05 May 2024 22:21:09
Just a thought, is Luke Ayling available to play for us in the playoffs? I don't see any reason why not, and he will do better than the other options we have played all season, we might even have already been promoted if he had not been sent out on loan.
05 May 2024 23:38:15
Think he won't be eligible for playoffs
In form 8 assists Ayling at RB for Leeds in 2024 badly missed.
06 May 2024 06:16:12
I miss his character on the pitch but not his football.
Don’t get me wrong, great servant to the club and player in his day but more recently was not quick enough and gave the ball away too often.
Is he better than what we have is debatable?
Thought Archie did an amazing job in the RB position but was picked off by the occasional opposition winger like Liam Millar of Preston, more down to a lack of experience in his very young age.
Conner Roberts should be that player at RB, started well but then got injured in Internationals and that was that at the most crucial moment that he was needed.
Byram is a chronically crocked player
But for Roberts, fingers crossed could be fit for the play offs.
06 May 2024 07:07:12
Heads are falling off some of you lot, man ? Ayling's legs have gone. He can't track back at all, so once he's beat he's absolutely f*cked and his ability to retain possession is almost laughable. Like OP said, he's been a great servant, but he's washed as a player Roberts is a much better player and Gray has played better at RB, too this season.
Get a grip will ya. His defensive contributions are and would have been a liability that would've more than nullified any offensive contributions. He's been getting sent to the shops on a regular basis for a few seasons now.
06 May 2024 07:07:24
Archie Gray 1 assist no goals whoopy doo
Yep just forget about those 8 Ayling assists for Boro
And forget about those 18 assists for EPL bound Ipswich as well
Jeez.
06 May 2024 07:58:01
Ayling was absolutely dire for us before he went out on loan ? You're a fickle lot who love to put hindsight into play when things don't go as planned. If we'd have kept playing Ayling I can't see how we would have gone on that unbeaten run, considering he was getting spun week in week out when he played for us prior to that. Pretty much everyone was vocal about moving him on or at the very least not playing him again.
He's averaged about 3 assists a season for Leeds so how on earth people expect Farke to have the foresight to think he will get 8 assists for a mid-table team is beyond me.
Long story short, he's been woeful for us for a while now and it was the right decision to move him on when we did.
06 May 2024 08:15:19
Now we are onto slating Archie too, for a fantastic season. Wonders never cease. The site has regressed to 20% extremist nonsense now. Dull, unrealistic, pessimism and negativity. Yep, stats is stats, but it ain’t the only way to judge a players performance.
06 May 2024 08:31:45
Plenty here were happy for Ayling to go and got their wish. Ayling offers more on the right than anyone else we have had in that this season (remain open minded on Robert’s as he hasn’t had a sustained opportunity) . Ayling has his issues for sure, but he is a leader on the pitch and more dynamic going forward. Our right side has been utterly inert for months now; that wouldn’t have been the case had Ayling been playing. He wouldn’t have tolerated some of our ponderous play.
06 May 2024 08:50:27
Yes that’s right Baz, eight assists for Boro, who are Boro?
Can’t argue about Leif Davis, huge decision for him to drop down two divisions when he did leave, he has been a sensation for Ipswich.
A very bad move by Victor Orta and i'm certain Marsch had his meddling fingers involved in it, I’m not so sure if Farke or Bielsa had been at the club, they would not of sanctioned his departure. Bielsa although didn’t utilize him often would have seen his potential .
Never mind we’ve still got junior Firpo!
06 May 2024 08:56:02
Ayling is "washed up" guff Dill? give over
Ayling 8 assists playing virtually EVERY match for Boro since his move 19 matches .
Playing . the full 90 plus mins each time
and sincw Ayling has been playing Boro have been keeping plenty of clean sheets! ,
scoring loads of goals!
and winning loads of matches! ( something Leeds have failed to do much of in past 8 matches )
QPR 0 vs Boro 2
Compared to QPR 4 Leeds 0
Most recently
Boro 3 Watford 1
Cardiff 1 Boro 4
Ipswich 1 Boro 1
Boro 2 Wendies 0
Boro 2 Swansea 0
Hull 2 Boro 2
Boro 3 Norwich 1
Southampton 1v Boro 1
Birmingham 0 vs Boro 1 etc etc
Ayling has been a REVELATION for Boro. they win loads and haven't lost a game.
