The point where team sport meets entertainment is always an awkward meeting spot between fans who only want a win, and fans who want a good time. The pleasure of this game, in the end, was that it gave us both, with lots to savour, and lots to complain about.
It must feel like a nightmare for Pat, as if he won an England cap, fell asleep, and now he’s locked in this dream forever where his feet always hurt and he keeps fucking things up and people are always screaming at him and he can’t wake up. Please, someone, anyone who can help, please kiss him.
Gut feelings, off the cuff tactics, lies, ballers, warm hearts and danger. Is all this only possible in the Championship?
The concern is that, if Piroe is at no.10, Pablo Hernandez isn’t. The reassurance here is that Crysencio Summerville, on the teamsheet as a left winger, rarely went near the touchline.
We've gone from trying to judge whether a ball is over a white line to analysing the molecular composition of the paint. Just because we can doesn't mean that we should.
Although he took the red card, Begovic was really just a bystander to Pat Bamford’s drama, and in a way, aren’t we all really just bystanders to Pat Bamford’s drama?
Leeds gave as much to the idea of a second half fightback as they did to the idea of turning up in the first half. Go guys, give us nothing.
Maybe this is the formula. Coaching is less than we think: it's just saying things quietly to footballers. It's also more: it's knowing what to say
Graft has its value, but like an old map, it shouldn’t be followed without thinking twice. Graft gave us Kevin Blackwell with Danny Pugh on the wing. It took us to Neil Warnock with Danny Pugh in midfield.
Does a 0-0 draw in Hull have to mean we’re going up and Leeds is good, or we’re not and Leeds is bad?