Bethnal

Three Leeds players asking for a booking should’ve each had one, though.

Think it was Ben Foster’s podcast that it was on. Worth a listen, always nice hearing former Rovers talk about their time at the club. But he was a free with the appearance bonus thing is direct from Friedel’s mouth. Can hear the satisfaction he has recounting John Williams telling him it’s the best money he’s spent.

Yeah, I’d agree with all of that. The quality of defenders/keeper that we didn’t have with JDT (after Kaminski left) is what really undermined the whole philosophy. We are at least asking our defenders to do more of what they’re instinctively good at and less of what they’re bad at. “Sink or swim” can work when you’ve got the resources, but we haven’t since JW. If we take 6 points of Leeds and Boro in a week, a lot of teams will not fancy us for the foreseeable and if we keep taking joy in ruining opposition teams’ day, we’ll pick up a lot more points.

If this is the standard of performance we can maintain for the season, we’re looking at top 6. Total commitment across the park and impressive work with ball (albeit not having much of it all). Value for the lead and we’ll be value for the win if we do the same second half.

This has been a real “team” performance. We look like we’re enjoying our hard work and especially enjoying ruining Leeds’ day.

Expected a lot more from Leeds but so many of their players look like they don’t fancy it today.

Think there’s a Joy Division song we could start singing here…

He downed tools, essentially. I don’t totally agree with it, but I get it.

Aren’t these lot top of the league? They look like a reserve side.

I like Yuki a lot. He’s extremely game, always looking to find space and be available. Constant pressing and workrate. All we ask for in blue and white

Latte Lath guy is a nuisance, I don’t personally rate Ben Doak but lots of people do, so he’s likely to have a stormer, I imagine. Currently still at work, not dashing home for this one. Expect a tough night for us.

After today’s performance, it occurred to me that the apparent reason that Travis went on loan (wanted to play the 6, receiving the ball from the defence) doesn’t track at all to the player Travis has been this season. Dynamic and much more of an 8, closer to how I remember him breaking through. What happened there and what’s happened since, do we think?

Really great finish. Didn’t look like it was remotely on and no idea how he managed to get it past their keeper but a moment of real quality for a player that just hasn’t had many minutes.

Lewis Travis, what a ball.

Unless he’s being told to by the manager, I don’t see what could possess Pears to earn a booking through time wasting in the first half.

Ohashi looking really bright. Still getting up to speed with the more intricate stuff and I’d like to see us trying to play him through more often, but encouraging performance and is first choice striker, for me. Cantwell not at the same level today as he has been recently. Looks too eager to get a goal when he has the opportunity, needs a bit of composure. We still don’t look solid at the back. All defending feels desperate. Surprised they’re not targeting Pickering more.

Placed a cross on Gueye’s forehead about a yard out, a lot of through balls to direct chances and constantly retaining the ball against the odds approaching their defensive third. He’s head, shoulders, waist and heels above the rest of the squad. Effort was unexpectedly high, the way he’s been pitched to me by Norwich fans was as a mard arse but nothing approaching that tonight.

I need to lay down some context here. I’m 35, my cardiovascular fitness is “poor” and my VO2 max is “below average.” I’m 5’7” on a good day. I absolutely bury that header. The header missed by 6’4” Makhtar Gueye? I bury that.

Yes. What we need is a lot of stepovers.

There’s a huge technical gulf across the team, which a really good system can mask. I actually see it tonight as playing 4-4-2 out of possession and 3-4-3 with the ball and I don’t hate it. It is something that needs a lot of work clearly, but I don’t hate it for us at home against the likes of Stoke

Can you believe that Dolan was expecting to be in the 10 ahead of Cantwell? I get the notion of “earning the shirt” but Dolan will be seeing himself and Cantwell in training every day.

Looks like we don’t have the answer to anything we’ve been asked today. Bullied off the ball all the time, horrendous end product, can’t live with Kieffer Moore. Brittain managed to crash through the floor of the very limited expectation I had of his introduction. Stinks of mid table, maybe we shouldn’t grumble at that, but any earlier optimism is dimming and the team look ragged. Manager has to do something to combat that trend.

Can’t complain with the result, but Cantwell aside, we look toothless. Early-season dynamism is missing, need a bit of rejuvenation.

Callum Brittain and Siggy have can’t get in the side and have come on with about fifteen left to stake a claim, can’t be arsed pressing or supporting. Weimann’s knees are held together with sticky tape and he’s trying to make summat happen. Headscratcher, what do these lads do all week?

Pears is a fucking liability, Jesus Christ he can’t continue like this