Good Morning. It's Monday 21st October, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Leeds dent Blades promotion hopes with comprehensive win Leeds moved up to third in the Championship with a comprehensive victory over Sheffield Utd on Friday evening. To their credit, Chris Wilder's side were up for an open game of football; there were no theatrics, no slowing the game down and they attempted to go toe to toe with Daniel Farke's men, which unfortunately for them was also their downfall. The Blades were limited to just 4 touches in the Leeds box, had no shots on target and an xG of 0.20. Despite this, it took the hosts 70 minutes to break the deadlock, but it was worth waiting for. Rothwell's corner was delivered with precision into the Sheffield Utd danger area. It fell nicely for Pascal Struijk to take it on the half volley and smash the ball into the roof of the net. 300 days have passed since the Whites last scored from a corner, which coincidently also came from the Leeds skipper. It was during the 4-0 rout of high flying Ipswich Town two days before Christmas last year. They went on to pip Leeds to the second automatic place; let's hope the Blades don't do the same! Birthday boy Mateo Joseph (21) came on for the last eleven minutes, and made an instant impact. He kept his composure after Solomon sliced the visitors defence wide open to slot the ball past Cooper from close range. It was nothing more than Leeds deserved; they have finally found their 'A-game'. Elland Road was once again rocking - long may it continue! please log in to view this image Wilder magnanimous in defeat Anyone hoping for a Chris Wilder post match meltdown were left shocked and disappointed after the Blades boss appeared before the Sky cameras magnanimous in defeat. There's no love lost over the years between the Elland Road faithful and the 57yo, with many looking forward to the former right-back expressing hatred, disrespect and false narrative over his West Yorkshire counterparts. Instead, Wilder appeared gracious in defeat, complementing both the Leeds players and gaffer who by his own accounts, were better in all departments:- "Beaten by the better side, no doubt about it," "We didn't deserve anything from the game, disappointed to lose the goals as we did, but they created the bigger, clearer chances than we did. They found the energy of, obviously, a passionate home support, [it was] a tough experience for us all. "They were better in all departments. They won more first balls. They jumped on more second balls. They played quicker, sharper, had the more attacking threat. We had bits and pieces of the game, not enough to trouble them. "I've got no complaints in terms of result, in terms of Daniel, what he does, they've got outstanding players, the squad's laden with top players and and we have to brush ourselves down and go again. We knew that Leeds United were head and shoulders above everything that we've already played, "That's not mind games or trying to stick pressure on them, imagine they were disappointed that they didn't go up last year. I think everybody you speak to in the game, when you play Leeds and you watch them, so we studied them. We thought this was, you know, we looked at a couple of games at the back end of [last] season. "We looked at the Southampton game here, and in the play-off final as well, where they changed their formation and got a result, and we felt that was the best way of going about it, to give the best opportunity to players to get a result. "I have to take that, whatever it is, negativity, criticism. But quite easily, I could have gone [with our usual approach]. That would have been the safe bet, and maybe wouldn't have got any criticism, but this is the gut, this is why I've managed quite a long time and been quite successful in my coaching and managerial career. "We just weren't good enough individually, and as a team, on the night and made some some poor decisions, [we] turned the ball over cheaply. And as I said, they come, they come roaring back at you. Would have [been] delighted to have got a result here, but it would have been a backs against the wall, performance-stroke-result." please log in to view this image Substitutions are making a difference Daniel Farke is starting to come good on his use of substitutes this season after Mateo Joseph became the fifth replacement from the bench to score this season (from fifteen games). The Leeds gaffer was roundly criticised for both his timings and personnel used last season, and has spent much of the Summer ensuring he has the strength in depth with players of his choice! Having the likes of James, Solomon and Joseph on the bench killed off any chance of a Sheffield Utd revival and will strike fear in every other Championship side this season. please log in to view this image
Morning all I look at the league table and nobody should scare us, we have played virtually everyone in the top 7-8 and were very unlucky in a couple of them. You feel we are at least 7 points behind where we could and should deserve to be.
Morning all, Slightly disappointed in Wilder being so magnanimous in defeat. Love to see him have a melt down the ham face cnut. To have seen a dodgy goal given or a red card would have been hilarious.
Yes he was annoyingly fair and reasonable. I like to think it was a 'their players are better than ours, so it's not my fault' type response rather than genuine magnanimity (if that's even a word... i'm sure Emu can google it for me)
Have to agree with you, but for individual mistakes / bad luck, we should have taken all three points against Portsmouth and Sunderland and at least a point from Burnley. Those would have put us top.
'Tis the leeds way. Should have gone up first year under Bielsa, shouldn't have been relegated, should have gone up last year - if you base things on xg, balance of play, coulda woulda shoulda. As it goes Boro should be top of the championship... if their attackers could hit a barn door with a banjo
On Friday, Bamford came on, Dan James tried to pick him out at the far post. Overhit his cross by about a yard and Bamford just didn't react. Just stood and watched the ball go overhead. Not a twitch of movement to maybe go and get it or try and jump. Just a look of bewilderment.
Are you saying Bamford has lost interest or that he was frustrated with the poor cross from Dan James?
I've never really rated him to be honest. I don't dislike him, I just think there have been better options out there for us, especially when we went up. He just lacks consistency and has a tendency to miss big chances at important times. He is now injury prone and lacks a bit of confidence. His head isn't with us anymore. He will want regular game time at his age and he won't get it here with Joseph and Piroe firmly in front of him. A move would be best for him and I don't see the club having an issue without him to be honest. He seems a decent bloke but time ticks on.
Have to agree. But for some glaring misses and missed penalties we may have stayed up that season. He’s always been a streaky player, will do on a run of scoring and then a barren spell. Now he is very injury prone (always had issues in this) so I can’t see anyone prepared to take him on his current wages.
Anyone watching Forest v Palace? How the **** are these two crap sides in the premier league? Utter rubbish being served up.
Probably because in the last 2 seasons, there have been at least 3 teams crapper than them each season, including ourselves. We took 3 points out of 12 from those 2 teams when we got relegated, scoring 4 goals and conceding 9
