FA CUP: Leeds v Scunthrope They are in 7th place of the 3rd division having taken 38pts from 25 games. They were knocked out of the LDV thing by Blackpool and knocked out of Worthington Cup by Preston. It'll be interesting what kind of lineup el tel fields.
Batts is hurt and, besides, Tel stupidly doesn't play him - if he had played him earlier in the season, we would have gotten the crucial ball-winning in midfield that decides games. This is the role Okon is playing now - as, coincidentally, we start winning. There are enough players in the squad that Tel doesn't have to play Milner if he doesn't want to. Maybe Seth Johnson, who is very good at holding the ball, will get a run-out. Maybe Lucic will be healthy again and Harte will get pushed into midfield.
Scunthorpe was actually the better side, in terms of possession, for most of the first half and the end of the second. They, however, did not create many good chances out of that possession until the score was already 2-0. The first-half Viduka penalty was deserved - but extremely stupid. Bakke was barely inside the top of the box, off to the left side of goal, going nowhere with no support and four Scunthorpe defenders around him, and the defender behind Bakke committed a massive mental blunder, reaching out his leg to trip him. Scunthorpe's right back, Stanton, won't be in the 3rd division for long. He is class. Leeds completely dominated play in the 2nd half until the last 15 minutes or so. Viduka was particularly good in a target role, winning and possessing long balls and passing well, most notably on an excellent ball putting Bakke through for the 2nd goal. OTOH, Kewell blew several golden chances.