Birmingham City v Leeds United: Warnock to make late call on Becchio
Yorkshire Evening Post 15/1/13
By Leon Wobschall
Neil Warnock will assess Luciano Becchio’s state of mind today before deciding if he lines up in tonight’s FA Cup third-round replay at St Andrews.
The Leeds United boss fuelled doubts about the Argentine’s future by openly questioning whether he had been side-tracked by transfer rumours following Saturday’s defeat at Barnsley.
Warnock has confirmed that he spoke with his 19-goal top-scorer yesterday after voicing concerns that his mind may not have been fully focused during the sorry weekend loss at Oakwell.
Becchio, 29, has just under 18 months left on his Elland Road deal and has linked with potential moves to the likes of Wigan Athletic, with Championship rivals Hull City and Nottingham Forest among others rumoured to be interested in him.
Reflecting on a tough weekend, Warnock said: “It was disappointing on Saturday. We have to do better and the first half was unacceptable, really. But it is difficult when one or two lads aren’t performing as it can be difficult for the rest of the team.
“I have had a word with Beccs. But it is difficult (as a player) when agents are in your ear all the time. All through the transfer window, it’s going to be a nightmare.
“But he has got to get his mind on things. He’s under contract, but it is hard when players get figures pushed at them. I will have to see how he is before the (Birmingham) game. It’s a busy time of the year and the sooner the window shuts, the better it is for me.”
Warnock had a meeting with his players yesterday following their seasonal low at Oakwell, when United’s supporters were damning and unsparing in their criticism of both himself and his charges.
He admits the performance was by no means good enough, although stopped at saying it was due to a lack of effort and pinpointed the poor performance of his central strikers in Becchio and El-Hadji Diouf as being at the heart of his side’s malaise.
Needless to say, he is expecting more from whoever gets the nod up front tonight.
Warnock said: “One or two of the lads were accused of not trying. But when you look at the three lads in midfield who were overrun, when you look at (Michael) Tonge, (David) Norris and Rudy (Austin) and the metres they covered on ProZone, they covered as much as anybody.
“It was just that their decisions were so poor on Saturday. But the options they had up front were so limited. They had very little to aim at.
“The players were disappointed and we have had a meeting. It is difficult for us; you really need your strikers to be on fire for everything to gel for us.
“You look at the (good) performances we have had this season and usually the forwards have been on top of their game. And then everyone else has responded to that.”
It remains to be seen how many of the United fans who were at Barnsley brave the cold snap to travel to St Andrews this evening, but despite being offered lamentable fare in South Yorkshire, such is the loyalty of the Whites hordes that a decent sized contingent is still pretty much guaranteed in the West Midlands.
And with memories of Barnsley in mind, Warnock wants his side to provide some payback for the travelling fans this evening.
More especially for those who also witnessed the uniformly wretched performances down the M1 at Nottingham Forest and Derby County, not to mention a ‘no-show’ across the M62 at Hull City on December 29.
The prize at stake for tonight’s victors may not be points, but it is a suitably attractive one, with the replay winners hosting Tottenham Hotspur in a glamour home assignment in front of the cameras on Sunday week.
It’s an opportunity Warnock, who has already sampled the big-match cup atmosphere at Elland Road in Capital One Cup clashes against Chelsea and Everton, doesn’t intend passing up - and neither should has players.
He said: “I think the away games at Hull and Barnsley were really poor. I just want the lads to perform how they can. We have to move on to the next game now. It’s a big one at Birmingham, and we have to re-group and there’s an incentive at the end of it.
“I like Spurs and I’d like to play against them. I enjoyed the Chelsea game (last month), apart from the second half!
“The fans who travel to Birmingham in horrible weather will be doing so because they want to see us play Spurs and hopefully we can reward them.”
Having missed the third-round clash at Elland Road due to illness, Warnock is thankful for small mercies in at least being back in situ in the dug-out at St Andrews and being able to effect developments fully.
The first instalment saw Blues, whose match-day squad of 18 included eight academy graduates, make light of an injury crisis to produce a spirited performance, energised by the showing of young guns such as highly-rated teen talent Nathan Redmond, Ravel Morrison and Callum Reilly.
With his options somewhat healthier for the replay, former Huddersfield Town chief and current Blues boss Lee Clark – who has an unbeaten managerial record against the Whites stretching back five matches – is entitled to look forward to the tie with a degree of confidence.
The likes of Nikola Zigic – Simon Grayson’s nemesis last January – is in the fray having missed the clash at Elland Road due to suspension, with the giant Serb recently turned down a move to Spanish Segunda Division side Villareal.
Clark is picking from a fuller deck somewhat, with history also seemingly on Blues’ side this evening, with the Midlanders having won their last five matches against United at St Andrews.
But Warnock feels tonight’s encounter is evenly-poised as United seek a first win in six games over their Brummie rivals and right a few wrongs following a debilitating recent bout of travel sickness in the form stakes.
Warnock said: “Birmingham throw us a different type of problem, but I have an idea what I’d like to go with, hopefully without any illness. We have to look at what we have. I hear they looked threatening on the break against us in the first game and had chances, so it’s on a knife edge.
“But I want us to have a go at them and not rely on breakaways. I think they have some quality young players and we have to match that with our quality and worry about our quality.”
