Varney miss takes the headlines as Southampton are dumped out by Leeds

Leeds United’s performance mid-week against Premiership new boys, Southampton in the Capital One Cup Fourth Round, should have been the main topic of conversation for most people the following day. After destroying Nigel Atkins men 3-0, Varney and company deserved praise for the way they had dispatched Southampton. Indeed Varney’s performance on the right-wing was the catalyst that led Leeds to victory but his miss 14 minutes into the first half has caught the attention of everyone with pundits proclaiming it to be the miss of the century.

After a strong start, Leeds pushed the ball up field with a series of neat passes with the ball eventually ending up at the feet of Aiden White. The Leeds born player chipped the ball expertly towards El Hadji Diouf who was running into the area. Diouf expertly hooked the pass from White back across the front of the goal towards diving Luke Varney. Having beaten the keeper and nearest defender with the pass, Varney was through on an open goal but somehow managed to miscues from 2 yards out and sent the ball spinning out past the far post for a goal kick.

Varney, who joined in the summer from troubled side Portsmouth, the miss was inconceivable. But credit to the player as he picked himself up, brush off the miss and went on to produce on of his finest shows in Leeds famous white shirts. Misses of that magnitude can effect the outcome of the game but on this night, it had little effect as Leeds went on to win the match comfortably with goals from midfielder Michael Tonge in the first half and late strikes by El Hadji Diouf and Luciano Becchio, the latter from the penalty spot. As for the player, he laughed off the miss as did his manager Neil Warnock:

” I thought Luke Varney epitomised our performance. He came up with the miss of the century yet was still man of the match for me”

Varney’s career at Loftus Road has just started and based on that performance he is set to make a big impact there. Unfortunately for Varney, he will be known outside the ground from now on as the player who miss the open goal of the century. That is until the next person misses.

To see his mis, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6mbQ-BqzbQ