Pomurje XI 1 Leeds United 3: Early clues emerge for new-look Whites
YEP 10/7/13
You do well to draw a crowd in a city of 12,000 people. Less than half of Murska Sobota’s population found time to turn up when their now-defunct football club entertained Lazio in the early rounds of the Europa League last year.
Yesterday’s friendly between Leeds United and a regional representative team caused less fuss again, perhaps because Sobota no longer has a club to call its own. ND Mura 05 are suffering financial armageddon so a collection of players from Slovenia’s lower leagues offered opposition in their stead.
As a result, the locals turned out in their scores.
The attendance at Fazanerija Stadium last night, far away on the Slovenian border with Austria and Hungary, was given respectability by a few hundred spectators affiliated to Leeds. For the supporters who had also been at Farsley on Saturday, the experience was identical - oppressive heat and a trouble-free win. Pomurje’s offering from the third division bordered on third-rate.
Brian McDermott knew his own mind before this match and the majority of his players appeared en masse again for 45 minutes each.
United’s manager is being coy with regards to how his team might look when the football turns competitive next month, though more might become clear once certain members of his squad are stretched for an hour in Domzale on Saturday.
In some respects McDermott’s preferences are already showing themselves: Aidan White in a more goal-minded role than has ever been the case in his years at Elland Road and Ross McCormack reinventing himself as a creative, attacking midfielder.
The latter is the most intriguing development.
McCormack has no wish for a change of club next season but the evidence of Leeds’ first two summer friendlies suggests that he will occupy a different role, tucked in just behind two strikers.
McDermott might turn to the Scot for invention and chances as much as he turns to him for goals.
“It looks that way at the minute,” said McCormack, who played in support of Luke Varney and Dominic Poleon during the second half in Sobota.
“It’s different for me but I’m enjoying the challenge.
“I think it’s a position where I can do well.
“I’ve always thought of myself as a striker and a goalscorer and that’s been my role more often than not - not just at Leeds but at other clubs too - but the manager obviously thinks I can offer something from the midfield. I just need to learn how to tackle properly.
“I’m not up to much in that department.
“Playing regularly is what I’m looking for more than anything - getting the confidence of playing in a regular position and a position that suits you.
“When the manager believes in you it brings out the best in you and I’d like to think this will be a productive season for both of us.”
McCormack and United’s second band of 11 players came to the field at half-time yesterday with the friendly already won.
Pomurje were young and raw, in a class below Leeds and incapable of occupying United’s half.
Paddy Kenny did not touch the ball until he fielded a header from Lee Peltier in the 28th minute.
Pomurje’s keeper, Jaka Safer, was inevitably exposed, struggling badly with his kicking and beaten after 10 minutes when Noel Hunt turned his marker inside out and unselfishly set up Matt Smith.
Smith’s third goal in two games was given to him on a plate, a simple tap-in from five yards.
And so it continued with an otherwise lenient referee disallowing two further efforts in quick succession.
White’s volley on the half-hour came back off a post with Safer beaten and Hunt added to Smith’s effort five minutes before the interval when he guided a hanging header across Safer and into the far corner of the net.
The first half gave United’s recent signing, Luke Murphy, an easy introduction on his full debut and scope to make Leeds tick.
His passing was neat, tidy and telling on occasions. One spell of pressure in which the midfielder controlled possession ended with Safer punching Smith’s header off his line. For the second time in a week, Smith had enough near-misses to bank a hat-trick.
For all the changes made by McDermott at the start of the second half, Leeds were too slick and too animated to give Pomurje peace. McCormack teed-up chances for Varney and Ross Killock with free-kicks which deserved to be buried and Pomurje’s first shot on target on 55 minutes trickled into the gloves of Alex Cairns.
The hosts’ fatigue was kicking in again when Dominic Poleon ran free 11 minutes later and thrashed a sharp, 20-yard shot under the left hand of Matej Andrejc and the referee’s assistant took pity when Damjan Grah pulled a goal back from a position miles beyond offside. It was Pomurje who toiled on a balmy evening.
A heavy rainstorm around 4pm created humid, sticky conditions for a group of Leeds players who were put through training by McDermott at their base outside Ptuj yesterday morning, eight hours before kick-off.
“It’s no holiday,” said the Leeds boss.
McCormack said: “The training’s been tough but it’s been good.
“We’re not just running round a pitch for the sake of it which is sometimes what you get in pre-season.
“Everything’s to the clock and everything seems to have a point to it. You can tell it’s tailored to getting the best out of us when the season comes.
“Our training’s set-up every single day and it’s so professional.
“It’s obvious that every session and all the work we’ve done has been planned well in advance. You’re not going through the motions or doing lots of running just because it’s pre-season and that’s what people usually do.
“It’s far more thought-out than that - which isn’t always the case.”
Pomurje XI (first half): Safer, Banfi, Smolkovic, Slavic, Matjasec, Leposi, Zerdin, Kerec, Roposa, Trstenjak, Mauko. (Second half): Andrejc, Recek, Kuzmanouski, Bagari, Grah, Mlihovic, Smodis, Janza, Tkalec (c), Godvajs, Vori.
