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At least Reg Varney was funny

26/8/2012

12 Comments

 

By Mark Rasdall

Picture
Some of you may remember Reg Varney as his most well-known character, Stan Butler, in 'On the Buses.' Reg was loyal and hard working but never had much luck or ever looked like being more than what he was.

I have read reports on yesterday's Leeds United away match at Peterborough United from Thomas Hill and Andrew Butterwick. Between them they cover what it was like to be a Leeds fan on an away day. I loved every bit of it too, from walking expectantly down to the game to marching away from the ground afterwards and, of course, the non-stop singing from our fantastic support of 4,000 fans throughout.

Peterborough were anything but Posh yesterday. They were ragged: devoid of ideas or effort. It was quite the worst Peterborough team I think I have ever seen. The 6,000 of their fans who made up the rest of the crowd must have feared the worst when we went 1.0 up and then 2.0 early in the second half. Another defensive error let them in briefly but it would have been an absolute travesty if we hadn't have won.

As a team we were much more up for it. As in the first two games we worked really hard and looked much more organised than last season if not actually controlling the game at any point. Defensively we looked pretty solid, apart from their goal, and Becchio and McCormack worked their socks off this time and Luciano took his goals well - especially the header for the second one.

In midfield we were big and quite tough but also went missing too often and this is where I think we'll have problems. As poor as Peterborough were yesterday they too often found themselves with time and space to set up attacks. Better sides than them with heart and imagination will capitalise on that and we'll be tested much, much more severely.

I know the situation with size of squad and very early days for new players. I also want to give everyone a chance as obviously does Neil. Diouf worked hard but is not really effective on the right and we lack a player of real creativity in midfield. If we were somehow to get a real playmaker in there, I think we could mount a promotion challenge. Poleon did well when he came on and it was fantastic to see Andy Gray in a Leeds shirt again, having not seen him since that dreadful day 16 years ago at Wembley against Aston Villa.

My biggest worry, though, is Luke Varney. I wanted to see for myself whether he was better than I initially thought. I'm afraid he was worse. He sticks quite well to his position and heads the ball effectively. However he has a dreadful touch and clearly has no real flair, preferring to argue with everyone around him just a little too much. Worse than this, though, he goes missing voluntarily. I watched him several times when we had set pieces or throw-ins in the second half. He doesn't look at the player kicking or throwing, or even go on intelligent decoy runs. He hides. He doesn't want the ball. He's obviously frightened of making a mistake or exposed for just not being that good.

I want to watch players like Luciano - not just because of the goals - but because they never stop running and want (demand) the ball whenever possible. Luke Varney doesn't. If he runs, it's like he wants to be seen to be putting in a shift (presumably to keep him in the team in these sparse times) but he never really engages unless he has to. I actually got the impression that he was a bit arrogant and thought he was deserving of a higher league, and is just doing us a favour by gifting his services to us - almost out of pity for our plight (perhaps he still thinks he's a Portsmouth player?).

I assume we'll give some players a rest against Oxford but Varney should play. He doesn't deserve a break and certainly hasn't earned the right to wear the shirt yet. Let him play against a lower league team and prove that he has a lot more to give - I for one would be delighted if this happened - otherwise we should offload him to somewhere like Peterborough where neither the players nor fans seem to care.

Reg Varney was funny but we're going to need much more than bus drivers when we hit the congestion of the winter months ahead.

12 Comments
pete woodthorpe
26/8/2012 02:37:41 am

I agree with your assessment completely. We are lacking 2 or 3 class players and if we don't manage to acquire them before end of the window or on loan in next few weeks I think it will be mid table obscurity once again. So far apart from a complete change of personnel that warnock has brought in I can't see much difference in the quality and performances from last season. We need to find some money for warnock from somewhere. Bates needs to sort it

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Andy link
26/8/2012 02:57:52 am

Mark,
It's true that Varney hasn't made an impact, yet, but slating him this early, before the team has had time to gel, is unfair. During the Wolves game, for instance, I noticed Varney finding space to set up intelligent, attacking moves out wide but he was not given the ball. Maybe this was due to him not following "the game plan" or his team mates ignoring him because, as you allege, he is arrogant and they don't like him - I doubt either is true.
For sure, Varney 'looks' like a typical alpha (arrogant) male but looks can be deceptive; masking a lack of self-belief - most, if not all, footballers are 'condidence' players and more sensitive to criticism than fans making glib comments about them realise.
With a treadbare squad, Leeds needs every player on its books performing to their highest level. Knocking individual players before the team has had time to gel is a certain way to sow the seeds of disharmony and ensure that the team never gels.
Footballers would be fools to read fans' boards, but they do! The next time Varney is in a position to score and the ball isn't put through to him the reason could well be down to your 'clever' comments.
PS Reg Varney is a good actor but if you think the embarassingly sexist comedy 'On The Buses' is funny you have a humour tumour.

