Telegraph | Sport | Gabbidon defies Leeds
Gabbidon defies Leeds
Trevor Haylett at Ninian Park
(Filed: 03/10/2004)
Cardiff City (0) 0 Leeds (0) 0
The way things are going Danny Gabbidon could almost be holding the Welsh defence together on his own next week. Wayne Rooney might well bring an interesting dimension to his afternoon's work, not to mention Michael Owen. Throw Jermain Defoe into the mix as well and you could forgive Gabbidon for suddenly discovering what has become known in international weeks as a 'Sir Alex Ferguson muscle strain'.
As preparation for the World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford next week Gabbidon faced up to Brian Deane and Brett Ormerod yesterday. Not quite the same examination that the Manchester United wunderkind and his England partners will pose but at least the atmosphere at Ninian Park will have provided a taste of the kind of intense atmosphere that awaits Gabbidon and the rest of the Welsh team in six days' time.
The Cardiff defender was in impressive form as these two bitter enemies locked horns with hostility flying back and forth as the two sets of supporters reprised in their distasteful songs the unhappy memory of the last time they met. On that occasion, in January 2002, Cardiff gained a notable FA Cup scalp but football's name was dragged through the sewer once more.
Exactly 1,000 days after that fateful encounter the teams met again. So much has changed. At the time Leeds were sitting on top of the Premiership while Cardiff were part of what was once known as the Second Division. Their turnover of players is such that Gabbidon was their only survivor of the team who battled their way to a famous 2-1 victory.
With his Cardiff colleague Robert Page injured and Andrew Melville out of the first-team picture with West Ham, the Wales manager Mark Hughes will first write Gabbidon's name into his central defensive spaces for the England game and then disappear for some serious contemplation.
Sometimes his air of supreme calm can make Gabbidon look casual. Even, at times, disinterested.
It is misleading. As he showed yesterday in keeping both Deane and Ormerod quiet, he can call upon total concentration when the going gets tough. With Deane's aerial power and Ormerod's pace and wiles on the ground, this was not a day he could afford to switch off for a second.
One brilliant example of his awareness and composure arrived in the 27th minute when Danny Pugh's shot struck Deane and could have easily landed back with a white shirt inside the penalty area. In a flash Gabbidon was quickly in to smother the danger, collecting the loose ball before demonstrating exemplary poise to then evade the onrushing Pugh.
Gabbidon deserved to finish on the winning side but the teams ended deadlocked because Andy Campbell made a mess of his penalty kick in the 21st minute and the woodwork kept getting in the way as the Welshmen turned the heat full on in the latter stages.
Twice in 60 seconds substitute Cameron Jerome and Jobi McAnuff were left frustrated as a header and then a volley came back into play. Just before that the luckless Campbell had touched a Paul Parry attempt onto the bar and over.
At least Cardiff did not lose which has been their fate in all four previous home games. They wobbled when a Jermaine Wright corner was met a forceful thrust of Clarke Carlisle's forehead. But there on the line to keep it out was Chris Barker.
Gabbidon defies Leeds
Trevor Haylett at Ninian Park
(Filed: 03/10/2004)
Cardiff City (0) 0 Leeds (0) 0
The way things are going Danny Gabbidon could almost be holding the Welsh defence together on his own next week. Wayne Rooney might well bring an interesting dimension to his afternoon's work, not to mention Michael Owen. Throw Jermain Defoe into the mix as well and you could forgive Gabbidon for suddenly discovering what has become known in international weeks as a 'Sir Alex Ferguson muscle strain'.
As preparation for the World Cup qualifier at Old Trafford next week Gabbidon faced up to Brian Deane and Brett Ormerod yesterday. Not quite the same examination that the Manchester United wunderkind and his England partners will pose but at least the atmosphere at Ninian Park will have provided a taste of the kind of intense atmosphere that awaits Gabbidon and the rest of the Welsh team in six days' time.
The Cardiff defender was in impressive form as these two bitter enemies locked horns with hostility flying back and forth as the two sets of supporters reprised in their distasteful songs the unhappy memory of the last time they met. On that occasion, in January 2002, Cardiff gained a notable FA Cup scalp but football's name was dragged through the sewer once more.
Exactly 1,000 days after that fateful encounter the teams met again. So much has changed. At the time Leeds were sitting on top of the Premiership while Cardiff were part of what was once known as the Second Division. Their turnover of players is such that Gabbidon was their only survivor of the team who battled their way to a famous 2-1 victory.
With his Cardiff colleague Robert Page injured and Andrew Melville out of the first-team picture with West Ham, the Wales manager Mark Hughes will first write Gabbidon's name into his central defensive spaces for the England game and then disappear for some serious contemplation.
Sometimes his air of supreme calm can make Gabbidon look casual. Even, at times, disinterested.
It is misleading. As he showed yesterday in keeping both Deane and Ormerod quiet, he can call upon total concentration when the going gets tough. With Deane's aerial power and Ormerod's pace and wiles on the ground, this was not a day he could afford to switch off for a second.
One brilliant example of his awareness and composure arrived in the 27th minute when Danny Pugh's shot struck Deane and could have easily landed back with a white shirt inside the penalty area. In a flash Gabbidon was quickly in to smother the danger, collecting the loose ball before demonstrating exemplary poise to then evade the onrushing Pugh.
Gabbidon deserved to finish on the winning side but the teams ended deadlocked because Andy Campbell made a mess of his penalty kick in the 21st minute and the woodwork kept getting in the way as the Welshmen turned the heat full on in the latter stages.
Twice in 60 seconds substitute Cameron Jerome and Jobi McAnuff were left frustrated as a header and then a volley came back into play. Just before that the luckless Campbell had touched a Paul Parry attempt onto the bar and over.
At least Cardiff did not lose which has been their fate in all four previous home games. They wobbled when a Jermaine Wright corner was met a forceful thrust of Clarke Carlisle's forehead. But there on the line to keep it out was Chris Barker.