2nd Back On?
Take those nails out of that coffin lid, the second automatic promotion spot is still alive! Leeds got the three points today and Swansea contrived to lose their game 0-1 on a poor pitch at Glanford Park against struggling Scunthorpe, re-opening bidding for second place.
A rare occasion where almost all results go Leeds' way leaves us right back in the hunt, and more importantly - two more points away from seventh. Forest lost for the first time in over a year at the City Ground. Norwich drew against bottom side Preston (who will be tough opponents on Tuesday night). Cardiff lost 0-2 to Ipswich. Leicester lost to hull. Glory be there's optimism once more:
Kilkenny Rant - An Apology
Saturday's performance away in Wales finally broke my unwillingness to have an all out rant at Neil Kilkenny's performances in general this season as well as in the Swansea game itself.
Today, happily and predictably after I'd laid my cards on the table in criticising him, Kilkenny put in probably his best performance of the season. Simon has surely been at Neil this week regarding that woeful performance a week ago and it seemed today that he'd taken criticism on board, as he put an admirable shift in. He tracked men, he ran the width of the pitch to keep balls in, he played higher up the pitch as well as just sitting deeper, he had efforts on goal, he tackled effectively, he shouted and directed players around him, he linked play high up the pitch with cute passing and vision. Most of all it was his effort that impressed. He has visibly not been arsed for want of a better phrase with anything in his game other than picking a simple pass but today he played with willingness to contribute more fully, so fair play to him.
If Kilkenny shows this in every game from now on, no-one can have any complaints because this is the Kilkenny of times past. And if he does indeed continue in the same fashion then Neil Kilkenny, for what its worth, I apologise - you do have a positive impact on our play.
Wasteful Again
Yes the scoreline in the end was comfortable, but it should frankly have been five before half time - without reply. In a similar way to the recent Norwich game and the Palace game at home, further to many others throughout the course of the season, Leeds fashioned dead cert openings, only to fail to convert.
It left the fans thinking after perhaps the sixth miss that Leeds would pay the price. Immediately before half time Donny drew level with their first chance and immediately after half time, they went 1-2 up through Moussa and Leeds had indeed paid the price - another game in which three goals would be needed to get the full haul out of, and at home against a struggling and depleted Doncaster.
All the while games aren't killed off when Leeds are in the ascendency and in control, the opposition gleans encouragement from Leeds failures - feeling they have a chance - it has happened time and again this season, Leeds are made to pay.
Thankfully today, the great entertainers managed to pull the game back in our favour and got us what we deserved, thanks to Howson's defiance and encouragement to the rest of the squad. He equalised, and in effect said to the rest of the eleven with his brilliant individual goal: "do that".
Defensive Lapses
Until the Football League Show appears, the defence will be spared criticism, but according to Eddie Gray on YR after the game their first was Bromby dealing poorly with Sharp, although where I was sat I have to admit I felt it was purely flat footed defending from the looped pass over the top. Both goals were however sloppy again and came from probably two of Doncaster's three clear cut chances. The other was a one on one save from Sharp by Schmeichel. There were times in the game where a long ball quickly played over the top caused the back four to disintegrate all too easily.
Bruce getting dropped is also worth a look at in the Match Review later.
Where from here?
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