Leedsunited.com 25/7/10
UNITED BOSS PLEASED WITH RESPONSE
United manager Simon Grayson declared himself happy with the response from his players after Saturday's 5-0 success at Hartlepool United.
The boss had demanded a "massive improvement" from his players after Tuesday's 4-0 hiding at Bury, and they responded by putting five without reply past hapless Hartlepool at Victoria Park.
Luciano Becchio scored twice while Robert Snodgrass, Jonny Howson, pictured celebrating, and Bradley Johnson also netted for United against the League One side.
"I asked for a response from the players and was pleased with what we got," said the boss.
"There's still plenty to work on, but they showed everything they didn't show at Bury in midweek and there were a lot of positives to take from the game.
"Defensively we were sound as a team, we passed it around well, created plenty of opportunities, and we scored some terrific goals.
"Luciano will take confidence from his goals, but three of our midfielders scored as well which is really encouraging.
"It was good from a confidence point of view as well because players perform better when they are confident."
Grayson changed his system for the game and Becchio played in a lone role down the middle with Lloyd Sam and Snodgrass offering support from the flanks. Howson and Johnson also pushed on to support the front man.
"Some people will say it's a 4-5-1, but I would say it's a 4-3-3," said the boss.
"It's flexible and pre-season is all about looking at different options and trying different things.
"It was a system which worked for us on the day, but that's not to say that we would play that every week.
"It's all about looking at things, seeing what you can do, what you can do better, and progressing as a team."I'd asked for a response after Bury and we got that. I can't have any complaints."
Leedsunited.com 24/7/10
IT'S A HIGH FIVE FOR LEEDS AT POOLS
HARTLEPOOL 0, UNITED 5 (Snodgrass 5, Becchio 40, Johnson 45, Howson 57, Becchio 68)
Hartlepool: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood, Murray, Gamble, Yantoro, Sweeney, Monkhouse, Brown, Subs: Rafferty, Haslam, McSweeney, Liddle, Boyd, Behan, Larkin, Greulich, Roberts.
United: Higgs, Connolly (Hughes 59), Collins, Bromby, White, Snodgrass, Kilkenny (Grella 69), Howson, Johnson, Sam (Gradel 60), Becchio (Somma 69). Subs: Schmeichel, Lees, Hatfield.
Referee: D Webb
Att: 2691 (1067 Leeds)
It may have been United's second pre-season friendly in the UK, but manager Simon Grayson was calling on his players to show a reaction after Tuesday's 4-0 defeat at Bury.
Grayson was without Jason Crowe (ankle), Billy Paynter (shin), and Fede Bessone, who picked up a strain in training, but Richard Naylor was among the travelling party warming up before the game despite not being named on the team-sheet.
The game had certainly attracted the interest of Leeds fans and with the away end full well before kick-off, extra numbers were accomodated in a side stand.
Those fans were on their feet inside the opening five minutes when United wentin front. Shane Higgs sent a long ball forward, Luciano Becchio caused problems in the box, and the ball broke to an advancing Robert Snodgrass who converted with ease.
That advantage was almost doubled on 12 minutes after the lively Lloyd Sam won a corner. Sam supplied the set-piece and Becchio twice had a has a goalbound header cleared off the line by a home defender.
Leeds were looking more of a threat than earlier in the week with the midfielders getting forward well to support the front-men. On 18 minutes Bradley Johnson burst through and screwed a shot across the face of goal.
Home goalkeeper Scott Flinders also had to react quickly to clear a Neil Kilkenny corner which almost curled underneath the bar.
It wasn't until the half-hour that Leeds had any real defending to do, and after Kilkenny forced a corner, Becchio headed clear.
Leeds were further in front on 40 minutes, though, courtesy of a well-worked goal. Sam was the provider with an intelligent delivery and Becchio finished with a terrific header.
And it was 3-0 before half-time. Kilkenny took a short free-kick to Paul Connolly, who picked out an advancing Jonny Howson in space. Howson delivered a good cross and Johnson got up well to head home.
Leeds started the second half on the front foot as well and Kilkenny had an ear;ly shot blocked before the home side cleared their lines after more good passing play.
Kilkenny also had a shot deflected for a corner after good work by Aidy White and Lloyd Sam, and Snodgrass was denied a follow-up effort after Scott Flinders could only parry a Johnson shot.
A fourth goal was looking inevitable, and when Sam fed Howson, the United midfielder smashed the ball home off the inside of the post.
The hosts responded by hitting the bar with their closest opportunity of the game, but it was all looking very comfortable for Leeds against a side who Simon Grayson's men played twice last season.
Max Gradel, fresh from a double in midweek at Ganinsborough, was introduced on the hour and after winning an immediate free-kick, he tested Flinders with a curling effort.
Moments later, White and Gradel linked up superbly well down the left, but Howson couldn't apply the finishing touch, his shot going over the top. And Snodgrass was next to go close when he hit a left-foot shot just wide of the mark.
The Scot did create the fifth, though, when he supplied another good cross and Becchio headed home once again.
The second goal proved to be the end of the afternoon for Becchio with Dave Somma stepping off the bench. Mike Grella also came on in place of Kilkenny.
With the result beyond doubt, Andy Monkhouse forced Higgs into saving a strike from distance as the hosts sought a consolation from what had been a torrid afternoon for them.
But it was Leeds who looked the most likely to find the net again and Johnson sent a shot wide after powering his way from the halfway line.Hartlepool also had some defending to do in the final moments as Leeds pressed again with Gradel showing up well on the left.
