QPR game

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

As I wandered through the sunny streets of West London this morning towards Loftus Road with my youngest we strolled with a sense of hope and optimism that finally this would be the season a new dawn would finally break.

There seemed many reasons to be positive - a decent new young manager with premiership experience who was saying the right things and trying to bring in players better than we have, Cellino's season ticket offer (surely he means to give it a good go this season), QPR shorn of many of their better players. Surely QPR were there for the taking a youngish unproven team.

That lasted all off 5 minutes after kick off. These are some of the words and phrases to describe the first half from a Leeds perspective; slow, cumbersome, lethargic, not fit, passionless, lack of urgency, clueless, lightweight, impotent.

The fans as ever were magnificent creating a wall of noise that should have been a spur to get things going.

In Green we seem to have swapped Silvestre for someone with the same skills and the same flaws - good shot stopper but hapless under the high ball.

It was clearly a game too soon for Beradii who clearly was not fully fit and in the 20 mins or so before he was subbed was given a torrid time by the QPR flying teenage winger.

The goal was a calamity - it should have been cleared and Green had a shocker trying to turn it over but instead it ended eventually under not over the bar.

Still the fans dug deep hoping to inspire the team to do the same. Instead we were slow and disjointed. In the formation Diagourra was the killer of pace and driving forward and movement or hope of flowing football foiled by him being ponderous and simply looking to play it backwards - he made the ghost of Ray Wilkins seem a progressive passer. The rest of the midfield looked lightweight. Grimes being knocked off the ball or simply not at the races and Vierra finding his feet and getting to know his teammates. Wood looked unthreatening and doesn't have the pace to chase down the ball apply pressure in this formation. Roofe looked out of his depth and ineffectual - maybe he was a little over awed or prefers playing down the middle. Dallas had some okay touches but looked off the pace too.

Taylor was a mixed bag - some decent runs forward and a couple of committed challenges/interceptions but was also guilty of giving the ball away and n the few occasions we broke it tended to be on the left and he too slowed the game rather than giving the early pass or cross.

Wasted corners and a free kick out of play summed up our first half threat. QPR were v unlucky not to be at least 2 and probably 3 up at half time- Green's left hand post being very kind to Leeds.

Surely, there would be a *******ing at half time and a reaction second half - well apparently surely not.

We were soundly beaten and it could have been more.

There were a few positives. Vierra came more and more into the game. Coyle looked composed at right back and in the last 15 mins got forward well. Antonnsen looked threatening when he came on and had a glorious chance (though it looked suspiciously offside) no whilst he beat the keeper it dribbled wide. Sakho looked genuinely quick and threatening when he came on and will surely start soon. He linked very well with Vierra, Coyle and Antonssen too. Taylor got better as the game went on and I would say probably edged the 'best' player for Leeds.

So abject was the performance and seemingly lacking in drive and passion that the Leeds fans were stunned into someone like silence for large parts of the last 15 minutes and at the end there was a look of open mouthed disbelief that this season could be at least as hard and unrewarding as the last two.

chant of the game to the ginger haired linesman from the Leeds fans - get out of the sun, get out of the sun 1 oi ginger get out of the sun.

Players got booed at the end (rightly) and Monk seemed to disappear straight down the tunnel rather then face the fans.
Cellino has allowed Monk to bring in his own players and coaching team and I suspect will be calling Gary to ask WTF was that? Many more performances like that one and I suspect young Gary will be toast. Not Cellino's fault and possibly not Monk's though he picks the team and Beradi was not fit and the midfield was so lightweight.
The main things I took away from the game ....

We need Bridcutt back to boss the midfield and fast
Wood doesn't have the right attributes to play the lone striker role at present and his lack of pace makes it comfortable for the other team's centre backs
Grimes seems very lightweight
Green is the new Silvestre and if anything his kicking and flapping is worse - Silvestre is young so would rather play him
Some of the players look promising - Vierra looks like he will grow into some player - he is technically good, has pace and vision and got better and took more responsibility as the game wore on - Sakho looked threatening he must start next game - Antonnsen looks as if he will get into positions to score goals.
Mowatt must be wondering why he didn't play.

I hope we can put that game down to the football equivalent of a mulligan but I fear it could be a long season.

I only had a 20 minutes walk home after the game so I feel for those fans making the long journey back up the M1 with no real crumbs of comfort to cheer them up on that long journey back to God's own country.

MOT

[WTF11]

Not quite as local to Loftus Road, but not quite as far from home as the poor sods who were left to trek back up the M1 with the memory of a performance that must leave many with the thought that relegation could be a real possibility this season.

I'm not going to regurgitate all of what HO has said, but I agree with just about every sentiment, with a couple of additional points....Green should be benched until further notice or relegated to the development/U21 squad. His failure to give the defence any confidence in his own ability is shocking coming from a keeper with his experience. Woods ditto, until he shows he can either move at anything other than a glacial pace and/or have the ability to use his 6'6" to some ind of advantage. If he fails to do BOTH, he should be gotten rid of ASAP.

