We were diabolical in midfield and defence when not in possession. Didn't look a penalty to me, but perhaps I missed it? Then we had 15 minutes against ten men and didn't create anything until the last two minutes. Far too narrow across the paddock and we lack any penetration. If we don't win Saturday we get relegated its that simple. Am I confident, not even slightly. # to me, to you.
I don't gree with Glory. I really enjoyed the match tonight. It wasn't just green shoots, it was green shoots taking root! Charlton got a lucky goal, due to a mistake that Silvestri will probably never repeat again. Kenny Dalglish did the very same to Ray Clemence at Hampden Park. Didn't make him a bad keeper, did it? As for the penalty, I didn't see it, but I heard Redders on the radio criticising the referee for inconsistency, saying that there are a thousand incidents like that every Saturday, and no penalties are given for them. He's right. I've seen some shockers of referees at ER over the years, but this guy took the biscuit. We had players chopped down in front of the referee & nothing happened. We even had a forearm smash in front of the ref. Did he notice? Probably, but did bugger all about it. The game was strewn with crazy decisions. The worst on was when he invented new rules. A Charlton player was off field injured, to the side of our goal, just as Charlton was going to take a corner. He blew for play to stop so the trainer could run across the park to a man who wasn't even on the park! The trainer could have run around the park to attend to him! He then restarted the match whilst the player was being attended to - only because he got so many boos for his crazy decision. Incidentally, the trainer should have got a caution as he ran on to the park during play! You couldn't make it up with this guy. Bottom line - take away the 2 crazy goals, we'd all be turning cartwheels after watching that. We're not there yet, but we're making good progress. Here's my take on how the players did: Silvestri: Apart from the first goal howler, he was as good as gold. No complaints, did all he had to. Byram: Back to his best. Had a brilliant game. 'Nuff said. Bellusci: Mr Marmite. Personally, I love him. Ok, he gave away a penalty, but what defender doesn't? Apart from that, he was totally solid & IMO should be a mainstay of our team. Might need to change his emotional approach a little in future, but then, did Vinnie? Cooper: He's not had a geat deal of game time this season, and I can only guess it's because our various coaches have wanted an element of stability at the centre of defence (which is not a bad thing!). Now that he's taken advantage of Pearce's suspension, I suspect he may now be a fixture in the team, as he's rarely put a foot wrong when he's played this season. He can only get better as he builds confidence & a partnership in the centre of defence. Hope it's not Pearce they pair him up with. Warnock: He's had some belters of performances this season. This one topped the lot. Played like a true captain (take note, Pearce!). No need to add anything else. Bianchi: Took a bit of a battering on the radio after the game. I personally don't think he's gone off the boil - it's simply that the others in the present midfield are more capable of doing what he does with the ball. At the start of the season, we had the likes of Murphy & Austin blundering around, so we were more reliant on Bianchi & it was easy for him to shine with his passing ability. Now some of the strain has been taken off him as the others participate, so people assume he's not cutting it any more. Wrong. I also suggest these people look at what he does when he doesn't have the ball. Our kids will learn loads from him. Mowatt: Quite apart from 2 exquisite goals, he also had one of his best performances for us. He is a work in progress, and as he develops he will become more consistent. He has more energy this season & has slimmed down. Downside of this is that he doesn't appear to be as strong as he was last season, but I can see improvement already this season. He could be quite a prospect, you know! I've not been his biggest fan to date, but he's winning me over. Cook: Yet another great performance. He should be a work in progress at his age, but seems far too mature to even suggest such a thing. Just hope he doesn't get burnt out. Adryan: I can't wait to watch this guy when he's fit. He only seems to be able to manage 60 mins atm, so needs to roll up his sleeves. Capable of sheer brilliance, and there were a number of flashes of it tonight. I can't recall anyone of late in a Leeds shirt with such technical brilliance. Think I may have to go back to Eddie Gray to find anything similar. Doukara: Worked hard for the first hour, but seemed to fade after that. Not sure if it was fatigue, lack of opportunity, or just going AWOL. Or perhaps all of the above. I still think he's best when the ball is played into space for him, but it always seems to land at his feet. (Oh, Leeds60 - he get a good couple of headers in tonight!). Think Montenegro was too lightweight to come on for him, given the bulk of their CBs. Pity. Antenucci: Involved in everything. I don't believe he's going to be a major goalscorer for us, but he'll be involved in the build up to most. He's a diamond link man, and was quite superb IMO tonight. Can't really think of a clear cut chance that he had. Not his fault!
