Saidy salutes second class

LIAM COOPER says the players – not boss Marcelo Bielsa – must carry the can for the loss of Leeds’ unbeaten record.

Bielsa shouldered responsibility for the leaders’ defeat and even argued that he, rather than Diego Reyes, should have been shown the yellow card referee Peter Bankes flashed at his technical director.

The Argentine held his hands up over a tactical error in starting with Kalvin Phillips as a holding midfielder.

He said: “I thought I would receive the yellow card, not because I behave badly, but because I’m responsible for the behaviour of my staff.’’

But captain Cooper said: “As players, we have got to take it on the chin.

“We talk about standards and we have set them this season, and to come out like that in the first 20 minutes is not good enough.

“You get punished for it and that’s what happened. I said to the lads that we don’t deserve anything SAIDY JANKO claims that Nottingham Forest are ready to win ugly to earn success in the Championship.

Victory against Rotherham meant the Swiss right-back has won both games he has played since arriving from Porto on a season-long loan.

But the defender, 22, is under no illusions about how difficult the Championship can be.

Janko said: “It’s not always pretty or a nice way. It wasn’t our best game but we still tried to play football and do our stuff.

“I’ve known about the Championship and I knew what I was getting into. For me, and for many people, it is the best second division in the world.

“It is good football, high from the game when we start like that.”

Blues striker Che Adams netted twice inside the first half hour and though Leeds’ rousing response after the break brought Ezgjan Alioski’s goal five minutes from time, the rescue mission failed.

Cooper added: “We knew what we had to do. The manager put his ideas to us at half-time.

“In the second half, it was more like us – the intensity was there, the creativity was there.

“We got the goal and you think, ‘Right, come on, let’s get another’. But it didn’t fall for us.’’

Birmingham boss Garry Monk revealed that a pep talk with Adams paid off.

“I spoke to Che in the week,” said the former Leeds manager.

“He’s at his best when there’s fire in his belly.

“I think he’s been too inconsistent.

“To fulfil his potential he needs to bring that fire in his belly.’’ tempo, very physical but our squad is ready for it and we showed that.”

Forest finally ended Rotherham’s resistance through Lewis Grabban’s 86th-minute penalty.

It was heart-breaking for the visitors, who had seen a glorious Richie Towell chance denied by a brilliant Costel Pantilimon save moments earlier.

The Millers have lost all five away games since they were promoted.

Right-back Billy Jones said: “This is a competitive, relentless league and you get punished if you take your eye off the ball for a second.

“I feel confident that we will win games if we play consistently like we did.”