Leeds v Boro 13th Aug 2011

For the 4th year running the sign on platform 2 at Selby station was still defiantly squeaking away in the light breeze as we gathered for the first home league game of the new season. The Happy Chocker and the Quiet One joined me as we boarded the 1.11pm train for Leeds.  Yet another season of following the mighty whites at The Theatre of Hope was underway.  All the pre match chat focused on team selection for today's game and the ongoing drama of Capt Birdseye's stewardship of Leeds United.  Tom Lees was everybody's favourite to get a starting spot, which he did, and the consensus view on the white bearded one was that he has at the very least prevented Leeds splashing the cash on much needed squad strengthening in favour of the East Stand development.  As regular readers will know I have a slightly different interpretation of events so at the risk of castigation by the vociferous majority we bypassed the "Bates out" protest and went for a pre match pint in the members bar.

England were annihilating India in the latest test match on the big screen as the team was announced.  Lees, Bromby, Mad Max, Snoddy and O'Dea all returned to the starting line up in what looked like a stronger eleven than the one that capitulated at St Mary's.  Despite the automated turnstyle refusing to recognise my season ticket I eventually took up my usual seat along with 25,000 other fans in the bright West Yorks sunshine.  After the nervy win against Bradford in mid week and with the fans revolting in the stands we needed a good positive start and that's exactly what we got as Leeds took the early initiative. Leeds won an early corner sparking a debate amongst my fellow fans as to when we last scored from a corner.  "Bout 1998" was one suggestion that captured the mood.................we never score from corners?  But the Happy Chocker had done his homework on Tom Lees and announced he was useful from corners and he'd scored 4 for Bury last season.  And with that the afore mentioned Mr Lees met Snoddy's corner with a firm header that the Boro goalie clung onto for dear life.  Mmmm maybe it won't be long before we score from a corner again?

Both Mad Max and Snoddy looked lively after their midweek international efforts.  Max picked up an early yellow for a clattering 50:50 challenge on the Boro right back.  "A bit early to be brandishing yellows" I suggested.  But Mr "everybody's come to see me" Referee had only just started on his afternoon of wanton and dramatic card waving!  Mad Max had soon calmed down enough to jink his way through and sting Ikeme's hands in the Boro goal with a rasping shot.  Things were looking good.  The new look back four actually appeared to be solid and stroked the ball about with confidence.  In front of them Messr's Howson and Clayton were winning the mid field battle as Boro started to creak at the seams.  Then disaster struck.

Mad Max challenged and won the ball in midfield but not to the referees liking as he reached straight into his back pocket for another yellow and the little Ivorian was dispatched for an early bath.  Bollox, this ref was really getting on my tits.  He was blowing his whistle at every opportunity and was waving yellow cards around like he'd just found the a winning lottery ticket.  Mad Max's exit fired up the home crowd and the team as they looked to bury the memories of last weeks defeat with a backs to the wall performance in front of their ever critical fans.  Lonergan tipped a dangerous header over the bar as Boro looked to put their one man advantage to good use but the new resilience at the back held firm.  The ref continued to anger the home fans with a litany of inconsistent and fussy decisions.  I began to wonder if he just hated Leeds?

Adam Clayton has started this season very well and today was no exception. Just after 35 minutes he was inches away from writing his name in Leeds United folk lore as he noticed Ikeme stood on the penalty spot and attempted a lob from the half way line................the crowd held it's collective breath as the surprised goalie back pedalled furiously and only just managed to finger tip the goal bound ball over the bar.  Fantastic! Leeds were stretched at times though as they worked tirelessly to overcome the one man disadvantage and Capt Fantastic, Howson, "took one for the team" as he received a yellow card for cynically pulling back the Boro centre forward with the wide expanses of Elland Road in front of him.  Howson nearly redeemed himself minutes later though as he was inches away from a Snoddy cross after some sweet approach work.  "We might only have 10 men but we're definitely not out of this one" I observed with my uber-optimistic head on as Leeds finished the half on the front foot helped by another red card, this time for Boro's McMahon just before the break.  His was for two yellows and in the interests of fair play I've got to say he no more deserved a red than Mad Max did.  Half time 0.0.

The first Gents half time debate of the season by the urinal philosophers was a positive one buoyed by an impressive battling performance by the mighty whites.  No mention of hotels, Bates or executive boxes but plenty regarding the ref's parentage or lack of it, Tom Lees and Adam Clayton.  "We can still win this" was the general view.

