Can Leeds douse the Forest fire?

The tragic events at White Hart Lane this weekend once again showed the wider football family at its best.  Just as the universal response to Gary Speed’s death cut right across all football loyalties and rivalries the overwhelming support for Fabrice Muamba has been superb with the slight exception of some very sick and ignorant individuals in cyberspace.  As Fabrice continues to defy the odds and fight for his life the wishes and prayers of all football and non football fans are with him and his young family.  His wasn’t the only tragedy in football this weekend as the father of the Kilmarnock player, Liam Kelly, collapsed and died at the end of their shock League Cup win against Celtic.  Such a sad weekend.

The mighty whites return to action at the Theatre of Renewed Hope on Tuesday when they welcome Notts Forest to Agent Warnock’s Bullring.  Our new leader likened the atmosphere against West Ham to something akin to a bullring in his press conference.  Certainly the way Paul Robinson was charging into tackles I can see where he’s coming from!  Forest will be a tough test for Warnock’s men though.  Up to now, with the exception of his first game at Pompey, we have played teams above us so expectation levels were relatively reserved but with the arrival of a Forest team struggling in 20^th place in the League anything other than a good win will be seen as a major disappointment especially after thumping them 4.0 at the City ground earlier in the season. 

Leeds should have too much fire power for Forest but as we all know to our cost Leeds’s recent history is littered with painful examples of games where we should have had “too much fire power” for the opposition only to come away with absolutely nothing from the game.  So the first twenty minutes of the game will be key for me.  If Leeds settle and a get a grip early on then we should go on and harvest a vital three points but if we give the desperate outlaws from Nottingham any sign of nervousness or panic then they are quite capable upsetting the form book and scuttling Leeds’ faint play off ambitions.

So this will be Agent Warnock’s biggest test so far. No wriggle room for him in this game. Nothing less than a resounding victory will keep the Mission Impossible dream alive for Leeds something I am sure Saint Neil will be forcefully reminding his warriors right up to kick off time.  Something tells me the Beeston Bullring will be no place for the faint hearted tomorrow.  2.0 to Leeds anyone?

Can’t wait.

MOT