What's so confusing is that in flashes we look very, very good... sadly just not very often. This Leeds side are pretty average, we made them look much better than they are - a better side would have taken the game to them much more and put them under more pressure - I think we still look lazy. Players content to stop and admire a pass rather than put themselves in a position to continue the attack. Traore, for example - makes lots of effort in the first instance with his runs but then after passing just stops and just watches play go on around him. Not picking on him alone as I though he had a decent if not stellar game, but the team on a whole doesn't work hard enough when we don't have the ball, and we are giving it away far too cheaply and far too often.
Substitutions were too little too late and with no real purpose, another example of Redknapp's tactical shortcomings...
I thought our defence (makeshift as it was too), including Green, did a good job today. Morrison was good in spells. Henry did a good job too. The rest need a spell in front of the mirror, asking themselves what type of footballer they see.
Schoolboy eh' Gutted for clint there! What a fantastic finish. I predicted this would be 1-1, we've stopped the rot. Joey's back for Birmingham, so I think we'll take all 3.
More observations: Dunne is still a carthorse (just for you nuts). Those commentators must be the worst I've ever heard. Almost wetting themselves over Wickham when he actually did very little other than get out-muscled by Clint, Ned and Dunne. Harry's substitutions were clueless!! Anyone else notice how we went completely out of the game after he switch us to 4-4-2 and put Morrison on the left? Leeds immediately started to boss us in the middle and looked the only team likely to win. So unlucky for Clint..........what a finish (me and the boys went mental till we realised it was offside!). What a shame Traore can't finish!! Great chance that. Harry now making excuses about injuries on TV. Saying he has 7 first choice players out. I could name 4.......but you have to get it right with what you have Harry! Play offs at best.................if we improve!!
Hill yes, I think he's playing himself into another years contract (I've given up on even considering promotion), not green because he's still poor and not worth 40k a week.
Stopped the rot? 2 points from 15 is bottom of the league form and we will probably drop to fifth later on.
Um... so why bother putting him on then? Put someone on who can change the game - problem is we don't seem to have one of those... forgive me... very flat after that
So we looked threatening for 5 mins at the end of the first half (and scored thank god) and about 2 minutes into the second, then back to looking like complete strangers again. Most of that half seemed to consist of players lying around on the floor with injuries, I don't remember anything else and it's only just finished. Just not good enough for promotion candidates and just too many problems to consider. In a word depressing.
Stopped the run off losses, which is important with this group of new players. They need to feel like they're making progress, or the team spirit will nosedive. Four on the bounce would've been a season ender imo. The league position will get worse before it gets better, but I think we'll scrape a win V Birmingham. Hopefully simpson is back by Brighton so we can get rid of that donkey Hughes.
