As a Leeds United fan myself, any defeat is hard to take – as they are with any fan or any club. Defeats act as almost an affront to everything that you believe in. Last night was like that.
Pragmatically thinking, defeats exist in any sport and football is not different, they are part-and-parcel of the game and something to be expected over the course of any campaign. Tranches of good form are interspersed with period of less form and the odd defeat thrown in there – for successful teams at least. For others it’s more of a mixed bag affair.
Leeds have suffered defeats this season but last night was worse than a defeat, therefore it was much harder to take. In essence it was a total, abject surrender and one that didn’t sit well with me. No heart, no passion, no anything really and that was the sum of what the near 3,000 Leeds United fans who braved the Beast from the East weather system experienced.
As bad as the weather was that Middlesbrough struggled against to get the game going, it wasn’t as bad as the performance they faced from Leeds United. As worse as anything Leeds United have served up this season, last night’s performance against Boro beat that. It stank the house out.
I’m not the only Leeds fan who thinks that, look at the following reactions from today, the day after the horrible, horrible, horrible night before.
Leeds United fans comment on the Middlesbrough result and performance
I could see this weak squad very early on. I made a bold claim when we lost 1-0 to Millwall at the Den that we’d finish in the bottom half. Around half a season later and that looks like a real possibility! 😷 #LUFC
— LUFC South Stand (@SouthStand_LUFC) March 3, 2018
still trying to digest that shambles i watched last night thats the most embarrassed ive been for a long time watching a leeds game that performance last night lacked passion, desire, quality, hunger ut just smacks of player’s giving up and not caring #lufc
— neil (@neilstuartdavy) March 3, 2018
Remember those players we hated? They all easily stroll into this current shower. Belusci, Bridcutt, Silvestri & Doukara to name a few. Honestly, if he hadn’t have bought the ground back and done the Leeds salute as much as he has I reckon TTGAR would be a thing #lufc 😑
— Leo (@DirtyLeedsLeo) March 3, 2018
First time in his reign I’ve seen people question @andrearadri properly. My opinion on him has completely flipped now. He’s a PR man that doesn’t care about the club or fans, here to make a jackpot earning with a promotion. Done nothing right IMO. #lufc
— LUFC South Stand (@SouthStand_LUFC) March 3, 2018
Think a lot of players in this #lufc team are being made to look worse than they are, we’ve got a few very good players. Priorities in summer for me have to be a genuine quality keeper, left back, a solid strong centre back and a creative centre mid.
— Alex Brady (@Bazzbawls) March 3, 2018
This league is full of sub standard teams, with sub standard players, playing sub standard football… but it’s full of tough bastards in aggresive teams and full on fixtures. It’s more mental than technical, top 6 achieveble with this teams ability not with it’s mentality #lufc
— Adam (@Hertswhitelufc) March 3, 2018
Rachubka, the only goal keeper in my Leeds United lifetime who was worse than our current so called number one, but it’s a close run thing! #lufc
— Stephen Reynolds (@stephens_tweets) March 3, 2018
Cellino got rid of Bates and GFH while Radrizzani got rid of Wood, Green, Taylor, Bartley and Bridcutt. And yet people prefer Radrizzani? I don’t get it. #lufc
— andy j gallagher (@andyjgallagher) March 3, 2018
Whilst a lot of the fans are rightly critical of the team, and after last night who wouldn’t be, there’s a slight wind of change creeping in about current owner Andrea Radrizzani. It’s a Leeds thing though, when the chips are down…just get critical.
But like I said above, these fans have every right to air their criticisms after what was served up by Leeds United last night. If that was a meal served in a restaurant, you’d have every right to send it back and ask for a refund. Every right.