Disappointing result, but we can take geart from that performance.
For 70 minutes or so across the match, we went toe-to-toe with what is, in my opinion (along with many others I'd imagine), the strongest squad in the league. Even with the players they've sold, the quality they have in every position is envious (although I'd have our keeper over theirs every day of the week). For a significant portion of those 70 mins we were the better side even. So we can look at the rest of the season, knowing that we have what it takes to compete with anyone we face.
First half we did great, especially early on. We were very eager to move forwards quickly, passing was incisive, movement was smart, with a major intent to get behind them. We quickly unsettled them, could have been in front thanks to a Meslier howler, and then take the lead through a great piece of play down the left.
Kept a good temporary for a little while after the goal, but as we slowly struggled to find our out balls, Leeds started to turn the screw. They isolated Clarke, but a solid spine kept our clean sheet. Anel, JLT, and Vini especially were excellent - sniffing out passes and crosses wherever they could. At half time, I really thought we had a chance to win, if we could get a 2nd. It was clear that only one goal would not be enough.
Very bright again to start the 2nd half. Hamza at RB looked excellent, was sniffing out every threat, and simple passes allowed us to move forwards. But when Campbell and JRS came off, we lost the tactical battle. Hamer is blatantly not fit, he was thoroughly ineffective, and I don't remember him doing anything besides that awful tackle on Bogle to get himself booked. And we went from pinning their right side in, via Burrows and BBD, to the complete opposite, and James and Bogle doubling up on Burrows. That was where things went wrong, and we never recovered.
Moving BBD meant no pressure down the left. Subbing JRS meant no pressure down the right. Allowing Leeds to push up more to dictate. Thus, we dropped back to compensate, leaving Cannon isolated. We gifted control of a game to Leeds, right at the moment where we seemed set to kill them off.
What happened afterwards was fairly academic. We let Firpo have a free header that he missed. And then we were dumb enough to let him have another one - 1-1. Hamer then loses his man at the back post from a set piece and it's 1-2. After that, I think we were so ready to be gung-ho from the restart that we got caught out when we lost possession. The lack of pressure on Piroe is disappointing, but that was not the error that lost us the game.
I wonder how this game might have played out, if Hamer had not been fit enough for the bench. That was by far his worst performance this season, and he never should have come on. For that, I have to put the blame on Wilder and his staff. Firstly, for not subbing him off vs Muddlesvrough when he was clearly not capable of regular movement, and secondly for the decisions to name him in the squad, and then put him on the pitch tonight. I can't blame Hamer all that much for doing as told, coming on and trying his best. The staff shouldn't have played him, pure and simple.
Plenty of positives to take though. Vini's performance was exceptional I thought in hugely difficult circumstances. Really drive us forward, one specific pass of absurd quality to put BBD in behind in the 2nd half. BBD also deserves credit - dud great 1st half, though his influence on the game petered out as he was moved off the left wing. And I'll offer praise to Hamza also - first 15-20 mins after he came on he was great - snuffed out everything and got us going again. Struggled as Leeds turned the screw on us, but everyone did so there's no shame there.
