I know a few Albion fans and they are all in agreement that Sam is finished at the highest level. He had no idea how to turn things round in his time at the Hawthorns.

Strange appointment by Leeds.

Im not a Sam fan but he had two days with the team. Do you think he would have had chance to seriously change things? The players even said before the game they'd been working on the defence in training so I don't see how he could have impacted much on the attack.

The City two goals could have been stopped in my opinion both were poor to concede. Midfielders not picking up players and Firpo going AWOL and letting Mahrez run riot.

I actually thought Kristensen played quite well yesterday though. Koch wouldn't have made a difference lets be honest.

The second half was a lot better performance than the first half where we looked awful. So maybe Sam had some impact there?

We just couldn't compete at all with Citys midfield in the first half which is unsurprising really given the players who are playing. I think we can start to judge Sam at the next game. This was always going to be a write off just glad we didn't concede a hat full. Thought the ref was awful giving them everything by the way.

Would be nice to see a marked improvement against Newcastle to give us hope in the last two games.

City, lauded on Froday night as the best English team ever suddenly collapsed. Seeing Harland, one of best strikers we will ever see time wasting continually from corners and City shrink to a parody of their former selves showed that when the going gets tough, they're not quite all that.
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Football ain't for you so it seems

"Do you think he would have had chance to seriously change things? "

What like swapping out our ever present keeper for last 3 years?

I wonder what the game would have been like if City weren't playing Real Madrid away in 3 days time, hadn't rested 5 of their best players and were chasing top position in the league rather than just trying to consolidate it?

I think Big Sam and us yesterday, did ok. Something to build on in the next 3 games methinks👍😁.

comment by The Light Brigade (U22847)
posted 8 minutes ago
I think Big Sam and us yesterday, did ok. Something to build on in the next 3 games methinks👍😁.
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Resultwise absolutely
Performancewise absolutely not

Results paramount right now.

I didn't see the 2nd half as I was toasting HRH at our village hall but in 1st half, I think Firpo was doing exactly what he was told to do and therefore has come in for undue criticism, stay close to the rest of the defence to reduce opportunities inside the box.
It was clear that was also the tactic for the midfield who were very deep and allowed huge amounts of space in midfield for City to do what they wanted and made the task of finding Bamford nigh on impossible.
Loads of space for Mahrez to run in to, and huge space for Gündoğan to exploit.

Bamford was the the worst I've ever seen him, the ball was bouncing off him like a brick wall. Hard to have possession when that happens every time.

We are a poor unbalanced side.... let's be honest, we know why and the scoreline yesterday certainly flattered us but I think under Gracia and just by playing Meslier and Koch I'm certain we wouldn't have escaped with only a one goal defeat which could be what ultimately saves us on goal difference... who knows? but if it is then I'm sure none of us will give a rats derrier about how it probably was the worst looking and most ugly performance of the season.

I personally feel in Big Sam and his 2 assistants far more encouraged about our chances of survival...I think the defence probably picks itself so not too much can be improved upon with the players SA has to select from and it's important they all get used to playing as a unit now and hopefully the errors we saw yesterday can be eradicated or at least reduced.

The forward line definitely needs changing and I'm certain Big Sam will drop Bamford because just his very presence is handicapping the team's chances and with Rodrigo instead of him we stand a much better chance of a positive result.

Yesterday summed up Bamford this season. He showed no composure for a player of his experience you would think that's a given and his very poor control and first touch exposed shockingly yesterday another Leeds player where the shirt has become too heavy for them and their confidence is in tatters.... Time's up for PB.

So next week along with Rodrigo up front I think SA will also go with Gnonto and Summerville instead of Harrison who unfortunately does not give us enough of his hot performances, he's far too inconsistent and it frustrates the hell out of us all as when he's on it he's fantastic but we haven't got time to wait for him to turn it on so a subs appearance is Jack's best role.

Midfield is where Big Sam and his coaches can this week identify the best combination to give the side more possession and I expect Foreshaw will definitely remain and then it's 2 from Rocca, Mckennie, Greenwood and possibly Struiyk or even Koch can play midfield. Young Archie Gray would be a very brave decision but if you're good enough you're old enough.. We'll see.

Yesterday you could say we had lady luck with us to keep the scoreline respectable but it works both ways because let's remember that against Palace, Leeds could have been 3 or 4 up, against Liverpool Rodrigo could have scored before they did, against Leicester, Bamford's miss cost us 2 points... that's football.

So it's needs must at the moment and let's just try and scramble to safety however unpleasant it is on the eye, Big Sam and his ego are our best bet... let's get behind him and Leeds of course!

City aren’t really all that, due to last nights performance.

The same performance, as you said, where they could easily have been 7-0 up?

Something doesn’t quite align there.

