1-1 was a fair result, but surely somebody/something has to be blamed for our late slip-up which, rightly or wrongly, cost us two valuable points. We surely have to scapegoat someone here. For me, it's Paul Connolly. Doesn't mark Collins nearly well enough and certainly isn't goal side. Warnock was audibly yelling 'mark your man' before the corner was taken, and Connolly hasn't done that to the best of his ability. His lack of awareness has cost us numerous times this season, and I see him as a shell of his former, average self. OTHER CONTENDERS: Lonergan - possibly a Schmeichelesque decision to tip the ball over the bar which led to the corner. It clearly wasn't going in, and yes, you don't need to take chances, but surely conceding this corner was taking a chance in itself. Clayton - stood in the box doing nothing. Snodgrass - was close to Collins as well, although I don't think he was specifically marking him. As captain, he should be organizing the players aroung him, as should Lonergan. The system - should we have closed it out better, rather than allowing West Ham that late surge? Join me here in CULPABILITY CORNER, and blame away! Footage of the goal here.
Iqbal, you say fair result, but I think we had the better of it. We had the best effort on goal (Connelly), which Green pushed past his post, and we had a perfectly good goal disallowed. I had a bad feeling when Lonergan pushed the ball over his crossbar that West Ham would get an equalizer.....
My take: Felt Lonergan had no choice but to push the ball over for the corner. For me it was definitely dropping in the goal, catch it and he takes it with him into the goal. Basic mistake at the corner was not having anyone on the post. Same for Leicester just now for Torres 2nd. Someone on the post and no goal ensues. I think that should have been Clayton's - he was just in no man's land, but it may be Warnock's tactics there if he has told them not to do it. Gotta remember that a corner is when thereare a lot of people in the box and a lot of movement. O'Dea went with his man well and was taken out by Cole. But them two tumbling caused confusion and left Lonergan with lead in his boots. The guy just jumped higher than Lees. I don't put blame there. Whgen the ball comes in from a corner, some you get, some they get. What you have to do is apply pressure for those you don't get and have the goal covered. We di the first - Collins "header" was a shoulder, certainly not clean - but it then just looped gently into the open goal. Man on post, not a goal.
John Charles, welcome to the Leeds board fella Lees is one of our shorter players, though is usually quite good in the air, due to his height Grayson tried him out at right back. I still think we could do with signing another centre back before next Thursdays deadline.
I watched the replay, Cole clearly grabs O'Dea and falls to the ground, taking O'Dea with him. From the direction he was running O'Dea would have been on the post to block the ball.
There's really no need for an in depth analysis regarding this goal. Although Warnock's done a fantastic job with the defence so far our defenders remain distinctly average. It was a very sloppy goal to concede, no amount of coaching can compensate for players switching off and standing around like statues. Collins was allowed a free header from six yards which is inexcusable, and unfortunately poor defenders will concede poor goals. O'Dea needs to go asap, he allows himself to be bullied off the ball far too often, doesn't win enough headers and his distribution is awful. Connolly can leave with him. I have complete trust in Warnock's ability to contnue to improve us defensively, and in order to do so I'm sure he's come to the conclusion that O'Dea and Connolly aren't of the required standard for a team that aspires to win promotion. I guess we're stuck with them for this season though.
Yeah warnock did blame lees...and the ref!. Looked like connolly was marking nolan so it wasnt him. becchio was on the scene too. however id blame clayton. hes defending the near post area in case of a low/near post corner, but once the ball clears him he has to be getting back onto the post exactly where the ball went in!
Well the amount he's getting out of O'Dea at the moment might cloud his judgement come summer when he's got to make some permanent signings. I reckon Robinson will come in. I think despite him playing well recently, form is only temporary and O'Dea needs to go. We need some real, proper quality defenders to come in during the summer or we're going nowhere. If we get those defenders in then our attacking players will have more freedom to be creative. Aidy White is looking ever more promising on the wing, his awareness has gone up drastically since Warnock got his hands on him, some of his passes in the Middlesbrough game were divine, in situations where in the past he'd have tried to take on everyone and wind up getting dispossessed.
I think O'Dea's form dipped in the Grayson era and he is now showing his class. Would love us to sign him permanent
I think it's the other way round, JC. O'Dea got awful reviews in his Celtic, Ipswich and early Leeds days. It's only in the last three or four games that people have actually started praising him. I certainly think he's a form player, not a class player. Do you seriously think he could be the leader we need next to Lees for a promotion push next season, provided we stay down?
