Unofficial MDT Man City V Leeds United

Not sure if any of ye saw the Chelsea/Porto game last night..

But very early on first 15mins??? Pepe jumped for a ball (arms up) and caught Havertz with an elbow to the head.

Now how are defenders suppose to jump? Arms down by their sides?? but thats not the point again if you listen back to ex-referees/ex-footballers last Saturday on the tv the vast majority were saying either excessive force or endangering a fellow professional.

So please explain to me how an elbow to the head of an opponent isnt endangering a fellow professional!!!!!

Dont get me wrong i dont think pepe should have been punished he won the ball in the air fairly and squarely, the ref didnt dish out any card, didnt even go over to talk to him and VAR didnt look at the incident either. So where is the consistency? how can someone be sent off for endangering an opponent on a Saturday in one game of football and another not even get a talking to (never mind a card) on a Tuesday night??

Is it because of the teams involved? does it go by who the players are? no matter what way both of those are no reason to apply any rule, they are the laws of the game not "laws of the game that apply to some".

Im sure there have been hundreds of these types of these big team "injustices" all across Europe this season but what can be done about it??

What i can see happening is a major incident like this happening in a big game (cup, towards the end of a league campaign) a really big game for a "small" Club a huge decision goes against them and the coach removes the players from the pitch. Only then will the spotlight really shine on the officials and their in consistency in applying the laws of the game will be discussed / thrashed out.

Of course not all decisions will be perfect and by and large the officials do a good job in what is increasingly becoming a faster and faster game so they have to make instant decisions in very difficult circumstances. Its a job where officials can make genuine mistakes, not perfect but in what job have we faultless workers, but the perception is its the big teams get the benefit of the doubt, like seriously how many here would think if the McTominay for manure last Sunday against Spurs was against Wolves or WBA would that goal have been disallowed?

Officiating is coming/at a critical juncture and needs to get its act together otherwise when the fans actually get back into the stadiums and these inconsistent decisions keep going against the lesser Clubs i think you could find the atmosphere getting very hostile very quickly and could even spill out onto the pitch, which nobody wants to see.

Well lads the euphoric feeling we all had on Saturday has slightly receded and i think we can all be a little more rational in our view now.

For me i still stand by my view that Cooper's tackle was a good one, i dont see anything that he has willfully intended to connect with the opponent. For me he has made a good challenge, a strong one but good one, and one that he im sure he was thought very early on in his footballing career.

OK rules have changed in recent years and player welfare is now part and parcel of the game and that's right in my book, no fellow professional should be endangered by another on the field of play. But what is the defender supposed to do in that scenario?? Pull out? Not tackle? change his momentum in mid air after winning the ball?

Many moons ago i attended a referring coaching course (rugby) but im sure this would be the standard answer no matter what sport is being played.

Question : How will I know if a tackle is a red card offense?

Answer : I was given "When you see one you will know"

And tbf that insight from a referring instructor stood me well in the intervening years.

If you look at the ref's location in the Cooper incident again he is looking directly at the tackle and his immediate reaction was yellow NOT RED, now argue the toss about it being a foul is one thing and a separate issue but his 1st impression on the tackle was yellow, naturally when pictures are slowed right down things look worse and maybe because he was asked to "have a look again" maybe referees are pressurized into a heavier sanction because someone else says "look again".

I haven't heard if Leeds are appealing the red card but listening to all the noise in media circles since it happened it seems pointless as the "verdict" has been given "desperate challenge" "definitely red" so we aint getting that card rescinded.

What i like to know will a keeper be sent off for connecting with an opponent when in the act of punching the ball clear from a corner kick but also connects with the head of the attacker??? seems crazy but what is the difference? a punch to the head is just as much as endangering an opponent as the tackle Cooper made on Saturday...

Great win--Cooper knew what he was doing with that tackle. His heart is blue, white and yellow but sometimes he is brainless cnt---Meslier is the best keeper we have had in donkeys years----How good is Liorente? Seriously fckin brilliant in his reading of the game.

