Diary of a Leeds Fan (14/02-20/02/18)

Tuesday 13/2

On this day in 1971:Still one of the biggest cup upsets of the history of FA Cup.

Colchester 3 Leeds 2

http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/matches/19710213.htm

Wolves announce that tickets for the trip to Leeds United next month will be subsidised by the club. The tickets will cost £30 for adults and £20 for concessions.

Happy Birthday to Pontus Jansson, 27 today.


Wednesday 14/2

Twelfth man needed!

Paul Heckingbottom on the importance of the Elland Road crowd: ”Everyone has a role to play in that, probably the fans more so than anyone.I have never been at Elland Road with the fans behind me yet so I am looking forward to that, I have experienced it the other way around and know what a fantastic place it can be to play, regardless of which side you are on.

“So to have that support pushing the team forward can only benefit us, we, though, have a big role to play in that, in how the players stir up the crowd and how they build that emotion within the crowd.” He also knows how he wants them to play, with intensity, with or without the ball and showing the fans energy and work rate.”

He also said in the interview with the YEP that the door is open for members of the under 23 and 18 squads to get into the first team. Tom Pearce (amongst others) has already shown he may be at least ready to be included in the eighteen after his display last week in the game with Nottingham Forest. “If they are good enough, young players will get a chance.” He believes in a process and he is part of it.

Many Thanks to the YEP.

Tyler Roberts is out injured ‘for a extended time’ due to an injury he has picked up in training, the striker signed before the January transfer window closed has yet to start a game for his new club.

He Tweeted this: “Absolutely gutted with this injury😓, I will be working as hard as i can to come back even stronger and better to repay the patience the fans have put in me🙌🏽❤️ #MOT”


Thursday 15/2

Ryan Kent praised new Leeds Head Coach Paul Heckingbottom after his spell on loan at Barnsley spell where he was voted Young Player of the Year by the fans of the South Yorkshire club. This season he has had a spell at SC Freiburg before joining Bristol City in the January Transfer Window.


“He was a fantastic manager, that was probably my biggest season so far in terms of development. He really allowed me to go and express myself and I wish him all the best at Leeds.”

‘The Dammed United’ theatrical production is to return to Leeds in March. The fictional account of the forty four days of Brian Clough‘s tenure at Elland Road was sold out the last time it came to Leeds.

It will run from March 27th to April 7th at the Playhouse Courtyard Theatre, after this run it will tour the community in venues to be announced at a later date. It’s definitely worth seeing.

We’ve met before
Leeds 2 Bristol City 1 Champ Feb 17
Leeds 1 Bristol City 0 Champ Jan 16
Leeds 1 Bristol City 0 Champ Jan 13
Leeds 2 Bristol City 1 Champ Sept 11
Leeds 3 Bristol City 1 Champ Nov 10


Friday 16/2

Bristol City assistant coach Jamie McAllister admitted that Matty Taylor didn’t break his nose in the incident that saw both Taylor and Gaetano Berardi were sent off in the game at Ashton Gate earlier in the season. "Nah, it wasn't broken, it was a bad decision, a bad incident. That happens in football doesn't it? We've just got to move on.”

Preview

Leeds face a Bristol City side that have only won once in the last five Championship games, in their last game City were three up against Sunderland at Ashton Gate but their visitors fought back to equalise with three goals in the last twenty minutes, the equaliser scored in injury time. City still sit sixth in the Championship despite their indifferent form recently.

In October Leeds had lost three game on the trot and faced Bristol who were unbeaten in the Championship. The 3-0 win was a surprise but the team in black deserved their win, to date it's the best performance away of this up but mostly down season.

Paul Heckingbottom has had a full week to prepare his team, but still missing are Siaz, Cooper and Berardi through suspension. Tyler Roberts, Conor Shaughnessy are out injured.

It’s very early days in the new Head Coach’s tenure so the formation and his team may change, week to week until he finds his best eleven and what set up suits them best, O’Kane and Phillips were disappointing against Sheffield, especially O’Kane who was given the armband but showed little in leading his team during the game. Forshaw has impressed since signing and I’d go for a midfield of him, Vieira and Hernandez. Caleb Ekuban is an option if the coach tries two up front for this important game.

With Leeds still to register a win this year it is hoped that the new Head Coach has got across how he wants his team to play and that they need to do it for ninety minutes not just forty five, something they’ve been guilty of all season.

If Leeds can start well I can see the long wait for the first win of 2018 will be over. Leeds 2-1.


Saturday 17/2

Fulham’s impressive run continued with a 2-0 win over second placed Aston Villa, Cardiff City beat Middlesborough 1-0 to leapfrog Villa into the second automatic place in the Championship, Wolves stay top after their 1-1 draw with Preston.

Sunderland look set for back-to-back relegations after another defeat at the Stadium of Light, impressive Brentford beating them 2-0.


Sunday 18/2

Leeds United vs Bristol City

Team News: Three changes as Alioski, Roofe and Phillips are benched. Vurnon Anita comes in at right back, Stuart Dallas moves to right midfield. Caleb Ekuban partners Pierre-Michel Lasogga in attack, Roofe moves to the substitutes bench.

Team: Wiedwald, Anita, Pennington, Jansson, De Bock, Dallas, Forshaw, O’Kane, Hernandez(c), Ekuban, Lasogga.

