Diary of a Leeds Fan (14/10-20/10/17)

Saturday 14/10

Leeds v Reading

Team News: Three changes, Lonergan, Cooper, Hernandez come in.

Team: Lonergan, Ayling, Jansson, Cooper(c),Berardi, O’Kane, Phillips, Roofe, Siaz, Hernandez, Lasogga.

The Game

A poor game not helped by indifferent refereeing, Leeds fell to a sucker punch by ex Leeds loanee Mo Barrow, his goal six minutes from time gave the advantage to the visitors. A foul on Samuel Siaz in the penalty area gave Leeds a lifeline in injury time but Pablo Hernandez’s penalty was easily saved by Mannone.

The shortness of the match report sums up my feelings on the proceedings, tired, leggy and struggling for form sums up the Leeds performance, I cannot put my finger on why the performances recently have turned upside down.

It was a uninspiring game that neither side did much to excite the full house at Elland Road, the reaction of the crowd at full time was to be expected. Most went home wondering what has gone so wrong in such a short time.

Man of the Match: Andy Lonergan.

Stuart Dallas consoles Pablo Hernandez after his penalty miss.

The Super League Trophy was paraded at half time by members of the victorious Leeds Rhino’s squad

Post Match

Thomas Christainsen: “We expected much of this game, especially after the two defeats we had and the one against Sheffield Wednesday. I expected a reaction and off course to take three points. We’ll have to continue to work hard and especially to work with the minds of the players to take them back to where they’re confident.

"Confidence can put the ball in instead of missing, like the penalty, but we can work on that. From my point of view, they’re the same players who brought us to the good situation that we were in before these last three games. We were too slow in the first half and it was too easy for a team like Reading to defend against us, we learned from that and after half-time we had much better build up and created more opportunities, from my point of view we deserved much more than we got but we didn’t get it.”

Many would disagree with the Head Coach’s views on the performance.

Jaap Stam: “We had the better chances and deserved to win, you don’t always get what you deserve and you know if you don’t score your opportunities it’s going to be difficult when you’re playing against a very good team. But if you look at it overall we deserved to win in how we played, we were very focused, very composed, sharp and created the better chances.”


Sunday 15/10

Andrew Butterwick reviews another poor performance and another defeat

http://leedsfan.blogspot.com/2017/10/leeds-utd-v-reading-14th-oct-2017.html

Thank you Andrew, things can hopefully only get better.

Social Media reacted as expected, some players receiving heavy criticism and Head Coach Thomas Christainsen was not without his critics too for his comments in the press interview after the game. Things can be going so well then.


Monday 16/10

Heidi Haigh tries to lift the spirits with her blog of the Reading game

http://www.followmeandleedsunited.co.uk/reading-h-14th-october-2017

Thank you Heidi, good luck with the new book.

Gaetano Berard has revealed that Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen didn’t say a word to the players in the wake of the defeat to Reading. The Whites suffered a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Reading on Saturday and continued their poor run of form in the Championship.

The Yorkshire giants have now lost three consecutive league matches and are sixth-placed in the table.

Berardi was asked how the Leeds manager responded in the dressing room to the loss and he explained that Christiansen didn’t speak to them. Berardi said “After the game he (Christiansen) didn’t speak, he just spoke after the first-half.”

Christiansen made a blistering start to his career at Elland Road as Leeds were the early pacesetters in the Championship, but a recent blip has dented momentum. The Whites remain inside the play-off spots after the opening 12 games and will be looking for an instant reaction against Bristol City next weekend.

The game against Reading was Liam Cooper’s 100th for the club, his debut was against Middlesbrough on the 16th of August 2014. He commented on his Twitter page “Humbled to have played my 100th game for the mighty @LUFC we are still on track to achieve what this club deserves! Come onnn! #MOT”
Well done Liam.


Tuesday 17/10

On this day: 19 years ago a young centre half called Jonathan Woodgate made his debut against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. He was a member of the Leeds United youth squad that beat Crystal Palace 3-1. His first goal was in the 2-1 win against Sheffield Wednesday in 1998, his last goal was in the 2-0 win against Chelsea in 2002.

Jonathan Woodgate. He made 104 Premier League appearances for the club and scored 5 goals.

He left the club in 2003 when Newcastle United bought him for 9 million pounds, he later played for Real Madrid and Middlesbrough (twice), Tottenham Hotspur, Stoke City. He retired in 2016 and became assistant coach at Middlesbrough.

Leeds United are committed to raising the £200,000 needed for young, local supporter Toby Nye to receive the treatment he needs to battle Neuroblastoma, we are Team Toby and are proud to announce One Day for Toby.

Toby Nye is a four-year-old Leeds fan suffering from High-Risk Neuroblastoma – a rare form of cancer which spreads rapidly across the body. The treatment needed to save Toby’s life is not currently routinely available on the NHS and therefore we will come together as a family and raise the funds required. If the NHS do fund Toby’s treatment, then all the money raised by One Day for Toby will go towards supporting other families in similar situations.