Just a note on Alioski: again, not being a natural left back, he ended up on the wrong side of the winger a few times. However, how can we not keep him as a squad player next season? He is Leeds, he always gives his all, and that one-two with Raphinha and the pass to Dallas was truly perfect.

There was a lot of strange decisions in this match Why was the tackle on Raphina not a red card. You could argue he was the last man too

I absolutely loved the way Dallas invited the rest of our warriors to celebrate the goal with him.

Dallas was clearly, by at least one metre, on-side when Alioski played his pass. But what a run by Dallas, and two absolute quality finishes from him.

If Cooper’s was a red, then even more so was Fernadinho’s, as he was the last man.

We do have a good team, good players individually, and in Bielsa the best manager. This win should remove any doubt he might have whether to continue with us - the future is White and bright. MOT

Interestingly enough there was a hint of offside in the build up to their equaliser... but VAR was not even considered.... But hey,we are Leeds and we expect adversity and when it happens we just get on with it... can you imagine if it was a Man City player who followed through in a tackle and got sent off? They'd have surrounded the ref and spat their dummies out.... If we pick up another 3 points against Liverpool and also beat Spurs,we a will actually have an outside chance of finishing 7th although we have already surpassed expectations and targets this season.... The mere fact that we still have a chance at all of finishing in the top 7 in our first season back in 16 years,just underlines what a magnificent coach Bielsa is... if I was Rad i would just say to Bielsa "whatever or whoever you want this summer,you've got it!".

Was Silva not offside for their goal when he received the ball? It was very tight and I'm surprised it didn't go to VAR.... he may have been level but don't know what the rules are these days!

Was it Fernandihno who took out Rapha in the last minute? That is a straight red all day long as he deliberately took the man and had no intention of playing the ball!!

Some shocking decisions made by the ref on free kicks given to them and not us....

Well BB another masterpiece awaits

Had we not had some dire luck with injuries to defenders most of the season, we could be in the top four or there about. However, there are21 points to play for and anything could happen still.

They say one man doesn't make a team, but one man has certainly made a reborn Leeds United.

The two footed challenge was glossed over because the defender hit his head on the ground. Not a knee like Heckingbottom claimed. Not even mentioned as a foul on MOTD.

I can’t say that the decision on Cooper’s red was wrong though. It’s just the consistency that irks.

VAR footnote: the winning goal could have been ruled out for offside (Costa) but they missed that too.....

Said it before, Sterling at the very least should have been booked twice for standing/stamping on Raph & Meslier. He wasn't even talked to by the ref.

Raph clean through, a dead cert red offence equals a yellow.

Imagine that being a Leeds player.

VAR would have been all over it.

They (VAR) are a disgrace.

Coops wins the ball with a very firm challenge and gets a red, didn't see the City player pulling out of the challenge either. Both were committed to get to the ball.

Last week Roberts could have broken his neck, VAR didn't even look at it.

Ref is an incompetent twat, must have been studying the Champions League game between City & Dortmund and he must have come to the conclusion the guys in blue get every decision.

Too right! Sterling should have gone!!!!

www.sportbible.com

Leeds skipper Liam Cooper was shown a red card following a VAR review

Am I missing something about when VAR is used and when it's not? If not, this just seems like outright bias?

But WBA still can. 😬

BTW TC10, we are officially safe now. Fulham cannot over take us. So please do not worry!!!! I knew all along!

What a performance! Imagine if we has our CBs this season playing where we could have been. Ref gave us f all, and wanted to carry on playing each half until Citeh could score.

VAR - total shambles. Baldcocks tackle of Tyler was worse. Rafa clearly take out and their guy does should have gone too!

Still justice was done for the good men in that Famous White Kit (well maybe it was sort of purple-ish).

Get the F in!!!! Leeds are back!!

Congrats Bull, 2 more games and you could be a Legend!

That certainly had me off the sofa and shouting get in at the tv. The dog looked at me like I was going mental.

What a brilliant performance, could we get in to Europe, would we want to. I think it might be a bit early, let's not mess about with the eufa league, straight in to the champions league the year after will do.

