Leeds banter 5

26 Apr 2026 19:18:21
Anyone else getting frustrated with DCL? I get he's isolated, but apart from the penalties recently he's been poor.
We either change our system to accommodate or we upgrade in the summer.

26 Apr 2026 19:30:26
Think he's excelled in my expectations, Dougie, but he's definitely out of form, so I would support all three options: flex our systems, rotate, and definitely add to the forward line in the summer.

26 Apr 2026 19:35:54
DCL wasn't good today (but then no one was) ..

However, overall this season he has played well, but yes, if we stay up we need to recruit another better striker also.

Allan Clarke, Mark Viduka, Tony Yeboah quality.. If only.

26 Apr 2026 19:40:09
Just my opinion. Nmecha has shown that little bit more when he's come on, he can get a decent shot away.
I felt today we never showed up. Usually, when we go a goal down, we up the tempo, and that wasn't there today; maybe the occasion got the better of us.
Great to see Stach back. 🤍💛💙

26 Apr 2026 19:42:20
Agreed across the board! Far too isolated.

26 Apr 2026 19:42:32
I was at the game today, fortunately, and, as most have said, it was a game of 2 halves. On a positive, our fans were amazing, unlike our opponents who only made a noise once they scored. How did it seem on TV?

26 Apr 2026 20:00:58
I would stick with DCL for the last 4 games, but I agree, he has been off form for a while now. If we stay up, an upgrade is required.

26 Apr 2026 20:03:35
He was piss poor today, and his goal-scoring has been the same for a long while. However, he's still integral to the way we play.

26 Apr 2026 21:44:10
DCL is still an asset, and we've got more out of him this season than many expected in terms of goals and leading the line. It's been obvious for a while that we do need another top class striker at the Club, but for financial reasons that's not been a possible option.
If we stay up, and we should, then a new striker should be top of the list.

He might be first on the team sheet, but DCL is a very good backup. Add a decent winger, a good AM, a left-footed defender who can play either at FB or CB, and we've got a good group. I'm more relaxed about the keeper situation.

26 Apr 2026 21:51:20
I would totally try to cash in on DCL in the summer if someone was silly enough to offer £50m for him. He's been good. But I think we caught some form, lucky. Based on his last four or five years.

I would expect him to get injured a lot next season, and this summer would be the best value time to cash in. No disrespect, just max the value and sell to West Ham or Spurs, whoever doesn't go down.

26 Apr 2026 22:15:13
50 million? I'd take 15.

26 Apr 2026 18:18:12
Well at least I am not faced with the dilemma of getting to Wembley in a few weeks.

Wonder how many will watch the FA Cup outside the finalist?

It will be known as the F**+ all Cares match.

26 Apr 2026 18:49:32
Citeh vs Chelsea deja vu type final. Ho hum.

A Leeds United vs Southampton final would have been refreshingly different, and more interesting, I guess, for many neutrals.

Shame.

26 Apr 2026 18:50:14
A game with 2 horrible clubs.

26 Apr 2026 21:52:15
I guess my only interest in the final is a loose interest in Erling doing well as a Leeds lad. Hopefully he can bang a few past them that would be very satisfying.

26 Apr 2026 22:56:54
Agree with Vid, Leeds United v Southampton would have been a much greater spectacle for the neutral.
Sat in the pub watching it with a load of Forest fans, even an Arsenal and Man Utd fan, and they were all for Leeds winning, so now we have a final between two of the most corrupt teams in the world of football.
This says to me that most of the football fans out there want football to prevail.


Now I know it may sound like sour grapes, but we didn't do ourselves justice today. but overall we won Wembley with the fans that showed up today travelling down there when their lot can't be arsed. Proud of my football club, the best in the world by a country mile. MOT.

26 Apr 2026 18:14:53
The usual performance at Wembley. Disappointing but not shattering. The issue is our usual run in nerves. We managed last season but now given the form of the other relegation candidates it could be tight. DCL has been great for us this season even lately when he hasn't been scoring. Now he's not scoring and his all round game has gone/fatigue. But, if he plays like he did today and he is selected we will struggle to get the ball forward and hold on to it.

Injuries could also play a part. Goodmanson? It is possible that West Ham, Sours and Forest could win two more games than us during the run. It's in our hands so we can't afford to play like we did today. It's possible but unlikely we will go down. We have to win at least two games. It's not a done deal.

26 Apr 2026 18:52:18
I feel like I should be more disappointed than I actually am of this FA Cup semi defeat..

26 Apr 2026 19:14:15
Another disappointing goalless Wembley performance from Leeds. What's annoying is that Chelsea were poor as well. Farke must get the players up for Friday now, which is, for me, a must win game.

26 Apr 2026 19:22:57
Yes, LUFCfeath, agreed. A must win.

26 Apr 2026 17:58:35
It’s funny but despite Chelsea just about deserving the win, we had the better chances.
I don’t know the stats but I’d say our ExG was far higher than theirs?
Up to DF now to lift the players for the last 4 games, especially after the results yesterday.

