/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56166063/649306058.0.jpg)
Leeds United produced an underwhelming performance which saw them fail to take three points against Preston North End at Elland Road. The club remain unbeaten but there is no doubt among the supporters that this was two points dropped rather than one gained.
Time now to look at each player and how they performed. As always you can tell me how wrong I am @mightywhitespod or @ThruItAllLUFC on twitter.
STARTING LINE-UP
Felix Wiedwald - As with the Port Vale match, not much to say. Wasn’t really tested. His distribution was a step below the previous two matches. Continuously clipped balls for Borthwick-Jackson in the air who couldn’t do much with them. That seemed like an instruction from Thomas Christiansen rather than his own decision though. Think he is getting more stick than he deserves. 6/10
Wiedwald needs to be dropped. Truly awful, he's gonna cost us a game very soon.
— Eric (@EMcLean1982) August 12, 2017
Luke Ayling - Made a lot of very good tackles and blocks in the first half but I thought his passing was a bit below par for him, attempted lots but missed a fair few. After the Red Card got forward a bit more but never looked a real threat. Not as his best but still one of the better performers on the day. 7/10
Luke Ayling made more touches (44), attempted more passes (30) & won more tackles (4) than any other player on the pitch in the first half. pic.twitter.com/tUSRirbYuL
— Chris Taylor (@LUFCDATA) August 12, 2017
Pontus Jansson - Back in the side and did make us look a bit more solid in spite of some of his decisions. Tried to do a bit too much on a few occasions and could have cost us a goal towards the end of the 1st half when he lost the ball in the Leeds penalty area to Hugill (although to be fair it looked like a foul). 6/10
Liam Cooper - Did okay in spells but made a couple of errors that could have been costly against a better side. Similar level of performance to Jansson but Cooper slightly the better of the two today. 6.5/10
Cooper was far better than Jansson today imo
— Leeds All Over (@LeedsAllOver) August 12, 2017
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson - Was quiet but solid before the red card. Once playing against 10 men he got forward a lot more and put some good balls into the box. Crossing was much improved from the game against Port Vale where he didn’t find his range. 7/10
Borthwick-Jackson was good BTW. Both full-backs had good games, but then, one of them is Luke Ayling so that's a given. #LUFC
— The Scratching Shed (@TSSLUFC) August 12, 2017
Eunan O’Kane - Didn’t give the ball away as much as his teammates and made a couple of very good tackles in the middle. Still unable to get our midfield on top when both teams had 11. Didn’t get enough help in that regard today. After the red card he ran the game for Leeds, but a lot of his passes weren’t played quickly enough in that part of the game. 7/10
Kalvin Phillips - After a great performance against Bolton this was a reality check. That reality is that Phillips is still a young player and isn’t overly consistent. Got dominated by Preston’s midfield and was deservedly replaced in the midfield. Wasn’t awful but wasn’t good either. 5.5/10
After last week Phillips should have been brimming with confidence... But instead it was a far to familiar display of mediocrity...#Lufc
— Ayub Patel (@AyubPatel123) August 12, 2017
Kemar Roofe - Very quiet day for Roofe. Didn’t really get on the ball on either wing having spent time on both in the game. Never looked a threat and for me was our least effective player on the day. 5/10
Pablo Hernandez - Not a patch on his performance against Bolton but still was involved in a lot of our best moments. Although what he tried didn’t always come off he did look the most likely to create something and it was his terrific pass that created the best chance of the match for Chris Wood. Made some very poor decisions though which is unlike him. 6.5/10
Ezgjan Alioski - Similar story to that of Kemar Roofe only one step above his performance in all departments. Couldn’t get the space he required to make a real impact. Cut a frustrated figure by the end of the match. 5.5/10
I'm still to be convinced by Roofe TBH Alioski will offer far more IMO. This isn't just a reaction to today's draw either lol
— Grant Heseltine (@GrantHeseltine) August 12, 2017
Chris Wood - Very quiet game where he was isolated up front. Should have scored when put through one-on-one with Preston’s keeper Maxwell (who was probably MOTM). Looked more dangerous after the dismissal but was nowhere near his best. 6/10
SUBSTITUTES
Samuel Saiz (for Roofe, 61mins) - More effective than Roofe and did keep trying to get on the ball. Had one good chance, a header which he probably should have scored. Him and Hernandez tried to occupy the same space a few times which wasn’t surprising, I don’t think they could play together against a team with 11 players on the pitch. 6.5/10
Ronaldo Vieira (for Phillips, 61mins) - Got more involved than Phillips but had an easier job to do as it was after the red card. Played a fantastic ball for Saiz to take every Preston defender out of the game. Would definitely get the nod alongside O’Kane on Tuesday night for me. 6.5/10
Not enough bite or urgency in centre midfield today..
— Richard Harvey (@dickyyorkshire) August 12, 2017
O Kane and Phillips no good together!
Viera and Saiz need to start Tuesday #lufc
Stuart Dallas (for Borthwick-Jackson, 82mins) - Came on to try and be an extra attacking option on the left-side. Didn’t really work and he didn’t have enough time to make a real impact. 5/10
A lot of average performances and not nearly enough good ones Of the three players I gave a 7/10 score to I would give the MOTM award to Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, although no-one really stood out.
A draw was about a fair result. Without an improvement it could be a long night against Fulham on Tuesday.