Like the sound of your review there whitejock. Have heard similar ones from others. I'm still thinking that we should drop Bellusci, has been poor when I have seen him. Personally I'd play Pearce and Cooper in defence, Wootton seems to have gone backwards. Its a young midfield that we are using at the moment, think a lot of our problems are to do with that. I still wouldn't change it though as they will develop incredibly over this season
Sorry jock I have to disagree. Yes we attacked reasonably but it was all too ponderous. We defend at the 18 yard line and invite pressure. Silvestri has the distribution skills of Stevie Wonder and he kicks like Stephen Hawkings. In four weeks you will be as pessimistic as me. It's a good job there is a lot of ****e in this division or we would be relegation certainties. One to ponder, when we don't go up this year how many of our loanees and marque signings will still be here next season. We will be looking at another ten or twelve coming in. Just before halftime the first feck off Cellino rumblings started. Another first half like last nights on saturday and they will be deafening.
While we are not relegation certainties, we are new one of the clear favourites. Also agree our loanees will probably be on their way at the end of the season. Hope Cellino has the stomach and the wallet for a league 1 campaign if required
BBC writeup seems to agree on the dodgy defending by Charlton and even their manager isn't convinced by the penalty; "But whether it is justified or not we got a penalty and deserved a point."
Excellant analysis Jock. Irritating that we only got a draw, but lots of positives for Saturday. With Belusci banned for the next match, Pearce will start with Cooper. Makes us slightly unbalanced in that both are mainly left footed. But I am giving serious consideration to the idea that Warnock would make a good captain. The midfield is definitely starting to take shape. That said, I'd be tempted to start with either Montenegro or Sloth instead of Bianchi. Up top, is Sharpe injured? If so, only gives us Morrison to either start or on the bench. Not ideal, but we really should hammer Blackpool. Morning all by the way.
Admire your positivity Boggers and agree with a lot of that. Hammer Blackpool though? No way. This team is not good enough to hammer anyone. Whatever wins we get, and well probably need nine or ten to stay up, will be hard fought. Id settle for any kind of win against Blackpool.
I just say it as I see it, I still hope for the best but that hope gets taken over by realism. I was very positive towards the team as it took shape when Redfearn had his first spell in charge. Sadly we haven't improved and we are very one dimensional. As fans we are always looking for an excuse, Cellino is looking for that same excuse and the bottom line is Cellino was replacing the crap we had with better players who are still not good enough and assuming they would challenge. I think he under estimated just how bad a team we had and that simply finding us slightly better players still wasn't going to be good enough. I have seen fans singing the praise of both Bianchi and Bellusci and claiming they were good enough for the Premier League, now all of a sudden it is time to drop them. Truth is they will shine in a few games but over the course of a season they are nothing special, same as Doukara. I turned against GFH when I realised what they were really like, I always said I would give Cellino until November to prove he is a man of his word and buy us back the ground despite my concerns building long ago, obvious now we are not getting the ground back and Cellino has decided to pocket the Ross money. Personally hoping now the FL find a way to chuck him out of the English game and we take our chances without him.
Coming round to the same opinion, but only on the basis of constant meddling, the sacking of coaches and saddling us with too many italian kids who are no better than much that would have been available in the UK for the same money. We are a mad rich mans plaything.
Where has sniffer ****ed off to? Who does he want as the next manager, no wins in two ain't good enough.
