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 19th 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.
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