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Match Report: Leeds United 1-0 Sheffield W - Workmanlike Whites down Wednesday
Saturday, 25th Feb 2017 22:41 by @LucasMonk_

Leeds United emerged victorious in what was a climacteric encounter of few chances against South Yorkshire and playoff rivals Sheffield Wednesday in Saturday's early kick-off, with a solitary goal from Chris Wood proving decisive for Garry Monk’s charges.

The reverse fixture in August, which saw Leeds run out as comfortable 2-0 victors at Hillsborough, was absent from forecasts of what may occur in this match.

As just over 35,000 fans clamoured to see two fabled footballing institutions, both vying for a playoff berth come May, do battle upon the hallowed turf of Elland Road, the vast majority of observers were doubtless confident in their view ahead of kick-off that the game would be a highly competitive one; contested amidst the deafening roars of zealous supporters.

And so it proved, as one can deduce from the scoreline, a far closer affair than August’s meeting between the two sides. With a total of 38 fouls committed by both sides, the awarding of a contentious penalty (one which was saved), and the netting of an imperative goal that was celebrated with great gusto and fervour by the adoring home contingent, this match, despite chances proving a rarity, still warranted intrigue.

Courtesy of Wood’s strike - the New Zealand international’s 22nd of what has been a profuse campaign in front of goal for him - Leeds rise up to fourth in the Championship table. Not only have the Whites overtaken Reading (in addition to enlarging the aperture between themselves and Fulham), United have also now bettered their entire points tally for the previous season, in which they finished 13th. A fitting exemplification, many would declare, of the club’s immeasurable progression on the field, instigated by the virtuoso management of Garry Monk.

United’s next opponents are Birmingham City, who are at present, coached by the former Cagliari and Watford manager Gianfranco Zola. The game is scheduled to take place next Friday, with the match being broadcast on Sky Sports.

Team Lineups

Leeds United (4-2-3-1) - Green; Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Berardi; O’Kane (Vieira 83’), Bridcutt; Sacko (Roofe 71’), Hernandez (Dallas 86’), Doukara; Wood.

Unused Substitutes: Silvestri, Cooper, Barrow, Pedraza.

Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2) - Westwood; Hunt, Sasso, Loovens, Fox (McManaman 45’); Wallace, Hutchinson, Abdi (Bannan 68’), Reach; Rhodes (Fletcher 68’), Forestieri.

Unused Substitutes: Wildsmith, Palmer, Semedo, Winnall.

First-Half

The hosts began proceedings, shooting toward the Elland Road Kop, and they made a sprightly start to the match, with Eunan O’Kane’s adventurous through ball on four minutes being intercepted with Glenn Loovens making a crucial defensive intervention.
The opening period of match saw both sides move the ball with purpose and urgency, but such was the defensive coherence of both sides, the next tangible foray forward from either side arose on 17 minutes. Fleet-footed winger Hadi Sacko, who had displaced Stuart Dallas in the starting lineup for this match, despite the latter scoring United’s equaliser in a recent draw with Ipswich Town, played the ball through the legs of opposing left-back Morgan Fox before crossing low and eliciting a sharp save from Wednesday ‘keeper Keiren Westwood to avert the danger.

The visitors would then be presented with a set-piece in a threatening position, after a Gaetano Berardi was deemed to have impeded Jordan Rhodes on the right channel. Ross Wallace, so oft the deliverer of his side’s set-pieces, curled the ball into the box, left-footed. However, in lieu of mustering an effort on target, French defender Vincent Sasso glanced his header wide of the mark, much to the frustration of the travelling supporters.

The winner of the aforementioned set-piece, Rhodes, was the next player to attempt to open the game’s scoring just two minutes later. Often a thorn in the side of Leeds United, the inaccurate and wild effort that followed his initial turn was inevitably met with satirical jeers from the home crowd.

And then shortly afterward, came forth Chris Wood, who demonstrated precisely why he is one of the most prolific forwards in the country at present with his 22nd goal of the season. A laser-guided cross from Gaetano Berardi on the left flank evaded Sasso before arriving at the feet of the unmarked Wood, who promptly gobbled up the chance with surgical precision, and with much aplomb too.

Despite the futile, and rather forlorn protestations of the Sheffield Wednesday players, the goal stood, and so the hosts had established a slender advantage.

The beleaguered visitors sought to conjure up a brisk response, with a neat interchange of passes culminating in Fernando Forestieri attempting to burst through on goal, only to be halted at the last by a hefty, but impeccably timed sliding challenge on the part of Pontus Jansson.

In the 33rd minute, Leeds could, and in truth should, have extended their lead. Cleared long was a Sheffield Wednesday corner, and so Leeds counter-attacked, 3 on 2, with Wood having found Sacko on the left. On the Frenchman ran, ignoring pleas for a pass, and out the ball rolled. Had heedless Hadi demonstrated a greater deal of incision, or any at all for that matter, the hosts would most certainly have been in a position of much comfort.

The last opportunity of note for either side in this half arose on 36 minutes. A Wallace cross from the right was deflected into the path of Wednesday’s talisman, but the diminutive attacker could only leather a volley harmlessly over the crossbar.

HT - Leeds United 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday - Wood 23’
There was one change to speak of at the break; for the visitors. Morgan Fox, who had, due to his incompetence, endured a torrid 45 minutes in the company of the profligate Sacko, was replaced by Callum McManaman. Adam Reach thus moved to left-back, with McManaman tasked with causing difficulty for United’s Luke Ayling, as a left-winger.