06 May 2024 08:57:33
What Ani said.100% spot on.
06 May 2024 09:01:21
Real is Leeds missing out on top 2 Bright .
06 May 2024 11:10:55
Brighty is right, this site is turning shite! Half contributing to debate and opinions, the other simply not accepting others opinions if they differ from their own, and saying it’s ‘Guff’ is out of order. Recently it’s become as dull as dishwater.
Did anyone really think Ayling should be first choice RB this season, I don’t believe so, he’s been a great servant to the club and I love him to bits for his commitment and attitude (and contribution) , but his performances were getting worse and was at fault for conceding goals, getting turned every week.
Did anyone criticise Archie when we had the best defence in the football league and on an unbeaten run, and say, we should have kept Ayling and played him? I don’t believe so.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, Lief Davis has been amazing for Ipswich, but did many of us think at the time he was a first choice LB for the Premier League? I don’t believe so. He may have been the one pushing to leave.
Before anyone (and you know who you are) jump up and down and say I’m wrong, it’s my opinion and cannot be wrong, it just may simply differ from your own.
06 May 2024 11:13:08
Baz, if we had made the automatic promotion would you still have wanted Bill back?
Hmm too conviennent and fitting your hindsight agenda to be saying this now.
06 May 2024 12:34:01
AYLING A REVELATION! Lol. Come off it, he's been sh! te for us for a long time. He may have played well elsewhere after, but FOR US, he's been very poor for a while. Why on earth would we miss a player that was playing badly then couldn't even get into the squad before he moved on?
You can't start playing the hindsight card on this one.
Both Gray and Roberts are better players than Ayling.
06 May 2024 13:31:00
Yes Dill Ayling has been very good FOR Boro ,
OP IF Leeds had gone up then no LA would not of ofc be good enough for EPL. Facts are Leeds haven't gone up and Ani is 100% correct about our RB issues.
06 May 2024 18:10:05
I don't think Ayling has ever been sh! te; he was asked to play a particular way, by Bielsa and Marche, and at the start of the season by Farke, essentially to be further up the field when we were pressing. On occasion [more often than not], we would would lose possession poorly and it was easy to get behind Ayling with a simple ball over the top.
No hindsight from me, I 100% didn't want Ayling to go, [I 100% don't want Cooper to go for the record] and even though Archie did very well [defensively] for the most part as make-shift right back, he had none of Aylings attacking play.
I agree with Dill, that Gray and Roberts are probably [now] better than Ayling defensively, but Gray certainly isn't attacking; Roberts probably now is the better player. When Roberts was injured, I think being able to call upon Ayling would have still been a benefit, even if only for the old head to help with moral.
06 May 2024 18:49:08
Not sure what you’re saying Baz?
06 May 2024 19:18:39
Well said again Ani re Ayling and RB situation.
06 May 2024 19:19:11
I think that period just before he got dropped out of the squad it really showed how poor he was for us. Sh! te maye a tad hyperbole, but certainly wasn't anywhere near the standard we needed.
Gray has played better there this season. Just feels a lot safer him at RB rather than Ayling, but yes, his offensive contribution could certainly improve when he plays there.
Would still pick him over Ayling any day of the week.
06 May 2024 20:37:52
Fair enough points Dill. It’s all about opinions.
For what it’s worth, my view is, it all started going pair-shaped when we started playing Archie in Midfield, coupled with Rutters drop in form. I know it’s Archie’s natural position, but imo the midfield of Gruev and Kamara was doing the “defensive” job Farke wanted and it wasn’t broken. It may not be the most dynamic partnership, but it kept possession really well.
I appreciate it was somewhat forced because of Gruev’s injury. I would have liked Archie sticking to right back.