UNITED BOSS PLEASED WITH RESPONSE
United manager Simon Grayson declared himself happy with the response from his players after Saturday's 5-0 success at Hartlepool United.
The boss had demanded a "massive improvement" from his players after Tuesday's 4-0 hiding at Bury, and they responded by putting five without reply past hapless Hartlepool at Victoria Park.
Luciano Becchio scored twice while Robert Snodgrass, Jonny Howson, pictured celebrating, and Bradley Johnson also netted for United against the League One side.
"I asked for a response from the players and was pleased with what we got," said the boss.
"There's still plenty to work on, but they showed everything they didn't show at Bury in midweek and there were a lot of positives to take from the game.
"Defensively we were sound as a team, we passed it around well, created plenty of opportunities, and we scored some terrific goals.
"Luciano will take confidence from his goals, but three of our midfielders scored as well which is really encouraging.
"It was good from a confidence point of view as well because players perform better when they are confident."
Grayson changed his system for the game and Becchio played in a lone role down the middle with Lloyd Sam and Snodgrass offering support from the flanks. Howson and Johnson also pushed on to support the front man.
"Some people will say it's a 4-5-1, but I would say it's a 4-3-3," said the boss.
"It's flexible and pre-season is all about looking at different options and trying different things.
"It was a system which worked for us on the day, but that's not to say that we would play that every week.
"It's all about looking at things, seeing what you can do, what you can do better, and progressing as a team."I'd asked for a response after Bury and we got that. I can't have any complaints."
Leedsunited.com 24/7/10
IT'S A HIGH FIVE FOR LEEDS AT POOLS
HARTLEPOOL 0, UNITED 5 (Snodgrass 5, Becchio 40, Johnson 45, Howson 57, Becchio 68)
Hartlepool: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood, Murray, Gamble, Yantoro, Sweeney, Monkhouse, Brown, Subs: Rafferty, Haslam, McSweeney, Liddle, Boyd, Behan, Larkin, Greulich, Roberts.
United: Higgs, Connolly (Hughes 59), Collins, Bromby, White, Snodgrass, Kilkenny (Grella 69), Howson, Johnson, Sam (Gradel 60), Becchio (Somma 69). Subs: Schmeichel, Lees, Hatfield.
Referee: D Webb
Att: 2691 (1067 Leeds)
It may have been United's second pre-season friendly in the UK, but manager Simon Grayson was calling on his players to show a reaction after Tuesday's 4-0 defeat at Bury.
Grayson was without Jason Crowe (ankle), Billy Paynter (shin), and Fede Bessone, who picked up a strain in training, but Richard Naylor was among the travelling party warming up before the game despite not being named on the team-sheet.
The game had certainly attracted the interest of Leeds fans and with the away end full well before kick-off, extra numbers were accomodated in a side stand.
Those fans were on their feet inside the opening five minutes when United wentin front. Shane Higgs sent a long ball forward, Luciano Becchio caused problems in the box, and the ball broke to an advancing Robert Snodgrass who converted with ease.
That advantage was almost doubled on 12 minutes after the lively Lloyd Sam won a corner. Sam supplied the set-piece and Becchio twice had a has a goalbound header cleared off the line by a home defender.
Leeds were looking more of a threat than earlier in the week with the midfielders getting forward well to support the front-men. On 18 minutes Bradley Johnson burst through and screwed a shot across the face of goal.
Home goalkeeper Scott Flinders also had to react quickly to clear a Neil Kilkenny corner which almost curled underneath the bar.
It wasn't until the half-hour that Leeds had any real defending to do, and after Kilkenny forced a corner, Becchio headed clear.
Leeds were further in front on 40 minutes, though, courtesy of a well-worked goal. Sam was the provider with an intelligent delivery and Becchio finished with a terrific header.
And it was 3-0 before half-time. Kilkenny took a short free-kick to Paul Connolly, who picked out an advancing Jonny Howson in space. Howson delivered a good cross and Johnson got up well to head home.
Leeds started the second half on the front foot as well and Kilkenny had an ear;ly shot blocked before the home side cleared their lines after more good passing play.
Kilkenny also had a shot deflected for a corner after good work by Aidy White and Lloyd Sam, and Snodgrass was denied a follow-up effort after Scott Flinders could only parry a Johnson shot.
A fourth goal was looking inevitable, and when Sam fed Howson, the United midfielder smashed the ball home off the inside of the post.
The hosts responded by hitting the bar with their closest opportunity of the game, but it was all looking very comfortable for Leeds against a side who Simon Grayson's men played twice last season.
Max Gradel, fresh from a double in midweek at Ganinsborough, was introduced on the hour and after winning an immediate free-kick, he tested Flinders with a curling effort.
Moments later, White and Gradel linked up superbly well down the left, but Howson couldn't apply the finishing touch, his shot going over the top. And Snodgrass was next to go close when he hit a left-foot shot just wide of the mark.
The Scot did create the fifth, though, when he supplied another good cross and Becchio headed home once again.
The second goal proved to be the end of the afternoon for Becchio with Dave Somma stepping off the bench. Mike Grella also came on in place of Kilkenny.
With the result beyond doubt, Andy Monkhouse forced Higgs into saving a strike from distance as the hosts sought a consolation from what had been a torrid afternoon for them.
But it was Leeds who looked the most likely to find the net again and Johnson sent a shot wide after powering his way from the halfway line.Hartlepool also had some defending to do in the final moments as Leeds pressed again with Gradel showing up well on the left.
