Leeds lined up with Dan Resendez in goal and a back four of Alex Barrett Luke Bennett, Jake Croft and Brandon Kavanagh. Over the last few weeks, Leeds have been slow out of the blocks with a combination of poor organisation at the back and lapses of concentration. Today was no different. Unfortunately, Leeds went down to an early goal. The Nottingham midfield played the ball out to their left and with the winger a country mile off side he crossed the ball into the area finding a willing striker who slotted the ball past the keeper. The ref failed to notice both the gesticulating linesman and the protestations from the Leeds contingent on the sidelines and the goal was given.
The hope was that this would be a wakeup call to Leeds with the injustice of the first goal galvanising them into action. However, with a sense of déjà vu creeping in amongst the spectators, Leeds found themselves 2-0 down 10 minutes later with goal born out of poor concentration, organisation and communication at the back. Leeds have a familiar trait of failing to recognise the danger of pacey strikers running onto long balls from midfield and it was a simple case of slotting the ball past the keeper for the Nottingham forward.
Leeds were failing to make inroads into what was, at best, an average Nottingham side.
It was not that the visitors were playing scintillating football or that they had any players that looked head and shoulders above the rest. It was simply that Leeds were making it easy for them. The midfield of Aiden Rogers, Rob Flynn, Sam Armstrong and Liam Dyer were struggling to get their passing game going and all too often they were either second to the ball or the attempted pass did not reach its intended target. This left the strike force of Oliver Armitage and Adam Leadsford mere scraps to deal with. When the scraps were presented, the end product was a metaphor for the lack of confidence that appeared endemic throughout the team.
Leeds simply did not look comfortable on the ball and it was no surprise that on the 25 minute mark they went a further goal down when a cross from the left was not dealt with by the defence and Nottingham took the chance that was presented to them. Too many of the Leeds players did not appear to want to get the game by the scruff of the neck and take control of the situation. The frustration for the spectators was palpable as they watched a set of players who, in mid-week training at least, communicate with each other and are able to pass the ball with precision and confidence. This spirit had been left on the training ground today. The players as individuals were not displaying the qualities so evident at Thorpe Arch during the week. Basic positional errors were there for all to see.
Second half substitutions saw Declan Conlon replace Resendez and Josh Copley and Charlie Simpson come on for Barrett and Kavanagh. By this time the feeling was that Leeds had let this one slip. Although no further goals were conceded following the half time motivational talk, Leeds failed to breach the Nottingham defence. The challenge for the players and coaching staff is to get the team organised from the back and regain the sense of pride that playing for City of Leeds should give them. They need to stop leaking avoidable goals, which visibly sap their confidence.