With Leeds United massively slipping up in our two Easter fixtures against Wigan Athletic and Brentford and failing to take a point, it looks like automatic promotion hopes for the 2018/19 campaign are over with the advantage now clearly handed to Sheffield United.
Whilst the fallout continues from the two performances where largely we were again the architects of our own downfall when it came to the lack of a clinical edge, former player Tony Dorigo said post game that although he admired manager Marcelo Bielsa for not taking the easy out of blaming the referee for the penalty decision, undoubtedly that played its own massive part in the defeat given how the game played out.
Speaking to Sky Sports (22/4 – 7.30pm) after Monday evening’s game, Dorigo knew that it was ‘hugely devastating’ to have blown our automatic hopes after the season we’ve had and the way that we had dealt with our injuries and Spygate for example.
“It’s hugely devastating. I admire Bielsa for not using the penalty decision as an excuse but there is no doubt that was a big reason. I think the reaction after that was a poor one from the team.”
With us now having to settle for the Play-Offs baring a remarkable slip by United now, Dorigo also felt that fans, as disappointed as they are, should alter their perceptions and not view it as losing out on automatic promotion, but more gaining what many felt would’ve been an unlikely guaranteed Play-Off spot.
“Therein lies the problem. You look at teams that have come with a good run, like Aston Villa and they can take that into the playoffs. Unfortunately for Leeds, just listening to the fans it’s like it’s hugely disappointing. But they have to realise where they are and the opportunity that is still there. The pressure is huge. That disappointment, they need to get rid of that very, very quickly.”
Aston Villa are clearly the team in form going into the season extension, and the game against them this weekend is the perfect opportunity to upset their current run and give ourselves a massive shot in the arm again.
The season is far from over!