Reply
Mark Rasdall
26/8/2012 06:23:11 pm

Andy

As I said, I'd be delighted if he were to prove me wrong and I do want to get behind the players, as we all did again at Peterborough. What I can't bear is when players don't really fight for the cause and I think he's going through the motions at the moment. That's nothing to do with the team gelling together, it's to do with personal commitment at the outset

Reply
Andy link
27/8/2012 02:17:47 am

Mark,
Thanks for your reply. I enjoy reading your blogs and hope that pulling you up over your remarks about Varney won’t put you off making further contributions. In this respect, you and Varney are in the same boat – if every time you and/or he say or do something that is perceived to be less than “fighting for the cause” will it have a negative influence on your/his next showing?
Varney is not the only player that has struggled to fit into Neil’s new Leeds. Aidy White is having problems; our front four in the Blackpool game went missing; and in the Peterborough match Austin and Norris hardly saw the ball. As much as we all want to get behind the team, at present it is a work in progress; it is in a delicate state and needs time to gel, without glib comment.
Had the takeover gone through, we’d have competition for every position on the pitch but we are where we are and have to make the most of it in a ‘backs to the wall’ situation. If Varney, or any other player, doesn’t realise this and isn’t prepared to “fight in the trenches”, as Neil puts it, then when the club gets funding they will be gone. In the meantime, we can only hope that the players we have gel, in half the time it takes usually for most teams to come together.

Keith
26/8/2012 06:09:55 am

I think he is one of the players who is finding it hard to adapt to playing our style which differs from his previous club. All I ask is support him through this and I'm sure he will come good
Our team needs the full backing of all fans

Reply
Paul
26/8/2012 09:12:18 am

He offers nothing other than a good leap! Afraid he appears to be our worst signing so far. His work rate against Wolves was immense but unfortunately was not carried on to the latter two games. Must up his game and stop giving away stupid free kicks .

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Colin
26/8/2012 09:47:16 am

Please give all our player's a chance to settle in, it's easy to play from your armchair, just because you did ok on championship manager you are not a better judge than Colin yet! MOT!

Reply
Mark Rasdall
26/8/2012 06:27:28 pm

Precisely why I think he should play against Oxford, Colin; if it's a confidence thing, this might help, away from league pressures? I see that Colin is openly praising Varney so perhaps he's trying to instil more confidence too - let's hope he does but now, more than at any other time, we have no room for passengers. Never played Championship Manager by the way (you can probably tell!)

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Bluesman link
26/8/2012 06:47:14 pm

Varney will come good. The boss knows what he is doing and the lads in the team will support him. Far too early to judge him. When he settles in he will be great, believe me!!

Reply
Mark Rasdall
26/8/2012 07:12:40 pm

As I said in my post, I really hope to be proved wrong and that you're right. My issue is with his commitment to our cause - neither the team nor the manager will support him if they're trying their hearts out and he isn't. I hope you and the others on here are right and I'm wrong because then we'd be firing on all cylinders.

Reply
Bobby White
26/8/2012 07:25:57 pm

I was at the Peterborough game. I agree that we need more be creative in mid-field and need to retain the ball better. If we don't get put of this league in the two seasons, we never will as I believe the parachute payments go upto 60 million after this season.

Reply
Interstellar Overdrice
26/8/2012 08:13:53 pm

"I actually got the impression that he was a bit arrogant and thought he was deserving of a higher league, and is just doing us a favour by gifting his services to us - almost out of pity for our plight (perhaps he still thinks he's a Portsmouth player?)."

An interesting read and all opinion welcome - but it falls down with this sentence. From whence did this come this "impression"?

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