Second-Half

As Leeds had begun the first period, it was the right of the visitors to kick-off second-half proceedings. With a mere seven minutes of second-half action elapsed, the hosts would see impassioned appeals for a penalty kick disregarded by referee Michael Jones as Sam Hutchinson appeared to have illegally felled Eunan O’Kane inside the penalty area.

The referee then gave further cause for contention by awarding the visitors a penalty just two minutes later. Souleymane Doukara was judged to have impeded Hutchinson, who had no qualms about throwing himself to the floor in what could only be described as a desperate, theatrical attempt to cheat the hosts out of their hard-earned lead.

Up stepped Jordan Rhodes, who has, over the years, been a perennial thorn in the side of Leeds United. But not on this occasion; his right-footed spot-kick saved by a defiant Rob Green, who dived to his left and turned the ball onto the post before the ball was promptly cleared to safety.

United were made to wait a little while for their next venture into the territory of their opponents, and in the 65 minute, Eunan O’Kane came agonisingly close to scoring his inaugural goal for the club. On the right, Pablo Hernandez found Luke Ayling who proceeded to cross, firm and low, into the penalty area. The visitors held firm and cleared, but only as far as O’Kane, who lashed a venomous effort marginally wide of the mark.

In the 73rd minute, Leeds would again go close to doubling their advantage. Substitute Kemar Roofe, in search of a third goal in United’s illustrious white since joining from Oxford in the summer, failed to capitalize on defensive quandary on Wednesday’s part as his effort was deflected wide from close proximity.

Perhaps in a state of psychological affliction, the visitors did not register another attempt for goal until the 81st minute. Substitute Barry Bannan, who formerly sported Leeds colours in a loan spell in the 2010-11 season, saw a fiercely struck effort from all of 30 yards narrowly bounce with of Green’s left-hand post.

And that effort proved to be Wednesday’s last. Leeds negotiated the remainder of the match in resolute fashion, and though they were inundated with opposition crosses, each of them were cleared to safety by an impervious back line.

FT - Leeds United 1-0 Sheffield Wednesday

A competent and workmanlike performance from United, who emerged victorious in a climacteric clash of few chances.
Man Of The Match

Luke Ayling

WhoScored Match Rating: 8.5

Touches: 79

Aerial Duels Won: 2

Tackles Won: 6

Interceptions: 2

Clearances: 9

The right-back is a diligent professional and a thoroughly spirited player, and his commitment to the cause was exemplary as not once did the opposition have the beating of him. Once more, Ayling paid the greatest attention to his defensive duties and thus played an integral role in his side’s victory.

Media: The victorious Garry Monk and losing head coach Carlos Carvahal:

Garry Monk, speaking to the BBC:

"We were playing a very good side in Sheffield Wednesday. I thought they put some pressure on but we dealt with it extremely well.

"I can't remember them having any shots on goal apart from the penalty so that was very pleasing.

"The pressure that's there to win these types of games, both teams on the same points, a derby game. I thought we handled the pressure really well today and I'm very pleased with the players."

Carlos Carvahal, also speaking to the BBC:

"We didn't lose today because we didn't try. We fought a lot and created a big chance with the penalty.

"We win together and we lose together. The responsibility is not too any one player.

“Individual mistakes are part of the game and we must understand them. It is normal in football."

Match Statistics and Facts

Stats - (Leeds/Sheffield W)

Possession - 48% / 52%

Pass Success - 76% / 73%

Aerial Success - 44% / 56%

Shots - 6 / 10

On Target - 1 / 1

Tackles - 17 / 8

Fouls - 18 / 14

Corners - 2 / 5

Referee - Michael Jones.

Booked - Jansson, Bridcutt, O’Kane., Doukara, Wood (Leeds). Sasso, Wallace (Sheffield W).

Attendance - 35,093.

Writer’s Verdict

A thoroughly dutiful and workmanlike performance; one of commitment and competence. The threat posed by Sheffield Wednesday was conspicuous to us all, but said threat was mitigated by an impervious defensive block comprised of consummate professionals.

In lieu of crumbling under the rigours of sizable expectation, United rose to the occasion, in an admittedly divergent manner than perhaps they did in their masterly defeat of Derby County last month, but rise they did nonetheless. Still present in this particular performance was the energy and ardour possessed by this vibrant union of talent, if not the flair, the verve, and the vivacity that they displayed on that bitterly cold January night.

Indeed, it was the valiant rear guard who performed most efficiently on this occasion. Robert Green is a goalkeeper blessed with a wealth of experience, both domestically and internationally, while the defenders in front of him hold common virtues. Gaetano Berardi, Pontus Jansson, Kyle Bartley, and Luke Ayling, are all players with a commendable temperament, each of them willing to die for the cause if need be, blocking, heading, and clearing - masterfully and consistently. If United are to send seismic shockwaves, one that will reverberate around the country for many months, throughout English football by reclaiming old glories and their Premier League status, it will be the contributions of the defensive that will prove decisive.
For all Chris Wood’s brilliant endeavour and goalscoring prowess, the vast majority of United’s victories this season have been founded upon defensive solidity and a canny ability to recycle possession to lethal effect, without which, Wood’s goals would be of little value.

Photo: Action Images



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