Leeds United – Portsmouth October 1st 2011

Free scoring Leeds will face Portsmouth at Elland Road on Saturday, Pompey are a team that have shared a similar fate to our own, flying high, big spending and then crashing down hard.

Portsmouth have gained 9 points from 9 games and find themselves in 19^th before their visit to ER, they don’t score and doesn’t concede much either so a tight game could be in the cards, unless they have one of the six or seven goal thrillers which they have been involved in twice despite not scoring/conceding that much. They no longer have players like Defoe, Crouch or Bergovic, the top names these days are guys like Liam Lawrence, Kanu (now 400 years old??) and Leeds’ summer target David Norris. One player they have that I fear is Norway international Erik Huseklepp, he is quick in both mind and feet and lethal when running into the box, he will provide a stern test to our defence, as if we need one.

Leeds United will be able to field a strong team once again, the ability to score goals is amazing – if we get our defence sorted out we might be able to reach the play offs. Defence suffered a setback yesterday though, when it was announced that Alex Bruce will miss a further 3-4 weeks with injury, I personally would love for him to be given the chance when fit. Apart for Bruce missing Simon Grayson will have a pretty fit squad to choose from, and I think he will start the same 11 that started against Brighton last week, I had called for Keogh to be replaced but instead he responded with his first Leeds goal and in general a great first 45 minutes – the last 45 minutes are best left forgotten, we did nothing right apart from getting a dramatic equaliser.

I read an interview with Ken Bates today where he slammed our problems in defence, one could wonder whether time is running out for Simon Grayson? I am not sure Ken Bates will ever find himself another manager who complains as little as SG does, so maybe he should think hard before given him the sack.

On a personal note I would like to wish my good friend Søren Trapp and his girlfriend Britt a good game, they have taken the trip over for this one, while Søren and I will go over for the Cardiff and Blackpool games. Søren was actually undefeated at Elland Road until September last year when he and I witness a Leeds United world record, unfortunately it was the record for letting in most goals at home, when Preston put six in on us in a terrible 4-6 defeat, but hopefully he will start a new undefeated streak this weekend.

If we are ever going to keep a clean sheet it will be this weekend, so my guess is a 2-0 win with goals from Ross McCormack (who else???) & Luciano Becchio.       

A tribute to Ross McCormack

I hate to be a guy who pats me on the back, but I have to bring attention to a blog I wrote on August 12^th, the blog was called: “Ross McCormack - Failure or star of tomorrow? Link: http://kimba1980.blogspot.com/2011/08/ross-mccormack-failure-or-star-of.html - feel free to read if you haven’t already, I suppose Ross have, since he is doing so well.

 

The blog was, as the title probably gives away, about Ross McCormack and the fact the he didn’t enjoy the best of times in Leeds last year, but it was also about the fact that I believed that we had a true star player in him, if he was given the chance and got a bit of self-esteem. Eight games into the season I am glad to say the Ross certainly have made his mark, 8 goals so far, and top scorer in the championship! Out of his eight goal, three have given Leeds vital points in the dying seconds, against both Crystal Palace and Bristol City he gave us a win, and on Friday he turned Jonny Howson’s last minute pass into a vital point at the amex in Brighton. With Andy Keogh getting his first for the club on Friday, and Mikael Forssell & Luciano Becchio finding fitness we suddenly have a lot of options in attack, I wonder if any of them can play centreback?

 

One thing seems certain at Elland Road, number 44 is the first choice striker and the other three will have to fight for the place beside him. So Ross this is for you, well done lad, I knew you could do it. And last but not least, Simon Grayson, please sort out our defense so Ross’ goal will give us more wins. Cheers!

 

Marching on together!      

 

 

Brighton - Leeds United 23rd of September 2011

Friday will give Leeds a visit by the seaside, and a meeting with two old friends, Gus Poyet & Casper Ankergren. Newly promoted Brighton has taken the championship by storm and has lost only once, last weekend against promotion favourites Leicester. They are a team with a few stars, the mentionable ones being Vicente, who they somehow managed to sign under the noses of a lot of other teams, & Craig Mackail-Smith, who was snapped up in the summer after a great season in Peterborough.

