> For me, this was a very similar performance to Wolves with 2 big differences: > > 1) we took our chances well when we were dominant in the first half > > 2) Blackpool didn't have as much to offer when we stopped playing second half. > > So I think this performance proved that Darko did not tell his team to > protect a 1 goal lead from half-time instead we seem to have a fitness / > concentration / consistency problem with several team members after the half > time break. > > First let's concentrate on the good and there's was plenty of it in the best > half of football that I've seen this season. Not only did we show great pace, > movement and link up play through the middle we had width with Warnock and > the excellent Byram effectively operating as left and right wingers. You can > do this when the opposition has nothing to offer, and Blackpool really didn't > know how to cope. The only surprise is we didn't get a few more, we really > should have. > > With the exception of Bianchi, who seemed to let the game pass him by, I > thought the whole team performed as a unit. The youthfulness of the midfield, > whilst not at the same levels of the famous Batty, Macca, Speedo and Strachan > is for me during these times equally exciting. If we can get young Dawson in > there instead of Bianchi maybe we would be heading for a similar type of > midfield in a year or two. > > At the back, we looked more solid without Bellusci the clown. Cooper looks > like a good , solid defender to me and at this level that is what is > required. We don't need a central defender who can take free-kicks or who can > dribble out of his box, we need someone with pace and strength to win every > all that comes into the box. > > His goal also shows he can be a presence on corners and set pieces. What a > great goal , he picked up a ball outside the box , teed it up on his left > foot and half volleyed into the net from outside the box. The keeper never > moved. > > The second goal is the type of goal that makes me purr. Great running , box > to box, great pace and movement , great link up play and a great finish from > Doukara, who had a really lively first half. Adrian's running and final ball > was exquisite. > > The third came after terrible defending from Blackpool who just seemed > incapable of clearing the ball from their box eventually it landed to > Antenucci who whacked it goal wards, it took a deflection and went in. We > deserved the 3-0 lead and surely this would be a rout. > > But it never materialised, and Blackpool won the second half and we never > really threatened apart from once chance which would have been a simple tap > in for Mowatt except we failed to get the ball to him and it was cleared. > > Credit to Lee Clarke, he changed things, put a big lad up front who scored > from a corner and caused us all sorts of problems. He did put the ball in the > net again but was clearly off side but it wouldn't have been a surprise for > them to get another one and see us hanging on in the 6 minutes of injury time. > > So what happened ? For me, the following players didn't turn up after > half-time: > > Doukara, Adryan, Bianchi, Antenucci > > I think fitness is the main issue for. 3 of those Bianchi just isn't at the > races for me at the mo. I think at this level if one player goes missing it > will tell , when you've got 4 players who don't contribute you're going to > struggle. Bianchi actually went off injured after Silvestre gave him a > hospital ball which to his credit he tried to clear. > > silvestri - 7. No chance with the goal. > > Byram - 9. Brilliant performance, great link up play all round and some good > defending. All his best work though was in their half. He is not a defender > !!! > > Warnock -8 . Great wing play, solid defending. > > Cooper- 8 great goal and good defending. Was he supposed to be marking their > scorer ? > > Pearce - 8. Won lots of 50:50 battles. Was he supposed to be marking their > scorer? > > Adryan - 6. Great first half performance and great run / pass for the second > goal but he doesn't seem capable of playing past 45 minutes which is a > problem. > > Mowatt - 8. Good all round performance, continued to get forward second half. > > Bianchi - 4. Too many backwards passes, he is one paced and actually stands > out like a sore cock in what is now turning in to a dynamic midfield ( well, > for 45 minutes anyway). > > Cook- 8. Superb again, some great tackles to win back the ball. The new > Batty. > > Antenucci - 6. Scored his goal but I don't think his level of performance > matched his recent outings, especially second half. Maybe he'd been up all > night with the arrival of his kid. > > Doukara- 7. I thought he did really well first half and took his goal well, > however all his best work his outside the box and he appears to have a > problem second half with fitness. He has improved but I'm not sure he is the > long terms answer. Is Morrison injured ? > > Subs > > Tonge- came on lost the ball a few times. > > Sharp - came on and never got near the ball. > > Redfearn - will take the plaudits and rightly so but we were playing the > worst team in the league and they were the better side for 45 minutes of this > game. Worrying. > _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org
John 'Grampa' Sykes Rest In Peace old lad 28th Oct 1938 - 12 Nov 2013 MARCHING ON TOGETHER
