FA Carling Premiership Game 31: Saturday 03 April 1999 Leeds United 3 - 1 Nottingham Forest (Half-time: 1 - 0) Crowd: 39645 Referee: P Alcock (Halstead)
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vs Nottingham Forest - Nick Allen

Well 7 out of 7 and well done to the lads, cos Forest are a top bollocks side.

But seriously, this was a truly awful game of football. Forest are absolutely clueless, and us... well I don't know about not getting into fourth gear we hardly got out of reverse. Passing was going anywhere but to a Leeds man, we were second to most tackles - sometimes arriving even later than Palmer - shooting was woeful, when we got near enough to shoot... to tell you the truth the biggest problem looked like we just couldn't be arsed - either that or we thought that we only had to turn up.

The biggest problem on the day was Woodgate at right back - granted he had absolutely no cover down that wing, generally there was no tackling in midfield - but he isn't a right back, he hasn't got the positional sense to play there, and everything that they achieved came down our right.

Storming game of the day was Wetherall, who was huge, stopping everything, thunderous tackles, towering headers, and even enough confidence to the ball simply but effectively out of defence.( You don't know how much pleasure it gives me to type that.)

They could easily have got a couple of goals in the first half - after a game of head tennis in the box one of their forwards tried to loop a header back over the advancing Martyn, into the far corner, somehow, Nige twisted jumped backwards and caught the thing, after it was well over his head and on the way in. The second was when Lucas was caught having his one-per-game fanny around on the half way line, bloke threaded the ball into the middle for his teammate to have a clear run on goal, only for him to shoot straight at Nige - even then Nige managed to spoon it over his shoulder, and had to go scrambling back to get it at the second attempt.

Smith had a good effort on the half hour, spinning past a couple of defenders into the box on the inside left, hit a low early shot, that beat Crossley but hit the post.

Our goal came out of nothing. Harte rolled the ball into Jimmy's feet in the centre circle, he spun off his man letting the ball run across him, and set off for goal. Feinted his way past another defender 20 yards out, and let one fly - bloody hell did he thump this. The keeper never moved until it hit the back of the net.

I didn't think we deserved to be up at half time, but I was happy.

The second half started with a bit of pressure from them, when a break down their left lead to their left back finding a huge gap down the inside left, running on to a flick, finished well from the edge of the box, lashed it inside Martyn's far post. Nothing Nige could do - but where was the defence?

We did get fairly comfortably back on top for the rest of the game, without ever really dominating.

2-1 : 25 yards out, free kick, central. They stick a bloke on the post that Jimmy always aims at, so Harte lashes it into the the opposite top corner - classic.

3-1. Corner on the left, to the back post, Woodgate heads back in to the 6 yard box, where Smith is unmarked, flying volley into the roof of the net.

Only two other things of note - Smith chasing a ball over the top managed to do both the keeper and the Chalf, by shoving the defender into the goalie, and then nearly score from the follow up - he's a nasty piece of work.

And Palmer got sent off - ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

POINTS:
MARTYN -7- pretty cool, good saves at important times.
WOODGATE -4- no cover, but a mare nonetheless
WETHERALL -8- MOTM the rock
RADEBE -7- all the usual high quality stuff, plus a cock up
HARTE -7- another very sound game, plus another cracking goal.
HOPKIN -5- tried but not up to it at top level. Passing woeful
BOWYER -7- looked tired - again took all the punishment, especially from the evil Carlton.
RIBEIRO -6- generally quiet, a little off the pace, but a few sublime balls
KEWELL -7- abetter game than recently.
SMITH -6- quiet, nice finish
HASSELBAINK -7- not quite the heights of last week, but a hell of a strike for the goal.

Crowd - almost full, mainly asleep.

Saturday seems a long time away - Mike Sewell

But a few comments on what went on.

