faaip wrote:The problem with Brown and Austin as the loan central midfielders is that they're doing the job of one man...We paid a mill for Murphy, he must start if and when fit . Ross shouldn't be captain and 442 looks a little antiquated...
I've not seen previous performances so can grade this one on what I saw yesterday and not be influenced by previous poor results...we didn't look that good..
Hopefully though I'm wrong and this is the (I've lost count) "next" dawn on the horizon....Always happy to be proved wrong.
This was the first game I've seen in full this season, up to now nothing more than goal highlights...I was shocked at how poor we were, I can understand the optimism if we've been playing non league football for the previous 4 games that was certainly not non league football..nearer mid league 1. We played like an underdog in a cup match. There was early optimism as we attacked from the off, there was the gilt edge chances so often missed by lower league teams then there was the tailing off, lack of fitness and the inability to get to the end of the game as Leicester slowly improved. A goal was always coming as we dropped deeper..it was the right result, good for us in that, as a mediocre team, we avoided a pasting and could walk off the pitch with heads held high, good for them as they got what the deserved...to think we used to be masters at it, playing below par and getting a win.
I seem to have just arrived in the tunnel so the light so many can see after that performance is missing for me but that's probably me just needing to get adjusted to the dark...
onwards and (hopefully closer to the tunnel mouth than I think we are) upwards
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
A better formation would be 4-4-1-1, with McCormsck playing in the hole behind a center forward, which as it stands would be Smith, who would play the classic Target man role. I agree that Murphy should be playing in the middle, maybe with Tonge who would play in a deeper role.
Leedscowboy wrote:A better formation would be 4-4-1-1, with McCormsck playing in the hole behind a center forward, which as it stands would be Smith, who would play the classic Target man role. I agree that Murphy should be playing in the middle, maybe with Tonge who would play in a deeper role.
Ay-oop Cowboy - welcome to the madhouse.
Tonge??? All he does is pass backwards for Kenny to hoof. Murphy needs to be playing, I agree - but alongside Rodi or ironman Brown ATM, for want of a better solid CM partner. HOPEFULLY to be signed this month?
Leedscowboy wrote:A better formation would be 4-4-1-1, with McCormsck playing in the hole behind a center forward, which as it stands would be Smith, who would play the classic Target man role. I agree that Murphy should be playing in the middle, maybe with Tonge who would play in a deeper role.
2 posts?...where's the other one?...
ok found it
Last edited by The Subhuman on Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
Only FLS highlights by which to make comment. We should have had the game won by HT and lost because we hadn't added to comedy defending by Lees/too slow reactions by Kenny.
Even at 400 years of age Phillips looks a class above anything we have to offer.
I look at players like Lansbury/Bamford/Wells/Le Fondre and wonder why we never went for them when available to buy/loan.
We seem to prefer the tried'n'tested (and now found wanting) lieutenants of our managers.
Young, hungry, exciting players* in the main please.
Gino 1959 wrote:Only FLS highlights by which to make comments
That would explain why you were so surprised that Varney has been getting high marks and MOTM nominations. He worked his bollox off and did a lot of unselfish running, none of which would have appeared on a highlights show.
Think Mick Jones - not the world's greatest striker but a hell of an asset to the team.
Note for the pedantic: I am not claiming that Reg is in the MJ league, merely that he does a lot of unspectacular stuff that aids the team.
Bates, GFH, Cellino: Same s**t, different arseholes.
Guildford White wrote:
That would explain why you were so surprised that Varney has been getting high marks and MOTM nominations. He worked his bollox off and did a lot of unselfish running, none of which would have appeared on a highlights show.
Think Mick Jones - not the world's greatest striker but a hell of an asset to the team.
Note for the pedantic: I am not claiming that Reg is in the MJ league, merely that he does a lot of unspectacular stuff that aids the team.
Yes Varney gave us movement & running off the ball upfront v the Foxes something sadly lacking in recent games. Had to be one of the considerations for MOTM along with Byram, Warnock & Brown
1964white wrote:
Yes Varney gave us movement & running off the ball upfront v the Foxes something sadly lacking in recent games. Had to be one of the considerations for MOTM along with Byram, Warnock & Brown
Yet he was constantly derided by some in VLR
I'm going back to 505, I saw them at Sheffield and they were amazing.
Twiggster wrote:
Ay-oop Cowboy - welcome to the madhouse.
Tonge??? All he does is pass backwards for Kenny to hoof. Murphy needs to be playing, I agree - but alongside Rodi or ironman Brown ATM, for want of a better solid CM partner. HOPEFULLY to be signed this month?
Realistically, the other CM role could go to anyone of 5-6, Green, Austin, Norris, Brown, Tonge, Mowatt. He needs to settle on the best fit for the formation ideally a CM that can pass the ball around, and sit in front of the back 4, if Austin can get his head right he would be ideal for 60-65 mins, then can make way for Brown to sit even deeper. I would be happy if the onus in the next few games was to be boring and we 0-0 several games to ensure the back 4 is fixed as well as CM.
Genghers wrote:McCormack hasn't scored since Forest before the turn of the year... Don't think our newly named captain will be getting dropped any time soon!
His service has been the same as a French Waiter having to work on Bastille day.
of course he shouldn't be dropped, sold at a decent profit if we're short of funds...but not dropped. I may change my mind if he can play in the hole with two wingers on the pitch but for me he's not a lone striker and he's not got a good record in the hole I think I'm right in saying..
