Diary of a Leeds Fan (17/10-21/10/18)

Since Last Time

Andrea Radrizzani speaking at ‘Leaders Week’ in London. Leeds United worth double what the Italian paid for the club in May 2017.

Sergio Canos of Brentford found not guilty of a head but on Ezgjan Alioski during the game on the 6th of October.Looked like one to me!!

Leeds are asked to supply information and find the culprits who threw coins and bottles in the same game.

Dean Smith, manager of Brentford replaces Steve Bruce as Aston Villa manager. John Terry will be his

Former Aston Villa Chairman Doug Ellis dies on the 10th of October. He was involved until 2006 when he sold the club to Randy Lerner. He was aged 94.

Gaetano Berardi, Connor Shaughnessy and Kemar Roofe start for the under 23’s start against Burnley. Hopefully ready for a return to first team action against Blackburn Rovers on the 20th. The game ended 2-2 with Leeds’ goals coming from a deflected Berardi header and a Kemar Roofe shot, Leeds lead 2-0 but Burnley came back and equalised in the 72nd minutes.

Head of the Academy Richard Cresswell speaks to Phil Hay about his new challenge of keeping the production line going at Thorpe Arch.

Pontus Jansson charged by the FA for “abusive and/or insulting/and or improper/and or brought the game into disrepute” Bloody farcical after Canós was left off for a clear head butt on Ezgjan Alioski.


Tuesday 17/10

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEEDS UNITED!

Today marks the 99th Birthday of the football team. The club has asked fans to supply videos via social media to start the preparations for the centenary next October.

Here’s a few famous ex players, current midfielder Kalvin Phillips and fans telling their best moments

Here the YEP shows how the ground has changed in those 99 years.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/in-photos-how-elland-road-the-home-of-leeds-united-has-changed-over-the-years-1-9400105

Thanks to the YEP.

Thursday 18/10

Marcelo Bielsa on who’s back and who’s out: “(Kemar) Roofe, Pablo (Hernandez), (Gaetano) Berardi. These three players will be available. We have some players who will miss the game also. (Barry) Douglas, (Jack) Harrison and (Luke) Ayling. We always have an average of five who will be missing during the season but it's very important to have those three back."

On Pontus Jansson’s outburst after the Brentford game: “I would have preferred that Pontus didn't say that because actually the referee is a colleague of ours, of both teams.

His task is very difficult and if we understand the role of the referee we will help him. The role of us on the bench allows us to have more serenity than the players on the pitch but I think if Pontus had time to think about it he wouldn't have said the same thing.”
“I understand also when players make many efforts on the pitch and feel that the treatment they receive isn’t fair. This is the opinion of a 63-year-old man who is not on the pitch.” Bielsa added that Jansson’s wife is still to give birth and if the situation changes it may determine if the popular centre half plays at Ewood Park.

On his gift to his old club Newell’s Old Boys: “From the club who formed me, I received more from Newell’s Old Boys than what I gave to them,” Bielsa said. I’m actually paying a debt to Newell’s Old Boys rather than making a gift.

“Anything you can do to raise the standards is very important. The essence of Newell’s Old Boys is important, the people who support the club. The training ground is a very interesting one and they work a lot with young players there. What I did is just a small gesture towards the club.”

Samuel Siaz on Bielsa: “I feel better, because Marcelo made the whole team be more aggressive from a football point of view, not from outside of football. We’re focused on being aggressive playing football. This season we trust more in each other. It's very hard for the opponent to have a chance to score and thanks to all this I feel more safe and I'm less aggressive, apart from the football on the pitch. I like the football fight with the opponents and I'm not afraid of that.”

Siaz on last season’s poor end to the season: “Last season when we found out we couldn't make it to the play-offs, it was a moment that was hard for me, I was less motivation because I couldn't reach the objective. It's a problem that I had and it can't happen again. In every year you have good moments and bad moments but when you play at Elland Road and see all the fans supporting you, it gives you the strength to keep working and do better things. I went to other stadiums in the Premier League and these big clubs don't have the fans we have.”


Friday 19/10

We’ve met before
Blackburn 1 Leeds 2 February 2017
Blackburn 1 Leeds 2 March 2016
Blackburn 2 Leeds 1 November 2014
Blackburn 1 Leeds 0 November 2013
Blackburn 0 Leeds 0 February 2013
All Championship games.

Preview

Marcelo Bielsa will get a timely boost from three players who have been missing for a number of weeks. Kemar Roofe made a scoring return to action against Burnley under 23’s, Gaetano Berardi also came through unscathed and may well replace the suspended Luke Ayling at right back. Midfield maestro Pablo Hernandez is also fit to face Blackburn Rovers.

