please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Leeds United vs Birmingham City Elland Road - Sat 17th Jan 2015 - 15:00 WARNOCK-LESS LEEDS FACE ROWETTS FLYING BLUES Another week, another mess of off the field issues at Elland Road. Cellino faces the start of an appeal procedure which could see him barred from owning the club, and Stephen Warnock joins an ever growing list of captains who have left during January transfer windows. The sad thing is that all of this has become the norm for Leeds fans in recent years, and the performances on the field provide no distraction. After a hard fought away draw at Bolton last weekend, this week see's Gary Rowett bring him revamped Birmingham side north. While Leeds have been struggling, Rowett has reinvigorated his team in a way many couldn't have imagined. At the end of August Birmingham looked like they were set for a long and disappointing season, but they now find themselves launching an unlikely assault on the top half of the table. Historically it's Birmingham who just edge this one. Though over the years it has been a close run battle in the league. The last 6 meetings have mirrored the wider history, with Birmingham winning 3 to Leeds' 2. Looking at the form book there is little reason to believe this will change on Saturday. Leeds are without a win in 6 in the league, and even more worryingly they have only scored 3 in those games. That represents form alarmingly close to what got both Dave Hockaday and Darko Milanic removed from their post earlier in the season. Neil Redfearn is a man under pressure, and he knows it. On the other hand Birmingham arrive in Yorkshire in fine form. 4 wins from their last 5 league games including an impressive 6-1 rout against Reading. They are high in both confidence and goals, and with a typically distracting week at Elland Road in the newspapers, they arrive more than aware that this game is up for grabs. Leeds Stats please log in to view this image 21st (W6 D7 L12) -11 Goals 25pts Recent Form DBolton 1 - 1LSunderland 1 - 0LDerby 2 - 0LWigan 0 - 2DNottm Forest 1 - 1 Leeds could line up with attacking intent, but Steve Morison could keep his place. Top Scorers 8Mirco Antenucci 5Souleymane Doukara 4Alex Mowatt Birmingham Stats please log in to view this image 12th (W9 D7 L9) -8 Goals 34pts Recent Form WWigan 3 - 1WBlyth Sptns 2 - 3WNottm Forest 1 - 3LDerby 0 - 4WHuddersfield 0 - 1 Birmingham could be unchanged after another success last time out. Top Scorers 10Clayton Donaldson 6David Cotterill 4Demarai Gray Predictions Latest Odds Match Facts Leeds Win 3/2 (Correct on 15/01/15) There have been under 2.5 goals scored in Leeds's last 5 games in Championship. . There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Birmingham's last 3 games in Championship. . Leeds have failed to win their last 6 matches in Championship. . The Damned Prediction 2-1 Birmingham Win please log in to view this image With the respective forms of the teams, and Leeds' recent performances I just can't see a win coming from this one. To be honest I'll be happy if we score. Birmingham will come out guns blazing, and with a lot of pressure on Charlie Taylor to step up now Warnock has gone, they may well focus attacks on him. For my lineup, I've gone for the flat 4-5-1 which Redfearn has started experimenting with, Byram and Sloth given the wide duties. Other than that, there really isn't an awful lot of room for selection in my eyes, and the players almost pick themselves. We do lack serious strength in depth, and it shows when choosing a midfield 3. Antenucci takes the lone striker role for me, as I don't trust Morison, and Sharp hasn't hit the ground running.
Now that I have access to (some) tables again we can have nice formatting on the match thread. I did want to do a bit more layout on the text but I hit the character limit of the post because this new forum needs more code to do tables So I may streamline this before the next one but in the meantime, hope you enjoy and get involved and have your say!
Brilliant match thred. A must win for Leeds or I reckon it could be bye bye Redfearn. If we ever hit the bottom 3, it WILL be bye bye Redfearn
Been a crappy week, off field distractions, captain sold, maybe they will pull together for this must win game. If it were me picking the team I would have used Doukara out wide and had Sloth in place of Mowatt but we know Redfearn won't do that so I think this line-up is spot on. 2-0 Leeds although that is more heart than head.
I sure hope you are right about the 2-0 win, results like that are very much needed at this point. Not a bad shout on the lineup ristac, I'd see Byram / Doukara being pushed up a bit higher if they were the combo. My other concern about that (and this may be the case with Sloth too) is whether or not Taylor is going to get the cover he needs down the left
Not picking up on the 'captain sold' phrase because it's your post Ristac, so relax. I discussed this with Glory in the pub today & neither of us could answer the 'captain' question, which is: "Was Warnock only the captain when Pearce wasn't playing, or was he actually appointed full time captain? Anyone know? Just wondering if it'll revert to Pearce or Cooper.
I read an article just a few hours ago where Redfearn said Taylor is ready to step up to the plate and fill Warnocks boots and Cooper is a ready made captain capable of replacing Warnock so on that wording I would assume it was Warnocks. He then went on to say Warnock would have had to earn his place back the way Taylor has played the last two games... I took that as a confidence booster more than genuine statement but who knows...
Impressive thread and display. We need a win and I think we can do it. A scrappy 2-1 win pulled through by the fans.
Think this is the week we get back to winning ways. New manager bounce for Brum got to wear off soon. From Redfearn's comments I think Austin / Murphy might keep their places. I like 4-2-3-1 as a formation. If you get on top can easily switch to a 4-3-3. I'm going for 2-1 on the basis that we never keep a clean sheet. Three points to take us well clear of the wall.
Oh, so I don't mention that you're spending half your wages on viagra? Message received & understood!
And I won't mention that you had to emigrate to down here when you were unmasked as the last Tory in Scotland.
This team will win, Silvestri Berardi Del Fabro Capt Cooper Taylor Bellusci Bianchi Byram Adryan Sloth Antenucci If Byram or Sloth look to be floundering in first half hour then Byram or Sloth off and Monty on to add to our attacking options. Anything with Mowatt and Cook, plus Austin or Murphy in we won't win because we'll get overrun in midfield. I've also taken into account that Austin never wanted to pass to Berardi against Sunderland, even though he was regularly in space and unmarked (rift related maybe?) We definitely need a playmaker in front of the Birmingham defence to worry'em and send'em into a tizzle, and it needs to be Adryan. I'll be hoping for a win whoever plays, but can't see it with Redders selections, unless they're same as mine of course... Hint is that Redders could be giving Morison a start v Birmingham, Redders must be on another planet if he does... http://www.leedsunited.com/news/art...tgej6/title/opportunity-for-morison-redfearn?
Morison Set To Start - From The Official Site: Neil Redfearn believes Steve Morison has an opportunity to prove himself in the side after impressing the head coach at Bolton last weekend. Morison made his first United start since November 1’s defeat away to Cardiff City and the striker came close to finding the net with a first-half header, only to be denied by a fine Andy Lonergan save. The last two games have seen Redfearn implement a 4-2-3-1 formation and the head coach thinks the new shape plays to Morison’s strengths. "He’s the ideal target man for that position in this system," said Redfearn. "He’s got an opportunity. It’s as simple as that. He realises that he’s got to grasp it. He needs a goal, he’s a striker. - See more at: http://www.leedsunited.com/news/art...ty-for-morison-redfearn?#sthash.ApGFTbBO.dpuf