Leeds were now playing towards the kop and picked up on the impetus of having equal numbers of players.  The super cool Tom Lees brought the crowd to its feet with a neat header that appeared to cross the line before a despairing Boro boot hoiked it clear.  It didn't look as if it was going to be our day and when the ref dug into his card pocket once again to dismiss Jonny Howson after an innocuous challenge left a smart Boro player prostrate on the turf.  Not surprisingly he wasn't dead and jumped to his feet as soon as Howson entered the tunnel.  Mr Taylor, the ref, had managed in 55 minutes to turn the wrath of the Elland Road crowd away from Capt Birdseye and firmly onto himself.  Leeds now had only 9 players on the pitch and the best they could hope for was to hang on for the draw.

Lord Larry had to reshuffle his resources.  Nunez had come on for Brown and was now operating in a midfield three with Snoddy and Clayton.  Thompson soon replaced Snoddy to try and bolster Leeds' defensive offering.  Leeds were now trying their hardest to hold back a Boro side who were exploiting the inevitable gaps that were appearing alarmingly on Leeds' right flank.  It was with harsh irony that the man who broke the Leeds resistance on 67 minutes was the same player who was "fouled" by Howson for his 2nd yellow, Emnes as he danced into the Leeds box and smashed a shot past Lonergan into the roof of the net.  At 1.0 it was almost impossible for Leeds to comeback.  Sam came on for Ross Mac and although the men in white dredged up some energy for a last hurrah which saw Lonergan helping the attack they couldn't get an equaliser.  The pedantic ref blew his whistle for the last time knowing he'd ruined most of the 25,000 crowd's weekend with his fussy display.

Leeds had now tasted defeat for the 2nd time in a week but the difference was this was on the back of an encouraging performance despite the lack of players on the pitch.  Clayton and Lees impressed me with Lonergan showing just why Lord Larry thinks he's a better goalie than Schmeichel.  The back four looked solid with some heroic blocks and tackles to keep Leeds in the game.  The trek home was a relatively up beat one considering we'd lost.  In a strange way the team will take a lot of positives from this defeat.  They will need to though as we welcome the Codheads to the Theatre of Hope on Tuesday without Max, Howson, Becchio, Somma and Billy Barndoor.  Early days in the season yet though.  As Corporal Jones would say "Don't panic" after all it's how a team finish the season that matters not how they start it as we found to our cost last time out.

Roll on Tuesday night and let's send the pretend Yorkshiremen back done the M62 with their fishtails between their legs.
Cant wait.
MOT

Another one bites the dust...............yet another "nearly" signing

The first week of the season draws to a close with a game against our Teeside rivals, Middlesbrough, at the Theatre of Hope.  As ever on Planet Leeds there have been plenty of topics and issues to keep the extended LUFC family engaged this week. The woeful defeat at impressive Southampton fanned the flames of the "what happened to the team strengthening this summer" debate in all its forms.  We seem to have been near to signing players numerous times only for the deal to fall through at the last minute.  Capt Birdseye gave an indication on Monday why the latest target, a big name centre forward on loan, never got to see the delights of Graveley's Fish n Chip shop on Elland Road.


 "His club agreed to let him join on loan until Christmas, the player said he wanted to come and then his agent got busy".
"He intervened and said no, what he wanted to do was to try and get his club to pay the player off, because he was in the last year of his contract and sign for us for a year. We said we’re signing him so he can play on Tuesday night and if he doesn’t turn up on Tuesday with his boots then he can forget it."


Such a charming negotiation style our Chairman has don't you think? I mean with three of our four strikers locked in the treatment room and a suitable replacement keen to come to Leeds you would have thought that there would have been a modicum of humility in the tone of the dialogue given that if Ross McCormack had picked up an injury against Bradford or indeed in training this week Ethel the Tea Lady would have started up front against Boro. Now I am all for cutting our cloth to what we can afford but that is just plain daft.  So I suppose we'll hear the same old story from Lord Larry that we've "got a couple of targets lined up who should join us early next week" after Ethel breaks her leg scoring the winner on Saturday!  Now please forgive me if you are reading this and thinking I've gone stark raving mad because we've just signed a decent left back, Centre half, Centre midfield and Centre forward ready for the Boro match as this was written on Thursday evening. By the way I think there's more chance of us signing Jesus Christ and the 12 disciples than that happening.


