How many players will that started yesterday against Spurs will start tomorrow night for Saints? Not that many would be my guess, i know they don't play again until next Monday, but don't think Adkins will take unnecessary risks. Not sure if they'll fancy the long journey and a cup run is all we've to play for this season, Saints on the other hand, survival is massive. I'm looking forward to us booking our place in the 1/4's.
I expect us to get mullered by Southampton. From what little I've seen of them, they appear to be attempting to bring Championship style football to the Premier League and are getting found out. They bring that style of play to Elland Road, they'll come out on top every time because they have a better team than we do.
Interesting concept - given the success of NW and NA at Championship level and the subsequent (potentially premature in NA's case) inability to really cut it at Premier league level, is it a managerial naivity at the step up, lack of quality in the players going up or lack of sufficient funds to attract a few class acts to help bridge the gap?
I believe Nigel Adkins has just reached his limitations. They are still trying to bring Championship style football to the Premier League, which shows tactical naivety.
To be fair though i wouldn't have expected Swansea to be able to continue their fantastic passing football and still have the same success in the Premier League. Southampton remind me of Norwich last season, Holt and Lambert similar up top, and Hoolahan and Lallana similar creative players. Both have/had an attacking style of play which means they'll be involved in high scoring games.
Wow, you are not very confident! I am fairly sure Leeds will start as favourites for this one. Expect six or seven changes from Sunday's team, players like Lallana, Lambert will probably be rested and a few of our youngsters will come in. Good luck.
I mean on a different level to the strategy employed. Players are allowed more time on the ball in the Premier League when compared to the Championship. Championship is faster and tougher. In the Premier League teams take more time with the ball and there's a feeling of more patience, but teams are more clinical. Southampton seem to be going at teams and getting in their faces, giving them very little time on the ball and playing more... "aggressively", if you get my drift, much like we were against Everton. Of course, it can work, but if you get found out your players will be knackered after 70 minutes and no better for it having been outpassed by a Premier League side playing a more efficient, more patient and more clinical game. Swansea are playing with the same strategy, but will have adapted to the less aggressive nature of Premier League football better than Southampton have. A brilliant example is the Southampton v scum game earlier in the season. Southampton were the better side for 70 minutes, giving scum no room to manoeuvre, no time on the ball and not letting them get a handle on the game. And I mean they were really getting in their faces. Scum couldn't string any passes together for much of the game because every time they found some time with the ball they were caught in possession. It paid off initially, as Southampton scored twice. Towards the end of the game their players began to tire and were unable to break up scums play any longer, eventually succumbing to a come back and a defeat.
Leeds@6/4, Southampton@17/10, so yes we start as favourites with the bookies. I hope we give it everything to get through, our league campaign was over before it started, a cup run will bring the excitement back.
I don't think Adkins can afford to lose a game against Lower league opposition, so you're likely to face a far better team than you would have done had they picked up a couple of decent results recently. They've looked much better than their league position suggests, so it's a hard one to call, Colin's got a hard job predicting who he'll be facing tomorrow. I'm not surprised you're favourites, but I wouldn't be surprised if you got tonked either.
I was expecting a right bashing by Everton and it was one of the best games we have played. Hopefully Warnock will drop some of the under performers and we might just put on a bit of a game.
Funny to read som eof these comments after the game. Admittedly, I did not take a crack at predicting it, Leeds United have been so unpredictable for a number of years now.
I believe many predicted that he would have no choice, given the game 2 days before against Spurs, that it would be a weakened side.
