The Super(ish) Leeds United Thread

[Rufus T Firefly]

Leeds have to beat Bournemouth and Tottenham may be generous.
None of the other laggards have an easy run in

Events overnight have served to underline your point, with Forest beating Brighton, bringing them up to 30 points. They still have to play Southampton. My guess would be that Leeds need 5 / 6 points and I simply cannot see where they are coming from. Sunday though (at Bournemouth) has all the hallmarks of a must win game. 

[seafoid]

Leeds have to beat Bournemouth and Tottenham may be generous.
None of the other laggards have an easy run in

Events overnight have served to underline your point, with Forest beating Brighton, bringing them up to 30 points. They still have to play Southampton. My guess would be that Leeds need 5 / 6 points and I simply cannot see where they are coming from. Sunday though (at Bournemouth) has all the hallmarks of a must win game.

They have to beat Bournemouth. 2 points separate 16th and 19th

[Rufus T Firefly]

I'm afraid that yesterday all but confirmed our relegation, despite the bizarre fact that at the time of writing we are still sixteenth. How that is still the case is simply a reflection of the desperate overall standard at the bottom, but there are too many teams in the bottom five playing against each other for us to remain above the safety line for much longer.

The rapid deterioration in terms of the standards of performances has been at a dizzying speed. Up until just before half time in the Palace game, they were was no need to be particularly alarmed. However it has caved in catastrophically since then and it really begs the question what the hell happened at half time in that game - with allegations of a dressing room bust up - and indeed how have the squad become so mentally fragile since.

How did it all come to this? I've said it here before. The genius of Bielsa, getting a Championship side to ninth in the Premier League, created a false sense of security and that has been reflected in the recruitment strategy since, which emphasised the need to get young talent in for the future, when the actual need was the here and now. Never has such an awful strategy been summed up by the presence (or absence if you like) of one player than Georginio Rutter. A record signing who is getting little game time despite the dire need the Club is in. Desperate.

Phil Hay - as always - summed it up in a brilliant article in the Athletic, (which is unfortunately behind a pay wall) when he said,

"Bournemouth attacked sporadically and bagged four goals, a masterclass of football in third gear, of getting there without being forced to sweat buckets. Nobody is interested in the nuance beyond those points because scores on the board are all that carry any currency in these circumstances, and maybe that is the biggest lesson the past two Premier League campaigns have taught Leeds: the long game is no game at all unless results stay at a level that keeps the peace. Anything less and the long term plans - Gnonto, Rutter, aims beyond the immediate horizon - are more likely to benefit someone else."

I actually feel strangely stress free now about the whole thing. They're going down and they deserve to go down. It's as simple as that.

[seafoid]

The 4 other teams in danger of relegation are crap.

[seafoid]

Thanks but no thanks

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/05/01/leeds-consider-sacking-javi-gracia-and-hiring-third-manager-of-season/

[Rufus T Firefly]

The 4 other teams in danger of relegation are crap.

Maybe so, seafoid, but what they do appear to have is a wee bit of heart and determination alongside a bit of organisation. Hand on heart, after recent 6-1, 5-1 and 4-1 thumpings, I'm not sure Leeds have. 

Thanks but no thanks

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/05/01/leeds-consider-sacking-javi-gracia-and-hiring-third-manager-of-season/

In the words of the Undertones, It's Going To Happen. Big Sam ( ) looks to be odds on favourite to come in for the last four games of the season. As Phil Hay described it, a Hail Mary option. It's not likely to be the only move either. Director of Football, Victor Orta - who many will see as the reason for the malaise - also looks like he will be packing his bags.

[seafoid]

The 4 other teams in danger of relegation are crap.

Maybe so, seafoid, but what they do appear to have is a wee bit of heart and determination alongside a bit of organisation. Hand on heart, after recent 6-1, 5-1 and 4-1 thumpings, I'm not sure Leeds have. 

