in the Cup.
No matter who we’re talking about here from Jimmy Greaves through to anyone of those linked with a move to White Hart Lane during this transfer window.
With that team and that performance they wouldn’t have made the difference that everyone screaming for Levy to spend seems to think.
My heart sunk quite a bit when I saw the team AVB was left with, all this stupid talk of squad depth still carries on as he rests regulars and we’re left with a central midfield pairing of Huddlestone and Parker. A pair that were shown up by a second division side (in old money) in all aspects. Never thought they’d have the guile to breakdown a lower league side if they decided to flat back nine it but they also failed to show the same desire as the hosts and ability to help their own defence.
A general air of big time Charlies came from the Spurs outfit.
Diouf maybe a sewer rat
but he ran rings around Parker – no great feat you say – but he also did it to Vertonghen and Caulker. Irony all round as Dawson who started the season as fifth choice centre-back, allowed to leave if he wanted to, was probably rested here for “more important” games ahead, yet this was the type of match Dawson was probably required. As long as he was instructed no hoofs
, or at least keep ’em to a minimum.
Vertonghen is only 6 months into his career in England, Caulker just a year and a half of regular first team football. With no protection in front of them and a complacent attitude it’s no surprise they struggled on the few times Leeds got close to them. Vertonghen is class but he has shown on a number of occasions he can’t be arsed chasing back or covering when something hasn’t gone his way. Instead he jogs back waving his arms around, looking for others to blame.
There was too much arm waiving. For the opener Naughton was at it trying to play offside. Caulker was waiving at someone, some say the linesman for offside but it looked more like a wave to his granny in the crowd or to someone selling snacks because Huddlestone was feeling peckish.
Standard anti-Friedel sentiments came out from both goals. No he doesn’t come out as much as others, but it wouldn’t have made any difference on the opener as a Leeds’ player was there for the square ball tap-in and on a couple of other Leeds’ breakaways he prevented things being more embarrassing. He wasn’t helped by the four centrally in front of him.
As for the lack of strikers. Well Dempsey has scored a number of goals in games he’s started, unlike Defoe and Adebayor in quite a while now. Sigurdsson showed last season, along with Dempsey, he can score. Both good enough to play up front against a mid-table Championship side. Obika came on and had one chance, from a long ball, but was just snuffed out by a last ditch challenge.
It wasn’t the strikers picked or those not picked or those not bought it was a lack of service on show. Bale had another of those MIA games, odd run but not much else bar throwing strops for being flagged for needlessly fouling Leeds’ players. Though if his two shoves in the back were fouls the forearm smash and barge on BAE was a foul and a card. Lennon was not seen enough and again didn’t receive the best supply to get the best out of him. One ball, played in front of him for him to run onto behind the defence was all. It’s the perfect ball for him, yet it’s hardly ever seen.
Bale wasn’t the only one having temper tantrums. Huddlestone and Parker were constantly at it, vague whiff of do you know who I am?
about it. All quite undignified.
Yes I’ve said we need before a world class striker, easier said than done, but if the team play like that it wouldn’t matter who was donning the number 10 shirt. After all Liverpool had Sturridge and Suarez, who are a pretty decent striking pair, and still lost to Oldham, while Leeds were without their top scorer Luciano Becchio – a striker.