She’s a witch…burn her. Casting off the remnants. Graham Smeaton September 18, 2014 Leeds United 32 Comments The scene in Monty Python’s ‘Quest for the Holy Grail’ that has me in stitches is the scene with the witch and the peasants wanting to burn her for her sins. Thing is, she isn’t a witch; the peasant villagers have stitched her up a good ‘un. The gallant Sir Bedevere uses some twisted and warped logic in order to ‘prove’ that she’s a witch and therefore the peasants can “burn her”. Similar to the logic that is applied to players like Stephen Warnock, Jason Pearce, Alex Mowatt and Rodolph Austin. Depending on ‘who’ we but/loan/loan-to-buy or which way the wind is blowing it seems that these players become instant upgrades over incumbents. Liam Cooper means that Jason Pearce becomes instantly rubbish and needs replacing. Charlie Taylor shows good touches when replacing the injured Stephen Warnock and therefore Warnock needs dropping as he’s “not got the legs” anymore. Mowatt is too fat and needs to be dropped to make way for Sloth. Rodolph Austin is too inconsistent and therefore a liability etc etc ad nauseum It might just be me being sentimental or nostalgic or even plain cynical but why is it open season on EVERY Leeds player’s tiniest mistake? Stephen Warnock’s contribution 2014/15 Stephen Warnock seems to come in for stick on social media for being ‘past it’ and on his ‘last legs’; yet he’s been Leeds’ most consistent defender thus far this season. Why should the inexperienced and untried Charlie Taylor be drafted in as a ready-made replacement? tackles int. clearance key pass avg. pass pass succ. long ball long ball acc. 12 23 24 3 41 86.90% 22 59.50% Rodolph Austin’s contribution 2014/15 What about Rodolph Austin? Slagged off by some as “too slow” or “too inconsistent”; yet he was the Championship’s top-ranked midfielder in certain defensive contributions last season and he’s not had a bad start this season. Why does Austin have to drop to the bench or even sod off out of the club as some have said? tackles int. clr. key pass avg. pass pass succ. long ball long ball acc. 20 10 14 1 50 83.20% 38 59.36% Jason Pearce’s contribution 2014/15 Jason Pearce comes in for some particularly venemous barbs from probably almost all facets of social media that I encounter. It’s quite disconcerting some of the abuse aimed at Pearce; I’d certainly not like to type it here. Who’s to say that young Italian import, Dario del Fabro is the answer and a cure for all supposed ills. tackles int. clr. key pass avg. pass pass succ. long ball long ball acc. 5 12 50 n/a 36 79.40% 19 38.00% Look, I’m not saying that Warnock is a Paulo Maldini, Austin isn’t a Geremi and Pearce isn’t Lucas Radebe but, and here’s the rub, they’re ALL Leeds United players and we really should be behind the WHOLE team. We shouldn’t be baying for blood like the villagers in ‘The Quest for the Holy Grail’ as we aim to burn these ‘Leeds remnants’ at the football stake.