So I suspect Lord Larry won't have any new faces in the squad for Saturday and we will be left wondering if Parker, AOB and Connolly will all pay the price for poor performances on Tuesday.  If they do with the exception of Tom Lees, who looks a real prospect, the choices for the replacements are not great.  Will he try O'Dea at centre half or will he give Bromby another chance?  Or maybe Bruce will bounce back into contention?   Doesn't inspire thoughts of a clean sheet does it? The frustration is that whoever seems to populate the back four places they all suffer from the same disease, an inability to either communicate, defend as a unit, mark effectively or keep a clean sheet.  That would suggest to me it's the coaching that is at fault and whoever Lord Larry delegates that task to needs to be shown the door. In front of the back four the protection was not great against Southampton and whilst Clayton has shown some promise Michael Brown has disappointed in both games this week. 


With a defence still leaking goals we need to be knocking in three a game to compensate.  At least with Snoddy, Max, Nunez, Howson, Clayton and Sam all contending for midfield starting spots we should be able to rely on goals coming from the 5 man midfield. Snoddy did show better form for Scotland and scored the winner so he should be on a high at least. So all in all things are not looking too positive at LS11 at the moment.  Still early days in the season though and if we can limp along until we get Becchio and Somma back on the pitch there might be light at the end of the tunnel.  Until then I think it's a strategy of plan for the worst and hope for the best.

At least on Saturday we are back to Elland Road and we're kicking off at 3pm.  Is it too much to ask for a truly inspiring performance from the mighty whites to banish all this early season negativity?  Time will tell.
Can't wait.
MOT

Leeds Utd v Bradford City. Carling Cup 1st Round 9th August

Midweek matches are always difficult to get to but I wasn't expecting the mindless acts of thieves and vandals to hamper my plans to get to the Theatre of Hope to see our Carling Cup clash with Bradford............but they did!  Leaving work in Trafford at 5pm I was confronted with gridlock on the roads leading to the M62 as the Police locked down parts of Salford and the city centre.  "There'll be a bloody riot if I miss the kick off" I mused to myself as I crept agonisingly along at snails pace.  It did give me time to think about the forthcoming match though.  With 4 players away on international duty changes were inevitable.  Chances for Tom Lees, Nunez, Sam presumably? Would Larry stick with the 4.5.1 formation or put Billy Barndoor alongside Ross Mac up front? Will the defence gel together and keep a clean sheet? After all it might be a west Yorkshire derby but they are a League Two side?  The clock ticked onto 5.30pm, distance travelled 400 yards.  Will he go with AOB, who didn't look fit at Southampton, and Paddy at the back?  Will Ben Parker suddenly regain some sort of fitness and speed in the problematic left back spot.  Mmmm I think I knew the answer to that. 6pm, distance travelled 3/4 mile and now seriously pissed off.

The combination of thoughts of the frailties of the team and the gridlock had thoroughly depressed me by the time I reached the M62 at 6.30pm but luckily the usual congestion between Eccles and Rochdale had gone and I had a trouble free run to Elland Road.  Bradford City had turned out in force for their Cup Final as 4,000 away fans packed the South Stand hoping to put one over on their West Yorkshire neighbours.  Please note we are neighbours not rivals!  The team news confirmed Sam and Nunez on the flanks with AOB still at Centre half and Parker at LB.  The sight of only 6 subs on the bench and 2 of them, Taylor and Thompson, generating the question "anyone know much about them" just shows how threadbare the squad currently is.  The Happy Chocker and I settled into our seats slightly apprehensively ready for Kick off.

The early exchanges saw some juicy challenges from both sides.  Parker was soon left in a heap after a late tackle and Adam Clayton enhanced his growing reputation with a crunching dispossession of the Bradford left back, Threlfall. Leeds settled the better and carved out two good chances for Nunez one of which he should have buried.  Clayton was to the fore with some intelligent passing and vision that rocked City back on their heels.  A relaxed mood started to invade my apprehension as Leeds started to show some signs of the difference in class between the two sides..................but not in defence as hesitancy and silence seemed to be the buzz words in the back five.  AOB seemed to think he still played for Bradford as his lack of fitness seriously impaired his performance.  Bradford had sent some jitters around the kop on their forays into the Leeds half so it was no real surprise when they took the lead with a goal on the half hour.  The build up found Connolly out of position and when the ball was pulled back across the 6 yard box Parker's leisurely challenge allowed Compton to turn the ball into the net.  Will we ever keep a clean sheet again?

