Former Leeds United star Noel Whelan slams the current squad for their miserable performance
Former Leeds United star Noel Whelan has slammed the current squad for their miserable performance on Teeside against another of his former clubs, Middlesbrough.
A Patrick Bamford hat-trick left the Peacocks ensconced in mid-table with the door firmly shut on their promotion hopes.
With ‘Boro on the fringes of the playoffs, Paul Heckingbottom’s team were lacklustre and devoid of any attacking verve. The 3 – 0 defeat leaves them eight points adrift of sixth-placed Bristol City knowing that they must beat Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night or their Premier League hopes will die for another season.
Whelan spared nobody’s feelings after the match. “We didn’t turn up, “ he told BBC Radio Leeds after the final whistle.
“We were not on the front foot, didn’t win the second balls, didn’t win the battle and didn’t show any heart or fight when we were 1 – 0 down.”
The difficult conditions were no excuse, according to the striker who had played for Leeds between 1993 and 1995.
“[There was a] lack of creativity, we didn’t defend properly – you go through all the basics of football and we didn’t do them.”
Defending continues to be a problem area for Leeds. After the opening day win at Bolton, United went six games without conceding a goal. Now, they have kept one clean sheet in six and will most likely surpass last season’s total of 47 goals conceded on Wednesday night. Bamford’s trio of strikes took this season’s total up to 46.
Newly-appointed boss Heckingbottom didn’t mince his words either. According to the Gazette Live, he described their performance as “second-best”, telling the media afterwards that he had been “really honest” with the players in the dressing room.
The former Barnsley man summed up his feelings with one word: “disappointed”. A journeyman defender around the lower divisions, Heckingbottom knows what is needed if Leeds are to escape the Championship and he didn’t see it at the Riverside.
“Away at Boro on a windy night, their style is totally different. They were really up for it and we were second best.”
With Wolves visiting Elland Road next, the manager and fans will demand a significantly improved performance from the squad.