Prior to tonight's FA Cup Third Round tie at the Emirates, I was slightly unclear in my mind whether the match represented an unwelcome hindrance to Leeds, in view of their league woes, or whether it would be a pleasant diversion, permitting the team to operate without the usual pressure, or rather with a different set of pressures to normal.
On paper, the team fielded by Simon Grayson looked comparatively attacking in nature, although this was probably forced on him by the club's daunting injury list. I thought to myself, very optimistically, that this was a bold move, designed to ensure that, one way or another, Leeds would not be encumbered by the prospect of a replay. Arsenal were not totally at full strength, but still looked formidable, with bounteous options on the bench, including one Thierry Henry.
In the event, the Leeds line-up was not allowed to express itself, because from the outset Arsenal settled into their familiar pattern of retaining possession, and creating elaborate passing movements. This was not unexpected, but Leeds contained them, and weathered the early "storm", such as it was. In those early minutes, Leeds displayed little in the way of attacking thrust.
The best effort which Leeds could muster in the first half was a shot over the bar by Luciano Becchio, on 23 minutes. He could probably have done better.
On the whole, however, Leeds defended solidly and quite resolutely in that first period, repelling whatever was thrown at them, although admittedly this was not very much.
In my notes at half-time, I speculated whether Arsene Wenger would make changes at the interval, as Arsenal desired a replay even less than Leeds. Their efforts on goal had been restricted mainly to long range shots and a few tame headers. As it turned out, the pivotal substitutions did not occur until later...
The sight of Henry warming up early in the second half appeared to spur the Gunners on, although Andrei Arshavin continued to be wasteful in front of goal.
"Attritional" may be the best term to describe the Leeds performance immediately after the break, save for an early surge down the right-hand side. Arsenal gradually began to pose a more sustained threat, and Leeds were forced back more and more.
Of course, the crucial intervention was made by that man Thierry Henry, brought on just before three-quarters distance, along with Theo Walcott. The way that these things tend to pan out, it was almost inevitable that the returning legend would get his name on the score-sheet!
As the North London team pressed more , they left a few gaps behind their defence, but Leeds were unable to exploit this, or capitalise.
On balance, Arsenal deserved their victory, for playing the more enterprising football, and having the lion's share of the attempts on goal. They made all the running, even if they looked laboured at times.
So where does this leave Leeds' season? Well, they are out of the Cup, which is never a good outcome. On the other hand, there is no replay to clog up their fixture list, and some aspects of this evening's display, such as the resilience and organisation which they showed, might instill some badly needed confidence and morale. We shall see....
Showing posts with label simon grayson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simon grayson. Show all posts
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Monday, 26 December 2011
Boxing Day Football
For a Leeds United fan, the outcome of today's fixtures has scarcely been enjoyable to behold. Not only did Leeds slump to defeat at Derby, but most of the Premier League results went in favour of a certain outfit which bases itself at Old Trafford.
If I am being honest, I did not expect Leeds to pull up any trees at Pride Park, but the general trend of results, belief and morale appears to be emphatically in the wrong direction as we approach the turn of the year. We are now hearing the first genuinely widespread murmurings of discontent with Simon Grayson himself. It goes without saying that the matches against Barnsley and Burnley, before the FA Cup hiatus, could be crucial on several levels.
By all accounts this was a lacklustre display from Leeds, and it is open to question whether some reshuffling of playing personnel during January will have any discernible impact in reversing the position. Although the Championship table indicates that the team is still within striking distance of the play-offs, we are moving in the wrong direction, when we should be building a base-camp for an attempt on the summit!
As if the woes of Leeds were not enough, it seems that the clubs in the Premier League top echelon are determined to ensure that Manchester United have the psychological advantage of leading the pack as we enter 2012. Chelsea's stuttering form persists, and Liverpool and Newcastle have lost touch. Manchester City had the kind of result at West Brom which could prove to be very costly come May.
The state of play looks favourable for Tottenham, from a purely arithmetical point of view, but do they, or their supporters, truly believe? Games in hand are all very well, and nice to have, but they also create a new, different type of pressure.
I hope that my pessimism about the position in the top two divisions proves to be misplaced!
If I am being honest, I did not expect Leeds to pull up any trees at Pride Park, but the general trend of results, belief and morale appears to be emphatically in the wrong direction as we approach the turn of the year. We are now hearing the first genuinely widespread murmurings of discontent with Simon Grayson himself. It goes without saying that the matches against Barnsley and Burnley, before the FA Cup hiatus, could be crucial on several levels.
