You are currently browsing the monthly Archive for August, 2009.
Leeds United came through another test of their promotion credentials with a hard-earned 2-1 victory at Colchester.
The win ensured a record-equalling start to a new season and there is a real sense that this could finally be our year.
Like many of our performances this season, we weren’t at our fluid best but there is a resilience in this team that we haven’t seen for a while. Simon Grayson has installed belief in the players and we are grinding out results, something we failed to do on the road for the majority of last season.
There are areas of the team which need improving. We lack creativity in the middle of the park so I would bring Neil Kilkenny back into the side against Stockport. It is always a risk changing a winning side but I think you should always strive to get better.
The return of captain Richard Naylor and Ben Parker will be a big boost to the side. Rui Marques and Andy Hughes are doing an admirable job but are nothing more than fringe players in my opinion. We are yet to concede a goal from open play in the league so they have to be praised for their role in that – though Marques has given away two penalties.
Jermaine Beckford was anonymous for most of yesterday’s game but again showed his undoubted quality in front of goal. It looks increasingly likely that he will still be with us when the transfer window closes at midnight on Monday.
Bradley Johnson is becoming an integral part of the team and is a real threat in the air. Patrick Kisnorbo marshalled the defence superbly and is getting better with every game.
Grayson said we can expect at least one more signing before the window closes. