please log in to view this image Leeds Utd v Norwich City Saturday 2nd February @5.30pm Streaming links to follow Hi Folks Leeds welcome the Canaries to Elland Road on Saturday as first play second in the Championship in an early evening kick off. Leeds have been in disappointing form of late winning and losing twice since the turn of the year. Norwich remain undefeated in the league in 2019 having drawn three, and winning against Birmingham. Both teams have a similar record of being a lot better in the second half than the opening 45 mins, especially in the last 10 minutes of the match where Norwich pip Leeds. Dallas and Berardi have suffered respective set backs and will be sidelined for six and two weeks respectively. Douglas and Brown got some more valuable game time for the U23's on Monday but are not expected to feature this weekend. Bamford is back in training, but not expected to take part in first team action for a while, not helped by the fact there's a two week break until the next U23 game! Pablo Hernandez is a doubt after being taken off with a thigh strain at Rotherham. Jansson is available after his one match ban, allowing Phillips to return to his regular defensive midfield role. Norwich have their injury concerns too. Carlton Morris and Louis Thompson have both been recently ruled out for the remainder of the season whilst Moritz Leitner, Alex Tettey and Timm Klose are also on the injury list. Will Leeds stretch their lead to six points, or will Norwich close the gap? Who would take a draw?
If Leeds win this one, we should be nailed on for an auto berth - 6 points ahead of Norwich, average 2 points a game, 16 to go. Problem is Norwich just won't lie down this season and have been playing some great football to open teams up, whereas Leeds have been poor recently even when winning, with the exception of the Derby game. The answer is simple, get the pissed-off steamroller Derby head on from the first minute and win 3-0 again like at Carrow Road, job done. And the post-match pint with One Liner Wakey the pariah will be all the sweeter with the hoodoo broken. He'll be able to sleep at nights again. Take a draw though if I had to.
After all the "welcomenorwich" bullsh1t hoping for a quality game from the league's two best teams. I'm hoping Norwich can get some revenge for the reverse fixture but not expecting much and i'd gladly take the point now. Leitner's injury (that you mentioned in the OP) is a real loss. That said Norwich have some decent depth for a change and those that have stepped in for the injured this season have done a great job. I suspect you're already going up anyway, but a win for Leeds on Sat would nail your auto spot. Hoping we're coming with you.
Think I’d probably take a draw to be honest. Maintain our current lead at top and another difficult fixture out of the way
Oh Davy please don't jinx us. I won't be relaxed until we are 4 points clear with a game to go. Even then the FL might scupper that. AS for Norwich, we've already hammered them.
From what I remember of the initial game, Norwich didn't actually play at all badly - in fact, they were arguably the better side until the first goal, and then their heads just dropped. That doesn't seem to be a problem for them anymore, though! I'd probably take a point, but we're at the stage of the season where draws aren't really much good to us. We'd keep Norwich in check, but we'd concede ground to the rest of the chasing pack, and it's only one slip up from there until we're back in the play offs! 2-1 Leeds.
Obviously the toughest game of the season for us, but our away form this season has been very good. One loss away all season - at Bramall Lane in August. I can see a draw myself, which I think both teams would take.
