Phil Hay shares Leeds United Russian roulette verdict in Premier LeagueLeeds United are dangerously close to the live-or-die Russian roulette situation that unfolded at the end of last season in the Premier League, according to Phil Hay.
After the crushing 1-6 defeat to Liverpool on Monday evening, just two points separate the Whites from the Premier League drop zone.
Javi Gracia admitted that he is struggling for answers after watching his team concede 11 goals in the last two games, much to the disgust of the fans.
Hay reflected on the similar way this season is going, as happened last year with that frantic finale at Brentford, only this time around Leeds have one point less.
“It should warn the club that the creeping death they felt before Brentford away last season might revisit them again,” he stressed.
“Dragging them down the same rabbit hole of Russian roulette where nine months of toil comes down to one last, desperate weekend.
Gracia cannot be drawn into talking about the table, except to say that he will have a glass of wine on his if everything works out.
“He will be ready for it and more if Leeds succeed in being the least bad of a group of four or five teams.”
Last chance to respond?
Once again, the Elland Road faithful witnessed a collapse of epic stature in the crushing loss to Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
It wasn’t much of a surprise given what unfolded last week against Crystal Palace but where does it end?
Quite simply, Gracia must find a way of securing a result against Fulham on Saturday or at least to close the floodgates. The visit to west London is quite possibly the last chance to respond before one of the trio of Southampton, Leicester City or Nottingham Forest smells blood.
Whilst the Saints appear doomed, Leicester and especially Forest will obviously have Everton and the Whites in their sights.
This is a team bereft of confidence and as it appears, an inability to defend. Scoring goals will be crucial in the coming weeks but if Leeds can’t stop shipping goals at the current rate, matters at the other end won’t really matter.
The cliche of seven cup finals commences at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.