By all accounts this was a lacklustre display from Leeds, and it is open to question whether some reshuffling of playing personnel during January will have any discernible impact in reversing the position. Although the Championship table indicates that the team is still within striking distance of the play-offs, we are moving in the wrong direction, when we should be building a base-camp for an attempt on the summit!
As if the woes of Leeds were not enough, it seems that the clubs in the Premier League top echelon are determined to ensure that Manchester United have the psychological advantage of leading the pack as we enter 2012. Chelsea's stuttering form persists, and Liverpool and Newcastle have lost touch. Manchester City had the kind of result at West Brom which could prove to be very costly come May.
The state of play looks favourable for Tottenham, from a purely arithmetical point of view, but do they, or their supporters, truly believe? Games in hand are all very well, and nice to have, but they also create a new, different type of pressure.
I hope that my pessimism about the position in the top two divisions proves to be misplaced!
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Burnley 1 Leeds United 2
After watching this Npower Champonship match on television, I feel some pangs of sympathy for Burnley and their supporters.
I thought that Leeds were very ordinary for the majority of the game at Turf Moor, but admittedly took those two chances when they were presented.
My reading of it was that Leeds started quite purposefully, but soon Burnley began to look the more organised and cohesive team. Leeds kept trying, but struggled to carve out meaningful goalscoring opportunities.
One of the undoubted plusses from my point of view was the assured performance of our new goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, although I thought he might have done marginally better for the Burnley goal. A couple of his saves later proved to be absolutely crucial. Regrettably, the defence in front of him looked much less reliable and solid.
Up until Leeds' late purple patch, Burnley had probably looked more threatening, and more likely to score in the second period. What was heartening was that once Robert Snodgrass scored, Leeds kept pressing in order to capitalise.
What conclusions should we draw from this result? Well, hopefully Simon Grayson and his players will realise that they were slightly fortunate, and that they will not be able to play like this and win on a regular basis.
In a funny way, this could be a turning point, the nature of the performance and result giving a boost to morale and even confidence. Nobody should be under any illusions, however, that there is much work still to be done.
On a lighter note, I thought that when he scored his second goal, Snodgrass might have slightly mis-hit the ball. If he had made a more perfect contact, the ball might not have ended up in the net! On such fine margins are things decided....
I thought that Leeds were very ordinary for the majority of the game at Turf Moor, but admittedly took those two chances when they were presented.
My reading of it was that Leeds started quite purposefully, but soon Burnley began to look the more organised and cohesive team. Leeds kept trying, but struggled to carve out meaningful goalscoring opportunities.
One of the undoubted plusses from my point of view was the assured performance of our new goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, although I thought he might have done marginally better for the Burnley goal. A couple of his saves later proved to be absolutely crucial. Regrettably, the defence in front of him looked much less reliable and solid.
Up until Leeds' late purple patch, Burnley had probably looked more threatening, and more likely to score in the second period. What was heartening was that once Robert Snodgrass scored, Leeds kept pressing in order to capitalise.
What conclusions should we draw from this result? Well, hopefully Simon Grayson and his players will realise that they were slightly fortunate, and that they will not be able to play like this and win on a regular basis.
In a funny way, this could be a turning point, the nature of the performance and result giving a boost to morale and even confidence. Nobody should be under any illusions, however, that there is much work still to be done.
On a lighter note, I thought that when he scored his second goal, Snodgrass might have slightly mis-hit the ball. If he had made a more perfect contact, the ball might not have ended up in the net! On such fine margins are things decided....
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Leeds United 0 Blackpool 5
I must admit that after Leeds' recent slight wobble in League form, I was mildly apprehensive about tonight's match at Elland Road, but even I could not have envisaged how it would turn out.
Goalkeeping errors played their part, clearly, but this appears to be part of a wider crisis of confidence which is threatening to envelope the team, not too long after things seemed relatively optimistic.
Leeds now face tricky away fixtures at Leicester and Burnley in the next few weeks, and it is to be hoped that Simon Grayson is able to find a way to stop the rot before then. There is a real danger that the season could begin to stagnate for Leeds, or worse....
Goalkeeping errors played their part, clearly, but this appears to be part of a wider crisis of confidence which is threatening to envelope the team, not too long after things seemed relatively optimistic.