Well done

Bloody hell Haworth and you called that performance completely right 👍

I didn't think we could defend that well although we were somewhat pushed into playing that way when Coops was sent off....

We did have some luck with Citeh not making as many clearcut chances as usual and letting them shoot from outside the area.... they usually do cut teams apart eventually by playing themselves in around the back and cutting the ball back like us.

I thought our only form of defence was to attack but we defended really well AND still had the balls to counter attack! 👍

If we play like we normally do, defend like we did today and add 3/4 proven quality players, then we could really shake this league next season and break into the top 6....

Side before self really works and proud of the whole club from top to bottom.... 👏👏👏👏

Didn’t see that coming. 10 men against Citeh is usually a recipe for a hiding.

Dallas is now without doubt the player of the season.

Very well organised defending from our lads.

Hanging on at times but some brilliant defending, even down to 10 men, we kept everything very tight. Great effort.

For all their possession and efforts on goals, Shitty didn't create that many clear cut chances. But they're obviously a very good side/squad with some awesome players.

Guess what, we've got some decent players too!!!

Ref gave them just about everything he could, half a challenge on them and a foul was given. Our players got fouled and nothing was given.

Sterling had his foot on Raphina's ankle and then on Meslier's hand, didn't even get talked too, never mind a booking.

Coops unlucky to get redcarded, clearly went for the ball and made clear contact with it. Momentum from both players followed.

Late in the game when Raphina got hacked down, clear on goal and that equals a yellow? No intervention from the VAR = disgrace.

Dallas is a hero and class act, proud of the team.

Hats of to Costa (great effort/workrate, where did this come from?) & Roberts (the latter is certainly proving me and some others wrong, seems to have what it takes to become a premiership regular).

We have taken 4 pts. from the Champions Elect !!!

Rode our luck at times, but it's not like we robbed them either.

Proud & loud. MOT

A justifiable 'smash and grab' after being under the cosh for 40 minutes second half. Well done everyone!

Bring on 'Pool and the other red team.

what a game

Absolutely fookin‘ awesome😁 I fookin‘ love this club....And Stuart Dallas💙💛💙

Stats dont look pretty but hey, 100% goals to shots (2) as against 29 (1)...Happy daze

SPEECHLESS INDEED

What a performance get innnnnn

Stunning performance by the whole team. Speechless!

No doubt player of the season surely now?

Player or the season.

Are we going to park the bus is this the plan b?

Struijk will have a lot to say on that score if1.

If Struijk plays well for the next 45 mins and 3 games then yes.

Could be Cooper’s last game me thinks?

That’s disappointing

1 up and down to 10?

Oh Liam Cooper.....😫

Have we taken our pitch with us

Was thinking unless city play the red side or Liverpool they hardly fill it we could have been at this game come on Leeds

Come on Leeds we can take em 1-1

Costa in for Harrison, rodrigo injured

Sorry Haworth, can see your point but completely disagree....

Every team goes to Citeh and puts 10 behind the ball and inviting Citeh on to break them down. Even if they get to the 60/70th minute, Citeh always find a way to get round them with their quality subs doing something different....

What is their home record over the last 3yrs for instance?

We should go at them on the counter and keep attacking them and give the school bully a bit of their own medicine....

The only difference between them and us is the quality of the squad. They'll put away a lot of the chances AND keep clean sheets....

We should play the same way as usual, especially now we'll definitely be mid table, and just hope we can defend better and be more clinical in our finishing.... easy!!

To say it's gonna be tough tomorrow is almost pointless, but tough it is! I'd be looking to block our goal as much as possible and play three along the back, plus Luke and Dallas, with Koch and Kalvin holding the middle. In front of them, I'd put one of Rodders/Tyler/Klich with Raffa and Costa supplying Bamford.

If we play open football, we'll get slaughtered, so something different is needed.

Other ideas anyone?

Anyone got a good link for tomorrow's game?

After City winning last night (but only 2-1) they cant afford to take a chance in the second leg against Dortmund, so im hoping Pep will "rest" some of his 1st team to ensure they progress into the semis next Wednesday night. At the end of the day they have more than a little cushion in the PL and have slipped up in previous years in the CL which is something City will want to avoid this year.