26 Apr 2026 18:23:48
Think that's a fair assessment, Corkey. Chelsea are a very average side, as frustrating as our Devon away performance level. We easily win that game. On the plus side, no injuries, and the Burnley game is far and away the highest priority now.

26 Apr 2026 18:52:04
Chelski did just about deserve to win, not because they were that good, but because Leeds collectively had a bad day at the races. After a couple of good performances, Tanaka had a mare today, and BA and DCL were not much better. The best attacker was Okafor, but he went off at half time. We woke up a bit in the 2nd half, but, throughout, it was the old story of creating chances but not capitalising on them.

Chelsea were there for the taking, but we weren't able to do it. The cup run was good whilst it lasted, but now it's done, it's back to the league, starting with 3 points on Friday against Burnley (hopefully) .

26 Apr 2026 18:54:08
BTW, did anyone else think Cucurella should've got a card for his "hair pull" simulation?

26 Apr 2026 19:24:49
Pretty much spot on, JR. We never got to grips in midfield, and Ao was dropping very deep. No outlets for the defence, so we ended up playing ourselves into trouble. BA was pretty ineffective after his good early run, and DCL should have done better with his header. We looked tired and off the pace. Hopefully a win Friday and put this season to bed.

26 Apr 2026 19:50:20
I'm feeling a big, big "bounce" performance on Friday, and an overdue gubbing for Burnley! I think we will see a great reaction from the players!

26 Apr 2026 20:16:27
Not only C***arella, but I think it was Joao Pedro who got Struijk booked when TV showed zero contact whatsoever.
Should be a retrospective one coming for successful deception of a referee, although I wouldn't call him that haha.

26 Apr 2026 17:53:08
I thought we should have changed formation after 15 minutes, not 45. Managers are paid big bucks to get that right. Even so, how many chance did they have - not many, and we should surely have done better with BA and DCL chances!

26 Apr 2026 17:19:40
Can't argue with that. Tried but not enough. They cheaters. But that's the game these days. 👍.

26 Apr 2026 17:33:56
My heart said we would win, but my head said we would be disappointed. The loss I can accept, [since I expected it], but that was such a poor Chelsea side. We froze [again], as we always seem to on our Wembley trips.

I despise both of the finalists, but I guess I prefer City ripping this very ordinary Chelsea team apart.

26 Apr 2026 17:46:43
You can write a list, but the result will be the same: a loss. If anything, we just did not meet our expectations. The first half was lost because of giveaway balls and lack of closing down. We do not normally fail to close down players, but it just didn’t happen.

No, let’s get on with the job in hand. Two wins needed, let's get it done. Our fans were fantastic today, we surely have the best fans in the country. 👏👏

26 Apr 2026 17:53:05
The nerves definitely played a big part, especially in the first half. The lads looked scared to play and take chances on the ball. Credit to Chelsea. I thought they were very good in the first half.
I would have played 4 at the back from the off, easy to say after the game though. Ampadu n Tanaka were outnumbered in midfield in the first half, so we had no control of the play.

HT subs made a difference, but we were still nowhere near our best.
Wembley has never been kind to us.
I'm so disappointed, because we were so close to a final and winning a big trophy, which we haven't done for so long.
Anyway, beat Burnley, and we will all be happy once more.
MOT.

26 Apr 2026 19:25:39
Corkey, cheer up a tad.

Leeds United have scored and won 🏆 trophies at Wembley: League Cup, FA Cup and 4 goals in Charity Shield vs Liverpool.

26 Apr 2026 15:53:06
Being well beaten atm. Only half time but their press and long balls obviously out managed Farke. Not over yet. Still think we have a chance.

26 Apr 2026 17:06:04
Match more engaging 2nd half. We had our chances, but lack quality.

Magnificent Leeds fans, I really enjoyed the atmosphere.

{Ed025's Note - the fans were brilliant Baz..

26 Apr 2026 17:06:21
Citeh will comfortably beat Chelsea.

26 Apr 2026 17:27:12
Their goalkeeper was brilliant.

26 Apr 2026 17:37:48
2 great saves, Aus, yes.

26 Apr 2026 17:33:33
Indeed they were ED025

26 Apr 2026 17:55:29
Their centre forward, some player too.

26 Apr 2026 15:28:36
That hair pull dive from Cucurella is the main reason he is my most hated player! Proper cheat!

26 Apr 2026 15:58:31
Agree, Bright. Time to issue a red card for simulation in circumstances like that.
Let's hope we show something in the second half, as we've been pedestrian this half. In a lot of matches this season, I've always fancied us to come back into the game, but I'm struggling to see or feel it today, although I hope I'm wrong.

26 Apr 2026 13:51:58
Is that Darlow in goal. 🤔