The players, backroom staff and office staff at Leeds United, along with workers from the Leeds United Foundation and our parent company Aser will donate one day’s salary on Friday 27th October, the same day the Whites face Sheffield United. There will be various fundraising activities taking place at Elland Road in the build up to the game allowing supporters to join us and support Team Toby. We have also reached out to our commercial partners to encourage them to join us in our pledge to donate a day’s salary to help one of our own.

Chairman Andrea Radrizzani said: “Toby and his family met with me recently and I was deeply moved by his situation, as we all are. At Leeds United we do things as a family, Toby is part of our family and he needs our help, I know our supporters will unite behind us and together we can get him the treatment he needs to get better.”

Happy Birthday Leeds United... 98 years old today.


Wednesday 18/10

Leeds City Council agenda
Item 10 - Plans to relocate Leeds United’s training ground plus a Community Sports Village.

Cllr Blake (Lab) says regime at Leeds Utd “so different now, club desires to benefit city as a whole, and communities around the ground.”

Conservative Leader Carter voiced concerns over parking problems if site was moved. Cllr Golton (Lib Dem) says “opportunity to look at multi-storey car parking for this site, as well as training ground.” Cllr Carter (Con) says we need more information “so we can be sure, and know precisely what final deal will be like.”

Leeds City Council accepts recommendations to discuss plans with Leeds United re training ground & Community Sports Village. Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds Council’s executive member for regeneration, planning and transport said; “I am pleased that the executive board has agreed that the council and Leeds United can begin talks around a potential new club training ground being developed on the old Matthew Murray High School site in south Leeds.

"We know from when the club was previously in the Premier League the impact that a successful and thriving Leeds United can have not just in spreading the Leeds brand around the world, but also in boosting the local economy.

"Just as important is the power that the club has in the city through its grassroots community and engagement work to enthuse, inspire and make a difference, especially to the lives of young people. The development of a Community Sports Village at the Fullerton Park site is a sign of a renewed ambition at the club to play a significant role in the life of the city off the pitch as well as on it – and that’s what’s been missing for far too long.”

Pontus Jansson gave his thoughts on his and the teams recent performances on his Instagram account:“Last few weeks has been tough, things hasn’t gone in the way that we all wanted and I personally have been shit, but we all want the same thing now, going back and win games, and the only way to go is hard work, 100 per cent. Stay together everyone and we will for sure come back.”


Thursday 19/10

Luke Ayling commits his future to the club after signing a deal that takes the popular defender to the end of season 2020/21. He commented on his Twitter account “Buzzing to have extended my stay at this great club.... hope I can help get this club back to where it belongs #MOT.”

Last five games at Ashton Gate
Bristol City 1 Leeds 0 Champ Sept 2016
Bristol City 2 Leeds 2 Champ Aug 2015
Bristol City 2 Leeds 3 Champ Sept 2012
Bristol City 0 Leeds 3 Champ Feb 2012
Bristol City 0 Leeds 2 Champ Feb 2011


Friday 20/10

Bristol City manager Lee Johnson on the game with Leeds “We have got a huge crowd coming which is great and expectation has built up on both teams. We have got to embrace that and we have got to enjoy these big games.” City are unbeaten since they lost 2-1 at Birmingham City in their second game of the season, they are unbeaten for twelve games.

Leeds travel to Bristol City on Saturday hoping for a improvement in their recent results, it won’t be easy because City are one of Championship’s hardest teams to beat.

Thomas Christainsen must show the doubters that he can turn the team’s fortunes around and he has the squad to do this. He made a huge call in replacing Felix Wiedwald with Andy Lonergan and now other players who were established in the team may also find the soft spoken Head Coach has a ruthless side. Jansson by his own admission hasn’t played well, Phillips and Hernandez both were disappointing in the defeat to Reading Stuart Dallas and Ronaldo Vieira may be the players to replace the duo.

It’s pretty clear that the way Leeds play has been ‘found out’ so Christainsen must try something different, formation wise to give Leeds more stability in the midfield area and I suggest two players up front might at least give Bristol’s centre backs something to worry about, Lasogga on his own simply isn’t working anymore.

Speaking ahead of today's match head coach Christiansen said; “The message is of course to try and turn the negative results around and take a win. The players know what we need to improve on and what we need to do on the pitch.

Speaking of his players, Christiansen still seemed confident in his squad saying;

“I have a lot of confidence in the players, they have managed to get to the top of the table and keep six clean sheets in a row.

"Despite us having three defeats, we still have the same group that got us to that position and they have to get us back there."

If Leeds can get the early goal I can see them at least coming away from Ashton Gate with a point. 1-1 draw.

Sports wise it’s been a disappointing time for both the teams I follow, three defeats for my beloved Leeds and four defeats for the Raiders. But last night the Raiders beat Kansas in a ‘nail bitter’ 31-30 so I’m hoping the trend will continue with a improved result for the Mighty Whites.

MOT

By Keith Ingham