Was I the only one who thought RWs post was a New Year's joke, and we'd really lost 5-0 and played crap? A
Richard Walker wrote: > Good start to the New Year. I really enjoyed myself > today (didn’t even have a hangover which was a bonus). > I thought as a team we were magnificent today and > although we seemed to run out of steam yet again I > think on this occasion there was every reason for it > cos the effort that was put in today was exceptional. > I’ve kept pretty quiet about Wise cos he wasn’t my > choice but I was prepared to give him a chance. I > think everything he has done in terms of pinpointing > our weaknesses has been spot on – fitness, pace, the > keeper, Crainey, Gregan and Butler have all been > addressed. Unfortunately the replacements to date > (I’ll write about today’s later) have been lacking but > there’s not that much out there at the moment and his > attempts to get decent loan players have largely > failed to date. He’s definitely heading in the right > direction in my opinion despite the lack of results > recently. > Back to today’s game. Did we deserve the 3 points. > Maybe ? Second half we made some substitutions that in > my opinion weakened us significantly. I don’t know > whether these were forced substitutions but when > coupled with an injury to Fraser our whole team > balance was affected and we were struggling from then > on. Coventry made some decent subs and Adebola caused > makeshift centre half Robbie Elliot all sorts of > problems. It was desperation and some good strong > goalkeepers that won us the game. For the effort I’d > say we just edged it over 90 minutes but when you > consider that Coventry have been struggling recently > maybe it wasn’t that great a performance. Who cares ? > 3 points. > The first half today was in my opinion the best we > have played all season. Not only was the work rate > excellent we actually played some good pass and move > football with some excellent interplay from Nichols , > Blake, Healy, Elliot and Lewis. We started with a > diamond shape 4-4-2 with Nichols sitting in front of > the back 4 and Blake playing behind the front two. It > worked. Nichols, the captain did much more than just > sit in front of the back four. He was everywhere. In > wasn’t a great footballing performance from him but he > really made the difference in the middle annoying the > f’ck out of Coventry. He broke up attacks, fouled > their players and started our own attacks with some > good, clever play. He looks and plays like a captain > and I bet he’s a nightmare to play against. A bit like > his manager. Other players that impressed in that > opening spell included David Healy who had is best > game of the season and did everything I want from > Healy. He looked lively and looked like he wanted to > shoot on every occasion. He also linked up well, > chased everything down (for 90 minutes !!!) and scored > a really good goal from nothing. I’m a Healy fan and > have been as disappointed as anybody about some of his > performances this season however I feel this could be > the start of a new era for Healy. I still worry about > his lack of pace but as more and more pace and fitness > is injected into this Leeds team I feel he will come > into his own. Let’s hope Wise has patience with him > cos at this level he can make a big difference. Robbie > Blake continued his good form. He still on occasions > doesn’t have the legs to do the things he wants to do > and he occasionally gets caught in possession but the > fact is he has the skill and ability to take teams > apart. Eddie Lewis also continued his good form. He > also looks fitter and sharper which allows him to get > that extra yard on the defender to get the cross in or > make the run. Some of his runs today were excellent > and he showed the sort of attacking ability that was > lacking under Blackwell. He also benefited from Elliot > who provided him with some great balls over the top of > the Coventry defence. We haven’t seen that for a > while. Both Moore and Lewis made some great runs. When > he had to revert to left back in the second half we > really missed his ability to run the ball out from > midfield. We lost our outlet. The defence was > interesting today – 3 changes and yet again another > central defensive – Foxe and Marquis. They did well > although their goal was yet again a case of the > attacker getting between the left back Elliot and > Foxe. It was a lucky goal in my opinion as the cross > was hammered across the defensive line and turned out > to be pinpoint in landing right on the toe of the > Coventry man. Apart from that they both did well > especially Marquis who looked composed and confident. > He has pace to burn , can tackle and also win