Last night’s*

I think with uncle Sam working on the defense made it difficult for the whole team, they're playing the best attack in English football with the worst defensive record in the league!..

Surely expecting the worst and losing by 1 against the best is an improvement on the last months showing?..

The team have a bit more time to work on what was missing yesterday, and if they get as much out off that as they did the defense yesterday then surely that's an improvement!..

We were an absolute shadow of the Leeds team that came here and beat City with Dallas !!!

Meslier should start worrying cause' Joel was very steady. I like Paddy, but now definitely he should be dropped unless he shows something +ve in training and gets a grip of himself. Newcastle will be a handful. Monday evening results will give us a clearer picture.

Expect three similar games to the end of the season.

Sam's tactics - basically try to get three draws with the random chance of a win if we get the breaks - are probably the best we could hope for with the current squad. Any forceful attacking play and we'd just get picked-off as usual.

A bit like when Phillips was out with injury, I think we're missing Adams massively. I can't help wondering if he'd have been in position to stop yesterday's conceded goals if he was on the pitch.

comment by LeedsFanFor47Years (U6871)
posted 1 minute ago
Expect three similar games to the end of the season.

Sam's tactics - basically try to get three draws with the random chance of a win if we get the breaks - are probably the best we could hope for with the current squad. Any forceful attacking play and we'd just get picked-off as usual.

A bit like when Phillips was out with injury, I think we're missing Adams massively. I can't help wondering if he'd have been in position to stop yesterday's conceded goals if he was on the pitch.


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Definitely miss Adams' control and leadership.

Yesterday was as good as I might have expected. Defeat was inevitable, but if there was a small improvement in organisation and confidence, that might bring dividends over the next three games.
However good Sam might be, he has inherited an unbalanced, disorganised squad lacking confidence. He doesn't have time to make a significant improvement but he might just squeeze a few points out of the next 3 games.
But basically we are relying on 2 of the teams around us completely messing up. And even Sam can't do much to make that happen.

comment by montleeds (U18330)
posted 2 hours, 35 minutes ago
Bamford was the the worst I've ever seen him, the ball was bouncing off him like a brick wall. Hard to have possession when that happens every time.
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The few times that the midfielders, especially Weston, managed to get it anywhere near him you mean.
Some people's focus seems to be continuously to slag Bamford off but the service to him was dire, Ayling, Ras, Firpo, Weston (least said), Roca, Gnonto and Forshaw were no better. And even if the ball had stuck, what the hell was he supposed to do with it, such were the tactics employed in the first half he was being over-run by City's underemployed midfield.

Got to agree with Jonty

Appalling performance and the scoreline does reflection the game.

Performance is irrelevant at this stage of the season, its all about the results. We dropped just 1 GD to the best team in world football so we can't complain about yesterday at all. Hopefully they put 2/3/4 past Everton as I do see GD being the decider. Agree with the OP on pretty much everything.

That wasn't a good advert for football yesterday. Seeing a team boss the other so heavilly looked ridiculous. Was like watching an adult fighting a child.

Bamford needs replacing regardless what league we end up in. Looks shot and feeble.

It was a good result. We were always going to lose that game, no matter the tactics or how the players performed individually. To keep it at 1 nil and end with a bit of positivity with that Rodrigo goal is the best case scenario. The players then got applauded off a week after being hammered by the away end, they didn’t concede to City in the second half. Regardless of whether they should have or not, they’ll take confidence. Momentum is massive as we’ve seen in the last month, players will take a boost and we’re in a better position than we were to tackle the remaining 3 games.

Thing is, Man City do that to everyone in the league, they made Arsenal look like a lower league team. The gap between them and everyone else is crazy, we’ve turned into Bundesliga/Ligue 1, they win the league without really having to step out of 2nd gear.

comment by Jonty (U4614)
posted 6 hours, 14 minutes ago
comment by The Light Brigade (U22847)
posted 8 minutes ago
I think Big Sam and us yesterday, did ok. Something to build on in the next 3 games methinks👍😁.
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Resultwise absolutely
Performancewise absolutely not

Results paramount right now.
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Yep👍

comment by LIW Rad a %#@% and so is Orta (U8453)
posted 1 hour, 35 minutes ago
Got to agree with Jonty

Appalling performance and the scoreline does reflection the game.
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C’mon …. smile … it’s good for you 😄

We may have seen Meslier's last game in a Leeds shirt.
I thought Robles steadied the ship. Savvy keeper who
Big Sam has worked with. Can't see him being dropped.

Have the last couple of months dented Meslier's price
tag? He's bound to have plenty of suitors as he's still
so young and already a very good GK. He will sign with
someone else in the summer. I wish him well. But hope
the club can get a decent fee for him.

BTW, I do not blame Wes for the goal fests. It was a
collective effort by all.

*Mes.