...which is what the great tactician, nay oracle, of football said to his mate as Robinson stepped to take the free-kick on the edge of the box with about 60 minutes gone...and true enough Robinson slipped the ball 10 yards sideways to the boy genius, who unleashed a thunderbolt into the top corner, from 25 yards, that no-one was going to stop. As we finished bouncing around like 8 year olds on Haribos, my mate went all serious and p*ssed-off looking and said, that's just taken the shine off that goal cos I realise that I'm going to have to look at your smug-b*stard face for the rest of the afternoon...and he did... and I was. In fact I'm still rubbing it in as he wanted Delph subbed at half time. The game was made up of a frustrating first half, which despite being the better team, dominating possession, we were lucky to go in level at half time, as their number 9 (are you Ricketts in disgiuse?) failed to score from 2 very good opportunities in the space of 5 minutes - once thanks to a top notch save from Caspar. Followed by a second half in which our midfield ran riot, following Kilkenny's substitution - which is tough on Kilkenny as he was one of the better players up to that point. The midfield clicked into a different formation and mind set when he went off, Douglas dropped 5 yards back, Delph and Howson moved closer together in the middle of the park - where Howson proved he has a lot more to give to the team than when he is pushed out wide - and Robinson allowed to be the strolling barrel to his heart's content. We brought the little fat guy on for a freekick on the edge of the box, and my mate, who has a good eye for the funny stuff in life, thought that Macca should bring him on, let him the kick and then sub him off again immediately afterwards whatever happens with the kick, just for the laugh... The conditions made playing football as we have tried to do this season, pretty tricky. It was a rotten afternoon with strong swirling winds and driving, squally rain. The first real chance of the afternoon came on about 10 minutes when Beckford cutely nicked the ball from a defender on the edge of his box, and spun away from him in one move, before dropping a shoulder and charging into the box. His left foot shot rose above the far angle of bar and post with a couple of feet to spare...cue the first "Beckford you're f*cking useless" rumblings from a few rows behind us...We then started passing the ball sweetly and when we did this Walsall couldn't keep up. We also started shooting from distance. Douglas, Howson, Delph all having a pop or two before Kilkenny blazed in a couple that had the keeper scurrying across the goal. A couple that he did get his hands to he didn't try to catch but to fist away - he was lucky with one from Delph that he punched back in to where an on-rushing Beckford almost managed an instinctive reaction finish, but instead he put it wide. The two chances for Walsall came from Parker, Telfer and Lubo getting themselves all out position and in a right mess. The first chance the guy should have buried, it came from a cross from their right, where the player was unmarked, the cross dropped into the 6 yard box where the number 9 had simply stepped around Lubo as if he was a lamppost. With the ball at his feet that far out he really shouldn't miss, but credit to Caspar, who made a great job of rushing out and spreading himself. The other came from a deadball partially cleared only to be hooked in over a guy's head to one of his team mates stood on his own 8 yards out. Thankfully he made rotten contact. The organisation completely disappeared for that 5 or 10 minutes and we were vulnerable, but it was rescued and made right again. We weren't unduly threatened after this. Ricketts shooting from 25 yards shouldn't be that big a threat, even if our defence (Telfer again) has missed the clearance to let him in. I thought that Walsall were well organised but poor otherwise - their plan is to give the ball to Ricketts and then see what happens. The second half was completely different where lots of moves had broken down because of passes going astray in the first, we were a lot less careless this half. It started when Beckford charged onto a loose pass from their kick-off, ran at the defence and won a corner. Delph's first cross was a bit lame and failed to clear the first defender, who cleared it back to Delph, he knocked a better ball in this time, a defender tried to clear it, but knocked against another one of his guys and Becchio was first to the loose ball, sliding and spinning and shooting all in one movement, putting it back across the keeper and in the far post. Nice poacher's goal. Then we began to press in earnest - perhaps it was the confidence of the goal but we looked a different team. Delph was flattened on the edge of the penalty area after another jinking run. Cue Robinson. Nice idea, didn't quite work. But he was the spark that moved us onto another level as far as threatening the Walsall goal. Then there was the free kick which he slid to Delph...who'd a thought it? After that we had loads of efforts on goal - a Howson header; Becchio shot; a long range effort from Robinson; another bullet from Delph; Beckford through on goal only to bring a good save from the keeper. Delph eventually scored a third, picking a nice ball from Howson he took couple of strides forward and a couple of touches before hitting one with his left foot that curled and whipped in by the post so fast that keeper again had no chance. In an effort to hide him Gary MacAlister immediately subbed his little gem off and was seen whistle an airy tune as if he'd seen nothing at all... To be fair Walsall did their bit to try an keep us entertained in the second half by bringing on a bloke who had clearly carved his boots out of pumpkins in honour of forthcoming Halloween celebrations. Pumpkin slippers wasn't very good at football though. ANKGERGREN - had a pretty decent game - made two important saves when it was 0-0 - some dubious distribution RICHARDSON - was much as he ever is - decent going forward mixed with poor defensive positioning PARKER - as above but with a bit more flair - one bit of juggling to take the ball off a Walsall blokes toes was wonderful - but defensively he was slow to get back and sometimes badly out of position TELFER - he brings experience, ball-playing skills and organisation but also old legs and possibly he is still carrying his injury a bit but he seems a bit shaky at times - on the whole I'd rather have him there than not MICHALIK - seems to be getting some confidence back (and a clean sheet will help the whole team in this regard) - a much more solid performance HOWSON - peripheral if still hard-working when out on the right - much more involved and influential in the middle with Delph - couple of great tackles in the second half, deep in their half, switched play and set us on the attack immediately DOUGLAS - "the more he sees of the ball the worse Leeds are playing" - this is our motto of the season - BUT when doing the breaking up and playing it simple, he is invaluable to us and the best in the club at this job... DELPH - what do you say - reminds me of no-one so much as Liam Brady - genius - I hope we get to keep him for years (and he keeps getting better) not just for the innevitable boost it will bring to the team but just so I can watch this guy play football...it is simply a joy KILKENNY - in one way, really unlucky to be subbed after 55 minutes - he'd had a perfectly decent performance up to that point - but it changed us for the better BECCHIO - hard working - guilty of a lot of poor passing and loose control throughout the game - scored the important breakthrough goal...can't ask for much more BECKFORD - gotta love him - he's so miserable every time he doesn't score - but he will and lots ------------------- ROBINSON - a very impressive 30 minutes - seemed to lift and liberate the team - maybe just by the re-organisation that his introduction enforced...still don't know about the full 90 minutes...who for? SNODGRASS - one sublime ball to put Beckford through - not much else PRUTTON - not on for long enough to do anything notable -------------------- Crowd - A bloody chilly 22 000 - it was a 2 bovril afternoon Macca - well things weren't happening, and he made changes that changed the team and the performance...that'll do. -----------------
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