I thought the result was spectacular and I think we're actually capable of getting a result against anyone due to our back four which Monk has sorted. We look strong and solid and I don't think you could say that about a Leeds defence since Radebe, Woodgate and Matteo.
I think we also are now playing with confidence and you can't buy that. The Liverpool game was great for us and we definitely weren't scared of a really strong Villa team who completely snuffed out Wood and Roofe for most of the game. Having said all that if I look at our performance going forward I would say we were poor. Too many stray passes, too many aimless balls and too many mistakes. We had nothing going forward that could hurt Villa which combined to produce the worst 45 minutes of football this season. That first half was bloody awful. The passing around at the back and then back to Green does my head in and although it improves our possession stats as a spectator it's so boring. Second half we improved and at least tried to get forward. I think our goal was gifted to us by their keeper but it was a great cross by Doukara and a great leap by Roofe who is pretty good in the air for a short arse. That was 1 of his 2 contributions of the match , the other ending up in the side netting. Other than that he looked like a 3rd division striker up against strong PL defenders. I think Villa were pretty poor themselves going forward and it was only when that young lad ( Grealish ?) came on that they started to look dangerous. I think if we can beat Villa with a young team like this anything is possible this season especially if we get Hernandes and Bridcutt back and we can buy a new striker in Jan. Scores Green 7. Didn't have too much to do but did it well. Nearly one bad cock up in the first half after a misunderstanding with Taylor. Ayling - 8 Bartley - 8 Jansson - 8 should have scored Taylor - 8 All the defence were strong. Vierra - 7. Battled hard Philips - 6 some good battling and some poor distribution. His set pieces are poor. Sacko-6. He's got pace and at this level that is enough to scare most defenders but his general play is so poor at times it beggars belief. Did well for the second goal. Doukara - 6. Great cross for the goal but he struggled to get involved. Not a winger. Roofe -5 . Glad he got his goal but he really struggled. Wood - 3. Yes, got his goal but I thought he was woeful. There was one occasion he had the ball moving forward and he played a lovely side footed pass straight to the Villa defender. It was awful. I really don't rate Chris Wood. Subs: can't remember who came in but Was it my imagination but did Mowatt look a bit trimmer? Hope so. One word for the ref .... Shite. Brighton on Friday is the next big one. We never win there but I'd be surprised if we lost given our confidence levels. Imagine if we could pas a ball, we'd be dangerous. Sent from my iPad > On 4 Dec 2016, at 09:28, David Smail <[email protected]> wrote: > > In the first half it was clear we were witnessing a 2nd tier contest. The > ball was given away by both teams regularly with sloppy unforced poor > passing much of the time. We were guilty of that more than Villa and > resorted to our old style hoofing with long passes - I thought Monk had > changed us into a passing team? It is though, in my view, the mild panic > tactics of a team that are being pressured and outplayed and in some ways > are more comfortable without the ball than with it. We could barely get out > of our own half for spells without any great threat from Villa. They harried > us in our own half which seemed part of the reason, we did not do that to > them - perhaps that was part of the master plan to conserve energy?. After > 20 minutes, I couldn't see anything else than a Villa win, it was a matter > of time. In the 2nd half we were a different team and the close, tight and > short passing regime seemed to be restored allowing us to put some pressure > on Villa and ultimately, the goals and win. We appear not to get down > hearted when we are playing badly and keep the faith. This is a huge > attribute that I hope we don't need to rely on too often. Villa have been on > a good run recently and I'm relieved we survived the first half when we were > out-passed much of the time and relied on a pretty solid defence. So up to > 4th which is pretty good, but I have grave concerns that some teams like > Villa can upset our style and force us into an unrehearsed plan B. After > all, it's the team that adapts best to the opposition that usually rules the > roost. > > I'm not Rob Green fan and would always select Silvestri instead, but hats > off to him today, he was solid and made some good saves. I thought Luke > Ayling deserves a special mention too, he was everywhere! > > Isn't it strange to think that our Anfield performance gained us so much > credit and we lost and against Villa we turned it round and won. Maybe we > just couldn't adapt to Liverpool's speed and style but, in the end, got the > measure of Villa. > > > > Dave > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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
