The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 8th December)

Good Morning. It's Monday 8th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Tanaka seals dramatic Leeds fightback

Leeds United fans were treated to a pre-Christmas thriller at Elland Road on Saturday evening, as the Whites clawed back from two goals down to earn a pulsating 3-3 draw against reigning Premier League champions Liverpool. The game reached its dramatic crescendo deep into stoppage time when substitute Ao Tanaka unleashed a thunderous strike at the far post, sending the home support into raptures and denying Liverpool what had seemed certain to be a valuable away win.

Daniel Farke stuck with the 3-5-2 formation that had brought victory over Chelsea in midweek, though his side initially lacked the sharpness and tempo of that performance. The first half offered little in the way of excitement, but the visitors burst into life after the interval. Hugo Ekitike struck twice in the space of three minutes shortly after the restart, punishing lapses in the Leeds defence and seemingly putting Arne Slot’s men in full control.

Liverpool’s grip loosened on 66 minutes when Ibrahima Konaté’s rash challenge on Wilfried Gnonto inside the area handed Leeds a lifeline. Dominic Calvert-Lewin coolly dispatched the penalty, and a reinvigorated Elland Road roared its approval. The noise only grew louder nine minutes later, when Anton Stach’s low drive found the bottom corner to level the scores and set up a frenetic finale.

Slot’s side, however, thought they had weathered the storm when Dominik Szoboszlai restored their lead with a composed finish just five minutes after Stach’s equaliser. Yet Leeds refused to yield. In the sixth minute of added time, the hosts won a corner, and when Liverpool failed to clear their lines, Tanaka pounced with a blistering strike that rattled in off the underside of the bar. The stadium erupted, knowing they had witnessed one of the moments of the season.

The result lifts Leeds to 16th in the table, three points above the relegation zone and offers renewed hope for survival after a turbulent run of form. It was clear that the result meant everything to the players, who to their credit have remained united during the slump. Leeds have shown they can compete with the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool - there is absolutely no reason why they should be relegated this season

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Farke’s odds drift as Leeds find form

Just over a week ago, Daniel Farke’s tenure at Leeds United looked perilously close to collapse. Poor form, mounting pressure, and a chorus of speculation had bookmakers suspending markets on the next Premier League manager to be sacked. The German was widely perceived as a “dead man walking,” reflecting a sequence of disappointing results that saw the Whites drop into the bottom three. However, an unexpected upturn in fortunes has transformed both his public perception and statistical standing in the Premier League sack race.

Against two of the most formidable opponents in the league, Leeds managed to secure three points against Chelsea and an equally impressive draw against the reigning Champions. These results were not only morale-boosting but also odds-defining. According to leading bookmakers Parimatch (Leeds United's official sleeve sponsor of the Leeds Utd first men's team) Farke’s position at Elland Road has shifted from critical to cautiously secure.

Just days earlier, Farke was trading as odds-on favourite to be the next Premier League manager dismissed, but his odds have now drifted dramatically to 7/2. Statistically speaking, that represents a significant adjustment in market probability, moving from implied odds of around 50% to nearer 22%. This reversal has largely been attributed to tactical changes, with Farke deploying a 3-5-2 formation that has tightened Leeds’ defensive shape while still allowing for attacking flexibility.

In contrast, Parimatch now sees Liverpool manager Arne Slot as the most under-pressure figure in the top flight. His odds have been cut sharply to 4/6, translating to a probability of roughly 60% that he could be the next manager to face the axe. The reigning Champions have picked up just eight points from their last ten Premier League games, leaving them seventeeth in the top flight form guide. Burnley’s Scott Parker follows Slot with odds of 4/1 (20% implied probability), while Thomas Frank's position (12/1) at Spurs seems to have settled following their comfortable victory over Frank's former club Brentford at the weekend.

Parimatch’s market movements also extend to potential successors. If Farke were to depart, former Wolves and Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neill is the firm favourite at EVENS, representing a 50% implied probability. Former Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester United, and Ajax coach Erik ten Hag is next in line at 6/4 (40%), with other candidates such as Carlos Corberán, Bo Svensson, and Brendan Rodgers seeing their odds drift significantly in recent weeks.

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Oops elland you been on the early Christmas sauce ....Tanaka thunderbolt off the bar!

 

…………and drawing against Chelsea in the sack race segment, i must have missed their 2nd and third goals..

 

Yer cheeky gits!!!

 

We now have to hope we can drag Brentford towards the bottom and hoping Fulham too go backwards as I cannot see any other teams fighting in the bottom Wolves, Burnley, WHU, Forest, Leeds, Fulham and Brentford should be the 7 clubs fighting for survival. Yes long way to go yet and anything can happen but the usual Everton relegation fight seems to have improved and dint see the likes of Spurs, Brighton, Man Utd and Bournemouth dropping enough points to join in the relegation war

 

Who would have thought we would come away with four points against three top sides in that run of horrendous fixtures, scoring eight and conceding seven in the process, made up i am with that, now we are looking a descent side again, funny old game as Greavsie once said, as just a few weeks ago i was fearing the worst, now once again looking forward to the next game.
And a very good morning to you all

 

Funny owld game football. We have to build from it no good getting 4 pts against the so called big teams and then get jack shyte off Brentford Palace and Sunderland. We have to be looking at the same sort of tally 4-5-6 pts.

 

Just checking in hope everyone is well

Leeds60 and WhiteJock not seen either in a long time

 

Or Marcos

 

Derby away in the cup

 

Away again.

 

That will be another humiliating Cup exit

 

Yes been quite a while since he posted too

*edit* he has accessed the forum today so hopefully all okay

 

If you add Arsenal in that makes the top 4 including league leaders and last seasons champions and we took 4 from 4 in real terms