Good Morning. It's Monday 13th November, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Leeds keep pressure up on top two Leeds maintained their unbeaten start to their campaign (at Elland Road), defeating a spirited Plymouth Argyle side, and keeping the pressure up on the top two. Leeds were two-up within half an hour. Dan James opened proceedings on 21 minutes with a thunderous strike on the edge of the area, after the ball spun kindly for him, following Kamara's timely challenge on Kesler-Hayden in the Argyle penalty box. Six minutes later Piroe doubled Leeds advantage, after being put through on goal by Summerville, who had just had an effort disallowed a few minutes previously. Leeds should have been out of sight by half-time, but squandered chance after chance to put the game to bed. The Whites continued to be dominant after the break, but were unable to add to their tally. With six minutes of the game remaining, the visitors got one back, leading to a few nervy moments in the final moments. In truth, Leeds made heavy weather of it, but it's hard to argue when you're sitting at the top of the form guide with five wins from six, going into the International break. Plymouth fans will look back on the game, claiming they should have had a penalty, but when you're flying high, decisions just happen to go your way. please log in to view this image Is Harrison worth £30m Veteran football journalist Phil Brown believes Everton don't have the finances to make Jack Harrison's move permanent, though much will depend on the outcome of their Financial Fair Play hearing last month. The 26yo's return from injury has coincided with a rapid rise up the table for Sean Dyche's men. He was instrumental at the weekend too, helping his Merseyside teammates to a 3-2 win at Selhurst Park. Harrison's contract runs to the Summer of 2028, so there's little chance of Everton signing him on the cheap. The figure being banded about is £30m, but in truth is that enough, especially with the top six dish out each Summer. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me if Leeds were to ask for that (£30m). I suspect that in the current market, they do believe he’s worth that. ‘But the problem is that he probably isn’t worth £30m to Everton because they don’t have £30m to spend on one player right now. Everything will depend on what happens with the takeover, the finances, whether Everton are punished, whether they stay in the Premier League. ‘Everything is up in the air at the moment and it’s very hard to predict what kind of budget Everton will have. So I think by next summer, things will become clearer but I can’t see, in the current situation, Everton spending £30m on Jack Harrison.’ please log in to view this image Schumacher praises Farke's magnanimity Pilgrim's Manager Steven Schumacher revealed how Daniel Farke praised the Plymouth players after the 2-1 defeat at Elland Road, but rued his sides luck at not being awarded a first half penalty. “When Daniel comes [to me] at the end of the game and says you are a top team and you pushed us all the way, right now that is okay for us but we want to try and get results at these places as well. “We come to a place like this and it’s a brilliant experience. The atmosphere at the start of the game was one of the best I have ever heard so that is what it is all about.” “We gave the ball away twice in two poor areas and against a top team with quality players, we got punished,” “The second half we were better. We got after the game and we grew into it. “I’m really pleased with the effort overall against a top team, we came here and competed which is what we wanted to do but unfortunately it has gone against us. The whole performance, I don’t think there was too much wrong with it.” “Another big call has gone against us and that seems to happen every week. When he gets into the box, you could hear the contact when the two lads’ boots collided. There was no contact on the ball from their player so I can’t understand again how it isn’t a foul. “If we go in at 2-1 at half-time, it gives us the belief and confidence in that second half. As you can see, when we have got that, we are a decent team so once again, another tough decision away from home has gone against us.”
