The Super(ish) Leeds United Thread

[SaffronSports]

Interesting to see how he does. I used to cover La Liga for a website back when he was at Malaga. He done really well to keep them mid table at a time when the owner, Sheikh Abdullah ben Nasser Al Thani was basically pulling the plug on his investment and was selling anything that he could and replacing with frees. Fingers crossed he keeps us up

[Rufus T Firefly]

Huge result on Saturday, which moves us (just) out of the relegation zone. From reading reports, the match was low on quality, with Leeds dominating but being relatively ineffectual. There was an element of luck about the goal, with Bazunu (sp?) appearing to be unsighted for Firpo's relatively tame shot. Nevertheless, a very important three points.

Gracia very upbeat after the game - reckoned he'd less than a day with the team and feels they will improve as he gets to put his style of play into action. Reading Phil Hay, he's a pragmatic manager who will do what it takes to meet the needs of the team. Seems to be effective at reading a game too and does not hang back in terms of making quick decisions if things are not going to plan, e.g. Gnonto getting subbed with half an hour to go.

Fulham up next, tomorrow night, in the Cup. 

[Rufus T Firefly]

The last two matches have shown that Gracia is already putting his imprint on the team and has made Leeds a more difficult side to break down. At Fulham, in the Cup, we dominated but were undone by two brilliant individual strikes. The Chelsea game we were under a lot more pressure but were undone by a set piece goal.

The main issue in both games though was our inability to take our chances and it could become a fatal flaw. Rodrigo is out injured, although is due back in late March. Bamford missed the Chelsea game but in truth has been playing terribly, with no confidence at all. Rutter is getting game time, and whilst showing some nice touches, is very much finding his feet. He was unlucky to see a brilliant header come back off the post against Fulham. Harrison is currently having an absolute mare, and it makes the decision to keep him in the last transfer window, when Leicester were keen on a last minute purchase, look like a bad piece of business. It increasingly looks as though Gracia will have to trust to the youth in the squad.

Brighton up next, and right now, hoping for a point would look to be optimistic in the extreme. These are worrying times.

[seafoid]

According to this website the Leeds player portfolio is worth £318 m. Premiership cash.
https://www.transfermarkt.com/leeds-united/startseite/verein/399
Some change from the year they were promoted.
The team is unrecognisable from the one that won the championship
Leeds United vs Cardiff (4-4-1-1): Meslier 5; Ayling 6 (Alioski, 62), White 6, Cooper 5, Dallas 6; Harrison 6, Phillips 5 (Alioski,), Klich 6 (Gotts, 84), Helder Costa 6 (Poveda, 77); Roberts 5; Bamford 4

[seafoid]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64985188

Leeds United (14th, 26pts)


Jesse Marsch was sacked as manager in February with the club on a seven-game winless run but Javi Gracia has made an encouraging start with wins over Southampton and Wolves as well as a draw with Brighton in three of his first four league games in charge.

Still to play: 1 Apr Arsenal (a), 4 Apr Nottingham Forest (h), 9 Apr Crystal Palace (h), 17 Apr Liverpool (h), 22 Apr Fulham (a), 25 Apr Leicester (h), 30 Apr Bournemouth (a), 7 May Manchester City (a), 13 May Newcastle (h), 20 May West Ham (a), 28 May Tottenham (h)

Gracenote fact: Leeds United are the only one of the relegation candidates to have won two of their past four matches. Wolves, Everton, West Ham, Bournemouth and Southampton have each won one of their past four. The other three teams fighting to avoid going down have all failed to win in their past four games.

[ONeill]

What are the thoughts on playing Arsenal tomorrow?

[Dougal Maguire]

What are the thoughts on playing Arsenal tomorrow?

I think this has to be considered in the context of West Ham v Southampton, Forest v Wolves, and Everton v Spurs

[Rufus T Firefly]

What are the thoughts on playing Arsenal tomorrow?

It's going to be a long afternoon, I fear. This of course would be a tough fixture to start with but we're now heading to the Emirates without what many supporters consider to be our best three players this season, so far - Adams, Wober and Gnonto. In light of that, I hope they approach it with a nothing to lose attitude and see what happens. Often, when it's least expected, Leeds can pull a performance - and a result - from nowhere. Liverpool and Man United away are two cases in point. The need to stay up though is huge, and it will not depend on fixtures such as today.

In the longer term, Adams is out for the rest of the season, so it is likely that Roca and McKennie will be paired in midfield. Wober and Gnonto are considered short term injuries and should hopefully be back by Easter.   

[Rufus T Firefly]

The mauling at Arsenal was probably to be expected and whilst it was sobering, the reality is that those are not the fixtures that matter. The one that did - Forest at home on Tuesday - resulted in a huge win. Reading reports, Leeds never seemed to panic after falling behind to an early goal and went on to dominate the game and probably should have won by more. Lot of praise for Roca who was man of the match for many and for Striujk, playing in his preferred position in the centre of the defence. However many raved about Harrison's performance, and in only a matter of weeks (under Gracia) he has turned his own form on its head and is scoring goals and providing assists. Indeed he has jus signed a new contract taking him to 2028.

The three points moved us from 18th to 13th but we are still only two points above the relegation zone. The match on Sunday, at home to Palace, is another huge fixture. Win that, go on to 32 points and we could feel as if we are in touching distance of safety. The pity in all of his is the loss of Adams, although Roca is stepping up, and Wober who remains unavailable. Gnonto was named on the bench but did not see game time, so hopefully the extra few days will see him available if needed. 

