Diary of a Leeds Fan (12/01-15/01/18)

Friday 12/1

Preview: Ipswich v Leeds

After the ignominy of going out of the FA Cup for the second successive season to a lower league club, Leeds must hope that the defeat does not affect confidence or performances as last season. After Sutton there were rumours of dressing room disharmony due to the team selection.

It is hoped under Christiansen the squad is fully focused on getting the ultimate goal of the season - the playoffs or better in May.

They will have to do this minus two key members of the squad, Samuel Siaz is banned for six games for splitting at a opponent at the end of the game with Newport, it is hoped that the Spaniard learns during his lengthy ban that there is no place in football for this kind of disgraceful behaviour. Also missing will be Luke Ayling, the right back had a operation on his ankle and is expected to be out until the end of the season. Both will definitely be missed by United.

Leeds have started their January transfer business, two players mind you we probably won’t see until next season, the Ideguchi transfer baffles me, the Japanese international will prepare for the World Cup in Russia by playing for Culteral Leonesa who are battling to stay in their current division. A relegation ‘scrap’ or trying to get into the Premiership, I know where I’d like him to be playing!

New signing Laurens De Bock, a left back won’t be in the squad for the game with Ipswich Town, he is back in Belgium and hasn’t trained with the squad this week. With Ayling sidelined Leeds’ top scorer in 2018 Gaetano Berardi will swap to the right back position, Anita may be used at left back.

Stuart Dallas is another option, he is back training but may start on the substitutes bench, Lasogga and Grot were disappointing, to say the least in the FA Cup, so Kemar Roofe hopefully start up front against Ipswich Town. Whatever Christiansen say’s the squad is desperate for another striker to be brought in.

You know you will be up against a team that will be in ‘your face’ from the first minute, you cannot expect anything different from a team managed by Leeds fan Mick McCarthy. It will be a hard game, but not many games, if any are easy in the Championship.

I’m not confident this weekend and the ramifications of last weekends debacle could rumble on for a week or so. Christiansen’s decision to rest key player’s could come back and bite him on the rear, it did Monk!

Ipswich to win 2-0.

We’ve met before
Ipswich 1 Leeds 1 Champ Feb 2017
Ipswich 2 Leeds 1 Champ Jan 2016
Ipswich 4 Leeds 1 Champ Dec 2014
Ipswich 1 Leeds 2 Champ Aug 2013
Ipswich 3 Leeds 0 Champ March 13

Thomas Christiansen pre Ipswich Town: On the squad to face Ipswich Town: Lauren’s De Bock will be one of seven first-team players missing for the trip to Ipswich, Samu Saiz beginning a six-game ban for spitting at Robbie Willmott during last Sunday’s FA Cup third-round loss at Newport County and with right-back Luke Ayling out for the season with an ankle injury.

Vieira is also missing as he continues his recovery from a knee problem while striker Caleb Ekuban remains on the comeback trail after fracturing a bone in his foot. Christiansen has also revealed that Everton loanee centre-back Matthew Pennington will miss the clash at Ipswich through sickness while Manchester United loanee left-back Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is sidelined with an ankle injury. Stuart Dallas is available after his recent injury in the World Cup Playoff game.

On transfers: “Of course I would like more players to come but it’s very difficult, this winter market we have to see the different options we have. It’s not easy but of course I would like (a striker)that.”

A very significant move away from his thoughts before the window opened and after last week’s cup defeat at Newport.

On the ban for Samuel Siaz: “What he did was very bad, that doesn’t help the team, the club or anyone but he apologised and we expect and hope he’ll learn from that. It’s nothing we will accept from anyone and not our players, we have to behave well on the pitch and he has to take his punishment and learn from this.


“Now we don’t have him for six weeks and we need to get him back, he will have these six weeks to prepare himself for the rest of the season, to give something back from what he has done.”

On Ipswich Town: “We know how they will play and we also know that we want to try and keep the ball and try and be in possession of it and create our opportunities with the ball, it will be a tough game, like the game we had at home against them. But we have to go there with our ideas and try to take a good result and we are going to do it, I am convinced also that the team has learned their lessons from Newport.”

Leeds United Supporters Club released this statement today after the sad passing of it's Life Vice President Eric Carlisle at the age of 89 years. https://www.leedsunitedsupportersclub.org.uk/

Eric was well loved and he loved Leeds United. He will be sadly missed.


