Pablo Hernandez’s inability to influence the game meant Leeds United were left frustrated at Portman Road.
It would not be too much of a stretch to suggest that Saturday’s disappointing 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town was Pablo Hernandez’s least effective afternoon in a Leeds United shirt. The Spanish schemer, the Whites’ most prolific chance creator (63) and assist producer (7) this season, earned the lowest WhoScored rating of any player at Portman Road.
I think Hernandez looked a bit lost,” former Leeds star Noel Whelan told BBC Sport. “We didn’t trouble [Ipswich] enough.”
Mick McCarthy’s disciplined, rugged side, complete with three centre-halves man-marking Chris Wood out of the game, deserve credit for restricting Leeds to mostly half-chances. Yet the concern remains that, when Hernandez is not at his subtle scheming best, the Whites appear rather toothless in the final third.
The former Valencia attacker, magnificent in the midweek win against Bristol City (below), complementing his goal and assist with a Man of the Match award to boot, accumulated more touches than all but one Leeds player on Saturday though struggled to influence proceedings against a tight defence on a bobbly, 80s throwback of a pitch.
With touchline-treading wingers Hadi Sacko and Stuart Dallas, not to mention substitute Modou Barrow, adept at driving into space, a luxury that was not afforded to them against an organised Ipswich, Hernandez’s inability to open up the back line left Wood starved of service and Leeds fans rightly concerned that the squad lacks real guile and creativity in reserve.
Especially after Cardiff City also restricted them to little a week ago. With the business end of the season on the horizon, there is a nagging concern that Garry Monk’s side have been ‘figured out’.
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