Leeds United 1 Liverpool 1 (Apr 19 2021)

[tlw content]

 

 

 

Report by

Dave Usher

 

I’m going to ignore the huge elephant in the room and just focus on the game. I wouldn’t even know where to begin in addressing the other thing and once I had begun it would be difficult to stop. So I’ll just say that I hate the idea and that I’m massively concerned about the implications of it and I’ll leave it at that for now. 

 

I’ll write something when I’ve been able to process it all and get my head around it. Probably in the diary this week. I’ll keep this as just a match report. Not that anyone is particularly arsed about the match because none of these games mean anything now do they? Klopp and the players are trying to get into the top four but for what? The owners don’t want to be in the Champions League so it’s all moot.

 

I was worried about how the players would come out for this game given all that had gone on. I say worried, but that would imply that I cared when the truth is I wouldn’t have blamed the lads if they were in no frame of mind to play the game. So I half expected us to be completely flat and dispirited but that wasn’t the case. The lads looked up for it and Klopp certainly was in his pre-match interview. You can tell he was fuming about what has gone on but he was also irked by the t-shirts worn by the Leeds players in the warm up and left in the visitors dressing room. 

 

He was livid about the “Earn It” slogan on the t-shirts because he and his players have fought and scrapped for everything they’ve achieved to date. Nothing has been handed to them. I understand why that annoyed him but the point was valid. It was about future qualification, not past achievements. Still, he did everything but go into Wealdstone Raider mode and giving it the “you want some?”. He was ready to fight someone that’s for sure.

 

The players seemed similarly determined to make a point too and we started the game really well. Of course we were shite in the final third but that goes with the territory now. Doesn’t even matter which of the forwards play and which one is left out. It’s the same old toothless crap regardless.

 

This time it was Mo on the bench, so the threat of a goal from us was even less than usual. Sadio’s raw deal from refs continued as he was blatantly hauled down on the edge of the box early on and got nothing. I would give the ref the benefit of the doubt and say he played the advantage because Jota picked up the loose ball, but the ref was Anthony Taylor so no benefit is being given to that baldy Manc turd.

 

 

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[dockers_strike]

Well like I said after the 'dead rubber' in Denmark, I want us to win every game. I think it's too early to say top 4 this season counts for nothing or the club doesnt want to be in the CL, next season at least.

 

I think leeds, the club, were a disgrace last night with that t shirt trick. Yeah, this is a club once headed by ridsdale who spunked loads ofcash they hadnt earned. Sticking those shirts in our dressing room shows how small time they are. Their fans are cunts trying to stop our coaches getting into the ground and abusing the players at lunchtime when having a walk.

 

All this clearly wound up Jurgen and the players. They started the game all guns blazing even if they fired mostly blanks. Overall, I was happy at half time although another goal would have been great.

 

2nd half we just ran out of gas around the 60 minute mark. Leeds clearly got on top and Jurgen had to make changes. Love the man but why only 2 changes especially when Bobby looked fucked?

 

I thought taylor was a cunt. I think the corner came from a nothing foul he gave them? There were one or two other instances, I thought Mo should have had a corner down their end but he gave leeds a goal kick?

 

Last word on this super league stuff, sky and the media can fuck off quizzing Jurgen and the players over this. Ask the fucking clubs you shitheads if you have a problem. Shearer was saying why arent the owners in front of cameras etc. Erm because cunts like you are going for the easy target in the manager and players.

 

Fuck, out of +ve. Good report and will be back later.

[Marcas]

Depressing times. Last June / July seem like light years ago. When you’re talking about the sums of money involved in ‘protecting’ the ECL and Premier League, then anything could happen in the next few days/weeks. VAR being operated by clowns, empty stadium football, pandemic, this...you could fall out of love with football very  quickly.

[dave u]

14 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Well like I said after the 'dead rubber' in Denmark, I want us to win every game. I think it's too early to say top 4 this season counts for nothing or the club doesnt want to be in the CL

 

I get that mate, but you aren't on the pitch or picking the team. It's all well and good me or you wanting us to win every game but it's not realistic that everyone will see it with the same importance. Players aren't going to be going full throttle in every game when the incentive for them to win isn't as high, and managers aren't going to pick their strongest team for a home game with Palace when we're 15 points off top spot and we have a trip to Barcelona coming on the Wednesday night.

 

Fans won't be up for it in the stadium either. There's be an 'end of season' feel about games in February.

 

And the club (specifically the owners) doesn't want to be in the CL. They put out a statement this week saying exactly that. Breaking away from UEFA is the very definition of not wanting to be in the CL.

 

Saying it counts for nothing was more in reference to that than anything else though. It may still count if FSG have a trademark change of heart and climbdown, but if they go ahead with their plans then it won't matter where we finish this season because we'll either be in a new ESL if it's formed in time, or UEFA won't let us play in the CL just until the new league is formed because why the hell would they? 

[Trumo]

I doubt the Leeds players actually wanted to wear those t-shirts yesterday. I'm sure the players and coaching staff all have an opinion to some extent on the merits of a breakaway competition excluding all but the elite, but it looked like the t-shirts were foisted upon them.