The Game:

The first half was so disappointing for the home supporters, despite a bright start by Leeds, Dallas was denied early on by Fielding. But if you can't defend set pieces, long throws particularly undid a hesitant defence, with Felix Wiedwald having a ‘mare’. Two goals in the first fifteen minutes gave Bristol City what looked like a winning lead, Kent nearly made it three but Wiedwald blocked his goal bound effort.

The ironic cheers of the Leeds fans whenever the defence and goalkeeper managed to clear their lines was clear evidence of the thoughts of the fans. The boos that greeted the half time whistle might not be nice to hear but the lacklustre display from Leeds deserved it.

The second half couldn’t be more different than the first, Leeds came out determined to get back into a game that looked lost, Hernandez and Ekuban has chances before Heckingbottom brought on Sacko and Roofe for Dallas and Ekuban just around the hour mark. The supporters played their part, changing their jeers to cheers and singing ‘Marching on Together’, Leeds are going up’, applauding every Leeds positive pass.

The fightback started with under twenty minutes left, substitute Sacko played the ball back to Hernandez who found Lasogga at the back post, Leeds were back in the game. Unbelievably Leeds were level nine minutes later, Hernandez again the architect, his corner was flicked on by a Bristol City’s defender’s head and Roofe was at the back post to bury the equaliser. Ten minutes to play and Leeds pushed forward trying to get a unlikely winner.

Kemar Roofe equalises for Leeds

In the dying moments of the game, Leeds so nearly got the winner, first Phillips headed over from a Hernandez free kick. Then with time almost up, De Bock back heeled a pass to Hernandez who sent over a glorious ball that Lasogga headed against the bar, so unlucky for Leeds and the German.

If Leeds could play like they do when they are behind from the first minute they wouldn’t be still looking for their first win of 2018, it will come and no better place to get it at than Derby County on Wednesday.

A word or few for the supporters who changed from heckling to getting behind their team and as Hecky said the were “magnificent”.

Post Match:

Paul Heckingbottom: ”I am proud of the players and proud of the fans. They(the fans) played a big part and the point is as much for their backing and their support, as it was the energy and intensity of the players.

“At 2-0 down it was a tough task, but everybody showed what they are about today and if you can get the alignment between the fans and energy of the players, you can achieve good things. I’d been looking forward to this first game at Elland Road since I got the job, because I’ve experienced the other side of the atmosphere, in the dugout and on the pitch. To have that backing was something really special and the supporters played a big part in the comeback.

Pierre-Michel Lasogga hit the bar and Kalvin Phillips had one which went over, Kalvin was gutted in the changing room, but the pleasing thing is, that they are getting in the right areas and that is what we want, the players being brave and positive. We want to grow together and get better and the only way you can get better is by identifying who has done what and how we are going to put things right and work with the individual players.

“Being in two weeks now and looking back over games, the sort of goals we conceded against Bristol have been a common trend, with little mistakes or someone not quite doing the fine little detail which has cost us a goal and this is what we want to iron out.”

Lee Johnson: ”I thought we were excellent in the first half; very pragmatic and functional in our play. We played to our strengths, got in behind a few times and forced Leeds into a lot of errors. At half-time we spoke about doing more of the same and we did that for the first 15-20 minutes.


“When their (first) goal came, sometimes those nerves set in, particularly because we’re in front of a big crowd and atmosphere at Leeds, and that’s where we have to improve as a side. Leeds are a good side. A difficult atmosphere and environment to come and play in, I think we showed everything of what we are today, we are probably a bit inexperienced.”



Monday 19/2

Andrew Butterwick sees Jeers turn to Cheers as Leeds fight back to earn a well deserved point.

http://leedsfan.blogspot.com/2018/02/leeds-utd-v-bristol-city-18th-feb-2018.html

Thank you Andrew, what a game!

Leeds announce price freeze for 2018/19 Season Tickets:

“Leeds United are delighted to announce a price freeze on season tickets for the 2018/19 campaign, for existing season ticket holders. Over 20,000 supporters became season ticket holders for the 2017/18 campaign, with a further 1,000 purchasing half season tickets during November and December.

“These figures are the highest since 2004 and have played a key part in our attendances rising to above 32,000 this season, the highest in the EFL. Due to the phenomenal demand, we will be reopening the East Stand Upper section to supporters for season tickets, with the introduction of a new wing price of £349 for all age groups.
Season ticket holders can renew now online, whilst the traditional application forms being posted out within the next two weeks.
The deadline is 30th of March 2018 to take advantage of the offer and to keep your current seat.”

Heidi Haigh reviews the exciting 2-2 draw with Bristol City, despite not being 100% fit.

http://www.followmeandleedsunited.co.uk/leeds-united-v-bristol-city-elland-road-sunday-18th-february-2018

Thank you Heidi.

As we look on to Wednesdays clash with Derby, there’s a small but still new found trust that we do have the ability to push on and force teams back.

Leeds now need to focus on remanning calm in the first 25 minutes if they are to salvage anything from this season.

Eight points isn’t the easiest to come back from, but with 14 games remaining anything is possible. All we want is players proud to pull on that shirt and giving the effort that we know they’re capable of.

MOT

By Keith Ingham