Match Day Thread Leeds United FC v Sunderland AFC – Monday 17th February 2025 - KO 20:00
- Thread starter RTB
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I think we are going to get thumped personally. And I think it's going to be a wake up call that see us win 9 of the next 10.
Nostradamus I am ****ing not.
Nostradamus I am ****ing not.
Just had this sent to me, it's a Leeds supporter posting ...
The general vibe here is very reminiscent of our first season under Bielsa - slight disbelief at where you’re at, coupled with the excitement of where it might lead… all underpinned with the terror that this might be the one and ONLY opportunity when the parachute payment clubs come again next season!
missing out isn’t the end of days, you tend to be far more settled than relegated teams but I really hope that it’s Sunderland that prevail (along with Leeds obviously) at the expense of the other two. We missed out in the first season under Bielsa because we just couldn’t take the initiative. when we won, everybody else won - when we had a huge opportunity to put the pressure on, we’d find a way to lose inexplicably!
(See Leeds 1-2 Wigan 2019
On to the present, and a very exciting looking game on Monday. It goes without saying that we’ve really hit form. Gone from being dominant in general to being very slick in possession - it’s taken most of us by surprise! Although I did read the other day that Daniel Farke has only ever lost 1 Championship game in Jan and Feb in 4 seasons… maybe this is planned to an extent.
I read the other thread “How to beat Leeds United”, I’d say the teams that have managed that this season all went about it in a similar way; played very deep, rigid formation, gave up possession and played on the break or in the hope of set pieces. All 3 losses have been 1-0, a free kick, a penalty and a slip from Manor Solomon resulted in the only goal each time.
Some teams tried to break the game up at Elland Road and make it a 20 minute match at the end - lots of fouls, time wasting, pretend injuries etc - most were 2 or 3 down at HT
Recently, teams have decided to give it a go, pressed from the front and played high up the pitch - Cardiff, Coventry and Watford all left a lot of space in behind… we scored 13 without reply! (And it could have been 20!)
Above all else, you have to score first. It’s now around 75 Championship matches since we scored first and lost!
Having said all that, the majority of this league is dreadful (I watched Boro last night - Christ!) Sunderland are the first decent attacking team we’ll play since Illan Meslier turned into a ghost… I do like Wilson Isidor, looks like a striker with lots of potential, even if he misses quite a few critical opportunities at present. Wouldn’t surprise me if he had a decent top level career. LaFée is what most people expected, a stand out player at this level.
I’ve seen lots of complaints here of your manger retreating when ahead and inviting pressure. I watched you v Boro last week when you started slowly but had them exactly where you wanted them but needed a bit of luck to get the win. Is that switch intentional? Or a product of the nerves/pressure? What are you likely to do on Monday?
It would be easy to say that it’s a “must win” for Sunderland but there is an awful long way to go at this point, the run in does very strange things. At this point last season Leeds were 12 points behind Leicester, we were top by the time the international break came around in March! (The Wales qualifier killed us a bit with Ampadu getting injured and James missing the crucial penalty).
Looking ahead, 91 points was enough to secure promotion last season, that’s 7 wins and a draw from where Leeds are right now with 14 left to play - definitely doable! We fell apart (as the song goes!) at the end last season but even a repeat of those 14 games would give us 93. I’m certain we can find a way to balls it up still!
we need to go up, this team will be ripped to bits if we don’t. The planned stadium expansion only goes ahead in the PL.
Promotion is great - The Premier League is awful (a hideous experience until you can stabilise the club there). Super teams, awful fans, **** pundits with tedious opinions on everything your club does and TalkSport even acknowledge your existence. Gabby Agbonlahor will even pretend he’s followed your club every week for a decade…
Probably better than 3 seasons in L1 though eh? That **** gets old quickly!
