please log in to view this image Rotherham Utd v Leeds Utd Friday 24th November@20:00 hrs |New York Stadium Leeds make the 30 mile trip down the M1, to play a disjointed Rotherham side, in desperate need for points, as they try to recover from their 5-0 thrashing at Watford last time out. Such is their predicament, that the hierarchy at the New York Stadium have already given Matty Taylor his marching orders, six months after guiding them to safety (15th) last season. If the lure of a local Yorkshire Derby wasn't enough of a potential banana skin, two former Leeds Managers are fighting it out to take the helm for the visit of Daniel Farke's men. please log in to view this image Although Neil Warnock and Steve Evans should not give too many of us sleepless nights (as long as they're part of the opposition), the game is anything but a forgone conclusion, as Plymouth proved when they visited Elland Road recently. In fact, the Millers have played better this season, against top opposition. They drew 1-1 at St Marys, held Ipswich to a 2-2 draw and beat Leicester City. Leeds have completed the double twice in recent times over their local rivals (16/17 and 18/19). You have to go back to April 2nd 2016 when a last minute Greg Halford goal gave the Millers a 2-1 home victory. On that day Neil Warnock was in the Rotherham dugout, and you've guessed it, Steve Evans in the other!!!! Georginio Rutter is a major doubt for the visit of Rotherham. The 21yo forward returned from International duty with France with an abdominal strain. This could see Joel Piroe move to a more central striking role. Pascal Struijk is making good progress having undergone the surgeons knife to repair a double hernia. He returned to full training on Wednesday, and may still make the squad. Joe Gelhardt (broken hand) , Jamie Shackleton (groin strain), Sam Byram (various) and Djed Spence (outer ligament problems) have also returned to full training this week though probably won't feature. Stuart Dallas continuous to be in and out of first team training, suggesting we'll have to wait until the New Year to see the Northern Ireland utility player in action. It had been suggested that Wilfred Gnonto pulled his Hamstring during Italy U21's 7-0 victory over Malta, but returned to grab himself a brace in the 2-2 draw with Eire on Tuesday evening.
well I've already established as "totally 100% fact" that we have scored 3 goals away from home and won both matches following the last 2 international breaks, so I am ignoring the dice predictions this week and going for Rotherham 0 - 3 Leeds United
Hopefully Piroe plays #9. It's his best position. If Bamford plays I will watch with complete indifference to the team. We need to move on.
What's with the bad attitude ? Paddy tries his best and at the end of the day all we want is the 3 points.
If I'm honest, I was just "that way out" and wanted to see if anyone reacted. (You were odds on). If I'm doubly honest, I'm gutted that Rutter has been injured on international duty just as we were looking good and now we probably have Paddy back in the side. He just seems to **** it up more often than not. I get the feeling that his head isn't in the right place and he is maybe trying too hard. I'd rather have Piroe at 9 and play someone else at 10. Even Gnonto or Poveda would be a better balance than a bang out of sorts Bamford.
Rutter might still make it so don't give up all hope yet. Anyway if Bambi starts has a stinker and we don't win then permission granted to take him off your xmas card list
This game could quite possibly be one of those matches which when you look back is sort of season defining. Too early for a must win ?
We’ll win heaping pressure on the top two, Ipswich to drop points at WBA and Leicester a tight one to call, they’ve lost their last two and not scored in either. It’s Ipswich I want to reel in, Leicester will be out of sorts during the African Nations
I'm more worried about him getting a goal or two off his shins and then Farke thinking he could be our 9 for alot more games.
A game we should win and a great opputunity to put a little bit of pressure on the two sides above us. But it's also a game we could have a Leeds United moment and we **** up. But at least we've proper football to watch again. COME ON YOU WHITES
Farke should start Gnonto if Rutter doesn’t make it Gnonto has not played an awful lot since his return from injury last month but his return of four goals in two matches for Italy U21s over the last week should boost his confidence. The 20-year-old was playing in a more central role which clearly suited him given his goals and the fact the Italian media labelled him the best player on the pitch in both matches. Bamford does not really possess the attributes to replace Rutter in attack, but Gnonto – if considerably smaller in stature – can offer something much closer. Gnonto’s strength lays in his ability to beat defenders and Leeds aren’t exactly going to be pumping long balls into his chest for him to hold up, making his height irrelevant. He has the pace like Rutter to get in behind and won’t take up the spaces Joel Piroe enjoys ghosting into from deep, which Bamford is more likely to do. Friday is the perfect chance to let him continue the form he has built up over this international break.
I saw the second match and he was far from the best player on the pitch. He missed a very good chance. He scored a penalty that he won by taking a shot that deflected off one defender on to the hand of another defender. His second goal, a free header from 6 yards out. Not sure if it was on target but it took huge deflection off a defender. Rest of game he was pretty anonymous. Edit. Forgot his best moment. A great shot that hit the post near the end.
The Barber Crystal Ball sees a very tight game. 3-3 after 88 minutes, Coops brought down 35 yards out after a silky run from our area, Joe Wilkinson on, hammers the free kick in the top left hand corner and subbed straight back off to raucous applause from both sets of supporters
