Scapegoat

Like many fans after Saturdays defeat to Derby I was disappointed and wanted answers to why we didn't seem to show up at Pride Park for a large part of the first 60 minutes of the game.

Unlike a good proportion fans, I didn't take to twitter to rant at Leeds midfielder Alex Mowatt, who received a barrage of insults on social media after a lacklustre performance from the academy graduate.

Although I do think that if Mowatt is continued to be a first team player he needs to up his game, is it really his fault for his performances or are we missing something?

Mowatt was largely ineffective in the final third of the pitch because he was being used as a left winger, a position that doesn't suit him. He however did make some brilliant moves in the game only for the side to lose possession before taking any notice.

For a large part of the first 60 minutes our midfield was bossed around that Pride Park pitch and players like Mowatt and Wood were completely overlooked as we focussed on breaking away with the ball with the likes of Sacko and Hernandez. Is it Mowatt's fault he wasn't being given the service on the left?

Although Phillips and O'Kane became valuable assets when we started to take the game to Derby in the final third of the match, prior to that they just weren't closing down and supplying any good service to our attacking three.

The debate of where to play Mowatt has now been going on for the past two seasons with no-one really getting any leeway when it comes to arguing their point.

The fact of the matter is, if you're planning on playing Mowatt in your side then put him behind a striker and let him do his business. If not, you're wasting a spot.

Mowatt is too slow to feature as a winger, a position that both Steve Evans and Garry Monk have unsuccessfully tried to shoehorn him in to. His defensive abilities seem to have diminished over the past year, meaning that a usual spot in our central midfield would not be viable.

There's no doubt that Mowatt plays his best football when he is deployed as a number 10 and is allowed to roam free between midfield and attack. His awareness on the ball, passing and shooting abilities make him the ideal attacking midfielder and he has shown us countless times what he can do, we all remember Huddersfield.

I don't think it's a case of catering for Mowatt, it's a case of giving a fantastic player his chance in the side in a position that will actually allow him to shine.

The reality of the situation is that if we can't use a player in his naturals position and then blame him for his performances, then why is it the players fault?

When Hernandez was being used as a winger and was largely ineffective we leapt to his defence saying that it's not is fault it's the selection process, what's different for Mowatt, one of our own?

Mowatt only has about 10 months left on his contract at Leeds and although fresh talks are continuing, I'm afraid with the reaction of fans and the lack of game time in his natural position, we could lose another fantastic young talent who will go on to star in the Premier League.

Let's remember the young lad who came through our academy and has given us beautiful moments like away at Wolves. That's the lad we want to see on the pitch again and the only way we'll see it is if we give him the support he deserves.


By Ryan Ingham