weallloveleeds.co.uk
  • Latest
  • Fixtures/Results/Table
  • Have Your Say
  • Meet the team
  • Contact Us
  • Links

Man City 4 Leeds United 0: Travels of a Leeds fan

17/2/2013

4 Comments

 

By Andrew Butterwick

Picture
Match day dawned with bright sunshine and a harsh frost covering the delights of Selby. Cup games have their own special excitement and you don't get any better than cup games against the champions of England in the their own back yard. To say I was looking forward to this one is to state the bleeding obvious. I wasn't the only one getting caught up in the heady drug of cup fever though. Platform 2 at Selby station was alive with match chatter and the reassuring hiss of cans opening despite the early hour as the extended Leeds family prepared for the assault on Manchester. The Happy Chocker, Bro Chris, Quiet One and the beer monster Jusser were with me as we clambered aboard the packed train and headed for Manchester Piccadilly.

Everybody accepted we were massive underdogs. The amount of money that City's owners have underpinned their journey from perennial under achievers to champions is eye watering even in these days of obscene salaries and transfer fees. In comparison the first player that the Blues bought when their wealthy Middle East saviours, Abu Dahbi United Group,  arrived was Robinho at a cost of £32.5m. GFH's first signing was Michael Tonge for an undisclosed fee. These harsh facts were conveniently stored in an inaccessible corner of our brains as the pre match optimism kicked in. After an epic fail for the new tram service from Piccadilly to the Etihad, they seemed to have vastly under estimated the number of fans who would use it, we caught a cab and arrived at the magnificent Etihad stadium.

Warnock had made 4 changes from the Boro game with Diouf, White, Ashdown and Austin starting in place of Morison, Green, Kenny and Norris. The 6,100 Leeds fans in the away end tingled with anticipation as the game got underway. What we needed was to hold our own for the first twenty minutes against a very strong City side but it was the home superstars who made their mark from the very first second. Leeds started nervously unable to cope with the slick pass and move play from the champions and with only 4 minutes on the clock Leeds were behind.  Silva, Aguero and Tevez all featured in the build up as the giant Ya Ya Torre sliced through the Leeds defence before rounding Ashdown and sliding the ball into the net. 1.0  City.  This could be a long afternoon I muttered to HC. The blue tidal wave continued. Tevez clipped a shot just round the post and then Silva nearly found  the net with a clever shot.  Leeds defenders didn't know whether they were coming or going and we'd only played ten minutes.

The massed ranks of Leeds fans were singing loud but with an increased sense of irony as their team succumbed to Mancini's magicians. City were 2 up on 15 minutes after Tom Lees breathed on Aguero as he went past him and ref, Clattenburg, gave a harsh penalty. He dispatched the spot kick with ease and suddenly 90 minutes seemed a hell of a long time for Leeds to play against the champions. This was men against toddlers.

The rest of the half saw a procession of blue control as City completely dominated proceedings except for one Ross Mac free kick that the home goal punched away. The irony in the Leeds songs got deeper the longer the half went on......."Michael Brown is not for sale" boomed round the Etihad followed by "You're not that special, we lose every week" and when "Stand up if you hate Man U" got an airing the whole stadium joined in.  Encouraged by the mutual singing the away fans then started the Poznan and that swung round the ground like a rumbling Mexican wave.  Leeds survived to half time with the score only 2.0.  In truth it could have been a hell of a lot more.

Hopes weren't exactly high as the second half kicked off but I did offer a token piece  of optimism.  "Well if we can nick the next goal......................."  at least that brought smiles from all around. Morison replaced Ross Mac and Norris swapped with the injured Brown.  It took only 6 minutes for City to kill the game with a third goal courtesy of Tevez. "Now this could get embarrassing" I hissed. The stats on the big screen showed we had managed only one shot on target.  At 3.0 we were sinking fast but that didn't dampen the spirits in the away end.  "Lets pretend we've scored a goal" was the next ditty followed by mass celebration then another Poznan followed by "Shoes off if you hate man U"  we might not have a very good football team but we have definitely got Premier League fans.

Leeds continued to struggle to get any sort of hold in the game.  The victories against Everton and Spurs seemed light years away as City tore Leeds apart without getting out of 2nd gear. Mr Warnock was advised to take a trip back to Cornwall by the frustrated fans.  City got a 4th in the 74th minute but the game was already gone. There wasn't a spark of hope from the Leeds team as the game limped to a 4.0 conclusion in favour of City. The Leeds players and home fans applauded the away fans at the end. At least the mauling on the pitch was taken in good humour. The walk back to the station didn't dilute the frustration in witnessing another disappointing display away from  Elland Road. City are a very talented team and would always beat Leeds if they played to their ability. The resources the Blues have at their disposal are huge and it shows on the pitch.  The resources Leeds have at their disposal are minuscule and it shows on the pitch.  Did any Leeds player stand out today? No.  A lot played to the limit of their ability and you can't ask any more than that.  It's no disgrace to lose to a team like Man City but it's hugely difficult to see a time in the near future when Leeds United will be in a position to challenge for promotion into their league let alone compete with them on level terms.

Neil Warnock was upset with the fans chanting for him to go.  My  view is that his time is up.  He's not moved the team on during his tenure if anything we've gone backwards but the lack of stability and lack
of funds off  the field are an ever burdening millstone around the neck of this club. Whoever replaces him will have the same issues until normal service is resumed off the pitch and the club returns to some sort of financial robustness.

A  strange day really. The atmosphere and banter were first class but the capitulation on the pitch was depressing. Next game up is Blackpool on Wednesday a game I will miss due to work.  Last time I missed a game we beat Stockport County away back in the League 1 days. Hope the same happens this time.

Can't wait.

MOT
4 Comments
The Pope
17/2/2013 04:37:22 pm

As a Blue I have to say you did yourselves proud. Great article and hope to see you back in the PL very soon.

Reply
yorxman
17/2/2013 05:01:27 pm

I've said this elsewhere previously that since Becchio left its the first time in 35+ years of following that Leeds don't have a single player in this squad we all look up to (Lees, Byram maybe in a few years time but will they still be here?). Even in the dark days of the 80s we had Shezza and Ian Baird who gave their heart for the fans and the white shirt. The 90s through to the demise in the early 2000s we had a squad full of players to be proud of. Then Beckford, Snoddy and Becchio did their bit too get Leeds back on the map...but now, no-one and that shows how bad things have become at ER.

Reply
bluemanc
17/2/2013 05:10:19 pm

best away fans we have had for ages at city..well done and thanks for a good laugh

Reply
Andrew Butterwick
18/2/2013 02:56:19 am

bluemanc,
Clearly I'm disappointed with the result but the banter between the two sets of fans was first class. Makes a refreshing change to have some mutual respect when we go away.........but then again you are what I would call proper fans who have experienced the highs and lows of supporting your local team.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    As featured on NewsNow: Leeds United newsLeeds United News 24/7

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    RSS Feed

    This is an image from weallloveleeds.co.uk, the leading fans site for Leeds United
    Follow @weallloveleedsu
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Latest
  • Fixtures/Results/Table
  • Have Your Say
  • Meet the team
  • Contact Us
  • Links