Preston v Leeds United 26th December 2023 at Deepdale please log in to view this image Firstly, I just want to apologise to our fans for putting the jinx on us today. From not wearing the tinsel, changing Oh me lads from Don Revie to Dan Farke’s Aces and taking my granddaughter with me who does not have a good record of seeing us win, things didn’t bode well. The first half saw us struggling to cope with the aggressive tactics but also some of our players were very quiet. Despite a large crowd of Leeds fans filling the end, it was very disappointing that the way we played on the field was reflected on the terraces. I ended up singing on my own before half time as it was so quiet. Ironically, some of our fans were singing football in a library to Preston fans when we were no better sadly. I want to see the terraces bouncing, hearing us getting behind the team regardless of the performance on the pitch as that in itself can raise their game. To me this was proven once we were down to 10 men as with our fans getting behind the team, it saw us get an equaliser. Team: Meslier, Struijk, Rodon, Gray, Spence, Ampadu, Piroe, James, Summerville, Rutter, Kamara. Subs: Darlow for Piroe (replacing Meslier who was sent off with a straight red card 55), Joseph for Summerville (68), Gruev for Kamara (68), Gnonto for Spence (68), Bamford for Ampadu (90). Subs not used: Cooper, Byram, Anthony, Firpo. Leeds lost the game 2-1 with Struijk scoring our goal (penalty 83). Attendance: 21,816; 5,667 Leeds fans. Referee: J Smith. Booked: Rodon. Sent off: Meslier. It was commented on very early in the game that Summerville was mostly getting beaten down the left-hand side. It wasn’t surprising when I saw the size of the bloke marking him as it was like David and Goliath as Summerville was a lot smaller than him. Leeds found themselves on the receiving end of a lot of fouls which saw Preston get a couple of bookings. Instead of it subduing Preston, they gathered strength and had the better of the game. When Preston won a corner in front of us, I was going mad along with others as their player was taking advantage with the ball being nowhere near the line. I found out later that I’d been spotted on TV by someone based in California as I was pointing this out. Meslier pulled off a great save from a shot dipping under the crossbar as Preston came the closest to scoring. It hadn’t been a great half from a footballing perspective as the teams went in level. Downstairs at half time, the fans had found their voices, and I was hoping this could be taken back up onto the terraces. It was lovely to get a hug from my little friend Ryley too. I was trying to find one of my friends but couldn’t so by the time I got back to the right entrance the game had kicked off. Things changed for Leeds when Meslier after catching the ball, got himself in bother after pushing a Preston player in the face to get him away from him. The same player had run over to get involved and I just wished Meslier had laughed in his face as that would have had a better impact. Sadly, he fell for the winding up and intimidation by getting sent off. It didn’t take long for Preston to score their first goal once we were down to 10 men. Leeds made a triple substitution and with 10 minutes to go, Dan James after a great run, was brought down in the area and Leeds were awarded a penalty. Gnonto got hold of the ball but then Struijk as Captain made the decision to take the penalty himself. He duly scored and there was relief all around the celebrating Leeds fans that we could get something out of the game. That changed just before the end of normal time as Leeds succumbed to a defeat with a cracking goal from Preston. My stomach had been churning by this time with the nerves kicking in as I spoke to a steward who had had to stop himself from cheering for Leeds. That wasn’t the result we wanted after the great one three days previously at Elland Road. Farke doesn’t make changes early enough when it can be seen we are struggling, but with a few games so close together that is something he is going to have to work on. There have been many comments on social media about not using the squad properly with too many square pegs in round holes. We will also be without Meslier for three games which isn’t good as far as I’m concerned. As we are at West Bromwich Albion on Friday, then at Elland Road on New Year’s Day against Birmingham, it is important that we get something out of these games and do need to play to our strengths. See you then, 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 please log in to view this image
