Great goal from Becchio. Did well to get in the way of it as it was flying into the net :)
--- On Mon, 29/12/08, MATTHEW GAYNOR <[email protected]> wrote: > From: MATTHEW GAYNOR <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [LU] Stockport > To: "list leedslist" <[email protected]> > Date: Monday, 29 December, 2008, 11:26 AM > Not much to disagree with in Dave's report. > > First half was excellent entertainment and for about 30 > minutes after they scored, we played very well. Movement off > the ball was excellent, especially from the front 2 and > Snodgrass and Hughes from wide. We really deserved more than > one goal in that time. > > Defence looked a bit shaky still though, despite the fact > that Stockport played much of the game with just one upfront > (at home, against a team below them in the league). We had > to clear off the line three times and still look very shaky > from corners - admittedly Stockport were a big side and had > a clear advantage here. > > Second half we were beginning to come under the cosh and > i'd probably have settled for a draw before Delph's > goal. At the time of the substitution i thought it was a bit > of a waste moving him out to left midfield to accomodate > Howson in the middle, but it proved it's better to be a > lucky manager than a good one as the ball went straight to > him on the wing a couple of minutes later and it was a great > finish, especially given the ball was a bit infront of him > and not really in the correct position for a long range > shot. > > I was also telling Niggy that i thought Christie was > probably too ineffectual after his injuries when he lashed > in a cracking volley on the turn - so what do i know. > > Scores > Casper 6 - Looked to be sh*tting himself most of the > first half - pitch very bobbly due to Sale Sharks playing > there - but looked more confident as game wore on. > Didn't actually have many saves to make. > Richardson 7 - Probably our best right back (the French > bloke at MK looked to have Domi-itis - wandering all over > the place) and had a decent game. > Marques 6 - Largely dealt with the physical threat from > Stockport, some shocking distribution though. > Michalik 6 - Bit like Enoch doesn't win the ball as > much in the air as he should do but 100% better than at MK. > Sheehan 6 - Lucky to last the game - pretty dopey to get > booked for diving when you tackle like he does. > Hughes 7 - Loads of effort, made lots of good forward runs > though often failed to control or lost the ball when he got > it. > Douglas 8 - Thumping tackle before Stockports goal and > added some good bursts forward to his usual defensive > effort. Crucial in us turning round game after first few > minutes. > Delph 7 - Scored a super goal and did some nice tricks but > still doesn't command the game the way i'd perhaps > hoped. Needs to learn the middle ground on defending > though, tends to alternate between standing off and shirking > the responsibility and sliding lunging tackles after > he's lost it. > Snodgrass 7 - Gives us better balance wide and more > reliable defensively than the fatman. > Becchio 8 - Worked his socks off and looks a different > player besides Beckford. Won a lot in the air. > Beckford 7 - Started with boots on that he couldn't > stand up in, probably not really fit and faded second half > but still added something with his ability to run into space > and give the rest of the team a target. > > Subs > Howson 5 - Mainly seemed to stand on ball and lose > possession. > Christie 7 - Can't argue with a great finish like that. > > Grayson - Seems to have improved things - if only by > playing people in correct positions and putting men on posts > at corners. > > Ref - Shocking. We got bookings over-celebrating (Becchio), > Diving (Sheehan) and Dissent (Delph) but never looked like > getting the card out for a tackle. > > Matt > > > --- On Sun, 28/12/08, DAVID NATTAN > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Well, for me this was everything that the Leicester game > wasn't, a cracking > game and 3 points. > In many ways it was reminiscent of early last season under > Wise , some > desperate and committed defending added to a couple of bits > of sublime skill. > McAllister must be thinking that if they had played like > this for him he would > still be in a job at Leeds. Grayson did nothing that Macca > had not done - he did > not change the system or line up or anything and he has not > really had the time > to change the mindset etc. Like us all , I hope that > Grayson is the best manager > we have ever had but realistically any new manager could > have done the same as > he did today. > He kept the same back 5, the same front two and the same > two centre midfielders > - the 9 obvious players, the 9 we would all pick. At left > and right midfield he > chose to go with Snodgrass and Hughes - again nothing > revolutionary and nothing > that we would not have done ourselves. > None of this is intended as a slur on Grayson but you do > have to wonder whether > players like Lubo and Rui have suddenly been taken out of > their comfort zone and > had to do the business. > We started absolutely appallingly - the fact that we had 2 > of the four sides of > the ground (one end and one side) seemed to lift them more > than us and we > endured a torrid first 5 mins or so - they could have been > 3 up before they > scored (and that was after 3 mins !!), walking through us > at ease. The goal came > from a well hit shot in the area and not a corner as such. > We