One Game at a Time: You’re Only Here for the Puddings
Dirty Leeds (A) FA Cup 4th Round
Another uneventful week at the Home of Football (Devon Edition) which resulted in Ian Foster extending his unbeaten run to three matches, and perhaps more importantly, getting his first three league points for a win.
With the arrivals finally outnumbering the departures in the Home Park waiting room, no shocks that no fewer than four home debuts were made with Phillips, Devine, Forshaw and Gyabi all lining up to take on the Bluebirds. Cardiff, with an injury struck side, and a manager brimming with frustration at the lack of success in the transfer window under the Chairman with the highest waistband and the worst pockets to arm length ratio (possibly except for QPR’s board), arrived with a boisterous away following. After eleven or so minutes that boisterousness overflowed as Perry Ng was the grateful recipient of an awkward and unfortunate richochet off Ash Phillips to beat Hazard from close in to give the Welsh Ovine Oglers a possibly deserved lead.
With multiple changes, and in particular an engine room driven by Leeds United past and present, it took a while for the Greens to gel. It was therefore to a cheer of relief as much as joy that, when the ball fell to Alfie Devine, the young Spurs loanee, to that point somewhat anonymous, he was able to show his quality and vision, and using Millers decoy run, fired a low cross into the fabled “corridor of uncertainty” beloved of pundits everywhere.
Hotdog was waiting and, opening his body, gave a delightfully subtle steer to the ball leaving the City custodian helpless, and the scores level.
The second half was a very different tale of two Cities. With a formation change to match up the Argyle s formation, Erul Bulut changed the game. Unfortunately for him and his team, he changed it so that Argyle began to dominate. Forshaw, having acclimatised to the new shirt colours of his teammates, began driving the team forward. Hardie, having perhaps one of his finest games for Argyle chased and harried relentlessly.
When Whittaker, one of two ex-Swans in the squad who had as much to gain as anyone from defeating their old rivals, fired a ball into Hardies feet. Back to goal, Hardie cushioned the ball and with a. touch fashioned just enough space to crash the ball high above the flailing arms of Jak Alnwick.
If the goal that gave Argyle the lead was a superb piece of individual finishing, the one that sealed the three points was a classic counter punching team goal.
Phillips brought the ball out and played a deft pass into Morgan who played a first-time simple ball to Gyabi, and span to sprint toward goal. Gyabi then laid the ball down the left where the ever-willing Hardie took the ball to the edge of the area. Unselfishly, he spotted the sprint of Whittaker, and his perfect cross was met by our very own jet-propelled Jack in the box to finish the match as a contest.
In a tight table the difference from losing to winning was a rise up the division of some six places, and of course, the chance for at least on Argyle fan to dust of his chinos and head for the seventh circle of hell that is the away seating of Elland Road and an FA Cup tie against a side that has found form in the League and now are snapping at the heels of Southampton and Ipswich for the second place promotion slot.
United have cup history, but have remarkably, given their dominance of the 1970’s where they played their only FA Cup tie against the Greens, only took the trophy back north once, in 1972. Then a Mick Jones goal won the Centenary final against Arsenal. It was therefore the holders that Argyle travelled to meet in 1973, also for a fourth-round tie. Leeds paid their visitors the compliment of a more or less full-strength side, and duly took the Lead through Alan “sniffer” Clarke. The equaliser came from former Dockyard apprentice Derek Rickard, but dreams of glory, a replay and a cup upset were swiftly snuffed out by Mick Bates hitting the winner.
That season Leeds were to march all the way back to Wembley, but there they were to fall to the inspired goalkeeping of Jim Montgomery, the predatory finishing od Ian Porterfield and the dogged defensiv work of a g Mick Horswill, later to wend his way South West for a brief stint in Argyle colours. It remains one of the greatest final shocks. ITV pundit Brian Clough predicted an easy Leeds win, a prediction second only to his branding Jan Tomaszewski, the Poland goalkeeper a clown in the match that sealed England’s world cup qualification fate for the 1974 tournament.
