I think most Leeds supporters expect that the players give a 100 percent, I have been and watched Leeds play and get thrashed in the past, but I have stood and cheered the players because they have given 100 percent, I would love Leeds to win everything but thats never going to happen, but what I expect is the the side gives the best every game. Is that wrong

You just don't get it do you.

Players are not machines? Tell me honestly do you give 100% ALL THE TIME in everything you do. The honest answer is NO.

Its impossible to do and its what makes truly supporting a team so exciting. McD clearly understands this crucial aspect of sports psychology and adapts his team and game plans accordingly.

You turn up and there is simply no guarantees and sometimes the opposition is just better on the day.

Its the same with people who slag off refs. They are human and therefore will make mistakes.

It all adds to the spectacle of the game. How sterile would it be if no one made any errors and I repeat how arrogant to demand perfection all the time. Its just not real.

I cant believe this argument is going on today. I slagged the team off last week, but im hindsight, who cares? The high of yesterday more than makes up for the low of last Sunday.

Problem some of the 'fans' on here have is that they can't tell the difference between effort and focus when assessing this team. They always shout for it being the former that is the problem when it's the latter which costs us at times.

Should be really interesting to see how we go in 2015 in the regular season without the shadow of the 'Missing Piece' hanging around. Think if this team had won a CC or two previously then we would've been 1st right now with a bit of a gap.

Exactly

so why cant some people accept that without the one you will not have the other without all the bitching Whinging & Moaning.

It's often not focus either. There's injuries, illness, fatigue, luck and sometimes players just don't play well and sometimes players just make mistakes.

The way we played v Cas made it incredibly difficult for them to play well.
Presumably, going by the logic on show on here, some Leeds fans think Cas didn't win because they didn't put enough effort in.

There is none so blind as those that will not see.

True true. People forget these guys aren't just RL players but normal guys with normal lives away from the pitch. Most have young families and that can add distractions & worries that can rub off on how you play when you try to take the field. For all we know when a player does have a poor game he might've had a rubbish nights sleep caused by his young baby? Or could be experiencing a strained relationship with his partner? Like the other poster said, these guys aren't machines....even Peacock even though he makes you wonder.



Exactly, some have just jumped on the 'winning from 5th' bandwagon from 2011 which involves people thinking teams only lose matches because they don't give a damn. What the hell happened before 2011 when teams lost? What was the reason? Some are incapable of thinking of an answer that holds more weight, thought and reasoning than "lost because they had no effort", it's lazy thinking which is ironic when they're lambasting others for "lack of effort".

You can't be at 100% all season, which is why the league leader hasn't won the GF since wigan in 2010.

That means there will be poor games along the way. I believe that in the last 2 seasons Leeds have balanced it better with decent league campaigns, though there are still the occasional awfull games, and the team not being fully conditioned could look like them not being bothered

I have to admit that I bitched and whined last Sunday. I was annoyed. But now I really don't care. I've seen a set of legendary players complete their set. I've also not been sober since about 1.30pm on Saturday. This is a ridiculously happy time for me.

Alcohol is a depressant, if you can withdraw from its addiction then you'd probably be insanely happy,

or maybe it's the coach AND the players. If you think Saturday's game plan came from some sort of consensus between the players then I reckon you're mistaken.

So (ironically maybe) true

Still dont like him.

Stop making excuses for the London defeat. It was unacceptable given the big lead and the opponents.

Quite right.I'm sure Mac takes in the opinions of the likes of Sinfield and JP, thats a no brainer, but when it comes down to it the plans and tactics are laid at his door, and he gets the credit now just like he would be getting the boot on here had we lost.

I'm firmly in the camp we played the perfect cup final game plan to get the job done.Even when Cas got within 6 i never got the feeling we were in any real danger and were capable of moving through the gears were it required.

I'm not criticising B McD here, just making an observation... When we have won the cup people praise his tactics but after London and Bradford the blame is largely put at the players' feet. Surely, either the manager is ultimately responsible for all good and bad performances, or the players are ultimately responsible for good and bad performances.

A manager is meant to see what is going on in a game and 'manage' the situation to maximise the gain / limit the damage being caused. Not all management is tactics on the pitch, it is protecting people having shocking games, being aware of problems at home and the potential impact on the game, managing the subs and deciding the best team / combo of players for specific matches.

Now, I am of the view that the manager has overall responsibility so happily give him credit for Saturday, but similarly don't absolve him of any responsability when we have done badly and players haven't turned up - they are the two sides of being a manager. You get praise when it goes well and the finger pointed when it doesn't.

Not really. It depends on the game and what happened in it. If in the Cup Final we had played with exactly the same tactics but the players had kept dropping the ball or falling off tackles then you would generally lay the blame at the players.
And vice versa for the coach.
It's a shared responsibility, along with the CEO too.

Personally I'm of the opinion that the players should gain most of the credit when we win and shoulder most of the blame when we don't play well, as I think they are primarily responsible for how they play.
That's not to say the coach isn't important or doesn't get any credit or blame. As I said it's a shared responsibility between coach, the players and the man responsible for putting the team together.

Just questions the need whether to buy a season ticket.

Well yeah, I see that it is a shared responsability but I guess at some point (to use your example) if the player does keep dropping the ball all the time, the manager can't do anything about that, no - but he can take the player off and say 'look, it isn't working and is making it harder for everyone else - so just sit out for a while and get your head right'.

I appreciate with 4 subs and limited interchanges there maybe isn't a great deal of room to do such things, but likewise the manager has a choice in how they respond to what is going on in front of them, even though they maybe can't affect specific choices (or errors) players are making.

But yes, I agree with your point - though the manager will naturally have the finger pointed at them first as they are the manager of the players.

I am thinking after a 20 year abscence of a season ticket I might buy one for this coming season...taking the grandson

Time to through my hat in the ring.
Whilst the defeats to London and Bradford where shocking, as others have stated the sides picked where easily heed enough to win those games, and the players blew a big lead at London not the coach. I have been critacl at times of mac but he has now got his to and won 5 out of 7 possible finals, in 3 and4 5ths seasons. He has tried to manage resources and tactics the best he can and has got it wrong sometimes, but if in his next 302-3 seasons he has a similar strike rate that will do me.

Time to through my hat in the ring.
Whilst the defeats to London and Bradford where shocking, as others have stated the sides picked where easily good enough to win those games, and the players blew a big lead at London not the coach. I have been critical at times of mac but he has now got us to and won 5 out of 7 possible finals, in 3 and 4/5ths seasons. He has tried to manage resources and tactics the best he can and has got it wrong sometimes, but if in his next 2-3 seasons he has a similar strike rate that will do me.

Posted twice and I still can't understand whats trying to be said

Out of interest, what do folk make of Powell's coaching on Saturday? I seem to recall a thread not long back in which a few were mooting him as a possible replacement for B Mc D. Me, I'll stick.