then gradually began to get a grip on the game with > plenty of possession and > a few chances. We scored from a corner by Snoddy that was > turned in from close > range by Becchio. This led to a cracking end to end first > half that had all the > feel of a cup tie with both sets of fans getting behind > their teams. We came > close via Becchio and Beckford (with 2 overhead kicks - one > tipped over the bar) > In fact we were starting to control it so much that they > made a tactical sub > half way through the first half. But like I say it was far > form one way traffic > and we somehow survived a number of corners with both > Sheehan and Lubo clearing > off the line (Sheehan did the same second half) -although > it was far from pretty > and was desperate at times the players seemed willing to > put their bodies on the > line and give their all to stop them scoring. > The second half never lived up to the excitement of the > first half and was > mainly a midfield scrap but for once we were solid at the > back - so much so that > I christened Casper as the "Casper the catching > Dane" as he came out > and caught two or three corners in succession - why he has > not done that before > who knows? > The players(on both sides) were giving it everything and > none more so than > Becchio who chased down the keeper and made him play a rash > kick which went > straight to a Leeds player out on the wing 30yds from an > empty net. Had that > player been Douglas or Hughes etc our cries of > "shoot" would no doubt > have ended with us watching the ball fly into the stand, > but on this occasion it > came to Delph who - drink driver or not - is a class act > and he took one touch > to control it and then volleyed it into the net - absolute > class - worth > subscribing to LUTV to watch it !! Put another few quid on > his transfer fee. If > this had been Beckham, Gerard or Lampard you would be > watching it on every > football show from now till eternity. It was brilliant and > how Delph and us fans > loved it. > The question then was could we hold out or even add it it - > thankfully the > answer was the latter as a ball found Christie on the edge > of the box and he > finished with style - 3 -1 game over with only 3 mins left. > The relief and joy on his face was great to see - 3 years > or whatever since he > last scored but if (and it is a big if) he can stay fit he > will be similar but > better than Freeman last season. > So overall a good game and a great result in a game that we > would not have won > in similar circumstances under McAllister and 4 points in 3 > days when perhaps > none were expected. Well done Simon Grayson - now comes the > hard work in the > transfer window and on the training ground. > > As for individual players - something I don't generally > do > Casper looked solid and assured. > Rui and Lubo for once put in some 'bottle' and a > will to win > Sheehan - booked for diving and lucky to stay on the pitch > after a deliberate > shirt pull, he did well and is our best left back but his > tendency to leave the > ground when tackling and going in studs up will see him > getting red again before > long. > Frazer - good sold performance > Delph - got stuck in, created a bit and is a class above > the rest - his goal > was sublime > Douglas - has his critics, myself included, but this was > his sort of game - a > midfield war and he never shirked a tackle > Hughes - 100%commitment and effort - 10% skill and ability > Snodgrass - average - did OK but never really a threat > Beckford - still not fully fit and tired at end but even at > 90% has to be > picked- he scares defenders making space for others and > came close on occasion > especially with one overhead kick - tries hard and never > stops - fans that > question his work rate and commitment need to get a grip > -after Delph our star > man. > Becchio - has seemed jaded and worn out in recent weeks but > today either cos of > his goal or the fact that Becks was back, saw him at his > best - he did the work > of 2 men and won lots of headers and held the ball well - > great perfomance. Got > an undeserved booking for 'over celebration" - all > he did was run the > two yards behind the goal into the massed ranks of Leeds > fans - stupid rule > trying to take fun and passion out of the game > > Subs > Pruttton - off the pace > Howson - ditto > Christie - took goal well which gave him confidence to show > his skill is above > this level > > Grayson - brilliant - made a double sub at 1 -1 and we go > on to win 3 1 , says > it all. > > Dave > > _______________________________________________ > the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list > administrators > accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of > contributors. > Leedslist mailing list > [email protected] > http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > Sorry Macca - it's the curse of Bates old lad > _______________________________________________ > the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list > administrators accept no liability for the personal views > and opinions of contributors. > Leedslist mailing list > [email protected] > http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > Sorry Macca - it's the curse of Bates old lad _______________________________________________ the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. Leedslist mailing list [email protected] http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist Sorry Macca - it's the curse of Bates old lad