Leeds now face tricky away fixtures at Leicester and Burnley in the next few weeks, and it is to be hoped that Simon Grayson is able to find a way to stop the rot before then. There is a real danger that the season could begin to stagnate for Leeds, or worse....
Saturday, 23 April 2011
My Good Friday
Despite the fact that I spent most of yesterday under the impression that it was Saturday, I can now safely record my thoughts on how I spent my Good Friday.
As the weather continued to be glorious, I went for a morning stroll, soaking up the lazy Spring sunshine. However, my feelings of equilibrium and contentment soon evaporated when I popped into the supermarket, and in my infinite wisdom opted to use one of the self-service checkouts.
I know that these contraptions are intended to speed up the shopping experience, but for many people they merely contrive to create other forms of frustration and anguish. After undergoing the ritual humiliation of calling for the checkout supervisor, and finally paying, I made a hasty exit from the premises. My visit to the supermarket ended on a more hopeful note when I put some money into the collection bucket for Guide Dogs for The Blind.
One minute I was sampling the impersonal and arbitrary nature of a mechanised society, the next I was happily and voluntarily lending my help to my fellow citizens. The curious juxtaposition did not occur to me until later.
I spent most of my Friday afternoon watching and listening to re-runs of "Dad's Army", in film, television and radio-show format. This served to remind me of the quality of the writing and acting which makes it so enduring.
Watching the film version, I was struck by how the greater time available permitted the writers and producers to insert more considered and reflective passages, particularly about the justness of the British cause and the principles and values over which the war was being fought. These were quite moving, although the tension was always broken with a health dose of bathos!
The movie, just like the television programme, gently celebrates, and occasionally pokes fun at, both English eccentricty and the innocent idealism of the times. One has to wonder whether such things would be considered desirable, or even feasible, these days, as we live in more cynical times.
Sub-plots were all part of the fun of "Dad's Army". There was the apparent class-related tension between the insecure, self-made Captain Mainwaring, and the dilettante and languid Sergeant Wilson. In addition, the constant bickering between the Home Guard and the ARP warden Mr Hodges also made for great comedy. These elements ensured that there was more depth and nuance to the show, in addition to the slapstick.
To complete my day, I followed the Championship match between Leeds United and Reading. A 0-0 draw was the result, and Leeds are now outside of the play-off places. Once can only hope that Simon Grayson is able to inspire his men to summon up one last push. Momentum appears to be ebbing away, just as other teams are acquiring some of their own.
And so that was my Good Friday.
As the weather continued to be glorious, I went for a morning stroll, soaking up the lazy Spring sunshine. However, my feelings of equilibrium and contentment soon evaporated when I popped into the supermarket, and in my infinite wisdom opted to use one of the self-service checkouts.
I know that these contraptions are intended to speed up the shopping experience, but for many people they merely contrive to create other forms of frustration and anguish. After undergoing the ritual humiliation of calling for the checkout supervisor, and finally paying, I made a hasty exit from the premises. My visit to the supermarket ended on a more hopeful note when I put some money into the collection bucket for Guide Dogs for The Blind.
One minute I was sampling the impersonal and arbitrary nature of a mechanised society, the next I was happily and voluntarily lending my help to my fellow citizens. The curious juxtaposition did not occur to me until later.
I spent most of my Friday afternoon watching and listening to re-runs of "Dad's Army", in film, television and radio-show format. This served to remind me of the quality of the writing and acting which makes it so enduring.
Watching the film version, I was struck by how the greater time available permitted the writers and producers to insert more considered and reflective passages, particularly about the justness of the British cause and the principles and values over which the war was being fought. These were quite moving, although the tension was always broken with a health dose of bathos!
The movie, just like the television programme, gently celebrates, and occasionally pokes fun at, both English eccentricty and the innocent idealism of the times. One has to wonder whether such things would be considered desirable, or even feasible, these days, as we live in more cynical times.
Sub-plots were all part of the fun of "Dad's Army". There was the apparent class-related tension between the insecure, self-made Captain Mainwaring, and the dilettante and languid Sergeant Wilson. In addition, the constant bickering between the Home Guard and the ARP warden Mr Hodges also made for great comedy. These elements ensured that there was more depth and nuance to the show, in addition to the slapstick.
To complete my day, I followed the Championship match between Leeds United and Reading. A 0-0 draw was the result, and Leeds are now outside of the play-off places. Once can only hope that Simon Grayson is able to inspire his men to summon up one last push. Momentum appears to be ebbing away, just as other teams are acquiring some of their own.
And so that was my Good Friday.
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