Despite playing in the prem etc, and also on loan with West Ham, he was still relatively inexperienced. He was always a good player, but as an example of what I was saying before about how he is more disciplined now - he used to have a tendency to be all over the back 4 running about covering players etc.
Which is fine up to a point, and something as a non professional I actually think is a good quality, but how many top class defenders do you see actually doing that? By covering someone else he is leaving a gap elsewhere. He doesn't do that now, so thats either because he has learned or it has been drilled into him that a central defence needs to keep its shape, or he has less need to cover. I would draw a comparison with Rio here, at West Ham he was always seen as a class player, but he had a tendency to fuck about with the ball and then get caught in possession. He came to Leeds and we drilled that out of him completely. As a consequence he was a better defender. Im not necessarily saying that Blackwell or the coaching staff have done something similar with killa, he might just have matured on his own, or heaven forbid picked it up off his more experienced team-mates, but the fact is he doesnt do it anywhere near as much as he used to, and consequently the back line looks much more solid. I'm also sure that Killa is first choice centrehalf, and that he wont be sold or want to go (the latter does come into it), but time will tell! > -----Original Message----- > From: Richard Walker [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: 01 June 2006 10:11 > To: Mark Humphries > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [LU] Killa / Season Ticket Prices > > I nearly agreed with some of that. > > First of all you make it sound like Killa is a > youngster with no experience. He's played inthe > premiership at centre back - something that Mr Gregan > cannot claim. There are no excuses for Killa not being > number 1 centre back from the start of this season. > > However I do agree that Killa has played himself into > starting position BUT that's everyone apart from > Blackie who will probably start with Gregan and Butler > next year. Maybe he'll try and convert Killa into a > left back or maybe he'll take the brass from Warnock > for him. > > Anything is possible with Blackwell. > > --- Mark Humphries <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > I dont think either Blackwell or Bates would dare > > sell Killa. > > > > And actually Rich, I think Killa has now played > > himself into a starting > > player with Blackwell. He started the season as a > > vastly less experienced > > player compared with Butler and Gregan, but played > > the majority of the > > season and was noticeably more disciplined by the > > end of it I thought. > > > > The problem we have here is that statistically teams > > who get promoted from > > Championship have an old pro in central defence more > > often than not. MacKay > > has now been in 3 teams himself, and he is slower > > than Butler or Gregan. > > > > But anyhow, I suspect that Blackwell will use Killa > > + old head as his > > starting lineup whether that be Gregan, Butler or > > someone like Weir. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:leedslist- > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard > > Walker > > > Sent: 01 June 2006 08:38 > > > To: [email protected] > > > Subject: [LU] Killa / Season Ticket Prices > > > > > > I see that Neil Warnock is after Killa. What a > > > sickener that would be but a good move for Killa > > > seeing as he is just a squad player at Leeds who > > only > > > plays when Blackie's experienced pros are not > > > available. > > > > > > Season Ticket Prices - £726 for all of West Stand > > and > > > East Stand. Jeez. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > > > All New Yahoo! Mail Tired of [EMAIL PROTECTED]@! come-ons? > > Let our SpamGuard protect > > > you. http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and > > the list administrators > > > accept no liability for the personal views and > > opinions of contributors. > > > Leedslist mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > > > http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > > > oh alright then :-) > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and > > the list administrators accept no liability for the > > personal views and opinions of contributors. > > Leedslist mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > > oh alright then :-) > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > All new Yahoo! Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and > ease of use." - PC Magazine > http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html _______________________________________________ the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. Leedslist mailing list [email protected] http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist oh alright then :-)