headers. > Why hasn’t he had the chance before now ? The new > Lucas Radebe on this performance. It again was a shame > when he had to go to right back cos we missed him the > centre but even at right back he looked our best > player. He can’t have played too much football in the > last 2 years so that makes the performance today even > more impressive. Foxe can defend but he’s a bit flat > footed at times and doesn’t tend to be alert enough in > the box in crucial moments. With Foxe and Elliot as a > pairing in the second half we looked really vulnerable > and the defending in those last 20 minutes was pretty > desperate. Our second goal was the result of some > great play. I can’t remember who out the ball through > to Healy (Lewis ?) but he ran on well and was denied > by a good save. Fortunately for us the ball came out > to the advancing Douglas who did his best to miss it > with a scuffed shot but it managed to go in the back > of the net. Healy was off side but who cares ! It was > good to hear the PA man announce the goal as a > ‘screamer’ – v funny. As I said earlier Blake came off > for Westlake and Moore came off for the hapless > Kandol. I can only assume that Wise thought that > Kandol would hold the ball up for us and take a bit of > pressure off the midfield and defence. He didn’t and > only demonstrated what a poor footballer he is. I know > it’s only early days for him but you really can’t see > what his strengths are ? I can only see him getting > goals from headers in the six yard box.. He doesn’t > have the balance and control to take the ball on and > score goals. Bambi on ice. Not good enough. > > Sullivan – 8. Bloody hell, how much weight as he lost. > I hardly recognised him – tall, slim and agile. You > have to ask questions about the fitness regime under > Blackwell. He spilled a couple of shots and his > kicking in the second half was poor but he made 3 or 4 > match saving saves and what he lacks in agility he > makes up in presence. I was never a big fan but I’ve > got to hand it to him today he looked the best keeper > we’ve had this season. > Richardson – 7. Some good forward play in the first > half and also worked his socks off. Struggled second > half and was taken off for an injury probably due to > over exertion. > Elliot – 7. Confident and composed. Maybe could have > got across for the goal (if it had been Crainey I’d be > going mad). Some great balls – over the top and also > simply in field. I thought he really struggled at > centre half though – I wouldn’t try that one again > Denis. Mind you his only other option would have been > to see Marquis stay at centre half and make do with a > makeshift right back – Douglas. That could have been > disastrous. The risks of not having a defender on the > subs bench ! > Foxe – 6. Some good defending then at other times he > looked a yard short. Needs more games. I wouldn’t rule > him out as a regular at centre half though. > Marquis – 9. My man of the match. Not only did he > defend well at centre half and right back but he > showed good pace and good ability on the ball. Surely > a regular now. > Douglas – 6. Lots of effort as usual and one or two > good moments however he is still the weak link in my > opinion and although he does lots of running he rarely > affects the game. He was therefor the goal today > though and you can’t fault him for that. > Nichols – 9. All over the place captain’s performance. > Got his booking although Wise and Poyet were going > mental on the touchline. Looked like a booking to me. > The ref was good today I thought – he let a lot of > things go today for both sides. I like to see that. He > also wasn’t fooled by the playacting of players like > Healy. > Blake – 7. In and out of the game. Involved in most of > our good play. Hit the bar with a free kick. > Lewis – 8. Good performance. Some great runs > especially one which he put on a plate for Moore. Also > hit the bar with a freekick. > Healy – 8. Good goal and excellent running for 90 > mins. > Moore – 6. Low on quality high on effort. Usual > performance for Moore. > > Subs :- > Westlake – 5. Doesn’t have the legs. > Kandol – 2. Rubbish. > Howson – 7. Busy. > Wise and Poyet – 7. I thought the subs were dodgy. > Moore still had lots of running in him and Blake has > the ability to hold up the ball. Was he injured ? > > Crowd – pretty hungover and quiet. Coventry brought 36 > fans and sang that God awful song that I have > nightmares about ever since the Hillsborough semi > final. > > > > > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > 'I am in shock,' said Ferguson. > > > > _______________________________________________ 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 'I am in shock,' said Ferguson.