Gus Poyet, who was without doubt the brain in the Wise/Poyet partnership a Elland Road have managed to get Brighton promoted from league one last year, and according to him & Ankergren promotion this season is a possibility this season as well (I reserve the right to be sceptic about their chances though). As mentioned they’ve been flying in both league & league cup (until last night when Liverpool knocked them out that is), in the league they’ve beaten teams like Cardiff, Doncaster & Portsmouth, so Leeds face a tough test on Friday night.

Leeds United was thoroughly beaten on Tuesday night, Manchester United tore us apart at Elland Road and we were fortunate to only loose 0-3. But there is a massive difference between Manchester United and Brighton, and I believe that if the lads just took the game on Tuesday as an experience they will be able to built on it, and make sure that these big games will be played at Elland Road more than once or twice a season. In my opinion only Leigh Bromby & Adam Clayton did alright on Tuesday, so we will have a couple of players who will want to prove themselves on Friday.

Last weekend’s win against Bristol City gave Leeds their first back-to-back wins of the season, and we should look to build on that against the seagulls. They are usually pretty good at home, so maybe one point would be okay? Leeds will have new signing Danny Pugh available, and it will be interesting to see if he replaces Aiden White, who in my opinion was the worst against Manchester U, or if he replaces Keogh on the left side of midfield. Apart from the Pugh question I’m pretty sure that Simon Grayson will name the same starting players as he did Tuesday, only question mark is whether Becchio is ready for another start following his injury in pre-season? If not, Keogh could be moved in attack and new boy Danny Pugh given the start on left midfield.  

Another player who is currently playing beneath his level is Robert Snodgrass, I think he will prove his worth to the team and cause Brighton a lot of trouble and possibly end up as out match winner. So score prediction will be 1-0 Leeds, goal by Snoddy.

 

M.O.T 

 

Leeds United – Manchester United September 20th 2011 – Carling Cup

The glory days will return to Elland Road for a while on Tuesday night when fierce rivals Manchester United arrive in Leeds to play a 3^rd round game in the Carling Cup. The history and rivalry between the two teams go way back, the rose’s derby or the derby across the pennines have been the most important game for supporters of both teams since the 60’s, in the last couple of years we haven’t had to many of the games though, due to Leeds fall from grace. The most recent game was of course on January 3^rd 2010 when Jermaine Beckford’s winner gave, then third tier, Leeds United a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. Many players have left one team and gone to the other, the most important (for us) being Johnny Giles and Gordon Strachan who both guided us to big triumphs, our sale of Cantona to them being rather important too, unfortunately not for Leeds United who sold one of the 90’s best footballers for basically nothing.

Manchester United will arrive at Elland Road full of confidence after starting the season great with maximum points in the league were they have torn everything apart, beating both Arsenal & Chelsea on their way. In Europe they managed to snatch a draw in Portugal with a reserve side, probably the same side we will face on Tuesday night. I am pretty sure that Sir Alex Ferguson won’t underestimate Leeds United, and will be aiming to gain “revenge” after the humiliating defeat last year.

Leeds United will look to keep a good run going, having won the last two games. We haven’t managed to keep a clean sheet all season though, and with Man United scoring 21 goals in five games I am not too sure that Tuesday will be the day we get the first one. Patrick Kisnorbo will miss the game following his red card against Bristol, which will most likely give Leigh Bromby the chance to play against our rivals. Ross McCormack will be looking to keep his great season going, he has scored in his last five games and is finally melting into the Leeds line up. Luciano Becchio will also be in contention for a starting spot after being put on in the last two games, giving him one goal and one assist, Mikael Forssell and Andy Keogh will also push on, so once again Simon Grayson will have an overload of offensive power to his disposal. One thing that I would like to see is that Simon takes Ramon Nunez off, he’s looked out of position in the last two games, and I feel he will do better as a impact player instead of a starting player, Lloyd Sam could easily fill his place on the left side of midfield.

Following the game we look likely to sign Danny Pugh, Stoke wants him to play the cup game for them, making him ineligible to play for us in the next round, but we need to focus on the league so that’s probably okay.

Manchester United’s last two games before our FA Cup meeting last year ended with them winning 5-0 and 3-1 and then crashing to Leeds, yeah you’ve guessed it, last weekend they beat Bolton 5-0 and Sunday they beat Chelsea 3-1 – Coincidence? I Don’t think so ;)

I dream of a Leeds win and hope that we will get it, 2-1 Becchio and Howson scoring!

M.O.T – Hopefully these games will soon be played week after week at Elland Road.        

