Yorkshire Eveing Post 31/10/11
Leeds United v Cardiff City: A point is least Whites deserve
By Phil Hay
Leeds United’s miserable record against Cardiff City is such that a draw in this fixture is generally seen to be worth its weight in gold.
Simon Grayson knows his history like any of Leeds supporters but yesterday’s result at Elland Road will not dissuade him from thinking that Cardiff have a charmed existence whenever they find themselves in United’s line of fire.
Robert Snodgrass averted a seventh successive defeat at the hands of the Welsh club with a well-earned goal on 73 minutes, but despite the timing of his equaliser, the draw salvaged was not exactly a point gained. Close though Cardiff were to a predictable victory – they last lost to
Leeds in 1984 – both it and the final result depended on a mistake by Darren O’Dea and the outstanding agility of their goalkeeper, David Marshall.
O’Dea has been something of an unsung hero in the past fortnight, scoring against Coventry City and producing the most dramatic of winners at Peterborough United, but his recent warning to Leeds that heroes can become villains in the blink of an eye was sadly demonstrated by Cardiff’s goal.
His error was reminiscent of the misunderstanding between Kasper Schmeichel and Alex Bruce which set Cardiff on their way at Elland Road 12 months ago. A 4-0 defeat followed on that demoralising October night and Leeds were spared a beating on that scale, but O’Dea’s failure to run a loose ball out of play on 17 minutes threatened Leeds with the same fate. Joe Mason punished it gleefully amid claims that he had forced O’Dea’s blunder with a sly push in the back.
Recover
United had enough time to recover from that but found Marshall as immovable as they had Boaz Myhill in Birmingham last Wednesday. The Scot totted up a list of exceptional saves, the best a one-handed parry from Jonathan Howson, and United appeared to be headbutting a wall until they smashed their way through with a Snodgrass tap-in.
Snodgrass’ selection was never in question once doubts about his injured back eased but it was less certain that Grayson would leave his team unchanged yesterday. United had not looked jaded as such against Birmingham City but Grayson’s players lacked their trademark invention and spark in an ill-deserved loss.
While ex-Cardiff forward Ross McCormack led United’s line, Kenny Miller was unable to do the same for Cardiff. The striker received 20 stitches in a head wound during City’s recent win over Barnsley and, despite plans to protect him with an improvised head guard, Malky Mackay left Miller on the bench. Robert Earnshaw sat beside him.
Cardiff had the support of only 360 fans behind them – a turnout which still enlisted a huge police presence at Elland Road – and United saw their smallest home attendance since February 2010. Those who stayed away and chose not to watch Sky’s live broadcast avoided a frustrating but compelling match.
Chances materialised from the outset, as the attacking look of both squads suggested they would, and Cardiff’s initial stab in the fourth minute at Paul Rachubka called for a lively save from United’s goalkeeper.
Andrew Taylor stretched Leeds down the left wing and cut the ball back to Aron Gunnarsson on the edge of the box. Rachubka reached out with his left hand to force Gunnarsson’s measured shot around his net, passing an immediate test of his concentration. Several others followed.
That moment alone promised the sort of cavalier football which Leeds and Cardiff are synonymous with. Marshall made his first save three minutes later, diving to parry Andy Keogh’s header after Mark Hudson incurred a free-kick and a booking by fouling McCormack, and a timely block inside United’s area prevented Peter Whittingham’s volley from troubling Rachubka after Gunnarsson’s long throw-in fell kindly to him.
Cardiff’s early opportunities were of their own making but their goal in the 17th minute owed everything to a misjudgement from O’Dea, who allowed a through-ball from Peter Whittingham to dribble away from him with Mason breathing down his neck. Mason rounded an exposed Rachubka and scuffed a shot into the net before Tom Lees could intervene.
O’Dea had no time to ponder his mistake as Cardiff attempted to turn the screw, and he made a necessary intervention at the far post to prevent Ben Turner nodding a Whittingham corner into the net. But, after taking a moment to clear their heads, Leeds brought pressure to bear on Marshall and forced Cardiff to defend Mason’s strike desperately.
