At half time this looked like being a dominant away win. By the end we were grateful to take the point. Easy to regard that as being us fading away in the second half but you need to give credit to a good Norwich team for coming out and having a go at us second half 0 in the last half hour they were pretty much 4-3-3 and throwing balls into the box first time from the wing. This will look like a good point come the end of the season.
First 15 minutes of the match Norwich were on top without coming that close - our defensive blocks in and around the area, especially by Bruce and O'Brien were superbly timed and commited all afternoon. Ball then got knocked forward, Becchio made a nuisance of himself and was hauled down on the edge of the area. Ref played what turned out to be an inspired advantage and Gradel driled home left footed from the edge of the area (their keeper should have done better). For the rest of the first half, we were excellent. We controlled midfield and played some really good stuff. Kilkenny ran the show in the middle. Gradel and Snoddy ran riot. Max especially crucified their full back. He beat him in a different way every time. He is progressing brilliantly at the moment. His final ball was lacking too often, but equally I thought our movement in the box and 6 yard box especially could have been better at times to give him an option to pick. Becchio seemed a bit off his game. Having said that the closest we came to a second was a ball won from nothing by Becchio, and from the byline he neatly picked out an onrushing Gradel who hit it first time from 20 yards. Well saved by the keeper. Our other best chance again fell to Gradel. Free kick 25 yards out resulted in our usual summit of 5 men to debate who was taking it. Kilkenny just stepped up and played a beautiful first time pass (so shut up those idiots who say Kilkenny only passes sideways) to Gradel inside the area unmarked. If he had just passed it first time into the corner it was a goal but he made the wrong decision to control it first and his shot was then blocked. Kilkenny let him know forcefully he had made the wrong choice. Half time. Very satisfactory. I would say the best half we have played this season. The nagging disappointment was that we hadn't scored the 2nd taht you suspect would have got their fans on their players backs and given us a cushion. Second half. Fairly crappy first 10 minutes or so. Then Norwich made a double change including Hoolahan coming on, who was the one for me who got them going. We generally dealt well with their bombardment (they have become a more direct team this season, throwing balls into the box at the hulking Holt as their main tactic). Bruce occasionally let himself get bullied a bit too much by Holt, including one thumped header that somehow hit the inside of the post and landed in Kasper's arms. Just when I thought we were looking like riding the storm, a corner was put across, our defenders were static and outjumped by their centre half and Kasper lay on the ground. Replays have shown he was shoved over, though I do think he needs to be stronger in those situations. After that Norwich were in the ascendancy and Johnson became gradually more atrocious - every pass he hit 2nd half seemed to go to a Norwich man, and I disagree with whoever said he played the defensive midfield role really well - for me he was all too often 5 yards away from where he should have been. Fair do's though it is a new role to him, and the small amount of booing he got from the Leeds fans ealry in the game was unwarranted. He did try / he is very trying. We did look sporadically threatening on the break, but it was one of those days where we kept making bad decisions with the final ball - Sam guilty of this in his 10 minute cameo a few times. I was surprised we didn't go Somma for Becchio with 20 minutes left though. Becchio ran out of steam (fair enough, it's hard work on your own up front) and our wingers lacked options in the box sometimes when we did break. Overal though, I always felt we wuld hold on for the point, and it was well merited over the 90 minutes. Scores on doors (6 for me means average): Kasper - 7 - generally coming back to his best Connolly - 7 - he has grown on me, and is actually now growing into the football style positively. Though did make one hideous cross defence pass in the second half that almost gave a goal away - though he knew it and was apologising profusely. McCartney - 7 - linked up really well with Gradel. Is much fitter than when he first arrived. O'Brien - 8 - cracking player at this level. Bruce - 7.5 - a great blocker. Do think he needs to win the physical battles a bit more. Cracking foul t get a yellow. Wiped the fowardr out who was charging through to cover for an error by his defensive clleague. The kind of well judged cynicism we sometime haven't done enough. Howson - 7 - good again though along with most of midfield faded 2nd half. Snoddy - 8.5 first half, 5.5 2nd half, though to be fair service dried up, rather than being due to lack of fitness. Gradel - 8.5 - MOTM - yes his final ball was lacking all to often but he scared the bejesus out of Norwich. Always pick the team your opponents least want to face they say. Well Norwich were terrified at facing him. He looks like he is really loving playing atv the moment which is great to see. Never seen a full back skinned so many times in one match. He also does a fantastic stint of tracking back and helping out his fulback. Kilkenny - 7.5 - brilliant first half. His passing is mesmeric at times. Faded 2nd half. Johnson - 6 - he's ok. And you need your battlers in there to do the dirty work. But he's not as good as he thinks he is. Becchio - 6 - good work for the goal and setting up Gradel for a near 2nd, but otherwise their centre back had the measure of him. Didn't have much to work with 2nd half. Sam was a bit off colour though only had 10 mintes. No time for McCormack (for Kilkenny) or Collins (for Becchio as we went 5 at the back in injury time) to really do anything. A lot to be positive about and we are playing attractive football and looknig to score goals, whilst gradually looking more defensively solid. A play off spot may not be unrealistic. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman-new.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] MARCHING ON TOGETHER