 

Also, Leeds ought to be reminded that they mortgaged the house and the family silver to buy their way to the top table. They hadn't 'earned' the right any more than the oligarch and sport-washing clubs.

[dockers_strike]

30 minutes ago, dave u said:

 

I get that mate, but you aren't on the pitch or picking the team. It's all well and good me or you wanting us to win every game but it's not realistic that everyone will see it with the same importance. Players aren't going to be going full throttle in every game when the incentive for them to win isn't as high, and managers aren't going to pick their strongest team for a home game with Palace when we're 15 points off top spot and we have a trip to Barcelona coming on the Wednesday night.

 

Fans won't be up for it in the stadium either. There's be an 'end of season' feel about games in February.

 

And the club (specifically the owners) doesn't want to be in the CL. They put out a statement this week saying exactly that. Breaking away from UEFA is the very definition of not wanting to be in the CL.

 

Saying it counts for nothing was more in reference to that than anything else though. It may still count if FSG have a trademark change of heart and climbdown, but if they go ahead with their plans then it won't matter where we finish this season because we'll either be in a new ESL if it's formed in time, or UEFA won't let us play in the CL just until the new league is formed because why the hell would they? 

Yeah I agree with a lot of that Dave. We have rested players in the league for big European games in the past so dont really see much difference there. Admittedly it could become a more regular occurence with this Euro league though.

 

I do agree the clubs have to answer the question if you are in 2nd, 3rd or 4th etc in the PL and the 1st club is 15 or so point in front, what are you playing for if you are one of the 6 in this Euro Super League? Is it just pride, the final placings money in the PL or something else, if so what?

 

This is certainly going to run!

[alles ist gut]

Top, top massive turd sandwich analysis there, Dave.

[dave u]

21 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Yeah I agree with a lot of that Dave. We have rested players in the league for big European games in the past so dont really see much difference there.

 

I think the main difference is that usually when that has happened in the past it has been a difficult decision for the manager and there has often been criticism (except when it has been in the last couple of weeks of the season and we are still in the semi or final of the CL when everyone understands it other than Neil Warnock!). 

 

If you introduce a scenario when the only thing to play for is 1st place and there are no consequences to finishing 10th because it's effectively the same as finishing second anyway, that's when you lose the integrity of the competition and the PL will end up like the League Cup to any 'big six' team out of the title race early.

[Redlewie]

What an absolute nightmare of a season/year this has been. I look forward to your thoughts on the ESL, for what it's worth I think it's an absolute disgrace, and would think all "legacy" fans would agree. There's a lot wrong with footy, but this takes the biscuit.

[Pete]

I want this season just wither and die. I wish I could look forward to the new season but who knows what the fuck is going to happen. 

[Arnaud]

Alisson MOM. 
 

Klopp really hates rotating right , I am not saying Shaq would have done better but he could still try, couldn’t He ?

[Scooby Dudek]

I also thought it was ironic that when Mane had an open goal he put it right in the corner, nearly missed. Yet when any of our forwards shoot will a GK in there it currently goes straight down the middle.

 

We can't keep a clean sheet every game but we should be scoring a lot more considering the shots we are having.

[dave u]

11 hours ago, Arnaud said:

I am not saying Shaq would have done better but he could still try, couldn’t He ?

 

Yeah I'd be up for seeing more Shaq over the coming weeks. Just something a bit different. Don't want him in the front three though. Somewhere in a 4231 with Mo centre forward maybe.

 

45 minutes ago, Scooby Dudek said:

I also thought it was ironic that when Mane had an open goal he put it right in the corner, nearly missed. Yet when any of our forwards shoot will a GK in there it currently goes straight down the middle.

 

Yep, good point. 

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Scooby Dudek said:

I also thought it was ironic that when Mane had an open goal he put it right in the corner, nearly missed. Yet when any of our forwards shoot will a GK in there it currently goes straight down the middle.

 

We can't keep a clean sheet every game but we should be scoring a lot more considering the shots we are having.

I think Mane still has goals in him but our midfield being lopsided week after week is not helping forwards either. Never mind Firmino's horrendous form.

[Stickman]

I knew we weren’t going to win the minute Robertson had a break and had the simplest pass to his left but instead played it out of play

 

And as for Taylor well is goes without saying how shite he is especially when every time a Leeds player flopped to the floor he gave a free kick yet Mane got fuck all 

[DaveT]

That t-shirt trick was really shitty, but,hey, all's fair when your trying to get any sneaky advantage over your opponents and Leeds have penty of previous in that regard. Trying to put our lads in a difficult position when they've ha nothing to do with it was real small time.

I didn't know whether to laugh or rage when some dopey bint with the title of Shadow Minister for something or other was blathering on about the 'Football Family'. I was thinking - do you mean the kind of family that's always fighting each other or exchanging vile insults? Or arguing for a null and void when they're in danger of relegation or their bitterest rivals have just about won the title. The 'Football Family' wasn't much in evidence when Bury went down the Swannee for the want of the loose change from the back of the sofa of near neighbours Abu Dhabi FC.

The right outcome has happened, but we've been drowning in hypocrisy and bandwagon-jumping this week. Nauseating.