Saturday 13/1

Ipswich Town vs Leeds United

Team News: Two changes from the team that started against Nottingham Forest. Pavel Cibicki and Vurnon Anita replace Samuel Siaz and Luke Ayling. Stuart Dallas returns to the bench after his injury

Team: Wiedwald, Berardi, Jansson, Cooper(c), O’Kane, Phillips, Cibicki, Hernandez, Alioski, Roofe.

The Game

Leeds slumped to another defeat at Portman Road, the 1-0 defeat to Ipswich Town put another ‘dint’ in the challenge to stay in the playoff hunt. The sending off of Eunan O’Kane in the first half for a alleged head but on Knudsen didn’t help Leeds’ cause and he was the fifth Leeds player to be sent off in all competitions this season.

Chances at both ends should have been taken in a open first half, Cibicki having the best opportunity for Leeds when set up by Hernandez but the winger/ striker blazed his effort wide of the goal. The game changed as Eunan O’Kane became the second midfielder in seven days to see the referee’s red card, an altercation left the Ipswich player on the floor.

Christiansen said the decision changed the game, whether the decision was correct or not, the discipline seems to have gone from his team. Waghorn and Celina both had efforts that shock the Leeds woodwork before the break.

Although Wiedwald did well to keep out a Connolly shot early in the second half, he could do not do anything about the goal that ultimately settled the game. Celina evaded Phillips challenge and unleashed a superb shot that beat the German goalkeeper ‘all ends up’.

Leeds could and should have got a equaliser, but from near the Ipswich goal line, Cooper unbelievably put Hernandez’s cross high over the bar. Lasogga also brought the best out of Gerken in injury time.

Cooper reflects on his missed chance and another defeat.

Three goals scored since Christmas, including two in the game with Burton shows that the squad are desperately in need of a striker and one that is accustomed to Championship football. If not Andrea Radrizzani and co are in danger of seeing another season of great promise fall by the wayside.

I’ve a message for the owner, the fans have bought into how he has changed the football club off the field by buying a record amount of season tickets and memberships. The average attendance is higher than it has been in many years and over thirty thousand fans fill Elland Road every home game. Now it is up to him to help Christiansen on the field with some much needed signings.

Over to you Andrea!

Man of the Match: Pablo Hernandez, made enough chances for his teammates to win the game.

Post Match

Thomas Christiansen on the O’Kane red card: "There’s no evidence that goes to him, he just faced him, there is contact and it is provocation. He (Knudsen) went for that, he got that and the referee fell into that.” He hopes that the club appeals against the sending off. He went on to say that Leeds deserved something out of the game and thought it was a good performance despite the defeat.

Mick McCarthy: “I thought it was a really tough game against a team that’s in good form and has got good players. I haven’t seen the sending off, somebody says he’s head-butted him and if that’s the case then he deserves to be sent off. That doesn’t make it easy though because they (Leeds)then scrapped away for the rest of the game.”


Sunday 14/1

Andrew Butterwick reviews a better performance and plenty of chances created(but none taken!) at a place Leeds rarely do well at.

http://leedsfan.blogspot.com/2018/01/ipswich-town-v-leeds-utd-13th-jan-2018.html

Thank you Andrew.

A Tweet by @Dazelar29 clearly shows Eunan O’Kane putting his head in the direction of Knudsen’s face, the reaction of the Ipswich player is embarrassing to say the least. Most on social media agree that Leeds’ season is hinging on new recruits coming in before the transfer window shuts, Pablo Hernandez’s performance was mentioned more than once, a fine display by the Spaniard.


Monday 15/1

Heidi Haigh on Eric Carlisle, her good deed, sends 70th birthday greetings to a Leeds United legend Eddie Gray. and reviews the game at Portman Road.

http://www.followmeandleedsunited.co.uk/ipswich-away-13th-january-2018

Thank you Heidi.

Not the best of week’s for Leeds, that goes without saying!

I would like this Diary to be my way of paying respects to Eric Carlisle and a fellow Juror in the Yorkshire Evening Post. Gary Newbould loved Leeds United and I enjoyed his twice weekly pieces, his unexpected passing is so sad. My thoughts and prayers are with both their families at this sad time.

RIP Gary Newbould.

MOT🖤

By Keith Ingham