No doubt about it we deserved to win this game. After a slow start we began to
take control and should have been 2 or 3 up by half time. We kept possession
well although found it hard to break down a Stockport team that seemed happy
enough sit with 11 men behind the ball. Strange tactics given that when they
had the ball they looked lively. Our main problem today was the lack of
movement up front. Dickinson and Becchio, after a lively first 15 minutes
looked very static and didn’t give us the options we needed. In that first 15
minutes though Dickinson had a good header that went very close and he also hit
the bar. Becchio also looked lively and did well for the goal as he got himself
in at the near post from a low cross from Douglas on the right. There seems to
be some mix up in their defence as they tried to clear and the ball ended up
rolling out to the lively Howson who couldn’t miss.
With the front two not doing their jobs it was left to the midfield to create
chances. Snodgrass, Kilkenny and Naylor all had good chances especially Naylor
who had a header cleared off the line. We could have gone in 4-0 up. At the
other end Stockport had one or two moments mainly from set pieces. Casper saved
well with his legs on one occasion.
Second half in truth was pretty awful. We never got going. Becchio went off
injured and we reverted to a 5-4-1 with Dickinson on his own up front supported
by Robinson on the left Snodgrass on the left. Kilkenny, Howson and Delph
played centrally. Dickinson was unable to play that role and once things
started to go wrong, the crowd got on his back and you could just see the
confidence drain from his game. By the end he looked like someone who had never
played football before. The Kop sang “USA USA” – f’cking tosspots the lot of
them. For me Grella has been worth a start especially at the moment but for
f’cks sake Dickinson has hardly played for Leeds and in the first half you
certainly couldn’t fault his effort. If his effort that hit the bar had gone in
I think it would have been a different story …. Unfortunately that’s the sign
of a good striker – he’s not afraid to miss. Dickinson looked very ball shy in
the second half.
The main highlight of the second half was Robinson who was very lively. He took
players on and one run took him into the box where his shot hit the bar. He was
unlucky. He was our main outlet and he looked a class apart.
Also Grella looked very lively,. He definitely reminds me of Paul Scholes. He
keeps possession well, plays good, simple, effective passes and is very lively
in and around the box. Of course he came on late on which is always an
advantage. Both Trundle and Dickinson have looked good coming on as subs but
both have struggled from the start.
We were holding on a bit towards the end and they had one or two chances that
could have got them an undeserved point. Rui and Naylor who had been rock solid
suddenly started to get the jitters and both went for the same ball on one or
two occasion.
Overall though it was a well deserved win in which we played some good
possession football but were limited by the lack of movement up front.
Casper – 7. Not a lot to do but what he did have to do he did well. Still this
problem about him not commanding his box and making his defenders nervous
because of it.
Douglas – 7. One or two distribution problems as you’d expect but he did well
for the goal and dare I say it but he’s beginning to look like a right back.
Parker – 7. One moment in the first half where he got completely nutmegged but
apart from that he played a part in a lot of attacks. He’s actually quite a big
bloke and his beginning to use his size to win the ball. I just think his lack
of pace and lack of positional sense will cost us.
Rui – 8. Very solid. I think he’d be unfortunate to be dropped.
Naylor – 8. Ditto.
Delph – 7. Very lively, saw a lot of the ball and used it well.
Kilkenny – 7. Involved in most things however due to the lack of movement ahead
of him most of his passes were square or backwards.
Howson – 6. Very lively, made some good runs and got into the position for the
goal, however I thought his distribution today was shocking. He just kept
giving the ball away.
Snodgrass – 7. Played his part and put some work in but I think he looked a bit
leg heavy towards the end. Not surprising really.
Dickinson – 4. He did well first half but second half he just lost it. I
wouldn’t write him off just yet though.
Becchio – 5. Lively first 15 minutes although we still saw him fall over more
than once too easily. He also tried to run the defenders in the box on one
occasion but just fell over. He was also played in over the top in the first
half but instead of hitting it he just ran it out wide and the chance had gone.
I like his work rate at the moment but I don’t like the output. Basic skills
seem difficult.
Subs:
Robinson – 8. Very lively. It’s hard to justify him not starting.
Grella – 7. I like the look of this lad.
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