Wednesday 10 November 2010

Conclusions from Sheffield United

Leicester
2-2
Sheffield United
(HT 1-2)
Gallagher 8
Howard 90+2 (p)

Yeates 30, 41



  • Sven's unbeaten run continues. The Swedish charmer can carry on doing whatever he's doing, because it's working. And not just on results; the players seem happy and contented, the fans optimistic and the Walkers is once again glowing with pride.
  • Goals change games, as Carl Muggleton did not need to remind listeners to BBC Radio Leicester after the Blades grabbed the lead. Leicester outplayed Sheffield United and had a certain swagger about the way in which we were playing the ball around the park. Perhaps it was that cocky air that saw the lead slip in the first half, but what is certain is that a dodgy penalty robbed a point from the team who never really looked like they should have been ahead.
  • Our luck may be about to change. Well, would you ever have expected a dodgy penalty would have rescued a point? Certainly not a month ago, when everything seemed to go against the Foxes - be it offsides, goal-line decisions, penalty shouts or otherwise. Tonight we got that penalty and we scored it, proving that Lady Luck sometimes has to be with you in football for your efforts to pay-off.



Winners
Mark Yeates
Not a bad night be the ex-Leicester man. He crowned a simple move to deliver the equaliser and was solely responsible for a peach of a free-kick that saw Sheffield United take the lead. He was an absolute class above tonight, only marred in the way in which he gave away the last-gasp penalty to concede two points for his current side.

Paul Gallagher
An epic piece of brilliance once more from the most skilful player on the books at the Walkers. Promises of his class have failed to show themselves all too often this season (and, indeed, for much of the last) but Gallagher is, perhaps thanks to the influence of Eriksson and Derek Fazakerly in the backroom, starting to show his worth.

Kyle Naughton
Naughton is proving to be one of the best signings made by a Leicester City manager in recent years. The very fact that he is consistently being lauded as one of our best performers after just a few games is a testament to him. He was great once again this evening, pushing forward but unlike Cunningham able to put in the work in defence at the same time. Sensational.



Losers
Jack Hobbs
The one-time skipper should have been making his return to the first XI tonight to cement his place in a now competitive squad. Instead he was at fault for the Blades' getting-back into the game, as he was sucked in to play the ball and seemed to lack his usual commanding sense of space. Although fault cannot lie solely with him and Cunningham must try to judge his forward runs more appropriately to avoid leaving the defensive line exposed, Hobbs made a few mistakes that really cost the Foxes tonight.

Greg Cunningham
As mentioned above, Cunningham's advances into the opponent's half left the back-four exposed at times, something which led to the Blades' first goal. The right-back is proving a worthy and valuable member of the team and, like Naughton, his impact in creating a positive, attack-minded team is a good one. he just needs to work on balancing his forward forays with his defensive duties, if he is to truly shine.

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