1. They acted as if they were going to play it out for a moment, then continued. That's the least sporting action you can take. Either play on, or don't. Law 18. Don't be a bunch of bitches.
2. How on earth do you plan to allow a walk-in goal and a single CB doesn't get the memo? The hell?
Leeds is Leeds, and that was...very Leeds.
Flagrantly showing up the manager.
amongst the 40-50+ generation in the outer UK zones. It would be a total eruption should they be promoted.
As background information, Leeds was 3 points behind Sheffield United before this week's games for the second automatic qualifier with 2 games left to play. Sheffield had won on Saturday, which forced Leeds to win both their remaining games or go into a 4-team playoff for the last promotion spot. The unwritten rules of football demand that you kick the ball out of play if an opponent is seriously injured, and that the other team returns the ball to you at the restart of the game.
I remember one incident from 10-15 years ago when Arsenal beat a "minnow" in an FA qualifying game by a score of 2-1 when they scored a goal in a similar situation. Wegner being Wegner didn't even out the game and was vilified by the press and fans everywhere. Finally Arsenal "sportingly" asked the FA to declare the game a draw. Arsenal won the replay at the minnow's home field (a huge financial boost to that squad).
Leeds was in the EPL for about 8 years. The first years under George Graham they had to hunker down and play tough (rough) defense to avoid relegation. Eventually they started to accumulate a star cast (James Milner as a rookie, Rio Ferdinand before MU, Paul Robinson - England GK, Jonathon
Woodgate and Lee Bowyer. They were quite successful on the field generally finishing in the top 4 of the EPL under David O'Leary.
However, their younger players were involved in several incidents, accusations of rape (I think) and almost killing some local Muslim youths. They were severely undercapitalized and one year they finished out of the qualifying spots for Europe (and the financial bonanza that goes with it). They were forced to sell many of their top players and try to avoid relegation and bankruptcy. - much like Portsmouth later. Until recently Leeds seemed to be following the path of Coventry City, Bradford, Derby Count, Wimbledon, and others who fell out of the Pl never to return - unlike Middlesboro and Sunderland who have yoyo-ed between leagues.
Just like it's not an unwritten rule that you can't celebrate a goal against your former club. Just like it's not an unwritten goal that you have to stand behind the service academies during their alma mater.
Some individual teams, clubs, players and managers show respect to their opponents in different ways.
The ref controls the game. If there is a dangerous situation he can blow the whistle to stop play. Otherwise, some folks kick the ball out. But players would be fools to expect as much. That being said, Leeds went afoul by acting like they were going to play it out and then going in for the goal after the players stopped.
Players cheekily playing the ball on while acting like they will play the ball out.
Managers screaming to let their team actively concede a goal. And a lone defender defying those order and attempting to defend (Jansson).
Red Cards, undefended goals, and 2 teams trying to earn promotion to the EPL.
That was a lot of drama. I think Leeds did the right thing in that match, but it takes lots of balls as a manager to instruct your guys to concede.
The crazy thing was, the challenge that led to the injury didn't look all that bad. Does anyone have an update on what happened?
In related news, John Terry is still an asshat.
Edit: I think if Leeds didn't do the "look like we are playing it out" move, it would have been an honest goal, but it looks like a bit of underhanded trickery was involved