Cheers Richard - good report. Sounded desperate. With regards to Becchio - he's suffering as much as the next man in terms of low confidence, but you do have wonder when you're seeing Snodgrass make an impact and scoring goals on his own to realise how limited Becchio is. Ok, when Beckford is dragging defenders all over the shop and you've got time to have 2 or 3 touches to get the ball under control, or time in the box to get your shot /header in then that makes your average attacker look ok. I was frustrated by the praise heaped on Becchio early in the season when it was obvious to me that here was a below average striker playing at the top of his game and being helped by Beckford. I now notice that the media and some fans still refuse to question his recent performances as if he's a cert for that striker's shirt. For me, we're playing with ten men (probably less) at the mo.
When Beckford comes back no doubt, Snodgrass will get shipped off to the wing and Becchio may continue with his easy goals. That wouldn't be my preference. I think Snodgrass and Beckford is a partnership that could do well and could save Macca. --- On Sat, 20/12/08, Richard Young <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Richard Young <[email protected]> > Subject: [LU] Don and out > To: [email protected] > Date: Saturday, 20 December, 2008, 7:04 PM > Oh dear. Colour me Rich Walker, because having been as > positive as I could > be so far, this poor run means I'm coming round to many > of his points. > > First, the mathc. We started both halves brightly, snappy > into the tackle > and purposeful. But in the first half, we seemed to flag > once the initial > onslaught failed to deliver results and then we reverted to > type. Our > defence is officially woeful. The moment MK had any kind of > probing attack, > we seemed to lose shape, movement and confidence. A static, > fearful defence > is no defence at all, and horribly predictably we conceded > from corners in > relatively quick succession. > > About ten minutes from the end of the half, Ed texted me to > say the BBC had > us with 67% of possession, and while that seemed improbable > based on what I > was watching, it might well have been true. We did a lot of > huffing and > puffing, but nothing came off. The main tactic was long > balls to Becchio, > and while I like the lad, Rich Walker's view is now > being borne out week > after week. He won maybe two headers all game, neither of > which found a > stripey shirt, our of maybe... 20 launched at him? Maybe > more. MK Dons, by > contrast, had less possession but it felt like they were > dominating because > every attack looked dangerous. We should sign their No.8 - > although he'd > have to be some kind of masochist to want to come to Leeds > for another > season in Div.3 and the prospect of 4,500 fans chanting > "What the f*** is > going on?" at the top of their voices when you go two > down. > > Second half - see above. This time, our early pressure was > rewarded - > Snodgrass's hooked half-volley crashing in to fire up > the fans and his > team-mates. But within five minutes, the passion was spent. > We were back to > our bumbling ways. So it was no surprise when they restored > their lead > shortly afterwards. Cue 35 minutes of ineffectual faffing. > The announcer had > Delph going off for Enoch, although it looked like Howson > (well... it's an > easy mistake to make...). And at least with a big guy up > front the long ball > stuff looks a bit more purposeful. But it was the same as > Histon: too > little, too late. > > The players? Delph - despite having forgotten that he was > terrorising > defenders by running at them just two months ago with the > result that he > almost never dribbled today - was still the pick of the > bunch for me. > Snodgrass is a grafter and his commitment delivers results. > Becchio ran > around a lot, but I now concede Rich W's point. Howson > was my favourite > player two years ago. He's disappeared. Sheehan > (excepting a half-decent > free-kick) showed why we won at Swindon when he got sent > off. Lubo still > can't play upright - for a tall lad, he doesn't > half launch a lot of balls > vertically into the stratosphere (at both ends, mind). Rui > was game and got > stuck into a few decent challenges, but is also a shadow of > his former self. > Who else? Oh, dodgy Dave between the sticks. And that new > lad, Assoumani, > was average - i.e. not really what we need from a new > signing. At all. > Douglas was pretty good, actually, but I think these > rubbish performances > across the team flatter him. Credit to Frazer for coming on > and giving it a > go. > > All in all, then, dispiriting. This defeat pretty much > rules out automatic > promotion, and notwithstanding the fact MK Dons are worth > their standing in > this league - oh, and it's a great stadium and their > fans were pretty good > for Johnny-come-lately franchise supporters - we may even > struggle to make > the play-offs. Confidence is shot, and it's hard to > believe that the > pass-and-move side that demolished Swindon despite being a > man down is > more-or-less the same side that has capitulated so readily > during December. > I don't buy the idea that Beckford makes everything > happen - we are, man for > man, better than these results. That means coaching and > confidence have gone > awry - and although I hope Macca brings back that decent > football the side > were showing at the start of the season, I'm starting > to think a new broom > might do as much good as harm. > > PS - fans were great. Again. The acoustics were excellent > for singing, and > one or two minutes of frustration aside, we sang them off > the park. Shit. > Can't believe I'm actually pleased we outsang MK > Dons at theirs. Things must > be grim... > > -------------------- > Richard Young > Freelance writer and editor > _______________________________________________ > 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 > is Michel Kitabdjian dead yet? _______________________________________________ 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 is Michel Kitabdjian dead yet?
