Before todays game Leeds knew that a win over the Addicks would move them six points clear at the top of League One, but the Elland Road faithful had to endure a disappointing and frustrating 90 minutes as the match remained goal-less throughout.

The best chance came in the first half when Bradley Johnson’s shot forced an impressive full-stretch save from the Charlton keeper. Leeds had looked the better side early on, passing and moving well and closing down quickly. As the game went on though, Charlton began to get more of the action.

The real change in the match seemed to come when Lucciano Becchio went off injured in the first half. He was replaced by Enoch Showunmi who had an absolute mare of a game and should have been taken off just as quickly. His passing seldom reached it’s destination, his first touch was weak and clumsy and his performance as a whole will be something he’ll want to forget. 

It wasn’t just Showunmi though whose passes continually went astray. The team as a whole struggled to keep possession as the game went on, which seemed to make the players more and more frustrated and ultimately resulted in them shooting from forty yards rather than working an opening.

Casper Ankergren did little to help matters either. His goal-kicks remain truly hopeless, with a couple going straight into touch for an opposition throw. The ones that didn’t weren’t much better and rarely reached a player in white. He also remains a worry whenever the ball is crossed into the box. If he moves, he chooses to punch rather than catch which rarely relieves the danger, but even worse is when he doesn’t move at all and the defence are left to try and scramble away a ball that should have been taken care of with ease.

Overall, a cold, frustrating and disappointing day at Elland Road was had by all. The 31,000+ crowd were quiet considering their numbers and despite the Kop’s best efforts to get songs going, they rarely carried around the stadium.

Despite failing to capitalise on the “six-point” fixture today, other results have once again gone our way and we remain top of League One. We’ve actually extended our lead over the play-off places after Bristol Rovers were battered 5-1 away to Norwich.

Simon Grayson had the following to say after the game;

“Over the course of the game a draw was the right result.

“The conditions made it very hard for both teams. With the wind swirling about so much it made it hard for players to judge passes and things like that.

“I think it was always going to be a tight game because neither side wanted to lose the game and the players didn’t want to make mistakes.

“To keep a clean sheet against a team like Charlton is very pleasing too.”

I can’t disagree with anything he’s said, but he’s defintely concentrating on the positives. I suspect the players will be hearing a lot more negatives than the above. The wind conditions were poor, but they were poor for both teams and on home soil, I’d have expected a win.

TSS man of the match
Absolutely unquestionably Patrick Kisnorbo for me. Had he not been on the field today, I suspect we’d have lost the title of ‘last undefeated team in England’. So far this season we’ve conceeded just five goals and a lot of the credit for that has to go to him.