Farke is right in that Plymouth were excellent and they continued playing good football right up until the final whistle. That said they didn't really trouble Meslier and speaking to a couple their fans after the game they were very disappointed in the goals they conceded as they would rather just clear their lines rather than trying to play out from the back. Typical football fans I guess who don't want to take any risks but don't really get it that if you keep lumping the ball away you'll lose anyway. Morning all by the way
Does anyone want to explain Saturday's XG to the forum because the ratings don't in any way represent the game everyone watched ? Leeds 1.71 Plymouth 1.43 Actually I'm being facetious so don't bother
Morning all International break will be welcomed, we’re going into it with three straight wins, Leicester with back to back defeats, Ipswich with one win in three games. We’ve players who took knocks, Firpo just returning, I feel we’re in a strong position Would love to get £30m for Jack but I don’t think it will be from Everton
These international breaks are a real pain, particularly the form we are currently in. Hopefully it’ll give the injured players a chance to recover, and for DF to work on a few things, he might not be happy with. Thought it was a peno, to them on Sat, poor challenge by Ampadu. Georgi, needs to improve his finishing, his 2 efforts on goal were woeful - but his all round game, at this level, is tremendous. Concerned about Cree picking up a booking in the next 3 games, and then getting an automatic one game ban. Hopefully some one’ll get in his ear, a keep him on it. Enjoyed the performance, we will give it a decent go, this season.
This is for everyone except jammy. As I’m sure Leeds of London and many others miss my xg updates. xg doesn’t represent the game. Just the accumulation and quality of the chances from shots taken during the game. The Plymouth goal was a tap in and will likely represent a large chunk of their xg. For all our first half dominance we didn’t turn them into clear chance after clear chance. Whenever fans or managers say we should have had 5 or 6, they mean could have - if everything went in… if crosses flashed across the face of goal had found an attacker etc etc A team’s xg = sum of the likelihood of any shots taken, resulting in a goal. Nothing more nothing less - a reference point to how efficient your team was with respect to chances created.
Happy birthday to one sergeant Wilko 80 years old, many great memories of matches attended during his successful tenure...... marching on together we're gonna see you win .......
Enjoyed that on Saturday, Plymouth were nice to play against, probably too nice for their own good. Not only did they try to play football the right way, they just got on with things. No diving, play acting or time wasting. If the ball went out for a throw, they took it from where the ball was, often further back than where it went out of play - no trying to nudge up the touchline to get a few extra yards. Same with free kicks, they just put the ball down and got on with things. I did say to Ben at 2-0 we could choose how many we want today, a bit like the Huddersfield game but, fair play, they stuck at it & I for one hope they stay up Biggest smile of the day was when Beckford was telling Emma that he knew Ryan well from their time at Bury then realised it is Steven Schumacher Hats off to Jammy, Dan James is like a new signing. Never disliked James but could never see why anyone would pay £ 25 million for him. If Jack is worth £ 30 million it looks a lot more realistic. I really hope he (Jammy) is also right about Firpo ..... alas, I doubt it. Christmas list is sorted, just want a left sided version of Rodon (and, if I am being greedy a flflb) and we look sorted.
Nice one milky. Farke is an idiot for thinking we might have won the game by six or seven as clearly we were darn lucky to scrape home by 0.28 of a goal and hopefully the boys in the analytics department have earn't their corn this weekend by pointing all this out to him
Witnessing Cooper, Firpo and Anthony trying form an understanding was like watching 3 blind mice, although I'm probably being unkind to the mice
Not sure what has happened to Anthony, thought he looked a real find after his first couple of appearances until the Stoke game and he has looked very poor since?
Still Farke's job to sort it out on the training ground over the next couple of weeks and I'm sure he will. Firpo just needs clear direction as to what exactly he wants him to do because on Saturday nobody was sure and at times it was a shambles. Then by contrast the right hand side is currently a finely oiled machine with Gray, Rodon & Dan James all knowing exactly what is expected and even Gnonto comes on and slots in well defensively.
Battle of in the know pundits again. Last week Phil Hay says Leeds will not sell Gnonto. Ben Jacobs, someone who is a bit more connected than many pundits has said Leeds will sell Gnontoin January if they get an acceptable offer. We know £20m-£25m was offered in the summer. Jacobs says Gnonto is only on £20k pwk plus wants National football and maybe like to go back home. However there are 3 prem clubs in the hunt. 15yo Finlay Gorman is joining Man City for a 7 figure record fee. We have him on schoolboy terms but will be getting over a million for the kid. Gorman wants to go so fair enough Skibula has left the club and taking over Lincoln City in L1. Not sure if he fell out with FARKE but seems to be a few problems with the 21s for the last couple of weeks?
