Lively, interesting game but at the same time I found it painful at times to watch 2 teams struggle so much when it came to the last third. Just a basic lack of ability to play simple balls at the right time and in our case I think the whole team lacks pace. We lined up with a 4-3-3 with Varney on the left, McCormack on the right and Morrison in the middle. Has this formation ever worked ? In midfield we lined up with Tonge, Norris and Green. I thought we started well and looked lively with Varney having one or two moments on the left and Green and Byram doing well on the right. Having worked some good positions it was always the last ball that let us down. At the other end I thought we looked very shaky. Millwall had a number of decent chances to take the lead. One chance was the best of the game where the bounce of the ball seemed to confuse us leaving the Millwall man in on goal with only Kenny to beat. He calmly placed it against the post. Then from a corner Kenny was flapping and Warnock managed to save his blushes by clearing with his head off the line. The real problem for me for us in the last third was McCormack. Nothing he did came off today, he tries things which are not really on and just looks stupid when they don’t come off. This was only emphasised by the first half penalty. We broke again down the right, Green played an excellent ball into Byram who ran onto it and then got taken down. A stonewall pen. Macca took the kick but like everything he did today it was half hearted and the keeper saved. Very disappointing. We continued to be the better team and play the better football but Millwall actually had the cleaner openings. One such opening saw the Millwall man free in the area, he hit it sweetly but Kenny got down well to save. A yard to the right and it was in as he hit it really well. Macca did nearly get a goal as he crossed a ball that evaded everyone, hit the post and nearly went it. Did he mean it ? Don’t think so. Then Macca missed the chance of the game. Varney did well and put it on a plate for Macca, who from 8 yards out, had time to control it and place it home. He didn’t control it, but did manage to back pass it to the keeper. Poor play, poor miss. So at half-time, it felt like we’d played ok but had missed 2 great chances to be ahead. Second half started much the same. Tonge stepped up the pace a bit … he needed to because he’d been strolling in the first half. He took the ball and hit it, it took a deflection and keeper made a decent save. At the other end Millwall, continued to have good chances. Keogh and Tyson (?) combined well and from the South stand it looked easier to score but we managed to scramble it wide. It looked like desperate defending to me. We looked like we running out of ideas and suddenly the passing game was replaced with a bit of hoofball. It was poor. Credit to Tonge though who stepped it up and in Varney and Warnock had some willing runners on the left. On one such attack, we worked it well to Macca who had his feet taken away from him. Another stonewall pen and very poor defending. Macca looked at the floor, Morrison turned the other way, so up steps Warnock. The Millwall players tried every trick in the book to put him off, but he confidently stepped up and placed it in the back of the net. Great pen and all credit to Stephen Warnock. Credit to Millwall, they pushed forward but like us they lacked quality to really hurt us. Having put 3 subs on they paid the price as one of their players had to be stretchered off so they had to play the last 10 minutes with 10 men. They still managed to create a few chances and make us look really nervous at the back. We had a few break away chances that we really should have done better with. We held out, they should have had a pen for handball late on apparently (I couldn’t see from SS) however overall I think we edged it but this was a really hard game. Scores: Kenny – 6. I thought his kicking was dodg, he flapped around in his area but did make one good save and did keep a clean sheet. Byram – 7. I thought he had a good first half , linking up with Green, Macca and Morrison. Second half wasn’t as good. Still don’t think he’s a left back. Warnock – 8. My man of the match. I though defensively he was good, he is an intelligent player, he gets forward well and his confidence in grabbing the ball for the pen won us the game. Peltier – 5. I’m not convinced. I think he’s better centrally but he does ball watch and does give the opposition time. Millwall had a lot of space today and it was bad attacking rather than good defending that gave us the clean sheet today. Lees – 7. Opposite to Peltier. He sticks with his man and attacks the ball. He did well today. Tonge – 6. Poor first half, stepped it up second half and looks like his fitness is coming back. Needs to get his shooting boots back on and second half when all he had to do was play Varney in he over hit and the chance was lost. Norris – 6. Worked hard but little quality in his play. Green – 8. I thought he played really well today. Again the quality could be better but Green was everywhere today. On one occasion he ran the length of the pitch to get back to save the day. Good player at this level. McCormack – 3. I think he’s a problem, I always have. Where do you play him ? He hasn’t got the presence or the legs to play in midfield but hasn’t the pace or composure to play up front. He’s got ability and will always do something that looks good but ultimately he’s not a good enough team player for me. One thing is for sure, he’s no right winger which is where Colin is currently playing him. Morrison – 5. He’s got composure, he’s got ability , he was involved in some great link up play first half but he never threatened, never got in the six yard box and never won much in the air. I think he could be a good player but second half showed to me that he’s not completely fit. The Millwall fans (all 96 of them) sang “Premiership, you’re having a laugh” to him and on what I’ve seen so far I have to agree with them. I think there’s more to come though. Also, why as a striker wouldn't you take a pen ? Strange ? Varney – 5. I thought he started lively, did really well to hand Macca the best chance of the game but in general I find his play frustrating. He doesn’t have a brain. When you want him to take on a man, he’ll fall over, when you want him to shoot, he’ll take it on too far and lose. He gives us an outlet and he’s one of the few in the team who have pace but he’s so frustrating to watch. He got a bad injury late on when he was tackled by Warnock (yes ! – it could only happen to Varney). Subs: Diouf – came on and did his usual stuff in slow motion. Would I play him instead of McCormack ? Difficult one. I don’t think they both can play together. Brown – gave the ball away a couple of times and ran round a bit. Pearce – came on for a few mins. Crowd – I made excuses for the poor Millwall fans with my earlier mail but I think the turnout from them was embarrassing. It was the worse turnout from any team I can remember. Possible the worse ever. I remember Wimbledon bringing around 50 in the 80’s but the away support today was terrible. Colin – 4-3-3 is the way Colin is trying to accommodate Macca and Varney. We’re getting the results, keeping clean sheets, playing better football but there’s a lot to improve. But as every keeps telling me, this is the Championship, most of the teams are shit, most of the players are shit so if we can be just a little bit less shit than the others we make scrape into the play-offs. Time for a glass of Gigondas. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected]
MARCHING ON TOGETHER _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] MARCHING ON TOGETHER
