http://www.leeds.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=260384Rachubka 7
Under pressure after two poor performances since coming into the side but he played well. Couldn`t do much more than what he did with the Birmingham goal and he made two terrific saves to keep Leeds in it. His distribution was also much better.
Connolly 6
Connolly is always a consistent six or seven out of ten. The one thing that he could have done more of was help out Snodgrass down the right, we needed an option other than Snodgrass.
Lees 8
The young lad was solid all evening and won everything that came near him. Lees and O`Dea are looking really good together.
O`Dea 8
Had to battle with Zigic, who must be 6`6" and he won almost every battle.
White 7
Another solid game and he once again got forward to help in attack.
Snodgrass 7
He looked like our one chance of scoring. He had a number of efforts on goal, without troubling their keeper. Put over a couple of cracking corners in the first half but his delivery wasn`t the same in the second half. He upset both Lloyd Sam and Darren O`Dea with his second half corners.
Clayton 6
He struggled to get any authority in the middle of the park. He was very unlucky with one strike. I am starting to worry that we have seen the best of Clayton this season. He is not bossing games like he was earlier in the season.
Howson 6
He was guilty of giving the ball away cheaply on a number of occasions. For once though he did not disappear when we were behind and he was the driving force in the final fifteen minutes as Leeds tried to find an equaliser.
Pugh 6
He supported White well in the first half but he disappeared in the second half and I wasn`t surprised to see him substituted.
Keogh 5
He really struggled to get into the game against a very big and physical Birmingham defence.
McCormack 6
He was his usual busy self but struggled to get in behind the Birmingham defence. He went very close with a stinging shot from distance late on.
Substitutes
Becchio 5
It showed the physical size and strength of the Birmingham defence when even Becchio had no joy in the air.
Sam 6
He was busy when he came on and he offered us another outlet on the left as space was at a premium.
Vayrynen 5
He missed a great chance to equalise with a header late on.
Summary
We have and will play a lot worse and gain three points. Birmingham are a very big, physical well-organised side and will not concede many goals this season. Leeds had the better of the possession but struggled to break through with little movement when we had the ball in midfield. We never won a header all night against their defence, so were trying to pick passes through, which was difficult against a well-organised defence.
We didn`t lose any ground with the defeat and we are still in a good position. We now have to get back on another unbeaten run when we face Cardiff at the weekend. The next three games against Cardiff, Blackpool and Leicester could shape our season. There is nothing to suggest that we will not be in the top six at the end of the season.
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