It’s not that bad, honest: Carlisle 3 - 1 Leeds
By: Matthew | November 6th, 2007
It had to end at some point. A 13-game unbeaten run at the start of the season is pretty much unheard of, and the current Leeds squad isn’t so much better than the rest of League One that it was guaranteed to maintain an unbeaten record. Still, Leeds deserve some credit: they were by far the better team in the first half of the match, and went into the changing rooms 1-0 up. A sloppy second half, coupled with a Carlisle performance that honestly looked like it was coming from a completely different team, brought an end to the longest unbeaten run in English football and the dreams of Leeds fans around the world. But is it really that bad?
Now, though, I think it’s important to be realistic. That we lost is unimportant - every team loses from time to time, and losing a match while away at the league leaders would, for any other team, be a fairly unremarkable thing. The trouble is that Leeds are - indisputably - the best team in League One and, prior to this match, were regarded by a lot of smaller clubs as nigh-on invincible. Of course, losing to Carlisle isn’t exactly a dreadful loss, but the psychological blow to Leeds (and boon to the rest of League One) could be dangerous. What Leeds need, more than anything, is to wipe the floor with Bournemouth in tonight’s game. If Leeds can enter the game with the same confidence and determination they’ve shown throughout this season, hammering Bournemouth shouldn’t present much of a problem. A setback tonight, though, could be disastarous to Leeds’s confidence and ability to continue to mount their title challenge. I, for one, am bloody nervous.
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United States
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While the 13 match ubeaten run was pretty remarkable, especially given that eleven of those games were wins, I wouldn’t say that this is proof that Leeds are by far the best team in the division.
I think the point deduction was a blessing in disguise for Leeds, as was the difficulty in signing players over the summer. It gave the players a kick up the arse and a chance to redeem themselves after last season.
They simply had to win games to stand any chance of promotion, and the players were clearly aware of the urgency. Had the deduction not been in place, and the club were able to sign players, then I believe they would have a better team on paper, but one that was still gelling together.
Against Forest for example, the game could have gone either way. A late goal won it, and Leeds have had a few of those this season.
I think they’ll go up, but they won’t walk it.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
I’d say that Leeds are the best team in the League simply for their ability to grind out wins in matches they might, on the a realistic assessment, have expected to lose or draw. Getting late goals isn’t necessarily a sign of luck: I’d read it as a sign of a team with the sheer determination to play full-out for ninety minutes in order to guarantee a result.
I agree that the points deduction played a part, especially psychologically, but I’m not sure where Wise would have signed players this season even if he were allowed to. We do need an injection of talent in the midfield, but the Leeds squad already boasts more midfielders than half the Premiership combined, so I’d say it’s more likely he’d have let some go than brought more in. In terms of raw materials, the midfield - Sebastian Carole and Jonathan Douglas in particular, they were spectacular against Millwall - is made up of fairly good players, they’re just not playing particularly well together. The squad, as it stands, is fairly talented and more than good enough to win League One.
I agree that Leeds probably won’t walk the League; I still think the current Leeds squad, as consituted by Wise, is by far the best team in League One.
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