But these misgivings/criticisms pale into total insignificance compared to the desert that is our midfield. Frankly do not know where to start or finish. The fans FFS have been making comments about the lack of a midfield that is worth of the name for MONTHS, and what had happened? Sweet f00k all, except selling at least one player who could well have made a difference today, and a failure to acquire others to take his place, well done "the management"! Why has it taken until the imminent closure of the transfer window to get within striking distance of a signature from Bridcutt? Will he be able to do what apparently no-one else in the 1st team is capable of, i.e making plays FORWARD from the midfield instead of playing patty-cake between CBs and goalkeeper?

Not flouncing, but not posting for a while, (yeah, put the f00king flags out!). Going to watch and see what happens, tired of banging on about the same things and watching as f00k all happens to address the problems we all know are there.

[españablanco73]

Some wise soul had this to say last week...." Im still worried about the middle of the park, were not solid enough and our midfield lacks goals. "

[Silentman]

We were made to look poor by a very average side who won't be in the promotion mix come next May. If this was us 'peaking' as Monk had said last week after the Atalanta game then it's going to be a very downward slippery slope this season. I'm not getting worried yet as I do think Monk is the right man for us, but what yesterday told us surely is that Bamba, Grimes, Diagoura and Wood are benchwarmers at best.

[Leedsbigclubwithtinh]

We were made to look poor by a very average side who won't be in the promotion mix come next May. If this was us 'peaking' as Monk had said last week after the Atalanta game then it's going to be a very downward slippery slope this season. I'm not getting worried yet as I do think Monk is the right man for us, but what yesterday told us surely is that Bamba, Grimes, Diagoura and Wood are benchwarmers at best.

Never rated Diagouraga (from what I saw), the way he runs equals the uncomfortable way Wood runs...and in both cases it refects that something ***** is missing.
Bamba is average and always was (the good first impressions faded fast). Grimes hasn`t shown much yet and looks incredibly lightweight for a league like the Championship. Him, Diagouraga and Viera in midfield was like a bad dream come true: total inexperience combined with rather little quality (albeit maybe potential)...don`t know what drove Monk to let them three Play together.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Never rated Diagouraga (from what I saw), the way he runs equals the uncomfortable way Wood runs...and in both cases it refects that something ***** is missing.
Bamba is average and always was (the good first impressions faded fast). Grimes hasn`t shown much yet and looks incredibly lightweight for a league like the Championship. Him, Diagouraga and Viera in midfield was like a bad dream come true: total inexperience combined with rather little quality (albeit maybe potential)...don`t know what drove Monk to let them three Play together.

Grimes reminded me of Sunday League football when I was younger and the other team had a skilful but young kid and you could just bully him off the ball. Vierra grew into the game and stated to try to impose himself whereas Grimes was just never in it.

I wouldn't mind seeing a front 6 of

Mowatt Bridcutt

Sacko Vierra/Hernandez Dallas/Roofe

Antonsson

Pace and footballers who can beat players with skill or a pass.

I would like to see Antonssen get a run as I like the runs he makes and his awareness of the play around him.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

We were made to look poor by a very average side who won't be in the promotion mix come next May. If this was us 'peaking' as Monk had said last week after the Atalanta game then it's going to be a very downward slippery slope this season. I'm not getting worried yet as I do think Monk is the right man for us, but what yesterday told us surely is that Bamba, Grimes, Diagoura and Wood are benchwarmers at best.

To be fair to QPR they had some very good youngsters - Chery was the best player on the pitch and the left winger was tricky and quick and it was his first championship game. They played to a pattern and with a plan (yes I know we let them) but a least they showed fight to win the ball and and then had a plan that involved passing as opposed to hoofing the ball forward.

[CLIVETHELEEDSFAN]

If bridcutt signs then he will certainly be an assured presence infront of the back 4 but he's 100% dcm, so if bridcutt plays then someone like mowatt or Vieira will have to attack like crazy while bridcutt sits infront of the back 4

The 18 I'd choose for the fleetwood match although I'm not saying who should start or be on the bench is (based on Berardi being injured) is

Green Turnbull Coyle Taylor Denton Bamba Bartley Cooper Dallas Sacko Hernandez Botaka mowatt Vieira Phillips Antonsson Roofe Wood

[sam11]

We were garbage Sunday but let's not get too carried away. Green never was the best under pressure from crosses, we knew that when we signed him, but will be a decent addition with his organisational qualities and his experience in his own job. Also the likes of Grimes, the thing is, Monk rates him, so unless he's an idiot we must trust his judgement. It was one game. The lad played but a handful of games last season and even less than a handful the season before. Hard to stomach but he'll be up and down for a bit yet.
From what I've seen of Mow this pre-season he looks lean, mean and determined, stronger and fitter than he ever has been and filled out from an enthusiastic kid to a fit young man, so was disappointed he wasn't included instead, with Grimes starting tmora. But that's just me. Monk's forgotten more than I'll ever know. As it is though, i'd definitely include Grimes tmora. Lad needs games. I'd tell him to give it a good hour and to crawl off the pitch at the end. And if his quality isn't there then pull him out for Saturday. But that's just me. We'll see. MOT

[sam11]

A plus is that, assuming (by no means certain) Bridcutt signs we'll have a 5231 with the two being Bridcutt and Vieira and the three likely to be Dallas, Hernandez and Roofe. That is a very good platform. So no wrist slitting here just yet. At the current rate of improvement Vieira will be the best player in the side by Christmas. We'll see.