Thanks but no thanks

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/05/01/leeds-consider-sacking-javi-gracia-and-hiring-third-manager-of-season/

In the words of the Undertones, It's Going To Happen. Big Sam ( ) looks to be odds on favourite to come in for the last four games of the season. As Phil Hay described it, a Hail Mary option. It's not likely to be the only move either. Director of Football, Victor Orta - who many will see as the reason for the malaise - also looks like he will be packing his bags.

Latest odds have Everton and Forest at 4/7 with Leeds at 10/11.
Obviously if either of the 2 win a match the odds change.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Latest odds have Everton and Forest at 4/7 with Leeds at 10/11.
Obviously if either of the 2 win a match the odds change.

Really? That genuinely shocks me!

Everton have Bournemouth home on the last day. Forest have Southampton home before that. I'd be working on the assumption that Leeds would need at a very bare minimum three points to stay up - and more likely four or five - and I just cannot see where they can win. But, hope springs eternal! 

One thing's for sure - someone is likely to survive with a low points total.

[seafoid]

Latest odds have Everton and Forest at 4/7 with Leeds at 10/11.
Obviously if either of the 2 win a match the odds change.

Really? That genuinely shocks me!

Everton have Bournemouth home on the last day. Forest have Southampton home before that. I'd be working on the assumption that Leeds would need at a very bare minimum three points to stay up - and more likely four or five - and I just cannot see where they can win. But, hope springs eternal! 

One thing's for sure - someone is likely to survive with a low points total.

Bournemouth are no longer a sure thing. They will beat Everton.
Meanwhile
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65453934

[Rufus T Firefly]

Bournemouth are no longer a sure thing. They will beat Everton.
Meanwhile
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65453934

This apparently is the final straw that broke the back in terms of Orta's tenure. Orta would be a bit of an idealist and wants football played 'the right way'. Big Sam actually put his own name forward for the job in February and apparently Orta was very energetic in dismissing it when it was discussed, threatening to resign if he was brought in. He went for Gracia and Gracia is now regarded as his man. The majority of the Board now recognise that Gracia is a busted flush, with 0% chance of keeping Leeds up and that some change was needed to increase that 0% to something marginally bigger. Apparently Orta was adamant that Gracia should stay and was dead against Allardyce. That is what ultimately led to the parting of the ways yesterday.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/2023/05/03/sam-allardyce-handed-reins-for-leeds-run-in-following-javi-gracia-departure/

Former Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane is expected to join new Leeds manager Sam Allardyce's backroom team as the club vies for Premier League survival.

Keane, a former Leeds player, has previously held coaching roles with the Republic of Ireland and Middlesborough.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65460670

[seafoid]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jROO67aQKxs

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65493902

[Rufus T Firefly]

The reality will be that Leeds get defeated this afternoon. What Leeds' fans will be looking for is evidence of an improved attitude and approach, where Leeds become more difficult to break down and are a bit more resilient when they concede. Such signs would give hope for the last three fixtures which in reality are what Leeds should be targeting.

My fear here is an absolutely crushing defeat which devastates the goal difference and essentially means a dropped point. In such a scenario, there might be no way back, particularly of Forest - as they should - beat Southampton at the City Ground.

Fingers (and toes) tightly crossed.   

[An Watcher]

Didn't see thus but a 2-1 away defeat to the champions isn't bad.  Goal difference not really affected and not a morale sapping hammering

[Rufus T Firefly]

Didn't see thus but a 2-1 away defeat to the champions isn't bad.  Goal difference not really affected and not a morale sapping hammering

Exactly. A morale boosting performance, with a lot of heart displayed, particularly when City went two up in the first half. Indeed the manner in which the squad gathered in the middle of the pitch at the final whistle, and then walked to the supporters, applauding, which I'm glad to say was reciprocated, gives hope for the last three games. A further week with Big Sam before the Newcastle game should help to improve the mood and hopefully defensive resilience, but the reality is that Newcastle still represents a huge challenge in footballing terms. 

A massive day for Leeds this afternoon and this evening. Victories for Fulham at home to Leicester, Brighton at home to Everton and Southampton away to Forest, are needed big time. The reality though is that Leeds will almost definitely be in the bottom three tonight which confirms the need for three points at the very least from the remaining three fixtures, to survive.