Leeds United: Baggies hold Whites to frustrating draw
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00:00Hello and welcome back to the Marching On Together Leeds United podcast, once again
00:07joined as usual by Lee from the Yorkshire Evening Post. Well, since the last time we
00:12spoke Leeds, of course, that great win over Sunderland, then the great win over Sheffield
00:18United, two wins coming from behind, two fantastic three points in the space of, well, just a
00:25week actually. Then, of course, things were perhaps brought down to earth a little bit
00:29with the 1-1 draw at home to West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road. Watching Daniel Farker's
00:36post-match interview, you could argue that because they'd invested so much emotionally
00:40into those games against Sunderland and Sheffield United, it was always going to be the case
00:44where eventually the winning streak did come to an end. But, you know, when Junior Football
00:48scored, things looked great. But what's your assessment on that one, Lee? Was it one where
00:53Leeds just were perhaps a little bit flat after the highs of the last two game weeks?
00:57Well, that's it now, isn't it? Full-blown crisis now, obviously, after that winning
01:02run comes to an end. No, you're absolutely right. The winning run can't go on forever.
01:08And there's various things to say about this one. The first thing is that West Brom are
01:11a very, very good side. Obviously, already held Leeds to a draw earlier on in the season.
01:14They've got promotion aspirations themselves, got some very, very good players, even with
01:18players out that, you know, you looked at their team on paper and they lined up and
01:20you thought, you know, they look a good side, this, you know, and wouldn't be at all surprised
01:24if they ended up in the Premier League. Obviously, that'll be difficult because they're going
01:27to have to get past one of the big top three or top four, if you include Sunderland. But
01:30yeah, I don't know, really. Pascal Stroik was asked about that post-match, really, whether
01:35he felt like the emotions of those last two games had taken their toll and, you know,
01:39had an effect. And his sort of view was, well, it shouldn't do, really. You know, he said
01:41maybe players were a little bit tired at the end, but just then they came up against a
01:44very good side, really. And obviously, yeah, you know, the sort of it wasn't Leeds like
01:48clicking like they have been in previous games. But I think you just have to give credit
01:52to West Brom, really, and say that sometimes, you know, I think as Daniel Farker said himself
01:56afterwards, you know, sometimes you just have to accept a draw and stuff and you're not
01:59going to win every single game. And, you know, it is another point at the end of the day.
02:02Obviously, you know, it felt disappointing that Sheff United then obviously went and
02:06won at QPR, but I think most people probably expected that. But I think probably a draw
02:10was about fair, really. Obviously, you know, Firp who put them one up, obviously, but they'd
02:13already had a chance before that West Brom through John Swift when he fired wide. There
02:18was a couple of headers in the second half. Mikey Johnson, who played very well for them,
02:21had a good chance that he failed to convert from close range. And obviously, yes, you
02:25know, Leeds had lots of chances. Josis would have been a fantastic goal when he came on
02:29and hit the crossbar. You had James at the end. But I mean, you know, sort of three shots
02:33on target from West Brom to two to Leeds. That kind of almost says it all, really, that
02:36they almost looked just as threatening, if not more so. So I think you just take it on
02:41the chin. I don't know if people say it's a bit of a reminder that you're not going
02:44to win every game. I think Leeds are probably aware of that anyway. You know, there's always
02:47going to be twists and turns in the Championship. And, you know, I think, like I say, you just
02:51have to sort of tip your hat, I think, to a very, very good West Brom side. And the
02:55fact of the matter is they are, by far and away, the strongest team that Leeds are going
02:59to play now in the running. You know, that's a fact on paper. They're obviously with fifth
03:03in the table arriving at Ellen Road. And I think it's eight of the last 11 teams Leeds
03:09are playing are all in the bottom half. So from that, you know, obviously, other teams
03:13will offer big threats. But the hardest one on paper is out of the way now, if you like,
03:17now that obviously the big guns have gone as well. And yeah, I think you just sort of
03:23accept it and move on, really. But obviously now, I think, you know, you do need to bounce
03:26back to winning ways because you haven't got the three-point buffer that you would have
03:29got from that game, which now needs to be picked up somewhere else, if you like.