First time for a while that Ive been pissed off
walking away from ER Honeymoon period is definitely
over for Wise because Id put our second half
performance today on a par with any of the shite that
Blackwells teams served up. Quite simply, we were
atrocious. It really is beyond belief how professional
footballers can display an inability to pass a ball 5
yards to another white shirt and the inability to be
able to trap and control a ball immediately. Heres a
list of players in our team who displayed this trait
this afternoon Heath, Derry, Douglas, Kandol, Moore,
Westlake and Lewis. Others find it difficult to do the
basics they are paid to do Crainey. In a second half
in which there was only going to be one winner and it
wasnt us we showed what a team of misfits we are. No
team cohesion, no ability, no control , no bottle
(Derry) an absolute shower of shite for the full 45
minutes. The midfield was non-existent and when Derry
went off after his worse performance for Leeds since
he came here we actually got worse. We just kept
giving the ball away and in the end we just resorted
to Wimbledon tactics with long punts and long throws
into the area. It didnt work. Barnsley are a shite
team but they continued to play football in the second
half and continued to cause us problems especially
down our left. Crainey doesnt mark his man. He gives
him space and time to receive the ball allowing them
to run at him. Crainey is terrible at going backwards
and just gets skinned everytime. Its the second time
against Barnsley where we have played ok in the first
half and then come out second half and been totally
ineffective. I believe with a bit more belief in
themselves away from home Barnsley would have easily
won this game. It also helped that Nardiello, the man
of the match by a mile, got a knock. Nardiello is the
sort of player we should be looking at. With a decent
bid wed surely get him. He came on second half at
Oakwell and murdered us and today he was head and
shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. Hes a
poor mans Wayne Rooney hes strong, got good feet
and good skill and he knows where the net is. His
first goal was excellent. He got in and away from our
makeshift right back Douglas then completely nutmegged
Derry in the box before jinking right and powering an
unstoppable shot into the far right hand corner.
Brilliant !
We fought back though in the first half and we looked
dangerous and created chances. I thought at this stage
this is a game where we going to concede a few but
whatever we concede we will score one more and win. I
still believed that at half time but maybe Wise has
continued where Blackwell left off with regards to
half-time team talks by handing out meat pies and
champagne. Something must have happened cos it was a
different team second half. Maybe its just a fitness
thing. Back to the first half and our equaliser. I
gather we must have won the toss and decided to kick
towards the kop because of the sun. If so it worked
cos a high ball goes up and their keeper comes a long
way and loses it in the sun handing Kandol the easiest
of nod ins for his first goal for Leeds. He looked
lively throughout without being spectacular, although
I think when youre assessing Leeds strikers you have
to allow them a little bit of slack due the complete
lack of creativity from our hapless midfield. To his
and Moores credit they battled hard, won headers,
made runs and created chances they both had a decent
first half. Both though are not in the same league as
Nardiello they both lack composure and in Moores
case he lacks any real quality and spends an
extraordinary amount of time on his arse. Is this
really good enough for us ? Barnsleys second goal
came down the other side. Crainey went missing and was
so far up the pitch he was never going to get back
leaving loads of space for Nardiello to expose. It was
a good finish but yet again our defending let us down.
I am assuming that Crainey is only in the team as
there are no the options ? (Wises opinion anyway
not mine cos Id play Gus Poyet at left back before I
put Craineys name on that teamsheet) but maybe that
is wrong cos when Derry was subbed guess who the
captains armband went to ? Yep, Stephen Crainey.
Fcking hell I couldnt believe it. It immediately
broke an LUFC record worse ever Leeds Utd captain.
This record was previously held by Paul Butler. For
fcks sake, heres a guy who has all on trying to do
his own job never mind having to consider what others
are doing. It was a shocking decision and a complete
piss take as far as the Leeds fans near me were
concerned. Crainey is simply not good enough to play
for Leeds, never mind be our fcking captain. How
many goals will it take to make Wise realise this ?
Our equaliser was a decent move with Westlakes only
decent contribution to the match , a decent deep cross
to Derry at the back post who strangely decided to
head back into the middle rather than towards goal. It
turned out to be a good choice as Ehiogu connected and
powered a great header home. Ehiogu won everything in
the air today. It was a perfect goal at a perfect time
but we just didnt capitalise second half. Very , very
disappointing and I think with that team relegation is
definitely on the cards. You can only hope that
January brings a new left back and some musch needed
creativity in midfield and Nardiello up front. That
would be my wish list.
Stack 5. Ok, Ive had a good look at this fella now
and I reckon he is a good shot stopper but not much
else. He dithers around his area and shows no control
or confidence to his defenders. Hes a flapper.
Douglas 3. This bloke cant play in his designated
position so why do we expect him to play at right
back. Fcking ridiculous decision. Douglas is shite.
Crainey 2. No positional sense at all. Cant defend,
continues to cost us goals. It makes you sick. Captain
fantastic still cant believe that one.
Ehiogu 7. I thought he did well today. Hes got the
experience and hes also got ability. My one concern
as always is pace he looked a little slow at times
today but Im hoping that is down to lack of matches.
Heath 4. Young version of Butler. He doesnt add
much doesnt get exposed as often as Butler but for
me hes rubbish but what can you expect from a
Coventry City reserve.
Derry 1. This was his worse performance for Leeds.
He actually bottled about 4 tackles was he injured ?
Is this why he went off ? or was it cos of his yellow
card. Either way it doesnt matter this just wasnt
good enough performance.
Westlake 3. Loads of effort but no quality. Hes got
lead in his boots. Always a yard behind play.
Apparently hes a fit lad doesnt show it on the
park.
Lewis 4. One or two decent moments and unlucky with
one attempt that came off the post but hes a
lightweight who fades in and out of matches.
Blake 6. Our best player but didnt get the ball
enough and didnt have the support from Derry and
Westlake to be really effective. Hes really cracking
the freekicks in although it has to be something
special to fly in from the distances he was trying
today. When he went off second half that was the end
of our chances.
Kandol 7. Did well.
Moore 5. Loads of effort , little quality.
Subs :-
Richardson 5. Rusty. Long throws were his main
contribution to the game. One decent run finished off
with a poor shot.
Healy he didnt touch the ball did he ?
Carole not on long.
Wise 3. Disappointing. Still picks Crainey, gives
him the captaincy ! , Douglas at right back is a non
no. Play players in their position. If Richardson was
on the bench surely that means he was fit enough play
or how about Derry playing right back ?
Crowd shite atmosphere. 2 Barnsley fans were allowed
to sit at the top of the NE despite jumping up to
celebrate the first goal. That is a first. Just shows
the apathy of the Leeds fans to this team at the
moment. Not fit to wear the shirt.
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'I am in shock,' said Ferguson.