1. We didn't play very well, but we have players who can turn games in seconds - like the only ten seconds of really good play in the first half when we hit the post and then when JFH took it upon himself to change the game. One of two great strikes, Harte's free kick was excellent. Then a goal from a corner too - when was the last time that happened? Sheff Weds at home? Not a great performance but good enough.

2. He's fat, he's round, he's taking Forest down. Chuckle.

3. Kev the King is obviously a most influential man. Last week he asked why Ribeiro wasn't in the team over Korsten or MacPhail. On Saturday DOL let Bruno show us exactly why he is deservedly down the pecking order. We lacked width to an extent that we hadn't since Bruno last started for us. He always turns inside, usually onto his weaker foot. His passing and movement are so deliberate as to make Hoppo look slickly Premiership standard. And he doesn't give the LB the cover and help with double teaming that he should. He's also nowhere near as good as Korsten running at defenders or playing one-twos with talented forwards. If he wants to leave and we can get a decent price, then maybe he should be let go.

4. It was a good game for Alfie Haaland. In his absence, we lacked pace and width down the right. Without the extra options he gives us, we too often ended up trying to run through a crowd of defenders. Woodgate did alright defensively, but lacked confidence going forward except for one rasping shot that was deflected over the bar. Even then he'd come infield.

5. This may not please his many admirers, but am I the only one to think that if we have a profligate striker whose return is way lower than it should be it isn't Da Rev's pet scapegoat but Kewell? For a player of his undoubted talent he doesn't score enough goals. Once again he made life easy for the keeper when through one on one. He needs to work on his finishing.

6. Nice free-kicks worked on the training ground, shame about Bowyer's finish.

7. Hopkin worked hard and looked like a good squad player to have on the bench/fill in for absentees. He has come on under DOL but I don't think he'll ever be quite good enough to be first choice in a really top quality side.

8. Carlton. How many times have we seen refs mistake his clumsiness for malice as a runner goes sprawling? It made me quite nostalgic. Then Adie wondered whether Voice had already left.

9. If it hasn't already been mentioned, did anyone in the thermos and blanket zone get a good view of the fracas near the end where one of theirs went down claiming a headbutt or some such?

10. scores:
Martyn 8
Woodgate 6 Not a full-back.
Lucas 6 One or two howlers in the first half.
Wetherall 6 Not his fault, but its the way we play now.
Harte 7 Fine goal, tried to get forward, not helped by Bruno.
Bowyer 7 ok, still avoiding bookings.
Hopkin 7 ok.
Bruno 4 ruins our movement and width. Poor.
Smith 7 worked hard. Took his goal well.
JFH 8 Changed the game with the goal, lots of work off the ball.
Kewell 7 Copes well with double teaming, poor finishing.
Jones - not on long enough, did provide width on the right.

O'Leary plays down record run - Daniel Taylor

Copy from Football Unlimited of 04/04/1999.

David O'Leary certainly learned fast. Only a few months into the cut and thrust of top-flight management the Irishman was propelled alongside Don Revie into the history books as Leeds recorded their seventh successive victory despite a performance hardly reminiscent of the glory days at Elland Road.

For long periods Leeds made heavy work of disposing with the Premiership's Wooden Spoon club before emerging with a scoreline that was harsh on opponents who had Carlton Palmer sent off in stoppage time, and now seem destined to tumble through the relegation trapdoor.

© Guardian Media Group plc

Seven-up Leeds fail to fizz - Daniel Taylor

Copy from Football Unlimited of 04/04/1999.

For all David O'Leary's wide-eyed innocence, he is nobody's mug. While the romantics have been heralding a return to the Leeds glory years, their manager remains a realist in the wave of a euphoria engulfing Elland Road.

Victory against a Nottingham Forest side already on the mailing list for next season's copy of the Nationwide League A-Z ensured O'Leary a coveted berth alongside Don Revie by equalling the seven-match winning run established by the original Leeds trail-blazers during their triumphant 1973-74 campaign.

© Guardian Media Group plc

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