The general vibe here is very reminiscent of our first season under Bielsa - slight disbelief at where you’re at, coupled with the excitement of where it might lead… all underpinned with the terror that this might be the one and ONLY opportunity when the parachute payment clubs come again next season!
missing out isn’t the end of days, you tend to be far more settled than relegated teams but I really hope that it’s Sunderland that prevail (along with Leeds obviously) at the expense of the other two. We missed out in the first season under Bielsa because we just couldn’t take the initiative. when we won, everybody else won - when we had a huge opportunity to put the pressure on, we’d find a way to lose inexplicably!
(See Leeds 1-2 Wigan 2019
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) we stopped doing that 2nd time around.On to the present, and a very exciting looking game on Monday. It goes without saying that we’ve really hit form. Gone from being dominant in general to being very slick in possession - it’s taken most of us by surprise! Although I did read the other day that Daniel Farke has only ever lost 1 Championship game in Jan and Feb in 4 seasons… maybe this is planned to an extent.
I read the other thread “How to beat Leeds United”, I’d say the teams that have managed that this season all went about it in a similar way; played very deep, rigid formation, gave up possession and played on the break or in the hope of set pieces. All 3 losses have been 1-0, a free kick, a penalty and a slip from Manor Solomon resulted in the only goal each time.
Some teams tried to break the game up at Elland Road and make it a 20 minute match at the end - lots of fouls, time wasting, pretend injuries etc - most were 2 or 3 down at HT
Recently, teams have decided to give it a go, pressed from the front and played high up the pitch - Cardiff, Coventry and Watford all left a lot of space in behind… we scored 13 without reply! (And it could have been 20!)
Above all else, you have to score first. It’s now around 75 Championship matches since we scored first and lost!
Having said all that, the majority of this league is dreadful (I watched Boro last night - Christ!) Sunderland are the first decent attacking team we’ll play since Illan Meslier turned into a ghost… I do like Wilson Isidor, looks like a striker with lots of potential, even if he misses quite a few critical opportunities at present. Wouldn’t surprise me if he had a decent top level career. LaFée is what most people expected, a stand out player at this level.
I’ve seen lots of complaints here of your manger retreating when ahead and inviting pressure. I watched you v Boro last week when you started slowly but had them exactly where you wanted them but needed a bit of luck to get the win. Is that switch intentional? Or a product of the nerves/pressure? What are you likely to do on Monday?
It would be easy to say that it’s a “must win” for Sunderland but there is an awful long way to go at this point, the run in does very strange things. At this point last season Leeds were 12 points behind Leicester, we were top by the time the international break came around in March! (The Wales qualifier killed us a bit with Ampadu getting injured and James missing the crucial penalty).
Looking ahead, 91 points was enough to secure promotion last season, that’s 7 wins and a draw from where Leeds are right now with 14 left to play - definitely doable! We fell apart (as the song goes!) at the end last season but even a repeat of those 14 games would give us 93. I’m certain we can find a way to balls it up still!
we need to go up, this team will be ripped to bits if we don’t. The planned stadium expansion only goes ahead in the PL.
Promotion is great - The Premier League is awful (a hideous experience until you can stabilise the club there). Super teams, awful fans, **** pundits with tedious opinions on everything your club does and TalkSport even acknowledge your existence. Gabby Agbonlahor will even pretend he’s followed your club every week for a decade…
Probably better than 3 seasons in L1 though eh? That **** gets old quickly!
RLB:
Rigg is OK
Mundle - it's an option for us we shall see, he should be available
Abdullahi could help us later in season
Leeds - it's a really good challenge for us but it's still 3 points
Leeds are probably the best team that we have faced, we were good but they are impressive with counter attacks
We have to focus on our game, if we are naive we will be punished.
We have played well away to the best teams
It's a tough game, they have good players and a challenge for us, it will be interesting
It was similar at Burnley, we will have our opportunities, we have to be aware in the early stages of the game.
