Well 3 points against one of our play off rivals is not to be sniffed at.I
would have snatched your hand off pre game for a 1-0 win so got to be
happyHowever this really was a game of two halves and a game where the weather
(wind) had a real effect on the quality of the game.
For once in a Yorkshire Derby we came out at them like we meant it - just like
Barnsley and Huddersfield did against us in recent weeks - their 'let's get
them facing the wrong way' backfired as we started on the front foot and really
got into them.
They had some odd looking day-glo orange shorts and socks - after 15minutes my
lad turned to me and said " i have got your match report sorted - they came on
dressed like traffic cones and for 15 minutes we passed and moved round them as
if they were actual cones "
Indeed we did pass and move and hunted the ball down early on as if they were
stationary cones - we harried , hustled and bullied them for much of the first
half. Any time they got the ball our in your face tactics put them off their
game and the strong swirling wind made sure that nothing worked for them.
Despite this we did not create any real chances but were by far the better team
and on 24 minutes our dominance got the result we deserved = a great move
ended with a great cross from Berardi whose cross fell to Wood - two wide
defenders played him onside (I have not seen on TV etc) but the centre half
left him thinking he was offside, Wood controlled it with his first touch and
poked it home with his second - a finish from an in form striker.We deserved it
100% and it was a shame that the half came to an end and it was only 1-0
Second half was a totally different kettle of fish - their right back who was
given a torrid time by Sacko in the first half was taken off and we never
really got going. We were sloppy, lazy, lacksicdaisical and never got to grips
with the conditions. We seemed to forget that the wind - so much in our favour
,first half, would be against us second half. We insisted on playing little
stupid passes along the back four - passes that kept getting us into trouble.
We were unable to get a grip on the game or keep the ball - much of it self
inflicted.
Then came the few minutes that decided the game. Ayling (get your hair sorted
or cut off - a player cannot spend time every few minutes messing about with
it) - gave a simple header back to Green - but his header, the wind and Greens
hesitation meant that an easy piece of defending, ended up as a corner. A
corner from which they got a penalty as Doukara clearly grabbed and pushed the
Wednesday player in front of him - a penalty all day long
Up stepped Rhodes, the most expensive player on the pitch and he hit it OK
right in the corner but Green got down to his right (having moved to the side
before the kick) and he pushed it round the post - a brilliant save,and one
which had the fans singing Green's name for the only time this season.
This should have been the catalyst to us to step up our game but it never
happened, we continued to give the ball away, time after time needlessly as the
clock ticked over very slowly and as the ref gave them a foul for every tackle.
Bridcutt and then Wood picked up silly bookings for time wasting / kicking the
ball away
We were very poor second half but some last ditch defending meant that none of
their half chances resulted in an equaliser as we held on
So 3 great points but not necessarily deserved - good bits we kept a clean
sheet and got the 2 points - something we would not have done last season (or
the ones before) - bad bits, we were pretty awful and gave the ball away when
under no pressure
When all said and done it is 3 more points towards a play off position but we
need to go into those play offs with Wood, Janson and Bartley, fit , on form
and not suspended
Dave
From: Simon McNally <[email protected]>
To: {broken-address} Richard Walker
<[email protected]>
Cc: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, 25 February 2017, 19:40
Subject: Re: [LU] Wednnesday
I agree with most of that. Couldn't understand why they were praising our
holding midfielders on radio Leeds when I was driving home. I thought both were
poor and kept giving the ball away far too cheaply. I love berardi - I think
he'd take out his own mother to win the ball!
I think monk likes the strength that doukara offers but he was way off the pace
today. Sackho is the classic million pound talent with a 10p head. I'd have
subbed him and o'kane a lot earlier.
I like Ayling, Bartley and Jansson too but they overplayed it too much at the
back today for my liking.
I'm not sure what Dallas offers.
Thought Wood was superb again - he has very little support but ran his nuts off
again (which was what frustrated me about him last season - thought he could've
worked harder) and took his goal well.
Couldn't understand calls for Silvestri to return a few weeks ago - green
showed again why he should be first choice.
Simon
Sent from my iPhone
> On 25 Feb 2017, at 18:15, {broken-address} Richard Walker
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> A few thoughts from me on today's game.
>
> Good result but for me not only was it a poor game it was a poor performance
> from us. I think we've got a few players who are not making the grade. Lots
> of effort but low on ability and I think the 4-2-1-3 isn't working with
> Doukara and Sacko pretending to be wingers.
>
> I thought first half Wednesday gave us a lot of space but we just couldn't
> hurt them and it took a bad defensive play that gifted Wood a goal for us to
> hurt them. He looked well off side to me.
>
> Second half I thought they took control and some of our defending was
> bordering on desperate. Even on the break we looked out of sorts and to be
> honest apart from the goal we didn't create a decent chance in 94 minutes.
>
> Still a double of Wednesday and a win that keeps us looking good for a play
> off place. I just don't think we're good enough.
>
> Scores :
>
> Green - 9 penalty save earned us 2 point.
>
> Ayling - 7 . I thought he looked ok today and did try and break out at times.
> Some of his defensive play was a bit shaky.
>
> Beradi - 7 so obviously playing out of position but he does really well and
> he put in some good challenges today.
>
> Bartley - 7 pretty solid and some good clearances.
>
> Jannson - 6. Another booking and he didn't do much wrong but I didn't think
> he was quite at it today.
>
> Bridcutt - 6. Some great challenges and some great battling but his passing
> going toward on occasions let him down. I've been a little disappointed with
> Bridcutt in the last few weeks. Still think he's a great little player.
>
> O'Kane - 5. Thought he did ok first 25 minutes but he faded and really had no
> influence on the game. He looks lightweight to me and has done so since his
> arrival.
>
> Hernandez - 4. When he's not doing his stuff you have to wonder what he's
> bringing to the party? Some of his passing, at times, is shocking. Very
> frustrating player.
>
> Doukara - 4. Worked hard but he contributed sweet fuck all. Not a winger ,
> not sure what he is ? Other than pretty shit in most games recently.
>
> Sacko - 4. I think he's a sack of shit who lacks basic awareness and ability.
> Yes his pace creates a bit of chaos now and again but his final ball is
> lacking nearly always. We have to look for alternatives ? Oh yes we bought 2 !
>
> Wood - 7. I thought the first 45 minutes was his best for Leeds. He looks
> full of confidence, his control was good and he took his goal confidently. I
> think he suffers from lack of support and I question his effectiveness
> playing up front alone. That's his 20th league goal. Very impressive total.
> Still doesn't change my view of him as a very limited, no pace striker but he
> is in a different class to Becchio ( that ain't hard though)
>
> Subs:
>
> Dallas - looked fucking awful - he's shit.
>
> Vierra - I thought he did well
>
> Roofe - never has the ball under control. Don't rate this lad.
>
> I should be happy about this match but I'm not. I thought we were second best
> and I don't think we are firing at all at the moment.
>
> Great crowd for an early kick off.
>
> Chateauneuf-du-pape to lighten my mood.
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