I am not so despondent as many of the reports of this match would make the non-attenders think I should have been. Sitting in the Cardiff end helped me get a slightly more balanced feel on goings on out there.
Typically, when one team dominates a first half and then is poor in the second half, the goldfish memory journalists and fans come away remembering us as being uniformly poor. This was the case here. The first half we bossed it. We had the greater urgency. we dominated the centre of midfield (sat in the Cardiff fans they were not impressed at all by Walton). It simply looked a matter of time until one of 2 things happened: 1. Kandol or Moore showed some vague composure; or 2. We actually took a corner that got beyond the front s*dding post. As soon as we could do one of those things we would go deservedly in front. Then there was an absolute sickening clash of heads (one of the worst I've ever seen) and we were dazed and confused. Cardiff took advantage. Stupid reckless challenge conceded the free kick and Chopra duly dispatched. Half time robbery. Cardiff in that sense eerily like Blackwell's Leeds last season - played off the park yet mysteriously ahead due to opponents inability to put them away. Second half began evenly enough but gradually the march deteriorated. This was then where Wise got it BADLY wrong. If you need a goal it is naive, simplistic and stupid to think the best way to do that is just get more strikers on the pitch. We had controlled the midfield or at least broken up any rhythm Cardiff were trying to muster. Westlake wasn't playing well, but he gave the team a balance, and Blake is always the man most likely to link things up and slot that ball through. Taking those 2 off and throwing on Healy and Cresswell was just dumb. Healy was initially stuck on the left with Blackwellesque idiocy. Eventually he was stuck in the middle but this just left the farcical situation of Cardiff down to 10 (then 9) men, Leeds with 4 strikers stood up front waiting, but us still being over-run in midfield so unable to take advantage. Can't blame the players for that, just bad decision making by Wise. The increasing vitriol and rancour merely disrupted the match more and helped Cardiff. Scores on doors: Casper: excellent shot stopper. Never thought he would stop the free kick though, he was suckered. Looks scared sh1tless on crosses and does not command at all. Sa: Gets himself slightly out of position too often but does have the pace to get back and compensate. Douglas almost chinned him for a 35 yard pot shot near the end when they were down to 10 men and we had everyone up front. Ok, clearly a decent footballer but yet to convince he has a place beyond this season. Lewis: excellent I thought. This was where Wise got it badly wrong. Lewis could have won us the match in the last 20 minutes had Westlake still been there and Lewis could have over-lapped him and given us the man over. Instead he was left alone as sole left sided player and so Cardiff, even with men down, could mark him. He is really, really trying though. Heath: Wise has clearly had "keep it simple" words, and if in doubt hoof it out is the motto. Works well when he has Marques alongside him to do the more clever things. Looks more clogging and limited when Foxe is there as they are both doing the same thing. Marques: where has this guy been? Outstanding until the sickening clash of heads. Appeared pitchside at the end looking ok, so hopefully will make Tuesday. Gone from being the Missing Man to being the most important player in the team. Westlake: anonymous but gave the team natural shape. God awful corners. Get Lewis up taking them. Worth putting a 50% fit Thompson on the pitch for this aspect alone. Douglas: sorry, but again I thought this guy was excellent. This guy will run through walls for Leeds Utd. He cares. Came the closest to scoring with a late rasping drive (a yard either side of the keeper it was in). I like him. Maybe I just keep getting lucky and see the good performances. Nicholls: rent a thug who appears, kicks things and jogs away. Every team needs one at this level. Blake: fitness seems to be regressing again. Still the man most likely to make something happen though, and bad decision to take him off. Kandol: the positive - he really, really tried in the first half, winning his share of flick ons etc. Second half he was a victim of the mad substitutions - realistically him and Moore should have come off. The negative - no composure, and no goal instinct. Confidence clearly very low and seemed reticent to even go in the area lest he have to try shooting. Moore: as per Kandol really. Atrocious first touch when he should have scored. Foxe: see above. Not that good, but playing within limitations. A problem when both him and Heath are on pitch. Healy and Cresswell: ineffective but that was Wise's fault. Overall, I came away more confident than when I arrived that we will stay up. Had that sickening clash of heads not happened I am confident we would have won this game. We can't keep having such unfortunate moments in matches. I think we will beat QPR with comfort. Fans: if our fans want to get outraged at chants of "Istanbul" they should look at themselves first and consider whether constant sick chanting at Dave Jones, an innocent decent man, for the entire match is really decent civilised behaviour. Our fans looked like ignorant hypocrites not the badly wronged people they were trying to appear. Cheers, David This message and any attachment are confidential and may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. 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