Leeds 1 - 1 'Boro... Becchio robs 'Boro

Leeds were involved in an uncharacteristically dull game that was tiring to watch from a Leeds perspective. Not because of a collective late night for the fans after enthusiastically welcoming in the New Year, but due to a lack of tempo, movement and attacking threat on the pitch... All of which we've come to expect (and have seen) in bucket-loads in recent weeks. Perhaps a lesson in better rotating the side for Simon Grayson.

Compared to the Pompey game, the players looked lifeless and their efforts were well stifled by a deep lying 'Boro eleven. Mowbray's side looked well organized and altogether more energetic and coped easily with our laboured efforts, annoyingly good at closing us down and multiple marking Robert Snodgrass out of the game almost entirely. The most frustrating part of our game was out lack of willingness (most likely due to the tiredness) to run at Boro. Doubly frustrating since Emnes seemed to have a fair amount of success for them on both flanks running at our defence, particularly when confronting Andy Hughes. Snoddy was visibly flagging, and Hughesy didn't offer the support down the left that McCartney has done over the past weeks which lead to us getting no service to note of into the box all game, until the fourth official decided to add five minutes on and give me a hope of leaving only partially annoyed at a game I'd expected us to win.

Contrary to a few match reports I've read up 'till now, saying that our defence was particularly poor, I'd disagree. The back four as a unit weren't awful nor were any of the individuals within it. It was the lack of cover they had from the flanks and partially the centre of midfield that caused the issues, as had happened during the earlier part of the season. If we'd have met a more potent team than 'Boro I feel we'd have had this exposure highlighted much more prominently, and would have certainly ended up empty handed. We tend to defend poorly as a team unit in the odd game, probably due to the attacking goalscoring mentality we play with.

I've never seen Snoddy so unwilling to track back after misplacing a pass or losing the ball when on a run, so to see it here signals just how shattered he must have been. Connolly was often left alone and exposed leading to him getting skinned a little more than usual, by both Emnes - who seemed their long ball outlet with their deep style of play; and their young left back who combined well with Robson down the left. The same can be said of Gradel who didn't seem as terrier-like as usual - combined with Hughes in for McCartney this did make us a little more vulnerable out wide and lacking further up the pitch. O'Brien was his usual self, positionally very good - making important clearing headers and blocks, and Collins was..well... Collins - shaky as per and nervous on the ball, but good in the air and never caused any issues through error and to be fair cut off cross supply pretty well when called upon to do so - personally I'd very much like to see Bruce back in though, as he and O'Brien seem to be our most capable CB partnership.

Grayson stuck McCormack in behind Becchio, but he didn't seem to play off of his strike partner's knock-downs and was generally snuffed out, although he did challenge the keeper which led to our goal, but also missed an absolute sitter inside the 6 yard box - right in front of goal skewing it wide after stooping to head when it was definitely easier to miss. Watt and Sam added some legs down the flanks when they replaced the wide players, with Watt providing a fantastic cross for the aforementioned McCormack sitter in the 94th minute.

Kilkenny helped when he came on but I wouldn't say he changed the game, frustratingly slow when counter attacking, I liken him to a sponge the way he slows our break aways down. Sometimes this can help, however, and patient build up lead to McCormack's chance, when I and everyone around me was calling for Kilkenny to put the ball into the box. He provided a little more cover, naturally sitting deeper than Howson did who played alongside Johnson in that deeper role, whilst McCormack sat in Howson's recent position. Howson seems to suit this role better due to the pace at which he can run onto and join in with an attack, though McCormack added trickery and vision of his own to create chances as well as go on with his own efforts on goal on the odd occasion. He'd be of much more use playing directly off, and closer to Becchio, waiting for that knock-down.

I do have to add however that with Kilkenny in the side the results tend to speak for themselves. I just can't help but wish he covered a bit more ground and chased back harder as well as getting stuck in more often... but if he did all that then he'd probably not be in the Championship in all honesty. All round quality midfielders are very hard to come by... im definately expecting too much.

Might as well give Johnson a mention because he had a 'mare. The worst game since being booed off a few weeks back against Palace - I struggle to remember a cross or pass that found a man/stayed on the pitch at all. He was also lacking in energy in his tracking back, much to the annoyance of the crowd - unusual since he ran the game on Tuesday vs Pompey.

Up front. Luciano did what Luciano does - tirelessly worked - mostly without any service. Won a lot of flick-ons and knock-downs unfortunately in complete vain, and he popped up with a finish that I must admit didn't expect to go in - it's not really the type of goal he scores, except vs. 'Boro it seems! A beautifully controlled volley after a neat first touch to control, finding its way through a mini-crowd of players into the net, and somewhat cushioning the blow of the poor performance throughout the game.

If we're to challenge Cardiff on Tuesday we must simply be sharper! We know how we can perform, but fitness seemed to by why 'Boro dominated this encounter... I say 'dominated' but Kasper really didn't have much to do in reality. I'll put this result down to lethargy as in fairness we had played 1 more game since Christmas than 'Boro had.....

Man of the Match: Becchio
It has to be Luciano, simply because he made the only contribution of any note during the game. McCormack came close with the little spark he added being more than the other contributions bar Becchio - had he buried his header he would probably have nicked it. In the end though, a cool finish from the man from Argentina snatched us a lucky point...