesterday.
Then again Rodrigo’s first touch was terrible and as an experienced Spanish international can’t be put down to nerves. Even though Harrison has his detractors his first touch is sublime. The best of any Leeds player.
Totally his fault we lost the game. If he wasn't so crap then he wouldn't have been substituted which changed the game against us. Also seems this kid will never learn, he should have known he'd only have 52 mins, surely enough time to see us into the next round. Needs to start winning games for us single handed pretty soon or my patience will run out.
quite agree… have made the same point myself. First touch is world class, challenge for him is consistent productive use of the ball once he has it. Thought he looked sharper first half last night but then faded… with the rest of them.
I'll say it again though Doc, if we left at least one player on the Halfway when the opposition have a corner it would hold at least two of their players back (especially if it were Dan James or Harrison). Every other team does it - just don't understand why
Think Ell is playing with my settings, half my post got deleted!! Was saying, just don't understand why we don't. Quite apart from letting all of the opposition roam forward, we have no out ball - all a bit odd to me!
Fully agree. I've always advocated that 2, or perhaps even 3, of our smallest players should be on the halfway line. Covering them defensively will rob the opposition of the luxury of putting 3 men on the 'keeper. As for what we actually do, I think I may have sussed it. I believe we position 1 or occasionally 2 players in the 20-30yd area to be our out ball, and at the same time, draw their defence far enough forward that we can use our pace once the out ball has been controlled.