...he's not a player to build a team around and ultimately that may hold us back...I'd imagine 64 and Riot would agree with that...
btw 64 forgot to mention though he may have Riot was in touch before the new year, nice to hear from him
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
faaip wrote:of course he shouldn't be dropped, sold at a decent profit if we're short of funds...but not dropped. I may change my mind if he can play in the hole with two wingers on the pitch but for me he's not a lone striker and he's not got a good record in the hole I think I'm right in saying..
...he's not a player to build a team around and ultimately that may hold us back...I'd imagine 64 and Riot would agree with that...
btw 64 forgot to mention though he may have Riot was in touch before the new year, nice to hear from him
Macormack has looked quality in the 2 matches I have seen. Just needs more support
trooper20 wrote:
Macormack has looked quality in the 2 matches I have seen. Just needs more support
We've had trouble shoe horning him into various positions...We don't play 442 very well as we get over run in midfield, He's not great playing in the hole, or out wide and he certainly can't play the lone forward role in a 451..We've tried them all..He was a better player the season he arrived but seldom started because he didn't fit the scheme....The partnership with Smith isn't going great..
anyway he's yours for 3 mill.
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
Was heartened to see Byram back almost looking like the talented player he is. RB seems to be his natural position, with the ability to get up-field at times. Could see a decent partnership with Kebe being developed once they both are fully match-fit. So glad Warnock is back at LB, and the great Pugh Experiment of 2013 has run it's course. I hate seeing Varney up front, with Smith the future. I can't fault Luke's efforts, but he is rarely in the right place, at the right time, and seems to do a marathon of running, only to be a half-step behind where he should be at the end. Ross suffers from that same disease too at times, especially when under pressure. Didn't notice Stewart, but apparently started. Austin a bit better, but not the answer long-term. Wish we could transfer Brown's football smarts into Austin's body, then we might have something.
All in all, better performance, but still not good enough to keep up the league leaders, with a mid-table team.
RIP Twiggster, March 5, 2023
Chris & Kevin | Never Forgotten | April 5, 2000
Gary Andrew Speed, MBE — Always In Our Hearts, 1969-2011
Crude wrote:Was heartened to see Byram back almost looking like the talented player he is. RB seems to be his natural position, with the ability to get up-field at times. Could see a decent partnership with Kebe being developed once they both are fully match-fit. So glad Warnock is back at LB, and the great Pugh Experiment of 2013 has run it's course. I hate seeing Varney up front, with Smith the future. I can't fault Luke's efforts, but he is rarely in the right place, at the right time, and seems to do a marathon of running, only to be a half-step behind where he should be at the end. Ross suffers from that same disease too at times, especially when under pressure. Didn't notice Stewart, but apparently started. Austin a bit better, but not the answer long-term. Wish we could transfer Brown's football smarts into Austin's body, then we might have something.
All in all, better performance, but still not good enough to keep up the league leaders, with a mid-table team.
Fair summary Dan.
Bates, GFH, Cellino: Same s**t, different arseholes.
Finally a respectable performance from Leeds against tough opposition and unlucky/naive not to at least get a point. The losing goal appeared to result from a collection of small errors from various players with the wiley Phillips providing the key moment of class that we couldn't quite produce at the other end, other than perhaps Varney's cross for Ross in the early stages.
But 'classy' isn't the word that usually comes to mind with Luke V even though I am a bit of a fan of his attributes and efforts which unfortunately rarely add up to producing really telling contributions for the club.
In terms of effort there were no passengers, as we could expect in the aftermath of the previous couple of (mis)matches, and indeed many solid performances with 2 or 3 a bit above that category.
The Back 4 played well and probably included our best performers - were let down to an extent by the players further forward being unable to control the play in the key latter parts of the game.
Great to see Leeds really ripping into the opposition in the first half hour - no mean effort to create so many clear cut chances against strong opposition.
The potential development of a right side combination of Sam and Kebe is heartening - these two did well together for an hour or more until one then the other faded, probably due to lack of match hardness.
The centre of midfield is still an issue - both Brown & Rody had steady games but as others have pointed out aren't likely to dictate for long periods nor regularly open up the opposition's defence.
I felt there was a case for getting Luke M on into one of the centre roles later in the game to introduce his neat ball control and passing - perhaps Rody could have gone into the right midfield role for the last 15-20 mins when Kebe was obviously fading.
The introduction of EHD was a strange one - for a moment I thought I was watching Barnestoneworth U in action at the old Sewage Works ground rather than their more illustrious Yorkshire neighbours Leeds U at Elland Rd. Was this a farewell appearance of El H D?
Another sub I would have considered was Mowatt on to the LHS for Cameron to help develop better possession and control of the game as well as to whip in a couple if his trademark telling crosses.
It's arguable that Brian didn't nail his subs.
Hopefully this game was an indication that most of the players are ready to resume contributing higher levels of performances than of this past several weeks - hopefully it's not just a one-off reaction to the recent humiliation.
There was at least a bit of competition for man of the match award - notably from those returning to the starting eleven. Lees also put in a big performance, if you edit out two incidents (one at each end of the field).
In the end I'll go for Warnock - played with hunger, bite and nouse and I'll excuse his wasteful free kick late in the game as long as he promises never to do that again.
