BBC pundit: This is why the Leeds team sheet would have made Cardiff happy
By Alex Stevens
Noel Whelan is convinced that Cardiff would have been “happy” when they were presented with the Leeds teamsheet ahead of Saturday’s clash.
Defensive titan Pontus Jansson was a notable absentee after calling in sick on the morning of the Championship match.
Neil Warnock’s visitors took advantage of the Sweden international’s absence to pull off a shock with a 2-0 victory at Elland Road that lifted the Welsh side well clear of relegation trouble.
“Jansson was a miss and I think seeing his name absent from the team sheet would have made Cardiff happy,” Whelan told BBC Radio Leeds, as quoted by their live matchday blog (Saturday, 5.15pm).
Garry Monk made two changes to the Leeds starting XI, with centre-back Liam Cooper and winger Alfonso Pedraza named in the team after being substitutes in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Huddersfield.
The duo replaced Jansson and Souleymane Doukara, who dropped down to the substitute’s bench.
Otherwise, Monk persevered with nine of the starters at the John Smiths Stadium six days earlier, with Ronaldo Vieira keeping his place in central midfield ahead of Eunan O’Kane and Stuart Dallas selected ahead of on-loan Swansea winger Modou Barrow.
But Leeds delivered a fitful display after failing to build upon what had been an encouraging start to the match.
The result puts a dent in Leeds’ promotion hopes and means they have fallen 10 points behind leaders Newcastle, although Monk’s side remain in fifth position in the table.
In other Leeds news, the club are eying a stunning triple transfer swoop as three players headed into the training ground.
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