Niko Vlasic didn't win any fans for what appeared to be a fairly obvious dive and will no doubt be informed by Mark Noble that "we don't do that here". Yet a good number of Leeds fans appeared to think they were playing Arsenal or Liverpool, given their view of West Ham's general performance. Of course, some might say they were merely covering up for their own deficiencies; judge for yourself in the latest edition of the OV...
"I was afraid that today could go really wrong but we acquitted ourselves well in the circumstances. Hjelde was excellent and the high point of the day. Bate did fine but was unlucky not to have more regular players playing around him. Greenwood was always up against it as well, and without an experienced striker we were never going to win this one. Therefore, a joke of an offside goal and not getting the penalty for the handball damned us. The other massive positive for us was that Meslier was not injured in that clash with Firpo. Let’s just hope we learn more from this game than they do."
- Boo Radley
"I thought the back four did very well today, especially given all the pressure they were under. I think we saw just how much we miss Kalvin. So much pressure on the back four because so little pressure in the midfield."
- John in Louisiana
"Oh well, it was good while it lasted. Better out of it and the sooner this season is over, the better."
- BGwhite
"Considering the team we put out today I thought we did well. Not fussed with the result and we never looked like scoring, but I thought the youngsters did well plus it's a bit more experience for them. Hopefully next week with more first teamers back we can take it up a gear and beat them. I just wish we could pick up more second/loose balls. We always seem to be second to every loose ball in midfield. Mind you, this has been a season-long problem. Onwards and upwards!"
- Ellandbach
"Another boring game. We created two good chances and our £40m wingers wasted them. Glad we're out, as squad is too small but nowhere near good enough, the lack of quality is evident. Players needed urgently, or it's touch and go for our PL status."
- SG90
"I don't like it when we lose any game, but our Premier League Status is far more important than a cup run."
- whiteswan
"Bit unlucky today, but that’s how it seems to go against West Ham. Their first goal shouldn’t have stood and I think we should've had a penalty for hand ball. Fact of the matter is though we have been toothless going forwards, without Bamford we have no-one with the intelligence to move opposition defences apart or make decent runs in to the box. We must be looking for a back-up striker and an attacking midfielder in this window."
- WhiteRose
"Our youngsters played well considering the weakened team they were dropped into. Hjelde in particular was extremely impressive. West Ham were worse than Wolves for diving, Bowen in particular is a first class cheat. Otherwise the officials and VAR were a complete joke - frees and yellow cards for nothing, how their goal stood defies belief, no penalty for us, etc! Disgraceful."
- Boo Radley
"That game was there for the taking, if we'd had started with our strongest team we could have had it. That said, we didn't have an attempt on target. Offside goal, they couldn't wait to give it, also the Drameh booking. I wasn't too bothered before kick-off, but the way the game went we were always in it and I disappointed the way we went out. Thought the ref was conned on far too many occasions by West Ham diving."
- mentalcase
"Lots of effort and what not. Nice to see the Under 23s. It's blatantly obvious we overrate most of them; Greenwood, Drameh, Bate aren't ready, Hjelde did OK. Lack of quality is obvious and even with a fully fit squad as we had vs Newcastle earlier this season its still clear. VAR robbed us and West Ham.do love a dive, but they had more quality overall."
- Cjay
"Such a pity that... our lads kept trying till the end. West Ham had a great breakaway with all our players attacking trying for a goal. But perhaps Meslier should not have come out like that?"
- whiteswan
"The first goal was clearly offside, what is going on? Can you not tell me the other way round that goal would have been chalked off, or would have been for any of the top London, Manchester or Liverpool clubs (with the possible exception of Everton, they are not in the swim). Obviously being a goal down meant we had to chase the game in the end and got countered for the second."
- Jimang
"Absolutely dreadful goalkeeping for the second goal. Never come our that far. Forshaw should have taken Antonio out."
- Cjay
"Bowen ran the show, another one we didn't get."
- Overman
"We stayed in the match, but never threatened. They were poor, but comfortable."
- White Riot
"Ah well , at least we conceded a proper goal, not an offside cheating goal."
- velo
"I was flabbergasted by some of the referee's decisions, embarrassing to say the least. It doesn't breed confidence to an understrength young team, when they see a ref favouring the opposition with blatantly poor decisions. Plus the dive for the free-kick when Hjelde didn't even touch Vlasic and the Drameh yellow card for a no-contact challenge, all poor decisions right under the referee's nose."
- 1964white
"No shame in that. The youngsters did well, Hjelde particularly. Done by VAR for the first and caught on the break for the second looking for the equaliser."
- YorkshireSquare
"Their first goal and that blatant hand-ball that wasn't given were horrendous decisions by the ref and VAR."
- White Riot
The referee wasn’t awful, he was just completely and utterly biased. It’s difficult after games like this to deny the conspiracy theories. 1/10 for turning up on time."
- Ratscoot
"First time we've had pleasure this season, hope we don't see you again! One point for Stuart Twatwell turning up, nine points deducted for blatant incompetence. 1/10."
- 1964white
"I'll give Atwell 1/10 as he managed to start the game on time. Gave every 50/50 to them, plus some that were clear cut in our favour. Less said about the first goal, the better."
- lufc1304
"People always say that poor refereeing and VAR decisions even themselves out over a season. What a load of boloney, they obviously don’t watch many Leeds United games!"
- Byebyegeegee
"Oh well, a narrow defeat was as much as I expected. Antonio always seems to play well against us - as do referees and VAR of course."
- Byebyegeegee
* Comments originally posted on motforum.com.
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