Leeds United good day gift for trio, Crysencio Summerville anger and off-camera QPR moments — YEP 27/4/24
Leeds United's automatic promotion hopes hang in the balance after a shock 4-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers on Friday night.
By Graham Smyth
The Whites went into the game knowing it could transfer all
the pressure onto Ipswich Town, and yet they themselves crumbled under the
weight of the occasion and a fine performance from the hosts. Here's the YEP
take as the fate of the top two was passed into the hands of others.
Good day
Queens Park Rangers, Leicester City and Ipswich Town.
There wasn't anyone of a Leeds United association who could
stick their hand in the air and say they'd done all they could or even done
themselves justice as QPR eased to safety, Leicester eased to automatic
promotion with their feet up and Ipswich were presented with a great big
opportunity instead of a daunting challenge.
Bad day
Daniel Farke
Whether or not the players did what was asked of them,
Farke's plan simply did not work against a QPR side who played with greater
fluency and more confidence. Picking the side up after this will be a huge task
for Farke, so late in the season and ahead of a likely meeting with the
play-offs.
Joel Piroe
Playing up front again, despite that poor performance at
Blackburn, Piroe did very little to justify his place in the starting line-up
on either side of the ball. How he remained on the pitch as long as he did was
a bit of a mystery.
Illan Meslier
There are times when a goalkeeper is blameless because he is
hung out to dry. There are times when his performance simply does not inspire
confidence and the stats make for difficult reading. That was the case at QPR,
where the home side scored four from five on-target efforts.
Off-camera moments
Pete Lowy searching for his seat in the directors' box,
finding it and then putting his feet up, making himself at home 90 minutes
before kick-off. The Leeds owner took a photo of his view of Loftus Road to
share with someone.
QPR boss Marti Cifuentes having to take time out of his
pre-game preparations for photos with the club's new shirt sponsors on the
pitch.
The Leeds squad being moved on by a rogue sprinkler as they
chatted on the pitch having just arrived at Loftus Road. Jamie Shackleton
didn't move quite quick enough to avoid a drenching, to the delight of Archie
Gray.
Crysencio Summerville setting off on a long walk around the
pitch on his own. Patrick Bamford was with the squad, but not in the squad when
it was named. Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon sharing a big embrace as they
completed the centre-back specific portion of their warm-up.
Charlie Cresswell shaping to take a shot from outside the
area, only for Joe Gelhardt to kick another ball against the defender's ball,
run off and take both shots. Mateo Joseph, meanwhile, helped the kitman out by
curling a ball into the draw-string net bag he was holding open in the
goalmouth.
Summerville remonstrating with Joel Piroe for not making the
run he wanted, with Leeds 2-0 down in the first half and chasing a game they
needed to win.
Russell Martin watching on from the main stand at Loftus
Road as the team he faces on the final day struggled to make inroads against
Queens Park Rangers.
Patrick Bamford consoling Archie Gray at full-time. A
half-empty away end asking uncomfortable questions of the players standing in
front of them.