Barnsley the land that time forgot. What a shithole. Anyway, enough of that , on to the footy. I really enjoyed this game and whilst some Leeds fans seemed to want to smack the players as they left the pitch at the end I actually thought there were more positives in this game than any of the performances under Blackwells last 6 months. So what did Wise do this time? Well, he brought Robbie Blake into the frame. We started with a straight 4-4-2 with Douglas on the right , Westlake and Derry central and Blake on the left. Oh no I thought, another manager who thinks Blake is a winger. After 10 minutes he changed it moving Blake into the centre and letting him a have a free role behind the front two. This allowed Derry to sit deeper and Westlake and Douglas to support from the left and right. It worked and for just about the first time in two years we played pass and move football and actually controlled a game. Blake showed that in this division , if given the right role he can destroy teams. Somebody on this list kept going on about how Blackwell should use Blake in the Beardsley role to link midfield and attack. Looks like a good tactic on the basis of the first half yesterday. Oh yes, that was me by the way ! We still managed to go behind despite having the better of the opening exchanges. Can only really blame the keeper for the first goal. He pawed a cross right to the Barnsley man in the box who couldnt miss. Heads did not go down though and spurred on by what can only be described as top class support from 4,000 Leeds fans we came back into the game big style. Blake was at the centre of everything good but Healy, Douglas, Westlake and Derry all contributed. One move ended with Westlake running through the centre only to be brought down just outside the area. He was the last man and would have scored it should have been a red card.Healy, Kelly and Douglas linked up well to create some good a chances. We equalised through a corner (shame it was a set piece cos we were creating chances from open play do you remember what these are all you Blackwell fans ??). which was converted by Derry on the back post. He deserved a goal today Derry he ran his arse off. Following the equaliser it became one of those games that you just knew we were going to win. We took total control of the game and passed the ball around like the Leeds team of old ok Im exaggerating, but after two years of Blackwell it was so good to see us playing something that resembles football. The goal when it came was excellent with Lewis almost getting beat by the Barnsley defender but managing to find his feet push the ball on and deliver a superb ball to Blake who drilled it into the net with ease. Pandemonium in the Leeds ends. I was jumping around and hugging folk like a 10 year old. Theres only one Robbie Blake sang the Leeds fans. He was loving it and it was like a new signing. He was playing like Maradona. Wise and Poyet walked off that pitch at half-time to rapturous applause from the Leeds fans. Poyet clenched both fist and Wise waved. United are back ! So what went wrong ? Second half I thought wed go on to win 4 or 5-1. It never happened. We hit the wall and collapsed spectacularly. Barnsley raised the pace and we couldnt live with them. Our passing stopped and our fitness levels dipped. Blake suddenly found that he didnt have that yard of pace to skip past the opposition and he just kept losing the ball. Douglas kept running but without the industry of Blake he began to look like his old self. The front two looked like they were struggling to match the strength of Barnsley. We went from Brazil to Garforth Town in the space of 20 minutes. Barnsley just pushed on and once again we made average opposition players look like world beaters. The Barnsley fans couldnt believe it as they equalised and then went on to get the winner. Both good strikes but where was the defence ? Ive seen the winning goal on tv and Butler has two chances to get a tackle in and just stands there. Killa also not blameless as he gets beaten far too easy. Puffy, namby , pamby defending and I think the defence is at such a low confidence level now that I dont know whether they can ever recover. The Killa and Butler partnership needs to be put down - killed off put them and us out of our misery. Im not putting all the blame on Butler cos I thought Killa was shocking yesterday. A man with no confidence at all. The surprising thing to me was that Barnsley didnt go on to thump us 6 or 7 cos they could have easily. They brought on their sub who looked very lively in fact he looked like Linford Christie next to Butler. Surely Wisey will get rid soon. We even had a pitch invasion from the Barnsley fans will they get charged for this ?? Then on to the streets where it was bedlam as the young chavs from Barnsley tried to make a name for themselves by attacking families and any normal fan. They werent so interested in the 300 Leeds lads who were herded by the robo cops to the station. Will they come to Leeds will they f*ck what a shithole Barnsley is. "Your mums your dad, your dads your mum, your interbred Barnsley scum'. Very appropriate.
Stack 6 Couldnt do much with the last 2 goals but at fault for the first. Not sure about him on crosses. Kelly 7. Worked hard and did well. Lewis 6. Did ok and made the second goal. Killa 4. Distribution absolutely shocking. He looked like he had the wrong boots on cos he kept going over the have his studs changed. Played like Bambi on ice. Low in confidence. Butler 2. Just not up to it. We all know it but we just need someone in to replace him. If this doesnt happen at think Wise might have to take drastic action. Kelly at centre back with Fraser at right back ??? Derry 7. Good performance. Still trying too much creative stuff for me. Keep it simple and give the ball to Blake. Westlake 5. Tried but this lad has lead in his boots. Douglas 7. Top effort and even created a bit in an excellent first half. Faded second half. Blake 8. Man of the match but he just couldnt keep it going second half. He wasnt the only one though. Healy 6. I thought he was lively first half and linked up well. He is a frustrating player though he doesnt challenge for the ball, hes a bit of a lightweight. Horsfield 4. Looked like an old man today. Ineffective. Subs :- Johnson 6. Maybe should have come on earlier. There was lots of space on that left hand side. Nearly scored and maybe should have with their keeper in no mans land. Cresswell 4. As ineffective as Horsfield. Doesnt look the same player to me. Einarrson did he touch the ball. Hes obviously been crunching a few people in training to get noticed by Wisey. D&G 6. Theyve got us playing football. The defence needs sorting but I think they know that. Theyve given Blake an opportunity , lets just hope he takes it cos at this level a really fit Robbie Blake would really make a difference. Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ 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 oh alright then :-)