By Leon Wobschall
Neil Warnock will assess Luciano Becchio’s state of mind today before deciding if he lines up in tonight’s FA Cup third-round replay at St Andrews.
The Leeds United boss fuelled doubts about the Argentine’s future by openly questioning whether he had been side-tracked by transfer rumours following Saturday’s defeat at Barnsley.
Warnock has confirmed that he spoke with his 19-goal top-scorer yesterday after voicing concerns that his mind may not have been fully focused during the sorry weekend loss at Oakwell.
Becchio, 29, has just under 18 months left on his Elland Road deal and has linked with potential moves to the likes of Wigan Athletic, with Championship rivals Hull City and Nottingham Forest among others rumoured to be interested in him.
Reflecting on a tough weekend, Warnock said: “It was disappointing on Saturday. We have to do better and the first half was unacceptable, really. But it is difficult when one or two lads aren’t performing as it can be difficult for the rest of the team.
“I have had a word with Beccs. But it is difficult (as a player) when agents are in your ear all the time. All through the transfer window, it’s going to be a nightmare.
“But he has got to get his mind on things. He’s under contract, but it is hard when players get figures pushed at them. I will have to see how he is before the (Birmingham) game. It’s a busy time of the year and the sooner the window shuts, the better it is for me.”
Warnock had a meeting with his players yesterday following their seasonal low at Oakwell, when United’s supporters were damning and unsparing in their criticism of both himself and his charges.
He admits the performance was by no means good enough, although stopped at saying it was due to a lack of effort and pinpointed the poor performance of his central strikers in Becchio and El-Hadji Diouf as being at the heart of his side’s malaise.
Needless to say, he is expecting more from whoever gets the nod up front tonight.
Warnock said: “One or two of the lads were accused of not trying. But when you look at the three lads in midfield who were overrun, when you look at (Michael) Tonge, (David) Norris and Rudy (Austin) and the metres they covered on ProZone, they covered as much as anybody.
“It was just that their decisions were so poor on Saturday. But the options they had up front were so limited. They had very little to aim at.
“The players were disappointed and we have had a meeting. It is difficult for us; you really need your strikers to be on fire for everything to gel for us.
“You look at the (good) performances we have had this season and usually the forwards have been on top of their game. And then everyone else has responded to that.”
It remains to be seen how many of the United fans who were at Barnsley brave the cold snap to travel to St Andrews this evening, but despite being offered lamentable fare in South Yorkshire, such is the loyalty of the Whites hordes that a decent sized contingent is still pretty much guaranteed in the West Midlands.
And with memories of Barnsley in mind, Warnock wants his side to provide some payback for the travelling fans this evening.
More especially for those who also witnessed the uniformly wretched performances down the M1 at Nottingham Forest and Derby County, not to mention a ‘no-show’ across the M62 at Hull City on December 29.
The prize at stake for tonight’s victors may not be points, but it is a suitably attractive one, with the replay winners hosting Tottenham Hotspur in a glamour home assignment in front of the cameras on Sunday week.
It’s an opportunity Warnock, who has already sampled the big-match cup atmosphere at Elland Road in Capital One Cup clashes against Chelsea and Everton, doesn’t intend passing up - and neither should has players.
He said: “I think the away games at Hull and Barnsley were really poor. I just want the lads to perform how they can. We have to move on to the next game now. It’s a big one at Birmingham, and we have to re-group and there’s an incentive at the end of it.
“I like Spurs and I’d like to play against them. I enjoyed the Chelsea game (last month), apart from the second half!
“The fans who travel to Birmingham in horrible weather will be doing so because they want to see us play Spurs and hopefully we can reward them.”
Having missed the third-round clash at Elland Road due to illness, Warnock is thankful for small mercies in at least being back in situ in the dug-out at St Andrews and being able to effect developments fully.
The first instalment saw Blues, whose match-day squad of 18 included eight academy graduates, make light of an injury crisis to produce a spirited performance, energised by the showing of young guns such as highly-rated teen talent Nathan Redmond, Ravel Morrison and Callum Reilly.
With his options somewhat healthier for the replay, former Huddersfield Town chief and current Blues boss Lee Clark – who has an unbeaten managerial record against the Whites stretching back five matches – is entitled to look forward to the tie with a degree of confidence.
The likes of Nikola Zigic – Simon Grayson’s nemesis last January – is in the fray having missed the clash at Elland Road due to suspension, with the giant Serb recently turned down a move to Spanish Segunda Division side Villareal.
Clark is picking from a fuller deck somewhat, with history also seemingly on Blues’ side this evening, with the Midlanders having won their last five matches against United at St Andrews.
But Warnock feels tonight’s encounter is evenly-poised as United seek a first win in six games over their Brummie rivals and right a few wrongs following a debilitating recent bout of travel sickness in the form stakes.
Warnock said: “Birmingham throw us a different type of problem, but I have an idea what I’d like to go with, hopefully without any illness. We have to look at what we have. I hear they looked threatening on the break against us in the first game and had chances, so it’s on a knife edge.
“But I want us to have a go at them and not rely on breakaways. I think they have some quality young players and we have to match that with our quality and worry about our quality.”