weallloveleeds.co.uk
  • Latest
  • Fixtures/Results/Table
  • Have Your Say
  • Meet the team
  • Contact Us
  • Links

Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United Preview...

28/12/2013

3 Comments

 

By Rob Atkinson

Picture
So here we are at the last knockings of what has been, to say the least, an eventful 2013.  The New Year is just around the corner, with all of its rich promise, uncertainty and bright prospects - we hope - of a more stable and better-funded club.  Everything that can make a success-starved Leeds United fan "dare to dream" is getting closer and closer.

That fresh start is perhaps just a couple of days away now.  But before it, there lays in our path the last obstacle of the old year, a hurdle that we traditionally find difficult to clear.  This is something that seems likely to be just as true as ever as we travel to the City Ground, Nottingham to face the comically-nicknamed "Tricky Trees" of the Forest.

This is a big game for both clubs, poised as they are to enter the second half of the campaign as genuine contenders for promotion via one route or another.  Both ache to be among the elite again, neither will be choosy how that is to be achieved, whether it be by the automatic route or through the chancy play-offs.  Either club would grace the top flight; it's a face-off between two of the division's true heavyweights.  Forest go into battle on the back of a highly-creditable 2-0 defeat of pre-season favourites QPR, Leeds emerged from an away game at Blackpool with a point and somewhat unlucky not to have gained all three.

Forest are likely to field the team that dismissed Rangers, but also welcome back Simon Cox as a fresh attacking option.  On the Trees' injury list are Danny Collins, Chris Cohen and Kelvin Wilson, as well as a certain Dexter Blackstock, out for the rest of the season with a knee injury picked up on Whites loan duty.

For Leeds, Luke Murphy is available again after a one-match suspension, so manager Brian McDermott has options in midfield, where Tonge and Brown performed well at Bloomfield Road.  Young Alex Mowatt may remain in the background, being protected from early burn-out, but teenage wide man Gboly Ariyibi continues to push from the bench, while elder statesmen El-Hadji Diouf and Paul Green are also waiting to make their first real contributions in a while.

Even at my most optimistic, I'm struggling to predict anything massively positive from this one.  It may well be that this fixture will represent our darkest hour before a new dawn, putting an end to an unbeaten December that has included rather too many draws along with its two victories.  A draw would be great here too, but it appears unlikely against a Forest side with its tails up and as eager as ever to beat those notorious Clough-persecutors from up the road.  With the best will in the world, I can see little other than a defeat here, possibly by 3 goals to 1.

Still, this is Leeds United - and just as they sometimes kick your optimistic hopes in the teeth, so they will occasionally surprise you when you're expecting nowt. That's the possibility to cling on to as we take on a difficult task.  I don't predict a defeat unless I can genuinely see little else on the horizon, and this is one time when I'd be delighted to be proved utterly wrong.
3 Comments
Shabaz Ahmed
28/12/2013 07:42:38 pm

Poor over last three games, we will lose and we lack creativity in midfield, Murphy needs to be brilliant today if we are going to get anything. If Murphy and smith have a good game we could sneak it, this game cries out for diouf but not with playing wing backs.

Reply
Shabaz Ahmed
29/12/2013 01:14:10 am

Spirited display by the mighty whites, nothing is lost in December but we still do need a creative midfielder and a goal poacher. Smith has done well this season but it is too much to expect on his shoulders. McCormack scored again brilliant. Midfielders such as Austin and Murphy will not score united twelve plus goals per season. A wonder strike led to defeat nothing to be disheartened about and marching onwards and forwards to the promise land.

Reply
Leeds72 link
28/12/2013 08:47:10 pm

Top post would be over the moon with a draw still no news regarding the takeover are they stalling till transfer window is shut bates style only time will tell

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    As featured on NewsNow: Leeds United newsLeeds United News 24/7

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    RSS Feed

    This is an image from weallloveleeds.co.uk, the leading fans site for Leeds United
    Follow @weallloveleedsu
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Latest
  • Fixtures/Results/Table
  • Have Your Say
  • Meet the team
  • Contact Us
  • Links