Bielsa's pre match presser today. Start from the bottom up .... Bielsa done That's all from the Leeds United head coach - take a look back below and what he had to say. Make sure you head back to our LIVE deadline day blog HERE for all the latest on the potential arrival of Daniel James. Bielsa on his nickname 'El Loco' First of all I can't say I am a successful head coach I would rather say the opposite. One of the things that you hear the most when people talk about me is the lack of trophies and you can verify this. When you have been working in football for such a long time you have given enough opinion for people to make. Bielsa on Leeds suffering burnout The answer only has value if I can verify it. We cannot do that now. I would not change my style because of this. Bielsa on favourite aspect of English The players still have a link with the amateur aspect of the game. This is very important. They receive messages telling them not to get rid of this aspect but to be a good professional you need to be a great amateur too. The team of Leeds have many amateur values. What does Bielsa mean by amateur? It means that they don't play for money. Bielsa on his time in England I prefer not to make any comparison because I work in several places. But I can give you my opinion on English football. I don't think I will say something new. In England the desire to win is stronger than the fact that we don't want to lose. In England they prefer to win than avoid a loss. These tells us a lot about how the English culture sees the game. This is what makes English football around the world. Bielsa on Dallas He has a problem in his foot. It's a new problem. It's linked to the bone stress. Now he will need complete rest for 10 days. Then we will see how long he will be out for. Bielsa on Brown's "six to eight games" He started to play. He got injured. So we start counting now. He has played twice. Bielsa on Brown Izzy hasn't played for one year. He's fit, he's training and the sport aspect is different from the fitness aspect. You need to play six or eight games to recovery sport fitness. After playing six or eight games. Usually the player recovers his skills. That's what he hope. He is a player if he gets his skill back he will be very important for us. He is a number 10 with a capacity to score goals and he can create unbalance for the opposition and when a player like him reaches his level he goes inside the team immediately. Bielsa on Douglas and Brown Douglas will be in the squad. Brown won't be. Bielsa on James The most important element is how he plays. Then comes his age. He comes inside the group to compensate experience with youth. We have enough experienced players already. Bielsa on transfer business Victor Orta chose James and I accepted the player shown to me. I agree with the fact that this player has the features that the team needs and responds to the needs of the team. If he comes it will be a significant transfer. If he doesn't come then we will find solutions. Bielsa on whether it is a big game I think apart from the fact the position of the table the offensive aspect of both teams is the most attract team. Bielsa on potential to go six points clear If we have a difference of six points and if the team plays with regularity then it is a big difference. If we have ups and downs then it is not. Bielsa on Pukki His skills are not common in English football. He is another kind of player. He's a player who is hard to neutralise. He uses a lot his intuition. He makes many movements. He plays very simple but is very efficient. Bielsa on Norwich It's a team that attacks very well. They are designed to attack. It doesn't mean they don't defend well but they have a creative profile. Bielsa names starting XI v Norwich Casillia, Ayling, Jansson, Cooper, Alioski, Harrison, Forshaw, Klich, Roberts, Hernandez, Roofe. Bielsa on Hernandez fitness Yes, he trained normally. Bielsa on James interest I agreed with the fact he could come. As Saiz is not in the club anymore Pablo plays as a number 10. And the fact that Douglas was absented Alioski plays as a full-back. At the beginning out wingers were Pablo and Gjanni. So for us it would be important to have a winger. Bielsa on transfers So far I don't have any news about transfers. I know that both clubs are negotiations but I don't know anything sure. Bielsa here Bielsa to face the media at 1:15pm There will be plenty on the agenda including Daniel James but one injury concern Leeds have ahead of the weekend game is Pablo Hernandez. The Spaniard left the Millers clash last weekend prematurely but has been spotted training with the team on social media. Hopefully Marcelo will be able to provide some clarity... Good afternoon And welcome to Thorp Arch for today's pre-Norwich City press conference. Stay tuned for all the latest from Marcelo Bielsa...
So looking at the team selection he has decided on Hernandez back out wide and Roberts as number 10 both Phillips and Clarke on the bench, I’ve got to say the selection surprises me.
Not really. He goes for continuity & I can understand that. Would like to point out though that Roberts played on the right wing for 45 mins on Monday. Badly, imo, but what do I know? So might not be a foregone conclusion. Total football, anyone?
More mustn't lose rather than must win. Big game for Jansson and Cooper, Roofe needs better service, then we can win this.
The thing that helps us most to win if for the opposition to attack. Norwich can't help themselves. Just like us. Can't wait & am supremely confident. Just wait to they get to their dressing rooms. Psychedelic wallcoverings & strobe lights they can't switch off. Bit better than pink walls & a bit of a 'fcuk you' message.
I think we should fill the dressing room with Carbon Monoxide and see if the ****ers whistle like they used to down the mines.