Id say the season number one priority for them would have been the CL back in Sept, that said we all know City have huge strength and dept in their squad and some of the "fringe" players may want to show PG that they should be in a Champions league team, so yes i agree its a free hit but i also feel anyone drafted in on Saturday may want to prove a point.

Hopefully a thriller and hopefully Marcelo can get his first win against a PG team

I get the feeling this is going to be like the Hagler/Hearns fight, with attack upon attack and all out attrition. We have absolutely nothing to lose and may as well go for it. Buckle up your seat belts this could be one hell of ride!!😀

Wont get too nervous about this one, having already acheived our main goal of the season.

That said I see a vintage breakneck paced game by 2 evenly matched sides, however our flair and class will tell in the end. 4-2 to The Mighty Whites.

MOT

Gread MDT mate

hope for (WIN) draw 2-2

Great MDT Bull

Good Luck

If I was MB I would go for:-

Meslier

Ayling Llorente Cooper Davis

Phillips

Dallas

Rafa Tyler Costa

Bamford

Subs: Kiko, Berardi, Alioski, Koch, Poveda, Rodrigo, Pablo

Getting anything out of this game and the next two increases your chance of joining the Iceman as a Legend!

🤣🤣 TC10 i can just see the bucket God throwing koch on instead of llorinte, a curve ball if you like, to see will pep spot the change.

Myself and Marcelo had a long chat about this over Easter Sunday's leg of Lamb, he is great craic our Marcelo and he told me to expect a change or two in his starting xi.😉

The bloody interpreter is a right pain in the hole tho kept asking for a jar of Dijon mustard but i told him Mint Sauce is the perfect compliant with a leg of lamb but no he kept on and fcking on

As for freddie being a preston supporter?? are you sure you are not mixing him up with Mark Lawrenson?

Freddie is 100% a City fan and he told me that personally when he wanted some skydiving tips.

jezz TC do you think ive nothing else for doing except making sh1t€ up?????

I'm sure it was an oversight 😂

Quality MDT Bull and good luck!!

Freddie Flintoff doesn't really like football but supports Preston if anybody.... quality bu11shit 👍

I can't believe The Chameleons have been mentioned on the forum and one of my favourite bands from the 80s and still touring 👍🎤

I NEVER predict us to lose and can't remember if I've ever predicted a draw through my rose tinted specs....but this time I'll have to give us a very positive 4-3 victory with a Hattrick Bamford hat trick and Raphinha to score.

You can just see the difference between the two teams when probably any of their bench would get in our team and we will play the likes of Roberts, Coops, Klich, Alioski and Costa.

Harrison will be a massive loss to us with just his work rate alone. I'd love us to be brave enough to play Pavlova but I'm sure we will play Costa. A half fit Rodrigo should play to at least give us a bit of class and creativity....

Hopefully our team spirit will get us through without being on the end of a hiding.... I'll be 'happy' with a defeat where the top pundits are saying what a great game it was and we're a breath of fresh air for the Prem.

I just feel sorry for poor Llorente who can't get in your predicted line up for some reason after playing the best football of his Leeds career.... I'm sure it was an oversight 😂

Great MDT Bull 3-3 and another point on the board for The Mighty Whites💛💙

Lovely job Bull. If you lead us through the next 3 games it will be Sir Bull.

Lots of goals, more for them than us I presume, as long as it's not 8 or 9.

They might be a bit shattered after Europe but they have an equally good 2nd 11.

Last time we played there we were singing " Michael Brown is not for sale", we have come on a bit.

When I have a few hours spare will read it

1-1

Superb stuff mate.

I don’t think it will be 0-0 ! Like you have said, a bit of a free swing, let’s just hope we catch them on an off day.

Great MDT sir, and you're on a good run.

I expect a basketball game, but doesn't everyone with us? As a result I'm going for a hugely entertaining 5-2 defeat for us, with at least 1 VAR controversy which the pundits will say could have changed the game....