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Friday 5 December 2008

Tranmere Rovers v Leeds United Dec 6th 2008 preview

Preview Track:
Firstly let me apologise if any regular readers have been shocked by "Strings for Yasmin" exploding onto the webpage as they open it up......................I've put it on autoplay as a special treat for Monkey Hanger.  You can stop it if you want a peaceful read by clicking the stop button on the panel!
I've suffered from PHS for the most of this week, Post Histon Sulk, as the reality of just how low we have sunk in recent years hits home with a vengeance.  But nobody said supporting Leeds would be an easy ride and the one thing I have got used to over the years is having realistic expectations of success shattered by some lowly team that previously has not made it onto our radar.  Don't get me wrong I'm not belittling Histon's achievement as  they are a very well drilled and organised side, too Wimblendonesque for my liking though,  who will trouble better teams than Leeds in the years to come.....................no it's because we had a very successful decade between the mid sixties and mid seventies and as a result of that we have, quite rightly, always hankered for a return to those halcyon days of a bulging Trophy cabinet.  
Yes we have had some success since in winning the title in '92 but even then some of the sheen was taken off the achievement through accusations that Manure lost it rather than we won it...................but with that exception, (I don't count 2nd Div title as proper success) we have failed every time in what can be loosely called a big match so the point I am labouring on is that we are well used to disappointment by now and accept it is part of the "whole package" of being a whites fan................still doesn't make it any easier though nor does it stop us coming back for more!
The first winter snowfalls have decorated the Pennines and North of England this week accompanied by the usual overeactive panic at the sight of a single snowflake with schools closing and the regions transport network coming to a grinding halt.  I just hope the weather picks up in time for our trek across the snowy hills to Tranmere tomorrow or the notorious Trans Peninne Express train may be defying it's name and leaving us with another away car journey to contend with.
Leeds go into the match with plenty of selection quandaries as injuries dictate we will be without Robbo, Becks and Christie up front.  It's time for Snoddy and Enoch to step up and fill the breach which they are quite capable of but, as has been debated to death, it is the generous back four who will attract the most scrutiny from another large travelling army of Leeds fans.  This week Gary Mac was summoned to Monaco for a council of war with Capt Birdsye where clearly the wish list for the January window was high on the agenda.  I feel he not only needs a change of personnel on the playing field but should be ruthless with his coaching staff and find someone who can organise a decent defence....................for christ sake if a village side can do it we should be able to!
Finally I was placed in a delicate situation this week when I was in a business meeting with a client who happens to follow "that red team"  As he kindly organised a welcome cup of coffee he offered me my drink in his European Champions League commemorative mug.  Now my first thought was to accidentally drop it but seeing the look on my face he quipped "it's alright if you drop it......I can get another one this season"  Much as my natural instinct was to fire a quick witted reply I suddenly thought no....................ffs we've just lost to a village side from darkest fenland I'm on fairly thin ice here!  My time will come though just you wait and see!
MOT

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