I started writing a match report on Saturday but was depressing myself so
binned it and hit the red wine.
I just couldn't get over the VAR disallowed goal and how VAR is destroying a
game I love and have supported for 50 years. It's not just that VAR isn't
providing the certainty it should, it is the fact that it's actually ruining
games for fans. I'm normally off the sofa, dancing, screaming and scaring the
kids and neighbours when Leeds score but when Bamford put that goal in from
Klich's nicely weighted pass I sat and waited because it looked a close
off-side call. When Bamford ran back to the half way line and the ref seemed
happy I let myself have a fist pump and a "come on", only to be told a minute
later that VAR had checked and ruled it out. Gutted. Listening to the two old
farts Gray and Keys at half-time you realised that this has to stop and that
decision was the worst VAR decision to date. It's ok for Lineker to be tweeting
against it now but he was one of the twats who wanted it. I can't fucking stand
Gary Lineker.
I've heard people say that we should forget the goal because we would have lost
4-2. Would we ? I think equalising would have changed the balance of that first
half and I think we would have gone in at least 2-2 at half-time which changes
the complexion of the game totally.
I thought we were the better side for long periods without really threatening.
Harrison and Costa both had poor games and the line up and formation of the
team was slightly strange with Dallas almost playing as an extra winger behind
Costa in the first half. The game was crying out for Pablo or Rodrigo in the
hole where I believe both would have had a field day with the amount of space
on offer. At the back we looked creaky again. The balance between having an
attacking left back v a left back that can defend is a problem in Bielsa's
style of play. I think you can get away with it in the Championship but I think
at PL level you really need guys who can defend in their position but also
attack. Allioski made a few good last minute interceptions but he's no solid
left back. The central two are all at sea as well. Cooper looks shaky,
unsteady, slightly timid, trying not to make mistakes whereas Koch is the total
opposite and is flying in all over the fecking place and whilst he has
undoubted ability I think he's trying a bit too hard at the moment and as a
result making some bad mistakes.
Then to the missing Philips argument. Well yes, it appears we are if we put a
young centre back who didn't even play much in the championship in that
position. People have been slating Struijk but I thought he did ok without
getting too involved. He's no midfielder and yes, it does appear that Philips
is the only candidate for that role. I would ask people to consider the Villa
match though which for me was our best performance of the season and didn't
feature Philips or Struijk after the first 20 mins.
I'm remaining optimistic. We've got the awful international break now where
life under lockdown without footy (international football isn't really
football) is unbearable but for once I think it's good for us. I'd like us to
come back strong and fit with Rodrigo, Pablo, Raphinha, llorente and Forshaw
(that was a joke) are competing for a start.
My scores for Palace:
Miesler - 4. He was a tad unlucky with the own goal and the freekick was
brilliant although I thought he was positioned wrong. I do wonder though
whether his experience and lack of presence is contributing to the general
confusion around out defence at the moment ?
Ayling - 5. Struggled a bit with Zaha and co. Tried to get forward but wasnt'
that effective.
Allioski - 5. Contributed going forward but him and Harrison didn't hurt them
on the attack as they did against Villa. One decent shot which was close.
Cooper - 5. Didn't do a lot wrong but looks uneasy to me.
Koch - 5. All over the shop.
Klich - 7. Probably our best player on the day and the only one who created
chances
Struijk - 4. Out of position. Why do managers play players out of position ?
Dallas - 5. Really not sure what he was doing and where he was playing. It has
never really worked for Dallas when he's played in midfield.
Harrison - 4. Really poor, no output at all to speak of after a lively first 20
mins.
Costa - 3. I think it's time for Raphinha to start. Costa hasn't really done
anything in 75% of the games he's played for Leeds IMO
Bamford - 7. Can't really ask for more that 2 goals in a team that weren't
really creating much onthe day
Subs:
Raphinha - 7. I thought he looked lively again and his freekick looked
promising.
Roberts - 4. Did he do owt ? Does he ever do owt ? Only way to get Roberts into
gear is to perservere, give him match time and get him into the groove but
that's never gonna happen.
On Tuesday, 10 November 2020, 12:48:50 GMT, Guy Thornton
<[email protected]> wrote:
Well some of us are around James.
Hadn't said anything as left it those who regularly post however gritted teeth
and all it's a fine line
between success and failure. Sure Meslier did not have the best of games but
that doesn't immediately
make him bad and keepers have their failures remembered far more than
outfielders. His performance
Saturday just made me think of Gary Sprake. There where other failings,
including defence which
didn't help Meslier, but they've been there even in the good (ie winning)
performances this season.
As said it's a fine line and there was that diabolical VAR decision. If that
goal had been allowed and
we'd have then taken the lead with Bamford's second it could have been a whole
different ball game.
Something has to be done about VAR. Not blaming the ref, he was only following
the rules but you saw
what most people think on Match of the Day when Lineker said he'd tweeted about
VAR decisions and
over 70% where getting rid of it!
guy
On 10 Nov 2020 at 12:07, James A. Lundon @ Yahoo! via Leedslist wrote:
Folks,
Are we all on our knees since Saturday afternoon?
James.
_______________________________________________
--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus
_______________________________________________
Leedslist mailing list
Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist
To unsubscribe, email [email protected]
Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/
Dorigo's Right Buttock...
_______________________________________________
Leedslist mailing list
Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist
To unsubscribe, email [email protected]
Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/
Dorigo's Right Buttock...
