Match Day Thread Brentford v Leeds Utd

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Brentford v Leeds Utd
Monday 22nd April at 5.15pm
Streaming links to follow​

Hi Folks

Leeds travel down to West London on Easter Monday for an early evening kick off against Brentford.

We all know that Leeds don't have a particularly good record in England's Capital. In fact Brentford are undefeated at home against Leeds since 1950 (9 games).

No need to elaborate but Good Friday turned out to be a damn awful Friday for the men in White, although looking at the stats, (v Wigan) did Leeds actually play that badly?

216 final third passes (most under Bielsa)
87% pass acc (most under Bielsa)
77% possession (most under Bielsa)
59 crosses (most under Bielsa)
36 shots (most under Bielsa)
30 chances created (most under Bielsa)

Leeds have scored just seven goals in their past 11 league matches against Brentford

Should the gaffer make alterations to our forward line?

Leeds will be without Club Captain Liam Cooper who is nursing a muscle injury sustained in the warm up at Preston earlier in the month. Once again, Berardi will deputise!

The usual suspects - Alioski and Harrison were slated for their performances against the Latics. Will Bielsa shuffle the pack?

Should Clarke start?

Forshaw and Shackleton are fully fit. Would they improve our midfield?

Has Bielsa missed an opportunity not playing Izzy Brown?

Brentford will be without suspended defender Henrik Dalsgaard following his sending off against Millwall.

 

Hopefully play off final gets switched to Glasgow or Dublin if we’re in it given our London jinx

 

Would have Brown and Edmondson on the bench in case we have to do a cavalry charge at the end,like for like just doesn't work when chasing a game.

 

It should be an open game. We will be facing a team who will play football. We know we will make chances but will we take them? I don't think Jack Clark will play but I wouldn't be surprised to see Bogusz on the bench.

 

Same team as Friday, apart from the absent Cooper that is our best XI, we were worse with the introduction of Forshaw, Roofe & Clarke.

Fans crying out for changes but there is not a lot you can do with an inadequate squad

Cooper is a big loss

Roofe is as rusty as a old tin bucket

Forshaw is Mr Average

Clarke can't skin a rice pudding since his illness, should be wrapped up in cotton wool for the season

Dallas is Dallas

Brown is a waste of space

Shackleton (who I rate) & Davis are just bench fillers

 

I'd drop Harrison for Brentford.

Most of time he pussy foots around with ball trying to dribble past to many players and loses it. Most of his crosses are not accurate or they bounce off a defender for a corner or throw in, that's killing our attacks. Both he and Ayling fart arrrrse around with ball around the corner flag areas too much, this allows the opposing team time to get more players back in box. Ayling seems to have a problem getting back after pushing too far forward, this opens up our midfield and defence.

Berardi should go to LB, Phillips into back four, Forshaw in middle and Alioski down left wing.

Our midfield is our weak area, and Phillips doesn't know how to take control of it cos he spends too much time passing sideways, or going missing, nor does he know how to cover for Ayling when Ayling pushes too far forward.

Bamford should be out and Roofe to start. I know Roofe looks a bit rusty after his injury, but he puts more effort in than Bamford does, and provides that extra venom up front. With Bamford up front we're the Cobra with its fangs cut out.

While many may not have noticed it, but we are not the team we were before Saiz left.

We've had some good results where the football was great, but for most part, our football has suffered, our passing game has dropped off a bit, our attacking is weaker. Both Pablo and Klich are missing Saiz, or a Saiz type player, unfortunately Roberts is not that player; as young as Roberts is, 20yrs old, he's been around Leeds players long enough to know what's required since Saiz left.

Fans want promotion, but wanting promotion, and making excuses for some players doesn't gel well together, it's one or the other.

Bielsa is a great coach, but we're now at the pointy end of season with 3 games to go. Not only will the players, as a team be tested, so will bielsa. Saying that we will win our 3 remaining games is one thing, but we're now in a position where we live on hope, hope that the Blades screw up somewhere during those 3 games, or, we win our 3 remaining games and drastically improve our goal difference.

Blades will also be hoping we screw up in last 3 games. Norwich will be hoping they don't lose or drop more points.

Leeds United, on their day can beat anyone in this league, and many in Prem. Football wise, we could hold our own in Prem, Psychologically, we're not ready for the Prem.

 

Same starting 11 who started against Wigan for me. Brentford do like to pass out from the back so I would strongly consider Roofe from the start he presses well and his movement and pace will give them something to think about, introduce Bamford second half if we need to.

I would also consider bringing Douglas back in at LB and push Alioski forward drop Harrison to the bench. I’d give Douglas corner taking duties, leave Hernandez loitering on the edge of the box.

Sorry LeedsLover I know it’s all opinions and we’re all entitled to them but Phillips has been immense this season and to suggest he doesn’t take control of it beggars belief, I just don’t understand the negativity towards him.

 

Douglas is injured Ristac isn’t he

 

I didn't know Ristac was injured or was he injured by Douglas or indeed was it that Doulglas is injured and you were letting Ristac know or am I confused or is it you?

 

Thought he was just dropped, Alioski at LB it is then.

 

Douglas is out for the remainder

 

Let's hope that is just three games then

 

Just read the BBC stats, we might as well hand Brentford the three points reading them as it is not good.

Match facts

• Brentford are unbeaten in their past nine home matches against Leeds in all competitions (W6 D3 L0) since a 1-2 defeat in August 1950.
• Leeds have scored just seven goals in their past 11 league matches against Brentford (W2 D5 L4).
• Six of Brentford's past eight league games on Easter Monday have finished level (W1 D6 L1), though the Bees did win their fixture on this day last season (1-0 at Bristol City).
• Leeds have lost nine of their past 10 league matches on Easter Monday (W1 D0 L9), losing each of the last six in a row.
• Brentford have won nine of their past 12 home games in all competitions (W9 D2 L1).
• Leeds have won 11 away league matches this season, only winning more in three previous campaigns - 12 wins in 1963-64, 1973-74 and 2007-08.

 

Don’t worry about stats. They mean nothing. What stat said we’d lose to Wigan

 

I read somewhere that it was our first ever defeat on Good Friday

 

3-0 to Leeds, Sheff Utd held 1-1 at Hull.........back in auto spots by the end of the day.

MOT.

 

oh and Hull are on the longest unbeaten home run in the championship

 

They're not stats, they're predictions just saying

 

Predictions should be far more reliable so btw are you around for a pint or two next weekend