chipdawg

Sounds like we were a bit unlucky. Think we're going to have to start making a bit of luck now, it's a familiar tale and it's not really getting us anywhere 

Onwards and upwards

First half hour he was brilliant, had the Forest defence on toast. The flick on for Wilbs first in itself was enough for me. He faded as the game went on but so did pretty much everyone else. He still looked. Threat through most of the second half and the Forest centre halves were worries about him throughout

After 30 minutes I really don't think I could have picked a MoM; 2 goals from Wilbs, Kodjia looking different gravy, smith, pack and Freeman running midfield against 3 players who've all played in the Premier League, a back three who looked like they COULD ACTUALLY DEFEND!!! Special mention for the wing backs though. Del was out of position and bar a couple of mistakes he got away with was brilliant. Bennett, meanwhile, gave us a completely different dimension on the right. So, so happy with that win

COYR

http://www.maximise.co.uk/blog/archive/2013/12/23/putting-the-nottingham-malefemale-ratio-myth-to-rest.aspx

i'm afraid it's all a lie chaps. Nottingham is as much of a sausage fest as anywhere 

he wrote a blog on the BBC website about how he'd battled with depression for most of his career. I think that was a major factor in his relatively low number of international caps 

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/33652295

I was having a watch on my lunch break and Gale and Leaning are batting well. It's not over yet and it would serve Hamps right if they lost. I agree though that we shouldn't have agreed to the declaration in the first place

I'm sure Hampshire aren't the only team to have ever done this. Tbh, I'm more disappointed in us for agreeing- we should have said "hang on, if you want all the points take the 16 wickets you need to". Of course, Gale and Leaning may both make centuries and win the game...

I really don't agree with what's been done there. I appreciate Hampshire's need to generate a positive result, but if this was a few weeks ago it would never have happened, so it distorts the competition and is unfair on everyone else- essentially, Hanpshire have gained an advantage through nothing they've done and Somerset, Worcs and Sussex lose out because if it. Tbh, I think Yorkshire should have kept their standards up a little more than they have in the last couple of weeks, though it's understandable that some of that intensity disappears

Our limited overs teams are very much a work in progress at the minute though. Great place for Fisher, Carver et al to learn the game though and there was improvement in both 50 and 20 over cricket this season IMO 

Just need England to stop pinching all our players and we'll get a clean sweep!

PS fair play to Glos though, Klinger and Marshall were excellent and I think their bowlers did well to check Yorkshire after the start Lyth gave us

Anyone else really enjoying the game at Headingley at the mo? I think it's great... 

In all seriousness, I don't want Somerset to go down, but Yorks are just unstoppable at the minute. If one player fails someone else steps up. And all this has been achieved this season without the worlds number 1 batsmen for pretty much any of it

My wife's family are from Teeside, unfortunately I'm going on holiday today, otherwise I'd have insisted we visit them this weekend for the first time ever :-( luckily they're more into rugby so the grief will be minimal at the next family gathering if we lose

As has been pointed out, Middlesborough is an utter toilet, but the surrounding towns and countryside are actually quite nice. WE SHOULD BURN IT ALL THE GROUND AS WE PILLAGE 3 POINTS FROM THE 'SMOGGIES'!

We seem to have got better with each game this far, but this seems to be a step up again. If we play our best, i.e. sort out the defence, I think we can cause them problems. Realistically I think it'll be 3-1 or 2-0 to the 'Boro

Please keep me updated, I'll be in Kent en route a France at kick off. Bon voyage, tout bien vacance and all that

If this was the end of the season would we have avoided relegation alpabetically ?

I think it helps that we've scored more goals than the two below us

Those highlights are all City, though thy also clearly show how suceptible we are to the counter attack. As for the penalty, I don't think it's as stupid a challenge by Hamer as some have said; Antenucci would have had a shot on goal from there and if he'd scored people would have been barracking Hamer for not closing him down. Given the angle it was a bit reckless though

Pleasing to see Kodjia getting on the end of so many things. I think he'll score some goals this season, just need to get him up to speed. As for the 'open goal' he missed, that was actually great goal keeping if you ask me

SCREW THE BACK 4!!! WE DIDN'T LOSE! NOTHING IS WRONG!!!!

Don't see Willey as a test match player, but if he's not in ODI and T20 then I'd despair. Great signing

I think he could be in the future- he's a naturally explosive batsmen and Gillespie has worked wonders with the bowlers at Headingley if you thin how Brooks has come on in the last couple of years and how much more focus Plunkett seems to have gained. As things stand though, I agree he's purely a 50 or 20 over player in terms of England consideration

Yorkshire just confirmed the signing of David Willey from Northants....the best just got a whole lot better

Such a great signing, especially for the shorter forms of the game where we've been lacking. The only problem will be that he's already on the fringes of the England team, we'll probably have to do without him for most of the season if he improves further!

Yeah OK .. new signing, one appearance and crocked and now replaced by Anderlecht's Maxime Colin.. fair point. Is that a girl's name?

