By Ian Waterhouse
Match Report
Leeds United 1 Birmingham City 2
Starting line ups
Leeds United
Green, Ayling, Bamba, Bartley, Taylor, Sacko, Vieria, Hernandez (Dallas 86), Mowett (Phillips 73), Wood (Roofe 60), Antonsson.
Birmingham City
Kuszczak, Spector, Morrison, Shotton, Grounds, Kieftenbeld, Cotterill, Gleeson (Robinson 90+4), Davis (Tesche 67), Maghoma, Donaldson.
An own goal by Charlie Taylor and a second half Michael Morrison goal either side of Hadi Sacko’s debut goal for the Whites left Leeds United wondering when they will get off the mark in this year’s Championship campaign.
Two league games in to the new campaign and two defeats is not the start new manager Garry Monk was looking for. And despite being very early days, the former Swansea manager will no doubt be feeling a little bit of heat from Mr Cellino upstairs.
For the second league game in a row the opposition got off to a quick start finding the net in the 15th minute after Whites keeper Rob Green and defender Charlie Taylor collided with Blues attacker Maghoma, and the ball found its way into the net crediting Maghoma with the opener.
Leeds started to breathe life back into their game and Sacko’s rather tame effort somehow found its way into the visitors net for the equaliser in the 27th minute.
Ten minutes into the second half Birmingham Captain Michael Morrison scored what turned out to be the winner as he fired in from close range leaving Green stranded. The frustration on the home supports faces clear to see.
As the final whistle blew there was a chorus of boos as Leeds rarely threatened and registered only three shots on target.
What the Managers said: –
Garry Monk – Leeds United
“We gifted that game to Birmingham and I will not accept that. We did not have the determination and desire we needed in the second half. They have to have a strong mentality”.
Gary Rowett – Birmingham City
“It was a really strong, organised and tactically concentrated performance. We were in control of the game, We did not look under threat, only when we caused ourselves trouble”.
Conclusion
That is a total of three shots on target in 180 minutes of league football for Leeds and after just scraping through in the EFL Cup against lower league opposition in midweek (against Fleetwood Town) pressure is mounting very early in Garry Monks reign.
A home win against Fulham tomorrow night is all but a must if Monk is to restore some faith to the Elland Road terraces.
However, it is not all doom and gloom, this was an improvement on the QPR game and this is a very young side. Time is needed to bed in the players.
It just remains to be seen if time is what Garry Monk is given.