please log in to view this image Leeds United vs Reading please log in to view this image Tuesday March 11th, 2014 - K.O 19:45 - Elland Road please log in to view this image Here we go again then! Fresh off the back of an absolute embarrassment of a hiding at the hands of Championship strugglers Bolton, Leeds welcome Reading to Elland Road for the late kick off. After waxing lyrical in the media before the game about how it's great to get back to Elland Road after a run of away games, Brian McDermott probably won't be looking forward to facing his old employers, with the Royals looking to hold on to their place in the playoffs. Jason Pearce was absent from the shocking defence that conceded 5 at the weekend, a result which saw prospective owner Massimo Cellino air his thoughts on the cowardly nature of the players. Nigel Adkins will have been watching with great interest, as he prepares a Reading team who have hit a little bit of a blip in form in their chase for the playoffs. They will surely see this evening game as a perfect opportunity to pick up three points and put pressure on the teams above them. What Do the Stats Say? While Leeds have had the better of this fixture in the past, it is Reading who have enjoyed the spoils in recent meetings. The Royals have won the last 3 meetings, and kept a clean sheet in the last 5, with 7 matches passing since Leeds claimed all 3 points. Leeds fans will take some solace (perhaps) in the fact that this is traditionally a low scoring fixture with under 2.5 goals being scored on average in the last 7. A talking point that once again arose from the Leeds / Bolton game was the fact that the Whites conceded on the stroke of half time once again. A dive into the stats shows that Leeds have conceded 11 goals in between 31-45 minutes in the Championship this season, 25% of all of the goals conceded. As a stat it doesn't seem quite so bad really, but 10 goals have also been conceded between 76-90 minutes, a further 22%. That means 47% of the conceded goals have come towards the ends of each half. Also, Reading have scored 40% of their goals in the same period, so it's a trend that may continue on Tuesday evening. I think that's enough stats for one week! Form Guide (Last 5 League Games) [TABLE="width: 500, align: center"] [TR] [TD]Team[/TD] [TD]Form[/TD] [TD="align: center"]F[/TD] [TD="align: center"]A[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Pts[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Reading[/TD] [TD]L - W - L - X - X[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Leeds[/TD] [TD]W - L - D - X - L[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Head to Head (Previous League Games) [TABLE="width: 500, align: center"] [TR] [TD="align: center"]Team[/TD] [TD="align: center"]P[/TD] [TD="align: center"]W[/TD] [TD="align: center"]D[/TD] [TD="align: center"]L[/TD] [TD="align: center"]F[/TD] [TD="align: center"]A[/TD] [TD="align: center"]GD[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Pts[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]Leeds[/TD] [TD="align: center"]15[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]18[/TD] [TD="align: center"]14[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]21[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"]Reading[/TD] [TD="align: center"]15[/TD] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: center"]14[/TD] [TD="align: center"]18[/TD] [TD="align: center"]-4[/TD] [TD="align: center"]18[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Early Betting Odds (Correct on 10/03/14) [TABLE="width: 500, align: center"] [TR] [TD="align: center"]Leeds Win[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Draw[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Reading Win[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: center"] 8/5[/TD] [TD="align: center"] 12/5[/TD] [TD="align: center"] 15/8[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Leeds United Top Scorers (League) Ross McCormack...23 Matt Smith...8 Rodolph Austin...2 Brian McDermott surely needs to react to the poor run that Leeds are on, and change up the team. There are no new injuries to hamper his squad selections, and Jason Pearce who missed out due to becoming a father late on Friday night should be available for selection again for this one. The performances of Jimmy Kebe and Cameron Stewart drew audible criticism from the fans at the weekend, and their positions should be under threat. Reading Top Scorers (League) Adam Le Fondre...13 Pavel Pogrebnyak...9 Danny Guthrie...4 Nigel Adkins is still without Jason Roberts and Jem Karacan, though Wayne Bridge is closing in on a return. Jobi McAnuff made an appearance from the bench against Brighton as he continues his return from fitness, but Mikele Leighterwood and Sean Morrison were both missing from the squad. Adkins will likely continue with leading scorers Le Fondre and Pogrebnyak upfront, who will be tasked with not letting the Leeds back four settle after their appalling performance at the weekend. The Damned Prediction: 0-1 Loss Off the back of the weekends' performance, the team will still be reeling. I expect Pearce to come back into the defence which will help a bit, but I can't see McDermott changing the setup much and I think we'll suffer as a result. The game means so much more to Reading, who are looking to solidify their place in the top 6, while Leeds are basically playing for pride at the minute. Not that that helped at the weekend... please log in to view this image Back to 3-5-2. I have no idea why Byram is featuring so little, if it's a fitness thing and he needs an operation ignore my selection and get it done now. Like today. We need him fit, or if he's crocked then we've lost a gem. So, A familiar back 3 from the days we played this formation, Byram and Warnock seemed to do more out wide than Kebe and Stewart ever manage, and bringing Brown into the midfield will add some teeth and hopefully stop us getting over run there as has happened for a few games now. I chose to drop Austin also, he's always "puts in a shift" I know, but he's looking exhausted and needs a break. Are we going to bounce back and stop the rot? Is there another humiliating defeat on the cards? How will McDermott cope against his beloved-can't-stop-banging-on-about-them-in-press-conferences Reading? Over to the hardcore faithful!
I always said that MTMB was kinky. Whatever floats ya boat. For tomorrow, I hope Brown and Murphy start in the centre of midfield. I'd then like to see Mowatt and probably Stewart. I think Austin needs a break and Kebe needs to take a break. If he's fit enough, I'd like to see Byram start at RB. This will be a hard fixture. But we need to show a lot more effort than was the case on Saturday. I'd like to say 1-0 Leeds. But the way we're playing at the moment, we might struggle to score in a brothel.
If kebe and stewart start well be jockeyed again. Same as giving our opposition a two man advantage before a ball is kicked. If McD starts either of them, he has completely lost the plot
1-2 or 1-3 to Reading - Nothing is going to change until we are rid of McD hopefully this will be his last game in charge if he isn't sacked later today.
Who would sack him though ? We know Cellino can't - yet. And GFH would have to pay him off (I've heard up to a million quid) so they won't be doing it. On the positive side, BMcD has stated today there will be changes to the team tomorrow "to get a result and make it up to the fans".
Thoughts of the gaffer, pre-match preview: [video=youtube;s4Y-k9BK9CY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Y-k9BK9CY&feature=youtu.be&a[/video]
Its not rocket science. We want a balanced team that will give 100%. Can anyone think of a better balanced team? -----------------Butland------------------- Pelts-----Zeliukas-----Pearce-----Warnock Byram-----Brown------Mowatt-----Pugh --------Wickham--------McCormack-------
