This for me was very
depressing stuff. I've heard how good we were against 9 men Bristol
City but fact is we're making the same mistakes and it's the same
players are just not up to the job.
There's one good thing
that came out of this game ….. Neil Redfearn is not the man. Maybe
harsh to judge a man taking over a failing team in only his second
game but there were some real tell tale signs and moments in this
game where you saw what he was about and the future would not be
pretty under him.
First of all, if I
didn't know better I'd say he came into this game looking not to lose
rather than win. I think is way of trying to steady up the defence
is to keep the full backs deep and not push on. Could be a sensible
tactic if you're looking, George Graham style, to first and foremost
keep a clean sheet. However, in a team that lacks pace, lacks
movement up front and overall lacks the ability to get from defence
to attack then this tactic is going to cause you problems. I've never
seen Snodgrass and White so isolated. Snodgrass actually struggled
today as everytime he got the ball he was surrounded. He had little
chance all afternoon. Aidan White on the other side, started off
lively but with Danny Pugh sitting back there was little chance for
him to get anything going down the left wing unless he got the ball
and beat 4 men, which to his credit he did try a couple of times and
nearly got some luck.
Redfearn also showed
he's all about stability, composure and being 'thorough' (listen to
his post-match press conference with Eddie). It was no surprise to me
thatson is no longer he's fallen for the Pugh / White gives us
stability argument. It doesn't work, it never will and the main
reason why is that Pugh is not a left back, Pugh has no pace and
cannot defend when put on the back foot … in summary, Pugh is not
good enough and why we spent (wasted) money on him is reason enough
for me why Grayson is no longer at the club. First half , their right
winger ran at him. It was like the ground was swallowing Pugh up, he
was running in treacle, he was skinned. I find it completely
incomprehensible that people who have been in the game for so long
put their reputations on the line by buying and putting faith in
players who can never succeed. We need to cut Danny Pugh loose, he
isn't good enough.
Redfearn then showed
that he really hasn't a clue how to use his subs (DOL style). We were
struggling, we were huffing and puffing, we couldn't get beyond them
and couldn't get round the back. It was painful to see us have
possession but no cutting edge at all. He didn't change anything, not
a thing and as the clock ticked down I really felt that he was going
to be happy with a 0-0 draw. It was very frustration. But then he
came to life, Andros was stripped and ready to come on. What was the
trigger ? Did he want to push for the win ? No , they scored.
Townsend wasn't put
immediately, we kicked off, won a corner and yet the sub still didn't
happen – why ? What the fuck was he waiting for ? Then we scored, a
lovely Becchio header and we were going to go on for the win. Get
Townsend on, and go for the jugular. Nah. He sat him back in the
dugout, as if the goal was going to change everything ? The only
thing that happened is we slipped back into our predictable, square
pass , formation and Brighton suddenly realised that there was only
one winner. They pushed forward, Townsend got his blanket out on the
bench and our weak defence went to sleep, we gave their man the
freedom of the park and he took a potshot. 2-1 and game over. However
Neil, then put Townsend on – we were then into injury time. What a
joke and this clearly demonstrated that Neil is out of his depth.
So whilst we're on the
subject of the new manager, what are we to make of the situation ?
Grayson sacked – we can't really argue with that despite most fans
liking him and respecting him for what he's achieved, but what was
Bates's plan ? Did he have one ? Was he considering options ? He's
now put Redfearn on trial for 3 games ? What does this mean ? Is this
his plan ? Has it now gone wrong ? Does he have a plan B ?
For me this situation
just says everything we know about Ken Bates ? He is touted as a
football man ? But does he really have Leeds Utd at his heart ? Or is
he just playing with us ? Making sure he doesn't bankrupt himself
whilst antagonising the fans to the hilt ? I really can't work him
out ? Shaun Harvey is apparently on holiday at the moment.
Come on , even people
who think Bates is an 'average club owner' must be asking the
question – 'WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON ?'
It was like a morgue
today, everyone is down hearted, the heart is being ripped from the
club. Fans like me who have watched Leeds for over 40 years are
wondering if the club has a future ? Can I continue to turn up and
pump money into Bates's pocket. He doesn't like me, I am a Leeds fan,
he thinks I'm an animal and I firmly believe that we have to hound
him out. My suggestions are:
1. Assassination – he's probably got bodyguards so not an option and
I'm not sure anyone is prepared to do life (maybe 10 years ?)