That game saw Poland qualify ahead of England. Tomaszewski, far from being a clown saved two penalties in the tournament as the Poles finished a creditable third. He followed that up with a. silver medal at the 1976 Olympics. Clarke was also the goalscorer in the one all draw, although an error by Norman Hunter missing a tackle led the the Polish goal. A goal that many though later to be Argyle manager Peter Shilton could have done better against. The game was to spell the end of Sir Alf Ramseys stint as England manager, and he was ultimately replaced by Don Revie, ending his spell as United boss.
Times they are a -changing. The FA Cup is now no longer the trophy it was, often used to blood reserves, or to rest players for the arduous League programme. Whilst Ian Foster has promised a full strength side for the tie, given we have three starters who are either cup-tied (Forshaw and Devine) or ineligible against their parent club (Gyabi) it remains to be seen what Foster actually thinks that side is. It will be a much-changed side from the last visit, where the 2-1 score line somewhat flattered the Greens, who were on the rack for the first half, although of course secured their traditional appalling referees decision not to gain a penalty when Mumba was tripped in the area.
Six of that squad have departed, and with Cooper and perhaps Gibson injured, the only bright spot is that Leeds have yet to experience the relentless hounding of the Hotdog.
Leeds on the other hand arrive with their own injury woes, with James and Gray both out after the midweek victory over Norwich. Farke has rested players in the previous round, and whilst avoiding defeat would match a 50-year record set by Revies men for unbeaten home starts, other injuries and a desire to rest players like Bamford and Summerville, plus the need to get minutes into normally nemch players could mean. A very different starting eleven for the home side as well.
It should also be remembered that this is a club that is more than capable of slipping up. Recent examples include a horrible away defeat at Crawley Town, a match more famous for the potential appearance of reality TV star Mark Wright for the Creepies (which eventually happened from the bench) under Marco Bielsa.
In 2017 Leeds lost to Argyles thwarted third round opponents, Sutton United, losing one nil, and allowing the then non-league Sutton to avenge their drubbing at the hands of United under Revie (covered in the FA Cup OGAAT).
And in 1971, before their sole FA Cup triumph United were humbled by the Grandads Army of Colchester United. At the confined and cramped Layer Road, Colchester, led by former Revie teammate Dick Graham, raced into a three nil lead. Graham, who made the ground even more cramped by lining the sidelines with chairs and benches, spent the week preceding practicing crosses, after Gary Sprake was perceived as weak in claiming them. The previous week he had performed poorly at Liverpool earlier in the season. Admiteddly Sprake has a reputation for being error prone, once having thrown the ball into his own net at Anfield, leading to the Liverpool match announcer playing the song “Careless Hands” when he next ran out there. Sprake was also largely culpable for the opening Chelsea goal of the 1970 Cup Final (dubbed the most violent match in British football, where a re-refereeing under modern “standards” detected no fewer than eleven red card offences). In this case a long shot from Peter Houseman squirmed out of the Welshman’s grasp, although his mishap was explained in part by the pitch having suffered from being used for the Horse of the Year Show in the week preceding.
Leeds recovered at Layer Road to 3-2, one of their goals being scored by injured Archie Grays dad, Eddie but one of the great cup upsets was delivered.
There is however a very big difference with todays game. Argyle head to Elland Road, not their happiest hunting ground, not as underdogs, but as equals. Perhaps not financially, to be sure, especially when the iniquity of Skys blanket coverage of United adds a million pounds or thereabouts to their coffers and even when Argyle gain a TV match fee in February, guess who the opponents are?
With twenty-five goals between them in the Championship Argyle boast the deadliest duo in the division In Whittaker and Hardie. Admittedly Summerville and Piroe are not far behind, but with Dan James injured and likely rotation this is not a match that Argyle need fear.
The Mighty Whites versus the Super Greens. The prize, potentially the midweek fifth round against Newport, Maidstone or one of the other upsets that United have shown can occur from time to time. History has shown that Argyle rarely make the fifth round of the oldest cup competition of the world. This current side however has shown that they don’t much care for what ought to happen. They prefer to let their results speak for themselves.