Luke Ayling is out through suspension (one match ban), Barry Douglas and Jack Harrison miss out due to injuries.

The reason why Leeds are no longer top is that they have drawn too many games recently, winning games got them top so they need to start that again with a trip over the Pennines to a ground that has proven a happy hunting ground in the last two season’s, both were 2-1 wins. The latest secured courtesy of a last minute header by Pontus Jansson.

Tyler Roberts, fresh from his first full international appearance for Wales in the Republic of Ireland may be the one to lose his place if Kemar Roofe is brought back into the starting eleven, the other option is to move Roberts to one of the wings, with Alioski moving to the bench

Blackburn beat local rivals Bolton in their last game and have also taken three points off Stoke City or their own midden. They are tenth in the Championship with eighteen points.

Most games between the two teams are close and I expect another ‘tight’ game. Leeds 2-1.

Saturday 20/10

Blackburn Rovers v Leeds United

Team News: Gaetano Berardi and Kemar Roofe come into the starting eleven. Pablo Hernandez starts on the bench.

Team: Peacock-Farrell, Berardi, Cooper(c), Jansson, Dallas, Phillips, Klich, Roofe, Siaz, Alioski, Roberts.

The Game

Marcelo Bielsa’s decision to play Stuart Dallas at right back seemed to make the right hand side of the defence weaker and Armstrong benefited from it. You cannot let forwards have as much room as Graham had in the second minute and hope to keep a clean sheet, he did what he’s done all his career and Leeds were behind after only two minutes. The seven thousand plus fans seemed also confused that Kemar Roofe was played predominantly on the right hand side of the front three, although he was moved centrally during the first period, the striker was in superb goal scoring form before his injury and it was presumed that Tyler Roberts would be the one to make way for the top scorer, Roofe for me has never been a winger and today proved it.

Throughout the rest of the half Leeds seemed to find the wrong pass and promising moves broke down, until the final minute of injury time when Tyler Roberts drove the ball across the six yard box and Mateusz Klich put the ball past Raya. Honours even at the break.

Klich equalises for Leeds

The second half was much better from a Leeds perspective, much better in possession and they forced the home side on the back foot but once again the final ball just wasn’t good enough. Leeds introduced Pablo Hernandez, Jack Clarke and Shackleton to try and force their way through a well marshalled Blackburn defence but it was against the run of play when Rovers capitalised on more woeful Leeds defending to edge in front,

Lenihan scoring from a corner when unmarked six yards out. Leeds best chance of the second half fell to goalscorer Klich, his effort in the last ten minutes bringing a superb save out of Raya. That was it, a defeat in a game that the possession stats were well in Leeds’ favour. Unfortunately goals win games not statistics!

Post Match

Marcelo Bielsa: “We needed to win this game, especially after the draw in the last home game. We didn't defend as well as we used to do. The offensive players created difficulties for our defence. We could have avoided the goals they scored. Our offensive play was good enough.

“What we can say is that we lost against a rival that is not better than us. Maybe a draw would have better reflected what happened in the game."

Tony Mowbray: “We'd had an international break to prepare. It gives the staff a good chance to study the opposition when you've got two weeks to watch five or six full games, try to pick their weaknesses and strengths.You come up with game plans and we had two days to put it together, I'm just so pleased for the players really. The set-plays today are something we worked really hard on."


Sunday 21/10

David Watkins review of the first away defeat of the season, not a crisis but improvements are needed...quickly!

http://dlw100.wixsite.com/leedsunited/blackburn-awaay-oct-20-2018

Thank you David.

Once again a negative scoreline brings the worst out of some sections of the Leeds faithful. Everybody is disappointed if the team gets beat, but to go personal is out of order. All players deserve respect win, lose or draw.

The positives out of the game were an impressive ninety minutes from Kalvin Phillips and after switching sides Gaetano Berardi let nobody down, Jack Clarke also looks like he could be a decent player if given time to develop.


Monday 22/10

Heidi’s views on a dark early morning trip, her granddaughters first away day and the marvels of ordering service to your table through your phone. Oh and a defeat at Ewood Park...

http://www.followmeandleedsunited.co.uk/blackburn-v-leeds-united-20th-october-2018-at-ewood-park

A little reminder that Heidi’s new book is available on Amazon. It’s called ‘Back to Reality’ and is well worth reading. Thank you Heidi.

By Keith Ingham