Both teams have been consistent, our squad is not as strong, they have a bit more depth
Each game is different, we want to focus on our game, we have shown that we can do this against the best sides
The team is doing well, we are young but still learning, we are becoming more mature, with more players available
It's 3 points and wont define our or their season - we can only control our game
The best way to stay focused is to keep the big picture, we need to manage their main threat and we can cause them problems
Rigg is OK
Mundle - it's an option for us we shall see, he should be available
Abdullahi could help us later in season
Leeds - it's a really good challenge for us but it's still 3 points
Leeds are probably the best team that we have faced, we were good but they are impressive with counter attacks
We have to focus on our game, if we are naive we will be punished.
We have played well away to the best teams
It's a tough game, they have good players and a challenge for us, it will be interesting
It was similar at Burnley, we will have our opportunities, we have to be aware in the early stages of the game.
Both teams have been consistent, our squad is not as strong, they have a bit more depth
Each game is different, we want to focus on our game, we have shown that we can do this against the best sides
The team is doing well, we are young but still learning, we are becoming more mature, with more players available
It's 3 points and wont define our or their season - we can only control our game
The best way to stay focused is to keep the big picture, we need to manage their main threat and we can cause them problems
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Good stuff. There are some decent Leeds fans out there. I really hope it’s us and them go up - as opposed to the others that take the bore you to death approach.
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Game changer for us.
Listened to What the Falk. Leeds fan very complimentary. Said we're better than Sheff and Burnley, but thinks we'll be play offs because when we're bad we drop points, others when bad still grind out wins. Also reckoned Burnley win play off by virtue of clean sheets and pens rather than being the better side. Hopefully not, but not an unconvincing prediction.
Might be negative of me but not sure I'd risk Mundle vs Leeds. Maybe 10 mins max and only if we are chasing a single goal.
Save him for the much more winnable games.
Save him for the much more winnable games.
great news could be a great game changer
Looking forward to seeing him get 5 mins in injury time against Hull
I think we'll see him for the last 15 mins or so against Leeds, although only if we're either drawing or down by a single goal at that point. Any other situation and he's not worth risking.
Since our return to the Championship, we have played Leeds 3 times, winning once and drawing the other 2, so we have nothing to fear.
Mundle being back is great news, class player that could really make the difference over the rest of the season
Was chatting to a Leeds fan at my work today and while he is confident of a win on Monday, he says we are the 1 team he actually fears. Says he's been really impressed by us this season and feels we have the players to really hurt them. He was full of praise for Neil and Jobe, says we have the 2nd best CM in the league behind theirs, I argued that ours is the best tho!!
After the 1st game he says we've been the side thats impressed him the most this season
I would take a point right now, Leeds are a quality side but if we are on it we can match any team in this league
Was chatting to a Leeds fan at my work today and while he is confident of a win on Monday, he says we are the 1 team he actually fears. Says he's been really impressed by us this season and feels we have the players to really hurt them. He was full of praise for Neil and Jobe, says we have the 2nd best CM in the league behind theirs, I argued that ours is the best tho!!
After the 1st game he says we've been the side thats impressed him the most this season
I would take a point right now, Leeds are a quality side but if we are on it we can match any team in this league
Absolutely no pressure on us at Leeds ...
... we'll go there and play some nice football.
Exactly, we def have the players capable of getting the 3 points
We need to be on it to win but Leeds will be feeling the same
It would be brilliant to have him back so long as he's fully fit.
I'd hate to have him rushed back, and for it to go again, particularly in light of how long the lad has been out so far and it seems as though he's only been in full contact sessions this week.
Lads like @Prehab26 will have a better idea than me mind.
I for one am very surprised he’s in the squad. I’ve done the injury myself so have a lot of knowledge on it from experience
I know he has better physios doctors recovery than me but to be straight in the squad is a surprise
Very difficult game but we can get something from this game. Id take a point right now. Missing this one as I've had knee surgery today. Still in recovery at Spire but consultant says no its to early. I did tell him I wasn't playing just watching. Thanks again RTB great thread as always.
Gradually up his minutes so he’s ready for Cardiff at home for me
mainly cos I can’t get a game til then like