Leeds responded and to be fair continued to have the better of the game but with a double whammy of spurning what chances we created at one end and looking frighteningly fragile at the other my uber-optimism was fast disappearing for the 2nd game running.  Half time came with Leeds still 1.0 behind and my head stuck in my hands.  Surely Lord Larry would make changes at the back for the 2nd half.  Maybe Ethel the Tea lady could make her debut at centre half?

Leeds needed a lift and we didn't have to wait long as Sam caused havoc down the right and played the ball into the box.......... Clayton spun and laid it off for Nunez who whacked the ball into the top corner. 1.1.  This was better.  Soon the hard working Ross Mac was free and bearing down on goal but hooked his shot wide. But at the other end the porcelain fragility of the defence was once again exposed as AOB lost the ball and allowed Syers to race through and drill a shot wide.  Suddenly Bradford's attackers were looking world beaters heavily assisted by some farcical defending by the men in white. Connolly was all at sea at right back, AOB was having a very bad day at the office and Paddy was hurtling round try to stem the tide while Parker sauntered about like it was a Sunday morning kick about.  Leeds failure to find any sought of robust defence led to the inevitable goal from the visitors as AOB lost the ball and Threlfall slotted a simple ball to Flynn who lost the day dreaming Parker and fired an unstoppable shot past Lonergan. 2.1 Bradford.  The travelling fans were in dreamland.  Lord Larry was in orbit as he hooked AOB and Connolly to be replaced by Lees and Bromby.  The ironic cheering was cruel on AOB and he stormed off down the tunnel.  The changes worked though as a calm, serene style replaced the previous headless chicken impressions in the Leeds defence.

So with the leaking damn fixed by the substitutions Leeds set about winning the game attacking with verve driven by Clayton and Howson with the ever eager Nunez, Sam and Ross Mac chomping at the bit looking for the all important equaliser.  Michael Brown was somewhere on the pitch but seemed to have an invisible shirt on.  With Tom Lees playing with confidence way beyond his young years the right hand flank was battering the faltering City defences and when Lees popped up to deliver a delicious cross Ross Mac greedily accepted the opportunity with a perfect header.  2.2 and Bradford were wobbling.

Leeds were soon in front as the white tidal wave engulfed the battling Bradfordians.  Sam and Lees again made hay down the right and a teasing cross took a deflection before Nunez hammered home from a yard out.  3.2 to Leeds and relief swept round three sides of the stadium like a quick acting Alka Selzer. Bradford tired quickly as Leeds played keep ball and  5 minutes injury time wasn't enough for Bradford to equalise as Leeds ran out winners and earned their place in the next round.

Good performances from the front three of Sam, Nunez and Ross Mac ably assisted by the impressive Clayton went some way to mask the woeful defensive efforts of Connolly, AOB and Parker.  Tom Lees must start against Boro.  The lack of strengthening of the back four is already threatening our start to the season.  Elsewhere Clayton and Nunez look to me to have brought improvement to their positions over last season's incumbents.  Jury is out on Michael Brown.  Seemed very anonymous tonight.  A win is a win though and the potential banana skin eventually avoided after a couple of dodgy moments.

Saturday should see the return of Snoddy, Max and O'Dea.  Team selection could be interesting though?  Lees, Bromby and O'Dea to start?  What about Nunez in for Snoddy? Maybe not but Snoddy needs to improve from his less than saintly performance last week..........................and you never know we might even sign somebody before Saturday?  Not holding my breath though!

Bring on Middlesboro.  A difficult game me thinks.  I think we will need 3 goals to get a result which is certainly possible.  Dare we hope for a clean sheet?  We can hope but until we start marking tighter, tackling better and communicating along the back four it's not going to happen.

Strengthen you seat belts two Yorkshire derby's back to back coming down the track.
Can't wait.
MOT.

Southampton v Leeds United 6th Aug 2011

The faithful Scirocco was brim full of optimism as it headed south with the Happy Chocker, Eddie and big Al on board.  After all last week we had seen off the Toon in impressive style and despite many reports to the contrary we still had Snoddy, Max and Jonny Howson in our midst ready for our first day clash with newly promoted Southampton.  Proper football was back and all was right with the world.

The long trek seemed to fly by helped along by listening to radio Leicester's comical commentary on the M69 derby. "He's standing with his arms on his hips" was one of the more amusing confusing combination of words the hapless commentator spouted forth whilst his summariser, Alan Young, contributed incisive reflections on the game through rose tinted spectacles................."That was not a red card............yes his studs were showing and he did lunge in but the Coventry player is making a meal of it"  He could have been Billy Davies in disguise?

