Sheaf Saint

Fantastic. The cameras showed them marching on the stream I was watching on saturday, but it wasn't really audible. It's getting close to 5 years since I've been to a game at SMS, and that has just given me goosebumps.

He got a yellow for it. So the fact that Dean had already blown up for an earlier offence clearly didn't prevent him from issuing a card at all. He just didn't deem it worthy of a red, apparently.

Sorry, yes that's what I thought you were talking about. Was Llorente on Broja any worse than JWP? Difficult to say really. It was a wild lunge that had no chance of winning the ball, which I don't think you can say about JWP. He saw Jorginho have a loose touch and legitimately went for the ball, and Jorginho then massively extended his foot to get the ball before him and planted it right in the path of JWP's outstretched foot. I think they were probably no worse than each other. I think a yellow would have been perfectly adequate in both instances. But the fact that JWP got a red and Llorente got no card at all highlights the inconsistency. Llorente then took out Moi on the edge of the box later on, and that should have been his second yellow. So JWP commits one late but not deliberate foul and gets sent off. Llorente commits two and doesn't.

I respect your right to hold a different opinion, but I'm curious to know how you conclude that a genuine but mis-timed challenge for the ball is worse than an obviously deliberate (and successful) attempt to injure another player?

Just seen that and I totally agree. Awful from Dean and VAR. That is the very definition of 'serious foul play' and so much more worthy of a red than JWP's genuine attempt to get the ball. It's getting silly now just how incompetent and inconsistent these refs are.

He certainly looks much better than he did before he went to Celtic on loan, but it's a bit of a stretch to describe his start to the season as "stunning". Aside from a Hattrick against a very poor Newport, how many goals and assists has he got so far? He works very hard in the press, I'll give him that.

I guess only Ibrahima himself knows whether or not it was deliberate (and of course he would say it was), but I'm inclined to believe it was. He can clearly see Djenepo is there and available to receive the ball, and very quickly knocked it to him when the Leeds player's touch was poor. If he was just trying to block and clear the ball, I'm pretty sure he would have hit it harder upfield or out of play for a throw to be sure that another Leeds player didn't pick up the loose ball and recycle it. Claiming he wasn't involved in the attack, when he was literally the first Saints player to touch the ball in the move that led to our only goal, is being unduly harsh on him.

Again, being totally disingenuous and downplaying his contribution. Suggest you watch the replay again. It was a very quick bit of thinking to win the ball and pass it to Moussa all in one movement. Fair points, and you certainly won't catch me bashing JWP for passing sideways if that is the best option available, but I was responding to Mosin's assertions that Diallo "didn't start a single attack" and "wasn't involved in any attacks at all", which is clearly bollocks.

You quite clearly didn't fact check it, because it was Diallo who won the ball in our own box and passed it to Moussa who then played the through ball for Redmond to set up Broja to score. You need to take your Prowse-tinted specs off for once. We all know the extreme lengths you will go to to defend/praise JWP, but you're being incredibly disingenuous towards Diallo in this post, who had a very good game.

Anyway, back to the original question in the thread title... I'm starting to wonder if JWP's suspension is actually a blessing in disguise. He missed all the pre-season games and was rushed back and played every until yesterday, and it's quite obvious he's not been up to his usual standard so far this season. Diallo more than adequately filled in for him against Leeds and can do again in the next two games, and Prowsey then gets a rest which he looks like he needed. His involvement for England will have also given him a confidence boost. He'll sit out the game against Burnley and the cup tie at Chelsea, who will undoubtedly field a weakened team. Then he'll be back fresh for Watford in 2 weeks time where he may actually have to compete for his place if Diallo can repeat his performance from Saturday, which can only be a good thing.

No, he was booked later for an equally rash challenge on the edge of the box. But at the very least that should have been his second yellow.

😳😳😳

Agree with all of this. Wolves was really the only truly disappointing result, especially as we were the better team over the 90 minutes as well. Aside from that, we've actually over-achieved against reasonable expectation and given a good account of ourselves in every game except for that second half at Everton. When you compare our performances to some of the utter shitshows we served up last season, you can see we are functioning much better as a team now. Just need to get the wins against the teams below us in our next few games now, and we will be looking in a much better position.

The one that's off the ground I think. This is the main pic on the BBC match report showing the moment of the goal. I'd need to find a still from a replay to show the actual contact. But there's no doubt he was clattered by a wild tackle.

Totally out of control and not even looking at the ball. No card.

Nervy stuff because we only scored the one goal, but Leeds didn't threaten at all and we were comfortable at the back. Would have been nice to get another goal or two because our dominant performance deserved it, but hey ho. 4-point gap to the relegation spots now with 3 of our next 4 games against teams below us, gives us a great chance to pull out more of a gap and push on. I'm gonna give my MOTM to Redmond. I'm usually one of his biggest critics, but I've never doubted his ability to perform well, just his consistency and his decision making. Romeu a close second. More to come from Broja I reckon.

If JWP's tackle against Chelsea was worth a red card then how the hell did Llorente stay on the pitch today? Dreadful inconsistency.

5 mins. Squeaky bum time. Where's those nuns?

I expect Ralph thinks he's more likely to keep possession high up than Tella, to protect the lead.

Who would you replace with who?

Llorente should be off the pitch now.

That was a wake up call.

Just seen another replay and Llorente had both feet off the ground when he clattered Broja.

BBC are reporting that Broja was struggling after "landing heavily before scoring". Interesting take on it, to say the least.