Maxime Colin is a right back I believe, the Brentford Manager said he's a replacement for Odubajo whom they sold to Hull

And Colin is a dogs name

That's good to know - we need a few like that for Aus / SA away

Be nice to see a couple of young uns come through who can just bowl flat out fast

I say that, but obviously as soon as he gets into the England set up they'll 'remodel' his action and helm spend the next 3 years chucking down 80mph pies....

Is the Rhodes there related to Steven Rhodes, Worcester coach? He's a Yorkie, was wondering that the other day. Of course young Leaning is son of Andy, formerly of this parish

I don't think Will Rhodes is related to Steve Rhodes, but I may well be wrong- I didn't realised Jack Leaning was the spawn of Andy Leaning until a couple of months ago!

Fisher isn't bad with the bat either, a genuine modern cricketer. If he keeps developing he'll be scarily good in a couple of years, should be topping 90mph within a couple of seasons hopefully

Ha - I nearly didn't bother reading this when I saw you were the last poster, filling it with your white rose propaganda....! Not a bad season when you realise the players your lot have lost to England. Still, rather you than Middlesex, or, heaven forbid, Warwickshire

Is the undeniable truth really 'propaganda'?! We haven't been able to field our strongest 11 all season, but actually there's vast experience in the squad- Bresnan, Plunkett, Sidebottom and Rashid with the ball, plus Bairstow/Ballance have been available all season between them, not to mention Maxwell, Williamson and Finch when they've been around. Most exciting are the young lads coming through; Fisher is going to be unbelievable in a couple of years, 17 years old and bowling 85mph+. Rhodes is going to be very good too

Squeeky bum time for a few of us on here looking at that table. Missed Hampshire winning, had written them off

I think it works better when you look at the whole table

County Championship Division One - Table

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/county-championship-division-one/table

Don't damage your necks looking up at our Yorkie backsides lads!

Well having spent a decent time in both your are completely wrong IMHO.

Leeds is a fantastic city, beautiful architecture attractive parks, burgeoning arts and creative scene, established media centre and fantastic retail projects, the only city after Bristol that I'd even contemplate living in.

I've lived in both Leeds and Sheffield. I love Leeds to bits- I had some great times there, I met my wife there and some of my best friends in the world live there. When I was in my 20s I loved in. Now I'm in my 30s, I much prefer Sheffield. Greener, more laid back, fantastic pubs, on the edge of the Peak District. It's a great city. Don't get me wrong, Leeds is great. But Sheff is better

It was the same for Joao, who did more in 20 minutes than Kodjia did all the time he was on the pitch.

Much easier for Joao to come on when your team is 2-0 up and dominating the game (which you were). But there's definitely work to do with Kodjia

I thought we were all over you in the first half, but you had by far the better chances- generally from our mistakes. Second half you just found an extra gear and we fell apart a bit. I think you look a decent team who'll get better as you gel. I think we can probably compete but need to work on our play in the final third

One more thing (and I do stress that this was not a reason for our loss, Wednesday thoroughly deserved the points) but I thought the referee was an utter disgrace. Freeman had his legs kicked out by a player on the floor as he advanced on goal (the Spanish centre mid I think) and we didn't get a free kick, then Bryan was clattered and had to go off (it was VERY naughty btw) and we didn't get a free kick, Helan barged Marlon Pack in the back to win the ball in the build up to the Wednesday second (a theme actually when challenging for headers) and we had a couple of very decent penalty shouts turned down, though Wednesday had at least one. One of the worst refs I've seen in ages. But as I said, not a factor in the result which was just down to Wednesday being the better side on the day

My thoughts on today

The first thing to say is that we have to hold our hands up and say Wednesday deserved to win that game. We can dissect the deficiencies of our squad all we want, but they deserved to win. That was certainly not the whole story though. As poor as we were in the 2nd half, we were the better side in the first- albeit a side that didn't create much in the way of chances. Second half they came out and pressured us and we didn't react well. That's perhaps the most concerning aspect of the afternoon: has this team which is so used to dominating got the balls to knuckle under and grind out draws against the run of play?

Individually, the obvious poor performers were the new lads; Kodjia especially looked completely lost and we have to just hope that with time he picks it up. For most of today he looked like the first time he'd met his team mates was kick off. Neither he nor Fredericks looked fit to me, so hopefully they'll improve

As for the Pack criticism, he didn't have a great game but he wasn't the only one. However, the midfield needs improving and in the respect he looks the odd one out. I'd also say Ayling looked suspect defensively but that's perhaps a whole different debate

Positives? Well we were the better team first 45. Nobody looks like they can't contribute and Burns might just have played his way into the side. A lot to ponder, a few things to worry about but no need to panic

COYR

Jeeesus, just give the Yorkies the title now and everyone else can fight it out for 2nd place downwards.

I'm just annoyed we didn't bowl them out out for low enough to make them follow on!