And mention of course of Gracia - lot of praise coming his way, having won three out of the first six. Less rigid than his predecessor in terms of tactics and prepared to adapt to meet different challenges. He keeps Leeds up and he will almost certainly be rewarded with a well deserved contract.

[seafoid]

If you just look at recent form it is unlikely that Leeds will go down.

Arsenal have 5 wins /5
Top 4 is 3/5
Down as far as Leeds  is 2/5
1/5 is as far as Everton

The danger zone is 0/5.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/premier-league/table

[Rufus T Firefly]

If you just look at recent form it is unlikely that Leeds will go down.

No self respecting Leeds fan will consider such arguments. There are simply too many scars from over the years to feel anything but dread.

The most recent game was a classic of the type. Following a morale boosting and vital win against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest, there were definite grounds for some optimism as we hosted another fellow struggler, Crystal Palace. A win seemed eminently achievable and the script was going according to hope after 30 minutes, leading 1-0, forcing the pace and pressing their keeper into a series of excellent saves. From the half hour mark on, Palace came more into the game and looked threatening from every set piece. The equaliser eventually arrived just before half time from another set piece. The second half was a disaster zone, with old wounds and nightmares opened up of the second leg play off defeat to Derby back in 2019, as the team simply capitulated.

The next game is home to Liverpool on Monday, and the fear from a Leeds point of view is that there is psychological damage which will serve to increase the sense of fragility. Right now, the only comfort is to be taken from the poor form of others and the hope that at the end of this all, there are three worse teams than Leeds. 

[seafoid]

If you just look at recent form it is unlikely that Leeds will go down.

No self respecting Leeds fan will consider such arguments. There are simply too many scars from over the years to feel anything but dread.

The most recent game was a classic of the type. Following a morale boosting and vital win against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest, there were definite grounds for some optimism as we hosted another fellow struggler, Crystal Palace. A win seemed eminently achievable and the script was going according to hope after 30 minutes, leading 1-0, forcing the pace and pressing their keeper into a series of excellent saves. From the half hour mark on, Palace came more into the game and looked threatening from every set piece. The equaliser eventually arrived just before half time from another set piece. The second half was a disaster zone, with old wounds and nightmares opened up of the second leg play off defeat to Derby back in 2019, as the team simply capitulated.

The next game is home to Liverpool on Monday, and the fear from a Leeds point of view is that there is psychological damage which will serve to increase the sense of fragility. Right now, the only comfort is to be taken from the poor form of others and the hope that at the end of this all, there are three worse teams than Leeds.

There are. Leeds are playing 2 of them.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/teams/leeds-united
That's 6 points. I think Leeds need 3 more.
There is probably a word in German for the outlook of Leeds fans. It would be something like Aprilfootballhopelessness but this season there are some really crap teams.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Yet another mauling last night, with the gulf in class between the two teams laid bare for all to see. Furthermore, there is a real fear now that there is real psychological damage being inflicted, given how the team seems to throw in the towel when things start to go wrong. In a relegation battle, such traits will be fatal.

The absence of both Adams and Wober have been huge and there are poor performances springing up everywhere which is beginning to take others down, with the collective effort spiralling downwards and out of control. How this is arrested, I don't know, but time is not on management's side, with three huge games coming up.

One thing that recent form has shown me is how out of touch with reality the board were in believing that the purchases they have made were going to have us being comfortable at this level. There have been a range of terrible investments and I honestly link the overall strategy back to our first season in the top flight when Bielsa 'magic-ed' a group of Championship players into a Top Ten finish, and which gave the Board a false sense of security. They got away with it last year, but you can only dodge so many bullets before you get hit.

[Rufus T Firefly]

And so the season limps on. Although the defence was a lot tighter at Fulham, still beaten comfortably with another insipid performance, where Leeds scored thanks to an OG following a goalmouth scramble, but already had been undone thanks to two bad errors by Meslier.

That left last night's home match against Leicester with the feeling of a must win game. Took the lead in the first half thanks to an excellent finish by Sinisterra, following good work by Harrison. However, fell away badly in the second half and were undone by a quick counter and cool Vardy finish. We were lucky not to go behind when Leicester (and Vardy) butchered a two on one (with a goal correctly ruled out for off side) and should have snatched the game at the death, when Roca's point blank header was kept out by the keeper (somehow) and then Paddy missed the mother of all open goals in the dying moments.

We move on now to Bournemouth away - probably now the last chance saloon, with a win needed. The absence of Wober was major last night. Meslier was lucky to retain his place in the side but responded with a very good performance. Midfield got overrun in the second half and Gracia is coming under serious criticism for his lack of response in terms of reinforcements, with only Aaronson coming off the bench.

The reality is that the team and players are not good enough at this level, which is very much on the Board and Victor Orta in particular. Although he did not play badly overall, never was the lack of quality more encapsulated by Bamford's miss, which undoubtedly cost two points that could so easily matter in four weeks time.

Those in the know seem to suggest 35/36 points will be enough to stay up but I'm struggling to see Leeds getting there. For me, staying up is likely to depend on three other sides performing abysmally between now and the end of the season, and Leeds somehow getting 3/ 4 points to scrape survival. It ain't a good look out. 

[seafoid]

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