A very upbeat assessment Nick - I really hope that is the reality? Firpo seems continuously out of position, but then so did/do Alioski and Ayling for much of the time. I think there’s hope yet, but he’s getting plenty of stick!
That said, imagine if Klich had scored with half the shots he’s had in the last couple of games - our inability to hit a ball harder or on target is a problem we have yet to solve this season, Rapha aside. Hoping they get some shooting practice in this week! Sent from my iPad > On 26 Sep 2021, at 10:20, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > In all the grumbling forgot to say, our goal was a peach…passing move down > the left, two balls square across the box (Rodrigo & Klich?)… for Raph to > place in the bottom corner from the edge of the box. > > Sent from my iPad > >> On 26 Sep 2021, at 10:05, Nick <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> If they hadn’t had that last minute winner I would feel that this was a >> pretty good day at the office - 7 first teams injuries, playing two >> relatively inexperienced youngsters - a bench of 12 year olds - against a >> seasoned team having a pretty good start. One all would have felt OK. This >> doesn’t. >> >> At 1-0, we hit the post (Raphinha again - they didn’t know what to do about >> him, so they kicked him, when they could catch him); had a good penalty >> shout turned down and missed two or three more decent chances. The came >> their disallowed goal. A high ball in, several people go up, Meslier is in a >> heap on the ground, someone bundles in the goal. Leeds players are incensed, >> WHam players seem uncertain. They go to VAR - and show it on the big screen, >> which I didn’t think was how it was done - the video clearly shows their #9 >> leading with his elbow and smashing it through Meslier’s face - the keeper’s >> head snaps back on impact - so the goal is disallowed, the Leeds crowd is >> going mental for a red card for their guy, instead he gets a yellow. >> >> Minutes later their #9 clatters Cooper, again with his elbow. A bookable >> offence…not this time. >> >> Then someone follows through on Meslier - who apparently had to change his >> shirt after the first incident, and I can only guess that that was because >> of blood - there’s no foul given. Meslier goes nuts at the ref and earns a >> yellow card. >> >> Finally they get a deserved equaliser - the pressure has been good and >> sustained - but the manner of it was less so, apparently a double deflection >> (we couldn’t see what happened), eventually going in off Firpo’s backside. >> >> Then with 5 minutes of injury time clocked up, their #9 muscles through and >> scores the winner. Cue mini pitch invasion by the W Ham fans. >> >> That’s the bones of it. We were the better team in the first half. Although >> both sides created and wasted good chances / half-chances. Cresswell stood >> up and wrestled with that #9 all game and had a really solid game. He’s a >> definite on the team sheet for Watford. He was a little nervous in some of >> his distribution later in the game, when there was less movement ahead of >> him, but that’s about the only fault, I can find and that is being picky. >> Cooper would now be my 5th choice (perhaps even 6th after Kalvin…) centre >> half. >> >> W Ham spent the whole game battering Meslier and Raphinha - every corner >> they got that #9 was leaning on the keeper trying to rough him up. The ref >> pulled him up a couple of times. >> >> Once Raphinha went off, we had no real outlet - Rodrigo, Harrison, Roberts >> combined didn’t give the team what Raph or Bamford on their own usually do. >> And we just fell deeper and deeper. >> >> Meslier - had a sterling game in very difficult circumstances - deserved >> better protection from the referee - that was a red card challenge. Made >> several good saves. >> Shackleton - well, I think that is the best right back performance this >> season - mobile, good challenging and positional play - not the tallest, so >> liable to get beaten in the air but there’s not much he can do about that >> Firpo - another ‘best game so far’ for us I think…there is work to be done, >> to be convincing, but it is not out of his reach >> Cresswell - said it all above - stand out game >> Cooper - his kind of battle, this game, and he did OK >> Phillips - is in danger of moving beyond some of his team mates…he still >> makes mistakes, and he still is not the fastest, but without him we are much >> less of a team, he holds it all together. But he can’t do it himself. I >> think he really misses having the guile of Hernandez next to him. >> Klich - one of his better games, pushing forward from the middle, covered a >> lot of ground, ultimately faded >> Dallas - was solid in his own way, but lacks the sparkle of 6 months ago >> Raphinha - was basically unplayable yesterday - an absolute joy to watch >> Rodrigo - what do you do with a ‘forward’ who is tremendously hard working, >> but never on the end of crosses, rarely gets a shot away and genuinely seems >> to pose no threat to the opposition goal? >> James - played the first half. Barely noticed him >> >> Harrison on for James in the second half - had a couple of flurries and one >> scuffed shot but seemed lethargic - someone said he might not be fully >> recovered from Covid and I guess that’s fair >> Roberts - came on and does what he does but this rapidly proving not to be >> good enough. He’s basically doing the same as he did for two years in the >> Championship. >> Somerville - came on, made a couple of good links / runs down the wing, but >> they came to nothing. >> >> I suspect if W Ham had scored 5 minutes earlier we might have had Geldhart >> on. >> >> It was a good battling performance that tailed off under pressure - everyone >> seemed tired towards the end. But its really difficult to swallow the defeat >> to that goal by that player. >> >> I would like a win, and I think we’re too good to not get one soon…we just >> need some injured players back and a bit of luck. >> >> Nick >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leedslist mailing list >> Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist >> To unsubscribe, email [email protected] >> >> Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ >> >> Rest in Peace Guy, and wear your hat! > > _______________________________________________ > Leedslist mailing list > Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > To unsubscribe, email [email protected] > > Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ > > Rest in Peace Guy, and wear your hat! _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ Rest in Peace Guy, and wear your hat!
