I thought it was a good 0-0 to watch as I thought it was only us that looked like scoring.It seemed easier to contain Leeds than the chaos football played under their previous manager.Where are all the Joel Ward knockers? I thought he was fantastic last night and obviously PV rates him highly to play him on his wrong side as well.Our two centre backs are silky smooth and touch wood seem to be non injury prone due to their great reading of threats and as so rarely need to be diving in with last ditch tackles, except one example from Anderson on the half way line last night.If we can keep CG next season and bring in a couple of players next year to improve our play in the final third of the pitch we will be winning tight games like this next season.

Watching it live I thought Mateta had lobbed the keeperand that it was cleared off the line.
However,in watching the replay on TV the effort was off target anyway when the defender cleared the ball.
In the early stages of the game it looked as if Mateta had the beating of the central defenders for pace and we got some joy from balls into the channels.
For some reason we stopped playing these passes.

An improved performance from the Newcastle game. We were at em from the start and looked like the most likely to score. Eze showed a few glimpses of his former pre injury self but still seems to lack sharpness. Good to see Olise get half an hour, Ayew is probably better at tracking back and hustling but when it comes to attacking he lacks Olises ability to make something magic happen. Plenty of chances to score .... on another day one would have gone in.

I think you are right there Willo, if I have one criticism of Mateta it is his movement inside the box, it does not suit his position in the team IMHO.

There are usually a few times, as there were yesterday, when you do question why he moves as he does.

One in particular for me was in the second half, we'd worked the ball out to the right quite well and Wilf had the opportunity to put one in, as he did. Now, you can blame the midfield and others for not supporting but strangely Mateta was the only player in the box and ran towards the near post with Wilfs decent looking cross inevitably going over his head and to nobody. The instinct was to blame Wilf for crossing aimlessly but Mateta, being the Centre Forward (+ 6ft3" ) and only player in the box, ran to a position that was nigh impossible to score from, which I found very odd (and irritating).

I distinctly remember on numerous occasions overhearing forwards being told, and this has been echoed by many in the professional game down the years, that Strikers should aim to always be 'between the sticks' when the ball is coming into the box. If you are forever lurking beyond the back post or running past the near, you are far less likely, if at all, to score.

Edited by Nicholas91 (26 Apr 2022 9.42am)

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!

If we continue to play with one CF and we buy Nketiah, is that with Mateta and Plange enough for the one position, Plange is supposed to be an AJ type, whether he is ready yet is another point, i am very surprised the PV hasn't used more U23 players on the bench

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn

He won’t all the time we still need points, once we’re mathematically safe we might see a couple, which the way we’re going will be the last game against Man U