Today was just another one of those days at the office for Leeds United fans. Endeavour and effort went unrewarded and they trudged their way back home dejected after suffering another loss that, on paper, they should have easily won.
Art imitates life insofar as Whites fans are left to wonder at the beauty of their side’s play which then translates into the beauty of the beautiful game. However, it was a smudged and smeared mirror that was held up today to reflect their performance against a Wigan side that finds magic beans more often than they find away wins.
Still, Leeds United act like an over-generous Father Christmas in that they keep doling out gifts when they have little or no need to. It should have been an academic result for Leeds today in a game that pitted 1st against 22nd, especially considering the Latics awful away record.
Wigan had a game plan and stuck to it with a steely resoluteness that saw them through against a Whites side who often went forward with the fluidity of the finest of ballet dancers only to stub their toes at the final pirouette like a drunk at 3 am when the nightclub lights come on.
Leeds United fans were pretty angry after the game; here’s a sample of what some of them said on Twitter in reaction to the loss and how it was achieved. However, others reacted with simple incredulity at the constant miss after miss after miss that their side committed in front of goal.
Yet, a lot of the pre-match hype had been centred around if they were going to see new signing Jean-Kevin Augustin in action bearing in mind the potential that the young French striker has. They were to be sorely disappointed and, again, were very vocal on the matter when taking to Twitter to comment on his absence.
It was going to be an obvious question for reporters to ask after the match when Marcelo Bielsa sat down for the after-match press interviews. It was something that The Athletic’s Phil Hay asked him and here (below) is his reply:
Bielsa said he left out Augustin because Augustin needs to get up to speed with how Leeds play and he doesn’t want to expose Augustin to the Championship and the crowd until he understands how Leeds play. Bielsa thinks he’s doing right by him. #LUFC
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) February 1, 2020
Light the blue touch paper and retreat? It’s always a difficult one to fathom is a comment such as this, especially after such a disappointing performance and with fans feeling more than a little dejected. Suffice to say, it is a reported comment that Leeds United fans were drawn to address – here’s a sample of what they had to say.
Bielsa explains Big Kev omission vs Wigan – Leeds United fans comment and react
Disagree with him (for once) 20 minutes ont pitch, he’d have nowt but praise and the fans would be buzzing for him
— Ashleigh (@ashlaurenn_) February 1, 2020
Give him a month on the training ground to adapt and he too will be spooning it wide from four yards out
— Amitai Winehouse (@awinehouse1) February 1, 2020
So when will Bamford be up to speed with how Leeds play because I’m still waiting?
— Scott Eaglen (@ScottEaglen) February 1, 2020
Bamford not adapted and he’s been there 2 years
— Dale (@This_Is_DaleC) February 1, 2020
Can’t agree with that. He’s match fit from Monaco, he’s our best player on paper and can swing a game! Just give him 10 minutes ffs! Instead of putting Oliver Casey on the bench who’s never going to play!
— ⚪️⚪️LuFc_MoT⚪️⚪️ (@LuFc___MoT) February 1, 2020
He’s played champions league football. I’m sure he can handle Wigan Athletic.
— cano (@AidanCanavan) February 1, 2020
He’s a professional footballer. All he needs is to be told who to pick up at set pieces. The rest he can work out.
— Dan Brown (@D4N_BR0WN) February 1, 2020
This last one is pretty much what most Leeds United fans will be thinnking at the moment:
He plays up top just put the ball in the net needs to be his only instruction at the moment
— Dave Bramley (@d_bramley) February 1, 2020