The problems on the left wing

After selling mad Maxi Gradel to St.Etienne, Simon Grayson has played Ramon Nunez on the left wing that Max left behind. Ramon had scored in all of his starts in a Leeds shirt before last weekend’s game against Crystal Palace – starts coming in the league cup against Bradford & Doncaster, and in the league against Hull. I however doubt that Ramon is the player we need on the left side of midfield, I see him as more of an attacking midfielder or even deep laying striker – I feel that he has had problems in his last two outings, maybe because he plays out of position? Maybe Grayson should realise that, like Somma and Maxi (at first) he is more of an impact player, he might need a season in Leeds were we play him from the bench and ease him into the games and let him have a go at some defenders who are tired.

The question is who should play on the left then, I have two bids in our current squad, and one bid on a player we are rumoured to sign in the next few days.

In the current squad I feel that Lloyd Sam might just do the trick, we could potentially put him on the right and move Snoddy over (another player not performing to ability??) on the left. Lloyd have looked lively in the games he has played and also had a wonderful game in pre season against Newcastle – I have always felt he was a bit underrated by Leeds fans, started great last year, but got injured and had trouble getting back in a well performing team, this might be his shot to make the starting 11. Another possibility is to move Aiden White up from left back to midfield, Aiden is fast, he is really fast, he has great movement and is a threat when going forward from his position on left back, I am thinking that he would be ever more dangerous if he got a shot at left wing (even though I am not sure who to put on left back if Aiden was moved).

Our last possibility is to go on the loan market and find a guy who can cover the left side of midfield, and rumours say that Grayson and Bates have done just that and brought back Danny Pugh. Pugh played for Leeds between 2004 and 2006, playing 50+ games and scoring five goals, so he will return to a well known environment if he joins. Pugh can cover both the left back and the left side of midfield, I believe Grayson will sign him as a midfielder, believing that he can fill the shoes left by Max Gradel. He is certainly a different player then Max, not a flashy or dangerous, but definitely a harder worker and probably more of a team player (won’t have the discipline issues with him either). Rumours online say a loan move is imminent and a fee of £500.000 have been agreed if we want him.

I think Pugh would be a good signing, and hopefully he would solve our problem on the left wing otherwise Simon Grayson will have to find a youngster to put in the team, he’s had decent success with Lees & White so maybe we have a gem in the academy ready to step up.

Leeds United - Bristol City 17th of September 2011

Next up at Elland Road is Neil Kilkenny and Bristol City, they have had a horrible start to their season, gaining only 5 points of a possible 18 – Good to see that Killa got to go to a bigger and better club. Bristol City have a few big names, among them former England goalie David “calamity” James and Nicky Maynard, they will be looking to kick start their season so Leeds will have to do well to get the three important points on Saturday. They have played some of the better teams in the division, and have actually beaten big spending Leicester City, so the table may lie a bit when it shows Bristol in 22^nd. Kilkenny went on record during the week claiming he never wanted to leave Leeds, and also saying that he didn’t feel he had anything to prove in the game. If he never wanted to leave that means the club chose to let him go, and if they did I don’t understand why he doesn’t feel he needs to prove anything towards the team, but I guess that’s typical of Killa, always hiding and playing it safe.

On to the home team SUPER LEEDS UNITED! Simon Grayson will face selection headache when choosing his attack, McCormack and Keogh have done well, McC scoring 6 goals so far this season, but both Becchio and Forssell will be pushing for a start, Luciano got the important equalizer last weekend, and Forssell set up McCormack’s winner – so a nice change for Simon after starting the season with injury problems. The Leeds defense have had problems so far, and are yet to keep a clean sheet, I have, in an earlier blog, called for changes in defense, and maybe even putting Kisnorbo on the bench, I do however not think Grayson will listen to me, so I guess the only question about defense will be whether Charlie Taylor or Aiden White will start on left back. In midfield new signing Mika Vayrynen might feature for the first time, and Adam Clayton could also return after missing last weekend’s win with an injury. 

They say never change a winning team, but I think that Grayson will put both Aiden White, Adam Clayton (if fit) & Becchio back in the team, and those three will give us the boost we need to get back to back wins for the first time this season. I have to believe that we will get out first clean sheet as well, so my guess for the weekend is a 2-0 Leeds win with Becchio getting a brace.