Marshall nudged a Snodgrass header around his left-hand post after Keogh flicked on an Aidan White cross, and shots from Snodgrass and Danny Pugh were deflected away from goal amid organised chaos around Cardiff’s goal. Mackay’s players survived it through luck more than design.
O’Dea, however, had shown increasing signs of concussion and, after twice dropping to his haunches with his head in his hands, he admitted defeat and made way for Patrick Kisnorbo. Leeds appeared to be having one of those days and Grayson looked on as an inviting cross from Paul Connolly slipped beyond Keogh and McCormack six yards from goal.
Jonathan Howson made a final effort to force an equaliser before half-time, driving a shot against the leg of Hudson after the centre-back headed down a long ball from Adam Clayton, but the scoreline drew Grayson into an important discussion at the interval.
Half-time was marked by the appearance on the pitch of Howard Wilkinson and several members of United’s 1991-92 title-winning squad, among them Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister. Inspired by that or not, Leeds began to dictate the game with authority after the restart, and Marshall denied Snodgrass on 51 minutes by standing up to the winger’s fierce volley.
The keeper excelled again when he got a hand to McCormack’s delicate finish, scrambling it wide, and the spate of attacks harnessed a crowd who had been flat and subdued before then. Clayton saw a vicious attempt from 25 yards tipped over the bar and watched another volley deflect wide.
The corner which followed gave Howson a free header six yards out but Marshall’s low parry with one hand was worthy of any victory. With that save, Cardiff looked destined to reach the other side of a gathering storm but they cracked in the 73rd minute as Lees cushioned down Kisnorbo’s free-kick and Snodgrass ran in to tuck away the bouncing ball.
Grayson sensed that the game was there to be won and Lees had the chance to do so when he glanced Lloyd Sam’s cross beyond the far post. Hudson could also have snatched three points against the run of play with a late header. Deep down at full-time Grayson knew the outcome could easily have been better. The record books prove that it could have been worse.
Leeds United v Cardiff City: A point is least Whites deserve
By Phil Hay
Leeds United’s miserable record against Cardiff City is such that a draw in this fixture is generally seen to be worth its weight in gold.
Simon Grayson knows his history like any of Leeds supporters but yesterday’s result at Elland Road will not dissuade him from thinking that Cardiff have a charmed existence whenever they find themselves in United’s line of fire.
Robert Snodgrass averted a seventh successive defeat at the hands of the Welsh club with a well-earned goal on 73 minutes, but despite the timing of his equaliser, the draw salvaged was not exactly a point gained. Close though Cardiff were to a predictable victory – they last lost to
Leeds in 1984 – both it and the final result depended on a mistake by Darren O’Dea and the outstanding agility of their goalkeeper, David Marshall.O’Dea has been something of an unsung hero in the past fortnight, scoring against Coventry City and producing the most dramatic of winners at Peterborough United, but his recent warning to Leeds that heroes can become villains in the blink of an eye was sadly demonstrated by Cardiff’s goal.
His error was reminiscent of the misunderstanding between Kasper Schmeichel and Alex Bruce which set Cardiff on their way at Elland Road 12 months ago. A 4-0 defeat followed on that demoralising October night and Leeds were spared a beating on that scale, but O’Dea’s failure to run a loose ball out of play on 17 minutes threatened Leeds with the same fate. Joe Mason punished it gleefully amid claims that he had forced O’Dea’s blunder with a sly push in the back.
Recover
United had enough time to recover from that but found Marshall as immovable as they had Boaz Myhill in Birmingham last Wednesday. The Scot totted up a list of exceptional saves, the best a one-handed parry from Jonathan Howson, and United appeared to be headbutting a wall until they smashed their way through with a Snodgrass tap-in.
Snodgrass’ selection was never in question once doubts about his injured back eased but it was less certain that Grayson would leave his team unchanged yesterday. United had not looked jaded as such against Birmingham City but Grayson’s players lacked their trademark invention and spark in an ill-deserved loss.
