|
September 16, 2002
(Monday)
Woodgate outshines
Rio
WHEN Terry Venables
was finally forced to accept defeat and wave
goodbye to Elland Road darling Rio Ferdinand he did so knowing that
within his ranks he had a ready-made replacement.
The obvious disappointment at losing the best defender in the
Premiership was offset by the fact that Leeds had in reserve a player
who was, potentially, on a par with their fleeing favourite.
And on an afternoon when Ferdinand was expected to take centre-stage,
it was perhaps ironic that the man who ultimately replaced him ¡V
Jonathan Woodgate ¡V should take the plaudits.
His display ultimately ensured it was a miserable return to West
Yorkshire for Ferdinand. Keeping the Red Devils at bay he provided
the perfect launching pad for Leeds's second-half assault.
Harry Kewell's free header was the icing on the cake as Leeds
banished five years without a win against the old enemy and left a
defeated Ferdinand to make a miserable trip back across the Pennines.
It could easily have been so different for him and his new club,
however. In a first half dominated by the Reds, it was only the
brilliance of Woodgate which kept the Leeds defence together. Not so
much through screaming and shouting at his colleagues, but through
doing his job to the most immaculate standard possible. Taking on the
role of conductor - leading a struggling team through to half-time.
Questions were raised as to whether Woodgate could ever recover from
his two years of uncertainty. On Saturday he provided the answers
which Venables always knew he was capable of supplying.
He has lost nothing during that protracted time away from the game.
The deceptive pace, the perfect timing of a tackle and the supremacy
in the air are all still within his armoury. Add in the cool and
composed way in which he goes about his job and it all adds up to
something close to the ultimate defender.
At Newcastle last Wednesday Woodgate went the entire 90 minutes
without giving away a foul. It is a phenomenal feat considering the
immense pressure that his side were under throughout that match.
Saturday's first-half display was almost an exact repeat. Manchester
United, coming into the game without the injured Roy Keane, Paul
Scholes, Juan Veron and Gary Neville, started much the better against
a Leeds side which looked to be suffering the ill-effects of that
trip to the North East.
Playing a 4-4-2 system with Alan Smith out on the right side of
midfield, Leeds looked tired. The front men, Harry Kewell and Mark
Viduka ¡V so impressive in midweek ¡V were losing possession too often
and too easily.
If it had not been for Woodgate, with a little help from goalkeeper
Paul Robinson, then the visitors could so easily have roared into a
lead which Leeds simply would not have overhauled.
His defensive vision denied Ole Gunnar Solskjaer twice, Ruud van
Nistelrooy once and his over-the-shoulder kick on the line to clear
Ryan Giggs's glancing header was sublime.
With Dominic Matteo struggling with a knee injury, Leeds found
themselves stacking the sandbags as wave after wave of the red tide
came crashing in on their goal.
Dutchman van Nistelrooy was denied by a smart Robinson save, Nicky
Butt too was kept out by the young England goalkeeper as Manchester
United were handed the space in midfield to conjure and create at
will.
While Woodgate was under the cosh, Ferdinand was having a strange
afternoon at the other end. On more than one occasions did the
world's most expensive defender seem to lose his concentration and
allow Leeds more space than they should.
The Leeds supporters had heeded Terry Venables's request to back the
team and not to go over the top in their 'welcome' for Ferdinand and
the atmosphere within Elland Road was certainly impressive ¡V
especially when Leeds came out for the second half with more purpose
and belief.
A tactical switch saw Leeds revert to a 4-3-3 with Smith pushed up to
support the front two. Lucas Radebe and Eirik Bakke came on for the
injured Matteo and Nick Barmby and the new faces added to a much-
improved second-half display.
Smith took control with a typically snarling, determined performance
and Leeds forgot their first-half inhibitions.
The midfield started winning battles, the forwards caused more menace
and other than one effort from van Nistelrooy which was excellently
saved by Robinson, Manchester United never got a look in.
Kewell's goal, running in on Ian Harte's cross to nod a free header
past Fabien Barthez, sparked joyful scenes around the famous old
stadium. Thoughts of retribution for Rio eased and the party started
early.
Venables was delighted that the supporters had heeded his words and
concentrated on backing the team rather than senselessly attacking
the Manchester United defender.
He was quick to thank the fans and praise his side for what he
described as a terrific second-half display.
"I felt that we had been mullered at half-time," he said. "The lads
had taken something of a battering and I was very concerned, but we
changed things and it made us by far the better side in the second
half.
"I think that was by far Woody's best game for us. He was terrific
and really got us through until half-time when I knew we needed to
change things around. He is in wonderful form at the moment.
"I asked for the fans to support the team and they did that. I was
delighted, they created a very good atmosphere right from the very
start. Nobody wanted Rio to leave the club, not me or the fans, but
he got an opportunity and we lost an opportunity, there is no point
in going on about it."
After watching Woodgate and co perform so admirably without him,
maybe, just maybe, the Leeds supporters will now accept that there is
indeed life after Rio.
¡@
Next
article: Ready for that long career
Previous
article:
Woodgate overshadows "stand-in" Rio
<< Back to New and Articles
¡@
¡@
|