2. Every Leeds fans doesn't renew and nobody buys a tickets for any
future games. This problem puts the club at risk but surely Ken would do a
runner and do we really care if we go back to Leeds Utd, Northern Counties
league ? I'd take that any day over what we have now.
Back to the game …
this is a match report afterall.
First half I thought we
did ok, lots of possession, Brighon hadn't realised that they were
better than us and were cautious. All we had to do is score a few
goals. Easier said than done. We were doing well with our hands tied
behind our backs. Adam Smith is obviously a natural attacking full
back but he wasn't doing it. Delph and Clayton saw lots of the ball
but they had few options. Ross and Becchio up front doesn't work.
Neither has any pace … especially the donkey. Neither is making
runs behind the defence and neither has the acceleration to spark a
move into life and scare the opposition. So the best chances we had
were from crosses and set pieces.
Our best chance came
after 3 mins and 53 seconds. Snodgrass, lovely pin point cross to
Becchio in the 6 yard box. Easy chance , he placed it accurately into
the South stand and then stood there arms out stretched moaning he
should have had a corner due to a delection which caused the ball to
deviate from the back of the net to the South stand. We all laughed
especially when the large screen showed that the striker who cost
less than Berbatov but scores more goals placed it unaided into the
SS. That's why I hate Luciano Becchio.
Other chances in a
first half of few chances fell to Tom Lees – another header which
should have gone goal bound and a Snodgrass freekick which went over.
Brighton had not yet
found their feet but still had the better chances.
Second half – much of
the same except Brighton came more into the game. They had lively,
pacey players especially the bloke on the left wing against Smith. He
made Smith look pedestrian and believe me Smith isn't slow. I
couldn't believe it when Poyet dragged him off. Lonergan kept us in
it with a great save after a Brighton man was left free in the area.
The sign of things to come.
Brighton were all over
us , Lonergan then nearly dropped a bollock when he dropped a simple
take. We needed a sub on but Redders was obviously going to gamble
that we could hold on.
Didn't work, the rest
is history.
So what were the
positives. Were there any ? Not really. I thought Clayton and Delph
were busy but didn't have the invention around them but that's about
it.
Scores:
Lonergan – 5. Good
save, but I thought he could have saved their second.
Smith – 4. Don't
think the game plan suited him.
Pugh – 2.
Disgraceful, woeful, lacking performance. Never a left back in a
month of Sundays.
Lees – 4. Not sure.
O'Dea – 2. Am sure,
he's crap.
Delph – 7. Best
player on the park. Nobody around him though and nobody with any
invention in front of him so had to be content either driving forward
himself or playing a simple square ball.
Clayton – 7. Lively,
but outplayed towards the end as he tired.
Snodgrass – 6.
Isolated and fairy ineffective.
White – 4. Started
well, but then never really saw any of the ball. Still like him.
Ross – 6. Lively
throughout. Getting nothing from his strike partner, playing alone up
front, he had a few moments but never really came close.
Becchio – 3. If I
said that his goal was really well taken and that he showed one or
two half decent touches would people say that I don't think
everything he does is shit ?
However, for every half
decent touch, there were 4 shit ones, you know the ones where he
falls over, or loses control, or just heads it to the opposition.
Then there's 2 other easy chances that he scuffed, then there's
raising his hands to the opposition where he should have been red
carded, moaning about a deflection when it was just his header which
was shit.
He's got no pace, no
acceleration, no invention, no control. His arse his fat , he's
static and for me has no future in the game. He is without doubt the
worse player (in terms of footballing skills) that has ever worn the
white shirt (I include John Pearson in that assessment). A complete
fucking imposter and the sooner we get rid the sooner we can look
forward in terms of our attacking play and options. He really is
holding us back. The worse thing about today was his goal –
completely papers over the cracks.
Subs – not on long
enough
Redders – out of his
depth.
Ref – Bloody awful.
Crowd – all
depressed.
This is the most
depressed I've been watching Leeds. I am pretty depressed and I know
I'm not the only one. Make of that what you want.
BATES OUT !!
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PETE CASS (1962 - 2011) Rest In Peace Mate