While ex-Cardiff forward Ross McCormack led United’s line, Kenny Miller was unable to do the same for Cardiff. The striker received 20 stitches in a head wound during City’s recent win over Barnsley and, despite plans to protect him with an improvised head guard, Malky Mackay left Miller on the bench. Robert Earnshaw sat beside him.
Cardiff had the support of only 360 fans behind them – a turnout which still enlisted a huge police presence at Elland Road – and United saw their smallest home attendance since February 2010. Those who stayed away and chose not to watch Sky’s live broadcast avoided a frustrating but compelling match.
Chances materialised from the outset, as the attacking look of both squads suggested they would, and Cardiff’s initial stab in the fourth minute at Paul Rachubka called for a lively save from United’s goalkeeper.
Andrew Taylor stretched Leeds down the left wing and cut the ball back to Aron Gunnarsson on the edge of the box. Rachubka reached out with his left hand to force Gunnarsson’s measured shot around his net, passing an immediate test of his concentration. Several others followed.
That moment alone promised the sort of cavalier football which Leeds and Cardiff are synonymous with. Marshall made his first save three minutes later, diving to parry Andy Keogh’s header after Mark Hudson incurred a free-kick and a booking by fouling McCormack, and a timely block inside United’s area prevented Peter Whittingham’s volley from troubling Rachubka after Gunnarsson’s long throw-in fell kindly to him.
Cardiff’s early opportunities were of their own making but their goal in the 17th minute owed everything to a misjudgement from O’Dea, who allowed a through-ball from Peter Whittingham to dribble away from him with Mason breathing down his neck. Mason rounded an exposed Rachubka and scuffed a shot into the net before Tom Lees could intervene.
O’Dea had no time to ponder his mistake as Cardiff attempted to turn the screw, and he made a necessary intervention at the far post to prevent Ben Turner nodding a Whittingham corner into the net. But, after taking a moment to clear their heads, Leeds brought pressure to bear on Marshall and forced Cardiff to defend Mason’s strike desperately.
Marshall nudged a Snodgrass header around his left-hand post after Keogh flicked on an Aidan White cross, and shots from Snodgrass and Danny Pugh were deflected away from goal amid organised chaos around Cardiff’s goal. Mackay’s players survived it through luck more than design.
O’Dea, however, had shown increasing signs of concussion and, after twice dropping to his haunches with his head in his hands, he admitted defeat and made way for Patrick Kisnorbo. Leeds appeared to be having one of those days and Grayson looked on as an inviting cross from Paul Connolly slipped beyond Keogh and McCormack six yards from goal.
Jonathan Howson made a final effort to force an equaliser before half-time, driving a shot against the leg of Hudson after the centre-back headed down a long ball from Adam Clayton, but the scoreline drew Grayson into an important discussion at the interval.
Half-time was marked by the appearance on the pitch of Howard Wilkinson and several members of United’s 1991-92 title-winning squad, among them Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister. Inspired by that or not, Leeds began to dictate the game with authority after the restart, and Marshall denied Snodgrass on 51 minutes by standing up to the winger’s fierce volley.
The keeper excelled again when he got a hand to McCormack’s delicate finish, scrambling it wide, and the spate of attacks harnessed a crowd who had been flat and subdued before then. Clayton saw a vicious attempt from 25 yards tipped over the bar and watched another volley deflect wide.
The corner which followed gave Howson a free header six yards out but Marshall’s low parry with one hand was worthy of any victory. With that save, Cardiff looked destined to reach the other side of a gathering storm but they cracked in the 73rd minute as Lees cushioned down Kisnorbo’s free-kick and Snodgrass ran in to tuck away the bouncing ball.
Grayson sensed that the game was there to be won and Lees had the chance to do so when he glanced Lloyd Sam’s cross beyond the far post. Hudson could also have snatched three points against the run of play with a late header. Deep down at full-time Grayson knew the outcome could easily have been better. The record books prove that it could have been worse.