Leeds United (first half): Kenny, Peltier, Lees, Pugh, Taylor, Norris, Green, Murphy, White, Smith, Hunt. (Second half): Cairns, Thompson, Killock, Pearce, Warnock, Brown, Tonge, Drury, McCormack, Varney, Poleon.
Yesterday’s friendly between Leeds United and a regional representative team caused less fuss again, perhaps because Sobota no longer has a club to call its own. ND Mura 05 are suffering financial armageddon so a collection of players from Slovenia’s lower leagues offered opposition in their stead.
As a result, the locals turned out in their scores.
The attendance at Fazanerija Stadium last night, far away on the Slovenian border with Austria and Hungary, was given respectability by a few hundred spectators affiliated to Leeds. For the supporters who had also been at Farsley on Saturday, the experience was identical - oppressive heat and a trouble-free win. Pomurje’s offering from the third division bordered on third-rate.
Brian McDermott knew his own mind before this match and the majority of his players appeared en masse again for 45 minutes each.
United’s manager is being coy with regards to how his team might look when the football turns competitive next month, though more might become clear once certain members of his squad are stretched for an hour in Domzale on Saturday.
In some respects McDermott’s preferences are already showing themselves: Aidan White in a more goal-minded role than has ever been the case in his years at Elland Road and Ross McCormack reinventing himself as a creative, attacking midfielder.
The latter is the most intriguing development.
McCormack has no wish for a change of club next season but the evidence of Leeds’ first two summer friendlies suggests that he will occupy a different role, tucked in just behind two strikers.
McDermott might turn to the Scot for invention and chances as much as he turns to him for goals.
“It looks that way at the minute,” said McCormack, who played in support of Luke Varney and Dominic Poleon during the second half in Sobota.
“It’s different for me but I’m enjoying the challenge.
“I think it’s a position where I can do well.
“I’ve always thought of myself as a striker and a goalscorer and that’s been my role more often than not - not just at Leeds but at other clubs too - but the manager obviously thinks I can offer something from the midfield. I just need to learn how to tackle properly.
“I’m not up to much in that department.
“Playing regularly is what I’m looking for more than anything - getting the confidence of playing in a regular position and a position that suits you.
“When the manager believes in you it brings out the best in you and I’d like to think this will be a productive season for both of us.”
McCormack and United’s second band of 11 players came to the field at half-time yesterday with the friendly already won.
Pomurje were young and raw, in a class below Leeds and incapable of occupying United’s half.
Paddy Kenny did not touch the ball until he fielded a header from Lee Peltier in the 28th minute.
Pomurje’s keeper, Jaka Safer, was inevitably exposed, struggling badly with his kicking and beaten after 10 minutes when Noel Hunt turned his marker inside out and unselfishly set up Matt Smith.
Smith’s third goal in two games was given to him on a plate, a simple tap-in from five yards.
And so it continued with an otherwise lenient referee disallowing two further efforts in quick succession.
White’s volley on the half-hour came back off a post with Safer beaten and Hunt added to Smith’s effort five minutes before the interval when he guided a hanging header across Safer and into the far corner of the net.
The first half gave United’s recent signing, Luke Murphy, an easy introduction on his full debut and scope to make Leeds tick.
His passing was neat, tidy and telling on occasions. One spell of pressure in which the midfielder controlled possession ended with Safer punching Smith’s header off his line. For the second time in a week, Smith had enough near-misses to bank a hat-trick.
For all the changes made by McDermott at the start of the second half, Leeds were too slick and too animated to give Pomurje peace. McCormack teed-up chances for Varney and Ross Killock with free-kicks which deserved to be buried and Pomurje’s first shot on target on 55 minutes trickled into the gloves of Alex Cairns.
The hosts’ fatigue was kicking in again when Dominic Poleon ran free 11 minutes later and thrashed a sharp, 20-yard shot under the left hand of Matej Andrejc and the referee’s assistant took pity when Damjan Grah pulled a goal back from a position miles beyond offside. It was Pomurje who toiled on a balmy evening.
A heavy rainstorm around 4pm created humid, sticky conditions for a group of Leeds players who were put through training by McDermott at their base outside Ptuj yesterday morning, eight hours before kick-off.
“It’s no holiday,” said the Leeds boss.
McCormack said: “The training’s been tough but it’s been good.
“We’re not just running round a pitch for the sake of it which is sometimes what you get in pre-season.
“Everything’s to the clock and everything seems to have a point to it. You can tell it’s tailored to getting the best out of us when the season comes.
“Our training’s set-up every single day and it’s so professional.
“It’s obvious that every session and all the work we’ve done has been planned well in advance. You’re not going through the motions or doing lots of running just because it’s pre-season and that’s what people usually do.
“It’s far more thought-out than that - which isn’t always the case.”
Pomurje XI (first half): Safer, Banfi, Smolkovic, Slavic, Matjasec, Leposi, Zerdin, Kerec, Roposa, Trstenjak, Mauko. (Second half): Andrejc, Recek, Kuzmanouski, Bagari, Grah, Mlihovic, Smodis, Janza, Tkalec (c), Godvajs, Vori.
Leeds United (first half): Kenny, Peltier, Lees, Pugh, Taylor, Norris, Green, Murphy, White, Smith, Hunt. (Second half): Cairns, Thompson, Killock, Pearce, Warnock, Brown, Tonge, Drury, McCormack, Varney, Poleon.