Warnock books dire Leeds in for urgent surgery

Manager Neil Warnock refused to let any of his players discuss their inept performance against a Watford side he would have been proud to have been in charge of – well-drilled, fully committed, physically powerful and possessing plenty of goal menace.

Had it not been for goalkeeper Andy Lonergan, Leeds could easily have been staring at a scoreline akin to their last game at Elland Road – the 7-3 defeat against Nottingham Forest.

They have now lost nine games at home and fortress Elland Road is only a rubble.

Experienced central defender Nyron Nosworthy was surprised how easy it was for Watford to extend their unbeaten run to seven games and go level with Leeds six points adrift of the top six.

The former Sheffield United loanee said: “We won convincingly in the end. I thought we handled everything very well. It is very rare that you come to Leeds and dominate.

“You expect to be put under pressure but we did not have too much of that although the keeper pulled off two fantastic saves. That was a warning for us to keep doing the right thing, defend on the front foot, get there first and then create some chances.

“Sometimes you have bad days at the office but we take all the credit. We set our game plan out and it worked. Kusz is a bit of a lunatic but most goalkeepers are lunatics. I’m scared of him to be quite honest! He comes from a team that is used to winning and that helps because his attitude is spot on.”

Nosworthy was talking about Manchester United loanee goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak, who endured incessant barracking from the Leeds fans due to his Old Trafford links but who was the key figure in the game’s pivotal moment.

Having finger-tipped over a rasping cross-shot from Robert Snodgrass in front of the Kop in the first half as Leeds mounted a pitiful response to going behind to an early goal from Chris Iwelumo, Kuszczak again denied the Leeds captain after the break.

The Poland international went full length to push away Alex Bruce’s 57th-minute diving header from Adam Clayton’s free-kick and then blocked the close-range, far post follow-up from Snodgrass, who screwed his second opportunity wide.

Apart from a bright cameo from Ramon Nunez, who was inches wide with a shot from the edge of the area, Leeds rarely threatened again.

It was left to Iwelumo to make the points safe for Watford in the 89th minute when he pounced from close range after Lonergan had denied Troy Deeney for the fourth time in the game.

The recalled Iwelumo had already missed the target from close range when strike partner Deeney, whose finishing ability could not match his pace, had robbed left-back Paul Robinson near halfway and sped forward before slipping the ball past Bruce for the Scotland international to finish in the sixth minute.

Leeds struggled to combat the robust approach of Watford even though the fans vented their fury at referee Paul Tierney for a perceived lack of protection for their strikers compared to the free-kicks he awarded to the visitors.

Yet the referee was in no way to blame for Leeds’ defeat.

Their defending throughout seemed panic-stricken and a mitigating factor could have been that they had to re-shape due to the suspension of Darren O’Dea.

Tom Lees moved across to central defence and Paul Connolly came in at right-back but he, too, will miss Friday’s trip to title-chasing Reading after receiving his second yellow card for a trip in stoppage time.

Aidan White also looks set to miss out after leaving the ground on crutches and with his left leg in a protective cast after incurring a new injury to the troublesome ankle which had made him a doubt before the game.

By the end of the game, no-one was in any doubt why Warnock had said he would be ‘gob-smacked’ if Leeds were to reach the play-offs this season.

The Leeds manager emerged to say: “You can’t kid yourself in the Championship. Watford are a streetwise team. We’ve been mugged in every department. We were so naive. Having said that, goals change games and Snod’s chance was a great chance. It would have put the pressure on but we couldn’t take that chance.

“But the first goal – the oldest player on the pitch, or the most experienced, tried dribbling in the wrong area. You wouldn’t get Watford conceding a goal like that because they’d just clear their lines and that’s the Championship.

“This shows you why I’ve been brought in – why I’ve got the job. There’s a major overhaul needed and this game’s answered more questions than any other. More than the 7-3 debacle.

“There were a few lads went missing today but in one respect that’s great because you get to know about your players. Now I need to look at what I want, what I need and it is going to be major surgery.

“You’ve got to have something between your legs, and you’ve got to have some guts. Too many departments were miles away.

“The sending off summed it up. He obviously didn’t want to play at Reading. We’re going with no Connolly, no O’Dea. It’s total irresponsibility. So why worry now? What the hell, let’s give one or two of the kids a chance.

“There were 21,000 people here, paying money to watch that. It hurt me on the bench watching that.

“There is a lot needs doing. I keep saying it’s the toughest job I’ve ever had when I get a job, but I think this is as tough as you’re going to get.

“I’m desperate to get promoted next year so I’ve got to get the right support from the chairman and face the challenge as it comes.”

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