Leeds defeat turns heat on Gordon Strachan
Oct 18 2010 The Journal
UNDER-FIRE Gordon Strachan remained defiant after the Riverside crowd turned on him as Middlesbrough slipped to another demoralising defeat.
Large sections of Boro’s biggest crowd of the season joined in heartfelt chants of “we want Strachan out” as the struggling Teessiders plunged to their lowest league position in 20 years.
The pre-season Championship favourites have slumped to fifth bottom after taking just one point from the last 12 and as Strachan approaches his first anniversary in charge the discontent rang out.
It seemed the only people backing the Boro boss were the 4,000-strong travelling contingent of Leeds fans who responded with chants in support of their former Elland Road hero.
“I understand how the supporters reacted,” said Strachan. “They have a right to voice their opinion and they are disappointed right now. So are we. I expect there to be a reaction when we lose and it is down to us to deal with it.
“Don’t feel sorry for me. The ones I feel sorry for are the players and the fans. I feel sorry for the players too because they have put everything into the game and got nothing out of it.
“It’s worse for the people who pay and it’s worse for the guys who put some much effort in to get beat. We’re all going through a bad period and we have to deal with that.”
However, Strachan insisted he had no intention of altering his approach to games or to the media.
“I won’t be changing,” he declared. “I’ve proved at other clubs that I can take rocky periods and survive and do well.”
Boro looked lacklustre against newly-promoted Leeds and although they clawed their way back into the game after leaking an early opener they never managed to impose their own shape or tempo on the game and once the visitors scored a second they ran out of ideas steam.
Lively Leeds attacked from the off and they drew first blood in 12 minutes.
Robert Snodgrass sent Sanchez Watt free down the right to cut into the box and although Boro’s Matthew Bates closed down quickly the attempted cross clipped the defender and spun to unmarked striker Davide Somma who rifled in from 10 yards.
Boro had a strong shout for a penalty waved away on 16 minutes after Kris Boyd was sent sprawling as he climbed to meet a Gary O’Neil cross but referee Chris Foy waved away protests from players and a furious Strachan.
Boro stepped up a gear after the break and they equalised in 52 minutes with a scruffy Kris Boyd goal.
Bates got down the right then fired in a cross that skidded through the box to the near post where Boyd stretched to untidily bundle it home with his studs.
That stung Leeds back into action and they almost caught Boro cold on the hour as Snodgrass chipped into the box for Luciano Becchio to control neatly then tee up unmarked Somma but his angled shot was scrambled away.
But Leeds were back in front in 63 minutes with a sizzling strike by the impressive Becchio.
The striker thundered into a tackle with Bates 10 yards outside the box and when the loose ball came left via Bradley Johnson, Becchio darted forward on to his chip back into the area to hammer a powerful volley past Steele.
It could have been worse for Boro on 69 minutes when Becchio cut in from the left and unleashed a 20 yard drive that came back off the bar.
Boro thought they had levelled on 71 minutes when Lita touched a ball onto Boyd to send a sizzling low drive that took a touch off a defender and flew a whisker wide .
MIDDLESBROUGH: Steele, Bates, Wheater, McManus, Arca, Bailey, Tavares (Halliday 73), O’Neil, Kink (Lita 65), McDonald, Boyd. Subs (not used): Coyne, Miller, McMahon, Bennett, Smallwood.
Goal: Boyd 53.
LEEDS: Brown, Connolly, Naylor, Collins, McCartney (Hughes 34), Snodgrass, Faye (Bromby 85), Howson, Watt (Johnson 38), Somma, Becchio. Subs (not used): Alnwick, Gradel, Kilkenny, McCormack.
Goals: Somma 12, Becchio 63.
Attendance: 23,550
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside).
