Millwall v Leeds United 17th September 2023 at the Den please log in to view this image After a few hours’ sleep I was up, out of the house and at Elland Road just after 4am in readiness for our coach leaving at 5am. It’s great when the M621 is virtually empty so it was only a 15-minute drive to the ground. Luckily, I slept all the way to our pub stop in London, getting to the ground an hour before kick-off. With my reel I did this morning before I left Leeds, I said I’ve seen progress with the team under Farke’s management and one day we will hammer someone. Well today’s result goes a long way towards that with three goals, three points for the win and another clean sheet to send the Leeds fans home happy. Team: Meslier, Ayling (captain), Struijk, Byram (returning from injury), Ampadu, Gray, Rutter, Summerville, Gnonto, Rodon, Piroe. Subs: James (returning from injury) for Summerville (69), Jaidon Anthony (making his debut) for Gnonto (69), Kamara for Piroe (83), Ilia Gruev (making his debut) for Gray (89), Gelhardt for Rutter (89). Subs not used: Darlow, Cresswell, Shackleton, Poveda. Leeds won the game 3-0 with a brace from Piroe (15,77) and Rutter (81). Attendance: 17,909, 2008 Leeds fans. Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Booked: None. We started off on the backfoot with plenty of pressure from Millwall but coped well with it. As Meslier caught the ball, I thought that’s the difference a proper goalkeeping coach makes. Not long after that though he dropped the ball and it looked like Millwall would take the lead, but Struijk stopped it going over the line. We were awarded a free kick anyway so it wouldn’t have counted if it had gone into the net. I did say to someone stood next to me that Meslier will come good with proper coaching after not having one at all last season. He was surprised to hear that to be honest. I can already tell with our fitness improvements and the way we are playing that Farke, like Bielsa before him, relies on his own coaching staff and it shows on the pitch. Against the run of play Leeds took the lead with a great breakaway with Rutter sending a pass to Gnonto on the left-hand wing. As he passed the ball back into the centre, Piroe jumped over the ball and carried on running into the penalty area, so it reached Rutter. He sent a one touch ball straight back for Piroe to put the ball into the net at the opposite end, to give us some breathing space. As everyone piled down the terraces behind me, I struggled to stay on my feet, so managed to get into the space on the front row, grabbing hold of my beret which came off. Although I have asked to go nearer the front of the stand at away games to avoid getting fallen on, it felt a bit of a déjà vusituation like it was in the seventies. Despite wanting to keep out of trouble in those days, it followed me around, the same as now where I didn’t want anyone falling on me, that’s following me around too. To be fair those around me made sure I was ok and despite being a little shaken, it soon passed knowing we were a goal up. The Leeds fans were in fine voice, enjoying watching things go our way on the pitch and kept the lead going into halftime a goal up thanks to Meslier pulling off a great save to prevent an equaliser. In the second half, Meslier made another save before Leeds made another breakaway from defence into attack. James sent a ball out to Rutter on the wing. He sent a great ball back across the box where somehow James flummoxed their keeper by falling on the ball, but still managed to pass it to Piroe at the far side who scored his second goal of the game. Leeds were on fire now as they raced out of defence again with James running down the wing towards the Leeds fans. His pass across the box to Rutter was behind him, but he got the ball, switched feet and hit a cracking shot into the net to put us three nil up on the day. As the Leeds fans were celebrating, Millwall fans had mostly disappeared from the stands. What we have now is the fact we have players’ who want to play for the club, the fans and the shirt now we have got rid of the stench in the background. Alongside Farke’s fitnesss regime, we are playing some good football again which as I said this morning is a complete contrast to last season. Then we couldn’t pass a ball, defend, attack, score goals and could only last 45 minutes in the game hence why we were relegated. The difference in such a short time, is there for us all to see and long may it continue. As usual I will take each game as it comes and make my judgements by what I see on the pitch. But what I will say is, the future is bright. See you at Hull, LUFC – Marching on Together! please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Great post and a great day. Did you get a photo of the Millwall supporting idiot on the trampoline by any chance
He was just to the left of the Peaky Blinders wannabe in the fake Burberry scarf in one of those pics (hidden by the board)
Great read Heidi. Keen for your opinion as you see the team live every game. Is Gnonto back onside and playing for the shirt or do you think we will have the same crap about him in January?
Thanks. At the moment I would say he is playing well. The previous two games he didn't have any interaction with the fans and looking at all my photos from yesterday, he still didn't. He doesn't look happy in that he never seems to smile anymore but there is plenty of support from the rest of the team. He did go off at the end of the game with his left boot in his hand so it's possible he's taken a knock which could be why he doesn't look happy. Whilst he puts everything into playing he will get the support from the fans. It is possible this will still be the case in January but going somewhere else doesn't guarantee he'll play football so we will have to wait and see.
He's a brilliant actor, Heidi. I read somewhere that all of the films he's been in have grossed more $$$ at the box office than any other actor. He was most recently in the tv show Slow Horses - & brilliant in it. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000198/
Lucky man then but probably worked hard to achieve that. It's possible he's been in something I've watched but I wouldn't have a clue who it was. Thanks for the link.
This explains his humble beginnings and where he is at now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Oldman
