please log in to view this image Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds Utd Friday 28th September [email protected] Streaming links to follow Hi Folks Leeds make the 32 mile journey to Hillsborough on Friday evening as Sheffield Wednesday welcome the Mighty Whites. Bielsa's men are still licking their wounds having been mugged by Garry Monk's Birmingham City last weekend. Will the Wendies feel the wrath of Leeds or will Jos Luhukay's team carry on where Brum left off? In seasons gone by, it was all too common to see one bad result lead to an avalanche of defeats; surely with Bielsa at the helm those days are well and truly buried. Leeds will be boosted by the news that Berardi is fit again. The Swiss International (he does have one full International Cap) is likely to start on the bench. There is a rumour doing the rounds that Roofe may play on Fiday night. Personally, I can't see it. There was plenty of finger pointing towards Peacock-Farrell. I'm sure the 21 yo will be feeling the pressure, especially with Blackman poised to make his league debut! Let's not forget, this is a local derby. Anything can happen, and form can be turned on its head. Leeds will need to show hunger, belief and passion if they are to stay in pole position come 5pm Saturday.
Not sure them winning would be form turned on its head... aren’t they the form team at the moment? Certainly one of them. At least they’ll try to play, which gives us a chance of doing so too. Should be a good game, looking forward to it.
If Wendies win they will be only 1 point behind us so lets not say they are having a crap season and run of form. This season so far there is nothing between the top 20 which is unusual. Top to 7 is only 3 points and only 8 points between top and 16th with Preston being bottom? Lots will change in the next few weeks
Thing is Bucks, have we really? Through to the end of October we have Wednesday, Hull and Blackburn away, Brentford, Ipswich and Forest at home. We have points in the bag and if we have genuine promotion aspirations, certainly top two, I would look at that run and say should we be looking at 10-12 points? Can we do it? Definitely if we rediscover the majority of our form so far, definitely not if we repeat Saturday a few times. Surely, it’s just the nature of the Championship, you never get 6 easy games on the spin, it’s a highly competitive league. I shouldn’t think many teams in the division are looking at a run of six games and expecting 12+ points. As Eire has pointed out, there are no truly outstanding teams (Brentford have been raved about and they are seventh or something) but, equally, I wouldn’t bank on the bottom 6 or 8 being cannon fodder. Like many, I’m a bit edgy after Saturday and would be gutted if we fold like we did last season but hope the Bielsa factor makes us a different animal this time around. If we can hang in there for another month or so and start bringing in the likes of Pablo, Roofe, Brown and, eventually Bamford we should be feeling optimistic imo.
I think we can’t overstate the effect of pablos injury to the team. He produces that bit of quality which has been missing in two of the last three games. Losing Saiz last season had same effect. Hopefully Pablo is only a couple of games away from a return
Birmingham came looking for a point and stole three by catching us out with their tactics (good, bad or clever), Wendies will want all three so it could and should be an entertaining game. It’s the nature of the game how quickly an unbeaten run can change into no wins with a couple of draws and defeats, I’d say we need three points to be showing top two form, a draw isn’t the end of the world and would have been good if we’d beaten Brum but we never so the team need to show that they can respond to that.
Instinct tells me you are spot on but we blew Preston away without him, however, that needs Saiz, Klich, Harrison etc to be right on their games.
Yes but Preston didn’t use the mil wall or Brum approach..they were far more open and others had no difficulty creating openings
In regards to the Brum defeat, I do still believe Clotet is an excellent coach on the training field, many of our key players, Phillips, Ayling, Saiz, Alioski, Pontus and Cooper had a whole season with Clotet, I’m sure he had an influence on how to stifle them.
I get to meet customers daily, many are into sport, the conversation often goes towards football and what team do you support... When I now say Leeds United many of these strangers/customers comment that they watched us play on Sky and we look promotion material, it’s (exposure) got neutrals talking about us. If other teams players are watching us are they now starting to think they wouldn’t mind playing for us, are they and their agents thinking we’re the real deal? Bottom line is I think it’s a good thing myself.
Eire’s spot on here. When sides park the bus, it takes that bit of guile to break them down... our other players are better in open matches, Pablo might have been the difference v Boro and brum. V Millwall I’m not so sure... he has tended to go missing or have a mare in ‘physical’ away games in the past
Recently Radz said that TV exposure around the world adds half a million people every match to see brand Leeds Utd. Yes he's protecting/promoting the club and club sales first, as you would expect. Lets face it when you are on TV every week and still filling the ground Radz is milking it. Its how the game has gone and I'm sure if fans stopped going Radz would have a rethink
TV is a double edged sword, it inconveniences season ticket holders and those that go every week but for those who have to pick and choose their games it gives them the option of watching it on telly and going to a non televised game. I've gone down the pub(in Bradford) when Leeds have had a home game on Sky and its been full of Leeds fans who like the fact that they can watch Leeds play in their local and get pissed up for half of what they would had payed for a ticket. If Leeds are still in with a chance of promotion during the run in to this season every game will be a sell out and the thousands of people who can't get a ticket will be most grateful that they can watch it on the telly.