So let us see who will be first among equals.
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dirty Leeds (A) FA Cup 4th Round
Another uneventful week at the Home of Football (Devon Edition) which resulted in Ian Foster extending his unbeaten run to three matches, and perhaps more importantly, getting his first three league points for a win.
With the arrivals finally outnumbering the departures in the Home Park waiting room, no shocks that no fewer than four home debuts were made with Phillips, Devine, Forshaw and Gyabi all lining up to take on the Bluebirds. Cardiff, with an injury struck side, and a manager brimming with frustration at the lack of success in the transfer window under the Chairman with the highest waistband and the worst pockets to arm length ratio (possibly except for QPR’s board), arrived with a boisterous away following. After eleven or so minutes that boisterousness overflowed as Perry Ng was the grateful recipient of an awkward and unfortunate richochet off Ash Phillips to beat Hazard from close in to give the Welsh Ovine Oglers a possibly deserved lead.
With multiple changes, and in particular an engine room driven by Leeds United past and present, it took a while for the Greens to gel. It was therefore to a cheer of relief as much as joy that, when the ball fell to Alfie Devine, the young Spurs loanee, to that point somewhat anonymous, he was able to show his quality and vision, and using Millers decoy run, fired a low cross into the fabled “corridor of uncertainty” beloved of pundits everywhere.
Hotdog was waiting and, opening his body, gave a delightfully subtle steer to the ball leaving the City custodian helpless, and the scores level.
The second half was a very different tale of two Cities. With a formation change to match up the Argyle s formation, Erul Bulut changed the game. Unfortunately for him and his team, he changed it so that Argyle began to dominate. Forshaw, having acclimatised to the new shirt colours of his teammates, began driving the team forward. Hardie, having perhaps one of his finest games for Argyle chased and harried relentlessly.
When Whittaker, one of two ex-Swans in the squad who had as much to gain as anyone from defeating their old rivals, fired a ball into Hardies feet. Back to goal, Hardie cushioned the ball and with a. touch fashioned just enough space to crash the ball high above the flailing arms of Jak Alnwick.
If the goal that gave Argyle the lead was a superb piece of individual finishing, the one that sealed the three points was a classic counter punching team goal.
Phillips brought the ball out and played a deft pass into Morgan who played a first-time simple ball to Gyabi, and span to sprint toward goal. Gyabi then laid the ball down the left where the ever-willing Hardie took the ball to the edge of the area. Unselfishly, he spotted the sprint of Whittaker, and his perfect cross was met by our very own jet-propelled Jack in the box to finish the match as a contest.
In a tight table the difference from losing to winning was a rise up the division of some six places, and of course, the chance for at least on Argyle fan to dust of his chinos and head for the seventh circle of hell that is the away seating of Elland Road and an FA Cup tie against a side that has found form in the League and now are snapping at the heels of Southampton and Ipswich for the second place promotion slot.
United have cup history, but have remarkably, given their dominance of the 1970’s where they played their only FA Cup tie against the Greens, only took the trophy back north once, in 1972. Then a Mick Jones goal won the Centenary final against Arsenal. It was therefore the holders that Argyle travelled to meet in 1973, also for a fourth-round tie. Leeds paid their visitors the compliment of a more or less full-strength side, and duly took the Lead through Alan “sniffer” Clarke. The equaliser came from former Dockyard apprentice Derek Rickard, but dreams of glory, a replay and a cup upset were swiftly snuffed out by Mick Bates hitting the winner.
That season Leeds were to march all the way back to Wembley, but there they were to fall to the inspired goalkeeping of Jim Montgomery, the predatory finishing od Ian Porterfield and the dogged defensiv work of a g Mick Horswill, later to wend his way South West for a brief stint in Argyle colours. It remains one of the greatest final shocks. ITV pundit Brian Clough predicted an easy Leeds win, a prediction second only to his branding Jan Tomaszewski, the Poland goalkeeper a clown in the match that sealed England’s world cup qualification fate for the 1974 tournament.