With the car finally parked and pre match refreshments underway in St Mary's we considered the fast approaching game.  As expected O'Dea was the only change from the starting 11 the previous week and through that wonderful drug of pre match optimism our little band of fans agreed we would win 2.1. Optimism was contagious and soon the concourse below the away stand was rocking with vociferous Leeds fans looking forward to another season.  Then the match started!

From the first minute Leeds looked off the pace.  Southampton flew out of the traps like eager new students on their first day at school.  The atmosphere in the stadium was red hot as the 3000 Leeds fans cranked the decibel levels in an attempt to fire up the men in blue but it was the Saints who were looking the more comfortable and assured as they knocked the ball about with confidence.  It was Leeds who had the first real chance though as Howson latched onto a cushioned header from Snoddy but the Saints goalie palmed the ball away.  That bright spark of hope was soon extinguished as the home side took the lead.  The Leeds midfield parted with consummate ease as Hammond ran unchallenged to the edge of the box and hit a stinging drive that Lonergan failed to stop.  The Leeds balloon of pre season optimism was losing air at a terminal rate. Midfield allowing the opposition to run straight through them and the defence not closing down quick enough. I felt a severe case of deja vu swallowing my uber-optimism.  The porous defensive failings from last season appeared to be still alive and kicking and visibly thriving at St Marys.  The first of numerous anti-Bates songs drifted up into the Hampshire air.

The goal took the wind out of Leeds's sails.  Snoddy looked like he'd never kicked a ball in his life before as he struggled to cope with the close marking the Saints defence afforded him.  Max looked lively when he got the ball but his end results came to nothing and the three centre midfielders failed to make any impression on the home duo. Smiles turned to frowns turned to anger amongst the Leeds following as their heroes composure, passion and game plan disintegrated before their very eyes.  When Lallana danced through the paper thin defence and curled a shot in off the post the Saints were 2.0 up and the only team on the pitch that was marching on together.  The anti-Bates fury increased behind Lonergan's goal.  Leeds got to the break with just the two goals conceded.  What was needed now was a comeback of the same magnitude we managed at Burnley last year and when Max wriggled through in the first minute of the 2nd half it looked as we might just have the guts to get back in the game.  But a failed penalty appeal was all we got.  The referee was having as poor a game as Leeds.  Then Ross Mac escaped his marker but his shot was easily saved.

Connolly soon put paid to any thoughts of a comeback with a third Saints goal after yet more indecisive and generous defending.  Game over and still over half and hour to go.  "This could get very embarrassing" I suggested to the Happy Chocker.  The rest of the half was interrupted by nightmarish flashbacks of previous feeble performances............Hereford, Histon, Sheff Utd, Barnsley, PNE, Swindon need I go on? Paynter came onto rescue the game!  Exactly. So when Clayton picked him out and he failed to convert a simple one on one even I was ready to leave early and head home.  We did finally get on the score sheet in injury time when Max converted a penalty.  There was a half hearted chant of "We're gonna win 4.3" but the final whistle drowned it out as a thoroughly disjointed and poor performance came to an end.

Not surprisingly the mood of the departing Leeds fans was laced with black humour.  "Norwich lost their first game for the last two years and still got promoted" "at least Max's goal lifted us off the bottom of the table" but underneath the bravado their was real concern.  Lord Larry's stated intention to improve the midfield and defence is a long way off completion at best. O'Dea's first game showed some potential but I couldn't hear anybody saying "at least we've solved the left back problem"  O'Brien struggled as he did at times last year.  Connolly looked vulnerable all afternoon whilst Snoddy was anonymous.  The only player that showed some promise was Clayton who battled well and put some neat passes together.  It is only the first game but the disappointment was huge.  Lord Larry needs to strengthen his squad clearly but he was let down by the eleven he picked for the opener.  Not enough cohesion, creativity and certainly not enough talking, tackling and marking in defence..............now where have he heard that before?  The consensus opinion was very much "same old, same old" I'm afraid.

The hotels v building a team debate rages on.  I still believe we need both and the two should not be separated.  One thing for sure is that if we don't have anything to show from the first week of the new season and there has been no significant strengthening of the squad by this time next week the pressure for change from the fans will be at bursting point.

Bradford City on Tuesday in the Carling Cup.  A potential banana skin if ever there was one.  Even without Max and Snoddy it should be no problem.  But if it is.................................the rollercoaster could be derailed before the season is fully underway.  Life is never dull following the mighty whites.  Bring on the Bantams!
Can't wait.
MOT