‘Let’s get this straight’ – Ally McCoist delivers Leeds promotion verdict after loss v Cardiff
Leeds United got their belated promotion bid off to a very shaky start when they lost 2-0 to Cardiff on Sunday.
This was a chance to get revenge following the infamous 3-3 draw earlier in the season at Elland Road. That capitulation from 3-0 up saw Leeds go on a bumpy run that took them six games to get out of.
Instead, it means Cardiff have taken five points off Leeds in two games the Whites dominated.
However, talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist isn’t worried. He still thinks Leeds will get promoted and asked a very important question – why is it that people always talk about Leeds bottling it?
That was the way the topic was framed by host Laura Woods on talkSPORT Breakfast (Monday, 6am), although she stopped short of saying it directly.
Talking about the Cardiff game McCoist said, “Cardiff ain’t a bad side and it’s a brilliant result for them. Let’s get this straight, it’s a good team they’re playing.
“West Brom didn’t win this weekend either. The biggest result for Leeds over the weekend was Brentford beating Fulham. It might have been a bit twitchy if Fulham had won, the gap would have been four points.
“It’s a big game, you know the rivalry between Cardiff and Leeds… Was it a surprise? Not for me. I still fancy Leeds.
“What I want to know is why are people talking about Leeds bottling it when they’re on the same points as West Brom?”
McCoist asks a very, very good question. West Brom only drew with Birmingham. Fulham lost to Brentford. And yet it’s Leeds who are accused of bottling it again.
It wasn’t a great result and Leeds didn’t play well, but this was the first game back in a very weird set-up in Wales.
Leeds have to get used to playing behind closed doors but they dominated the game and lost to two mistakes.
Leeds’ opponents have had an uncanny knack of being ruthless when mistakes are made and that was in evidence again on Sunday.
The good thing is that the EFL took the first raft of midweek fixtures out of the schedule.
It means Leeds have got a week to put this result behind them, to work on passing at Thorp Arch and to try to work out how to improve their end product.
The game against Fulham is now even bigger.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Shows the level Leeds are at’ – Exclusive: Pundit claims hunt for 22yo shows huge Orta ambition