That game saw Poland qualify ahead of England. Tomaszewski, far from being a clown saved two penalties in the tournament as the Poles finished a creditable third. He followed that up with a. silver medal at the 1976 Olympics. Clarke was also the goalscorer in the one all draw, although an error by Norman Hunter missing a tackle led the the Polish goal. A goal that many though later to be Argyle manager Peter Shilton could have done better against. The game was to spell the end of Sir Alf Ramseys stint as England manager, and he was ultimately replaced by Don Revie, ending his spell as United boss.
Times they are a -changing. The FA Cup is now no longer the trophy it was, often used to blood reserves, or to rest players for the arduous League programme. Whilst Ian Foster has promised a full strength side for the tie, given we have three starters who are either cup-tied (Forshaw and Devine) or ineligible against their parent club (Gyabi) it remains to be seen what Foster actually thinks that side is. It will be a much-changed side from the last visit, where the 2-1 score line somewhat flattered the Greens, who were on the rack for the first half, although of course secured their traditional appalling referees decision not to gain a penalty when Mumba was tripped in the area.
Six of that squad have departed, and with Cooper and perhaps Gibson injured, the only bright spot is that Leeds have yet to experience the relentless hounding of the Hotdog.
Leeds on the other hand arrive with their own injury woes, with James and Gray both out after the midweek victory over Norwich. Farke has rested players in the previous round, and whilst avoiding defeat would match a 50-year record set by Revies men for unbeaten home starts, other injuries and a desire to rest players like Bamford and Summerville, plus the need to get minutes into normally nemch players could mean. A very different starting eleven for the home side as well.
It should also be remembered that this is a club that is more than capable of slipping up. Recent examples include a horrible away defeat at Crawley Town, a match more famous for the potential appearance of reality TV star Mark Wright for the Creepies (which eventually happened from the bench) under Marco Bielsa.
In 2017 Leeds lost to Argyles thwarted third round opponents, Sutton United, losing one nil, and allowing the then non-league Sutton to avenge their drubbing at the hands of United under Revie (covered in the FA Cup OGAAT).
And in 1971, before their sole FA Cup triumph United were humbled by the Grandads Army of Colchester United. At the confined and cramped Layer Road, Colchester, led by former Revie teammate Dick Graham, raced into a three nil lead. Graham, who made the ground even more cramped by lining the sidelines with chairs and benches, spent the week preceding practicing crosses, after Gary Sprake was perceived as weak in claiming them. The previous week he had performed poorly at Liverpool earlier in the season. Admiteddly Sprake has a reputation for being error prone, once having thrown the ball into his own net at Anfield, leading to the Liverpool match announcer playing the song “Careless Hands” when he next ran out there. Sprake was also largely culpable for the opening Chelsea goal of the 1970 Cup Final (dubbed the most violent match in British football, where a re-refereeing under modern “standards” detected no fewer than eleven red card offences). In this case a long shot from Peter Houseman squirmed out of the Welshman’s grasp, although his mishap was explained in part by the pitch having suffered from being used for the Horse of the Year Show in the week preceding.
Leeds recovered at Layer Road to 3-2, one of their goals being scored by injured Archie Grays dad, Eddie but one of the great cup upsets was delivered.
There is however a very big difference with todays game. Argyle head to Elland Road, not their happiest hunting ground, not as underdogs, but as equals. Perhaps not financially, to be sure, especially when the iniquity of Skys blanket coverage of United adds a million pounds or thereabouts to their coffers and even when Argyle gain a TV match fee in February, guess who the opponents are?
With twenty-five goals between them in the Championship Argyle boast the deadliest duo in the division In Whittaker and Hardie. Admittedly Summerville and Piroe are not far behind, but with Dan James injured and likely rotation this is not a match that Argyle need fear.
The Mighty Whites versus the Super Greens. The prize, potentially the midweek fifth round against Newport, Maidstone or one of the other upsets that United have shown can occur from time to time. History has shown that Argyle rarely make the fifth round of the oldest cup competition of the world. This current side however has shown that they don’t much care for what ought to happen. They prefer to let their results speak for themselves.
So let us see who will be first among equals.
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
