McGhee: Leon not "inert" this week!

[Falmer Dream]

Fair play to Andrew Hawes on Southern Counties Radio after the Hartlepool game...

McGhee: "Leon did a fantastic job in terms of keeping the shape of the team, which is one of the things I was critical about (last week)..."

Andrew Hawes: "A far from inert front 2."

McGhee: "Absolutely."



In today's Argus, Knight admits he and McGhee had words after the Sheff Wed game, when McGhee should have taken him off.

 

[On the Left Wing]

A new "I" word for Leon:
incisive

 

[London Irish]

Well, we've debated long into the night on here whether McGhee's man-management of Leon was good or bad.

This looks like game, set and match to McGhee when even the player himself is claiming that McGhee's bollockings have made him a better player.

Leon might well be McGhee's greatest challenge as a manager when you look at that rather messy situation at Sheffield Wednesday last year when I don't think Leon came out of that smelling of roses.

Leon is clearly still a work in progress on the discipline/maturity front.

For our (the fans) part, I think there are still too many looking to get on his back for his apparant lacksidaisical approach. In future, take a closer look at those balls he is not going for - does he realistically have any chance of putting the defender under pressure or would he just be knackering himself out and taking the edge off his explosive acceleration when a real chance comes his way?

There is no doubt that Leon still gets it wrong on occasions, he's a young player who has still not a huge number of league games under his belt. There were a couple of times perhaps on Saturday when he could have chased a bit better, but that's about it. In a dour, stalemate of a game, I believe there are still too many of us looking for easy answers and a handy scapegoat.

All round me in the South Stand on Saturday in the five minutes leading up to the first goal there were people chuntering away, some calling for him to be substituted. Did these people feel silly when the goal went in? You'd hope so, but I reckon they'll be at it again the next time our direct/long-ball game produces a stalemate. Wise up!

Where I think Leon is a legitimate target for criticism is his booking on Saturday. We can have a go at the ref all we want, but this is not the first time this season that Leon has been booked for a goal celebration. If refs are cracking down on it, then professional footballers should respond accordingly.

We now have both Leon and Chippy walking a suspension tightrope next week in Blackpool - losing one or both of them for a vital game in the run-in would be galling.

 

[jmc]

Leons booking on Saturday - surely it is Iwelumo that should get booked - after all he was the one holding Leon up, little Leon's feet couldn't touch the ground......

Surely an appeal is due - can say he "was trying but Daddy Chris had me on his Shoulders!"

just a though....

 

[Jim D]

I don't think it is possible to appeal against a booking - unless it was for the wrong person (H'pool had the wrong player booked on sat.). Whichever way you look at it, there was no way that even this ref could mistake Iwelumo for Leon.

 

[ojalbion]

its a good job he didnt celebrate that way after every goal, 24 bookings would mean a lengthy ban

anyway, fully deserved booking as the ambulance on the north bank looked particulalrly put out by leon jumping over the hoarding

although i think leon could work abit harder at times the morons who are not helping at withdean need to give the team a break, i cant remember it being so negative when we were at the bottom of Div 3 for years. 12 minutes from kick off is the record so far for fans starting to slag off the team around me in B block in the south stand, shame on you all for not getting behind the team, especially the bloke who shouts 'Nooooooooooo' after every little mistake. not needed