Given the conditions I thought this was an excellent win and a good 3 points
against a decent, very well organised side. If Walsall can avoid injuries to a
few key players I expect them to be in and around the play offs. As for the
performance, I thought it was patchy. We started yet again with what looked to
me like a very unbalanced formation. 4-3-3 with Beckford playing on the left ,
Howson on the right, and Bechio down the middle. In the midfield, Delph was
pushed out left, Kilkenny right (although he did move around) and Douglas
central meaning everything filtered through him and he was the fulcrum of the
team. That doesn’t work Gary and although we had loads and loads of possession
the only real chance we mustered was a long range shot by Kilkenny. Their
keeper (‘Bruno’) wasn’t really troubled.
If Douglas is on the ball for long periods , Leeds won’t be playing well. He
just doesn’t have that ability and whilst I think he can do a job for Leeds sat
in front of the back four, breaking things up he will NEVER make it as a ball
player. I just can’t stand those long, neck high balls he plays out to the
wings. What can the receiving player do with a ball like that ? Even if it hits
him the chance of him being able to bring it down and control it before being
rattled by the opposition player is extremely unlikely. It always pisses me off
to hear applause for those sort of passes – they’re pointless. The other bad
thing about making Douglas the centre of our play is that Delph and Howson end
up getting pushed out of it which is criminal in my mind. Kilkenny tried to
liven things up by moving around and trying to take control from Douglas but it
just didn’t work. At the other end Walsall caused a few problems and they had
the 2 best
chances of the half one being a result of Telfer trying to play the off side
trap and getting caught by a simple ball over the top. The resulting ball in
from the right completely outfoxed Lubo who got himself in a right mess. All
the Walsall guy had to do was side foot it past Casper from 5 yards. He missed
but it was an excellent save from Casper – top drawer. Up front it also wasn’t
working. Becchio, despite all his hard work and running showed me why I don’t
rate him with a load of passes straight to an opposition shirt and then when
finally put through by one of the balls of the game from Howson he just showed
too much of it to the defender who just took it off him. He looked a very
limited player in the first half. Beckford also struggled.
So despite having most of the possession I was disappointed by our first half
performance and was wondering whether Macca would change it. I would have.
Macca didn’t change things and to his credit we did come out with a different
attitude – much more positive. It was a slice of luck that gave us the lead
when the Walsall defence for once failed to clear and ended up handing a chance
to Becchio from 5 yards out. He did well to convert by sliding along the floor.
Just what we needed. Credit to Macca though he saw that we were still having
problems, despite the goal and changed it.
He took off Kilkenny which surprised me a bit because he was arguably our best
midfielder in the first half. (best of the bad bunch). When Robinson came on we
were transformed. Suddenly Howson and Delph became more central. Douglas began
to play a minor defensive role and Robinson strolled around all over the pitch
in a free role. It was like watching Gazza in his heyday coming on to take the
piss. He was that good and suddenly we looked like a real team. It’s no
exaggeration to say that we took them to the cleaners. They just couldn’t live
with Robinson, Howson, Delph, Becchio and Beckford in full flight. I would
start with that line up. Sorry Kilkenny. Everyone was transformed. Delph, who’d
had the worse 45 minutes I’d seen from him suddenly looked exactly what he is –
the best player in this league and his two goals only raise his profile even
higher. A midfielder with incredible balance and poise, that can beat men, pass
long and short and
who is good in the air for a short guy who also has an incredible shot and
scores goals – what more can the lad do … and I know that this is the 3rd
division and I know we’ve had false dawns with youngsters at Leeds before but
nobody can doubt that this lad is the real deal. The best young player I’ve
seen for years and it just excites me to see him play. His two goals today
weren’t good they were spectacular, the first being one the best shots I’ve
ever seen from a Leeds player. Top left hand corner – he just let fly. You
could say the second was even better ‘cos you could see the control he put on
the ball in bending around the keeper into the bottom of the net. I was
bouncing around in the NE. Superb.
We just pummelled them for the rest of the game and played some really bright
football. Robinson linked everything together and we just oozed class. It was
the best 30 minutes this season for me. We could and should have had more.
Casper – 8. Kept us in it. Great save.
Richardson – 5. I thought he was pretty poor today – just disappoints when you
expect something from him.
Parker – 7. Like White he’s neat and tidy on the ball and when he’s coming
forward. Can he defend ? Not sure ?
Lubo – 7. I thought he liked playing against Ricketts and the other lad up
front. It suited him and he won most things however there were one or two
lapses that could have cost us.
Telfer – 7. Same as Lubo – lots of good interceptions and challenges but then
let down by one or tow mistakes.
Douglas- 6. Another steady game. Too involved first half though. Second half
much better when he just got stuck in and made himself a nuisance.
Howson – 6. Poor first half but he ain’t no winger. Still some good stuff
including the pass to Becchio which was wasted. Second half he was lively and
much more involved. Play him alongside Delph and we won’t go far wrong in this
division.
Kilkenny – 7. I thought he was pretty lively first half and had a good shot.
Unlucky to go off but it was the right decision.
Delph – 10. I don’t care if he had a poor first half. That was just poor
tactics on Macca’s part. Two goals like he scored give him top marks in my
book. The kid is a star.
Becchio – 7. I thought he was poor first half but second half after he got his
goal I thought he was magnificent. Running all over the shop, controlling the
ball, linking up play , winning the odd header (he isn’t that great in the air
! ) and generally causing problems to the opposition. I think he is what we
need at the moment, He does however fairly regularly give the ball away to the
opposition which is strange.
However, I think I was wrong with my early assessment that he is shit although
I still maintain that he is a player who is playing at the right level (I
wouldn’t see him in the Championship). Will he score more goals than Kandol –
looks like he will get enough tap ins to do it.
Beckford – 6. In and out of the game. Lost control when in good positions .
Very frustrating player at times.
Subs:
Robinson – 10. Probably the best subs performance I’ve seen for many a year.
Just took total control of the game.
Snodgrass – 6. Lively without causing them too many problems.
Prutton - ? Did he touch the ball. I’d be looking for a new club if I was him.
Macca -7. Got it all wrong first half but redeemed himself second.
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is Michel Kitabdjian dead yet?
