Liverpool Res 0 Leeds Res 1 (Sep 27 2005)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL RES 0 Leeds Res 1

Report by Peter Schulz at the Racecourse Ground

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-1 Venue - The Racecourse Ground Date - Tue 27 Sep 2005 Star Man - Miki Roque

 

 

 

 

 

Harry Kewell made his long awaited comeback, coming on as a substitute with half an hour to go last night but he failed to inspire the reds’ second string, as his former club Leeds United came away from the Racecourse Ground happy with a 1-0 win courtesy of a Simon Walton goal on 15 minutes.

Dave Raven captained a young side which had made 3 changes from last week’s victory over Wolves. Adam Hammill, Jack Hobbs and Danny Guthrie replaced Darren Potter, Antonio Barragan and Lee Peltier. Potter was in the first team squad for Chelsea, Barragan is injured and Peltier was dropped to the bench.

Despite loud ramblings from a couple of drunken Leeds fans behind the press area, it was Liverpool that started the more comfortable side as Guthrie turned a shot wide and forward Ramon Calliste could count himself unlucky to see the offside flag go up as he raced through on goal. Being sat right in line with the back four I thought the decision rather strange.

The first real chance of the night came on 10 minutes, and fell to Austrian forward Bezian Idrizaj, who miscontrolled a pass and saw the ball somehow go between his legs and into his own path. He fired in a shot from about 15 yards, but the Leeds keeper reacted well and saved. Only a few minutes after that, Leeds won a freekick on their right some 35 yards from goal. The inswinging ball took a deflected and would have gone in if Paul Willis hadn’t made a wonderful stop to keep it out at his far post. The rebound, however, fell to Simon Walton who had snuck up from the back for the free kick and he coolly slotted it home from 10 yards out.

That was the first time Leeds had been in the Liverpool area. Walton has been linked with the reds in the past and on tonight’s evidence, he is a very strong defender. The goal seemed to be the tonic that Leeds needed, but Liverpool simply couldn’t get any flow in their passing and it was only through individual pieces of skill that anything was created at all. Left winger Adam Hammill beat his man on a couple of occasions only to move inside where he would soon be surrounded by 4 or 5 defenders with Whitbread, Calliste or Idrizaj screaming for a pass that never came.

Leeds could easily have been 2-0 up on 28 minutes when centre back Danny O’Donnell’s attempted back pass was blocked by the Leeds forward who then ran through on goal. His snapshot from the right was neatly saved by Willis. By this time the reds were seeing less and less of the ball and a few mistakes were creeping in here and there. It was obvious the young Liverpool side was getting a bit frustrated that they had created only Idrizaj’s earlier chance.

A few minutes later, Calliste threaded a pass through to the Austrian who was tackled outside the area. The rebound fell kindly to Adam Hammill whose right footed curler went about a yard high and wide. That was about it from the reds in the first half as Leeds rarely looked troubled by Liverpool’s forward line. It was obvious changes needed to be made at half time, and they were. Godwin Antwi and James Smith replaced Bezian Idrizaj and Zak Whitbread.

The reds again started off more brightly and a cross from Guthrie - who was now enjoying a bit of space down the right wing - found Antwi at the edge of the box but he miscued his shot and it bounced harmlessly towards the corner flag. At this stage the passing was much better and there seemed to be more willingness to make runs for the player in possession. Liverpool looked much more positive and you could sense that if we got a goal, Leeds were there for the taking.

Calliste nearly went through but opted for a shot when he should perhaps have looked up to see Antwi racing forward in a better position. The shot was blocked. Then Guthrie got the ball and nutmegged a defender before teeing up Raven to cross it to Hammill. The winger had found space on the dge of the box, but headed well wide. That was to be Hammill’s last real involvement in the game as he was replaced by Harry Kewell a few moments later.

The long awaited comeback raised loud boos from the drunken Leeds fans that had made the journey, although I hope none of them actually drove themselves. The introduction of the Australian we thought would be a like for like swap at left wing, but we thought wrong. Instead of playing Kewell in his normal position, Calliste was told to go to the left wing with Kewell operating behind Antwi up front. After a few minutes, Guthrie and Calliste were told to swap wings. So in reality, three players were now playing out of position and two of them simply to accommodate Harry Kewell as a striker. Needless to say, the reds’ play suffered immediately and Leeds again looked on top. It really was a strange decision by McAuley and Herrera. Surely, Kewell would have been better off on the left?

15 minutes from the end, Kewell was involved in sending Guthrie through on the left hand side. His cutback saw Antwi opt for a side footed shot, but the keeper had no problems saving at his far post. Only a minute later, David Raven found space on the right and he powered in a brilliant low shot from 25 yards, but unfortunately for the captain the Leeds keeper managed to palm it away past the post. It would have been some goal.

By now, Leeds were content to sit back and let Liverpool try and create openings. It was just that the reds couldn’t. Instead, Paul Willis was forced into a great save following a shot from just outside the box. It looked goal bound, in fact the Leeds fans were already on their feet celebrating, but Willis somehow managed to get his fingertips on it and deflect it wide.

Kewell then got a half chance deep in stoppage time when the Leeds defence missed Willis' huge clearance, but as the ball dropped from the sky he mis-hit it completely and with the ball trickling over the line for a goal kick, you could hear the relief mixed with the jeers from the Leeds supporters behind us.

It is a worry for the reserves side that they seem so spoilt for choice at centre back that the management is having to accommodate one at left back (Whitbread), one in attack (Antwi) and one in central midfield (Hobbs). It showed.

Game over and the good run of form for the reserves had been ended by a young Leeds side. Overall it was a very disappointing and no one really stood out. In fact, I was ready to give the Star Man award to whoever had had the guts to go and punch any of the Leeds fans behind us, but sadly, no one did as Dave, Tore and I were afraid they’d kick our collective arses. They were pretty big like, and that was just the women. As they left the ground one of them told us to make sure we write something nice about the Leeds supporters. So let's see.... well one of them had nice shoes.

It was tight but in the end I settled for Miki Roque as Star Man. He was very solid at the back alongside the shakier Danny O’Donnell. Roque isn’t the tallest of defenders, but he jumps well and didn’t shirk a challenge all night. Decent performances were also had by David Mannix who was his usual tidy self in the middle of the park and David Raven at right back. Mannix wasn’t involved in much going forward, but his passing is always spot on.

After the game a group of 3 or 4 kids were patiently waiting for Harry Kewell to come out and give them his autograph. When he finally did come out to board the bus he walked straight past them without stopping. Surely, the rest of the team wasn't that desperate to get home? In his defence, perhaps there was a Big Mac and Large Fries waiting for him on the bus?


Team: Willis; Raven, Roque, O'Donnell, Whitbread (Smith); Guthrie, Mannix, Hobbs, Hammill (Kewell); Calliste, Idrizaj (Antwi):