'Fighting' - Max Wober on Leeds United's 'annoying' plan and Whites need in battle for survival - YEP 9/5/23
Max Wober says Leeds United have got what they need in their quest for Premier League survival and are still alive in their bid to beat the drop.
Lee Sobot
Leeds fell to their 19th league defeat of the season in
Saturday's clash at Manchester City in new manager Sam Allardyce's first of four
games in charge of the relegation-scrap run-in. Wober, though, says Allardyce's
approach is exactly what Leeds require and that his side have already issued a
strong message of intent through their resilience and second-half response in
Saturday's 2-1 defeat at the Etihad.
Leeds trailed 2-0 at the interval after a brace from Ilkay
Gundogan despite what Wober described as an attempt to be "annoying"
for Pep Guardiola's hosts. United, though, showed more going forward in the
second half than they did in the first and set up a nervy finale when Rodrigo
pulled a goal back just after the hat-trick seeking Gundogan had seen his
penalty tipped onto the post by Whites stopper Joel Robles. Leeds have now been
left in the drop zone after Monday’s results but Wober says his side have
already shown that they are up for the fight in the bid to save their Premier
League skins.
"We had a really tough first half, we were just
defending," said Wober to LUTV. "We were not strong enough on the
first and second balls which was our game, our game plan, to be annoying there,
get counter attacks, win the first ball, win the second ball.
"But they just played all around us and it was
difficult and unfortunately they could score two. But I think in the second
half we did a better job, got our chances, got close, made it 2-1 and
unfortunately couldn't create any more chances for a draw. But I still think we
showed a really good togetherness again and showed also that we are still alive
and we are still fighting for this club.
"Obviously when you lose it never feels good. But I
think we made them nervous especially after the 2-1 in the last minutes. We
could feel it on the pitch and also in the defence and in the stands as the
fans were amazing for us, also we could feel it. It was possible, it was in the
air. One more chance and we could maybe get a point and I think it was worth
working hard for 95 minutes to get to this point."
Wober also felt that United's display showed that they were
able to implement Allardyce's work despite just three days in charge.
"He was pretty clear about what he wants from us,"
said Wober. "He wants us to fight, he wants us to stay together. He wants
to defend together, attack together and just keep it to the basics. I think
this is exactly what we need right now, just focus on the basics, do these
things well and then the football things like playing football, creating
chances will come. But first of all, we have to do the basics right."
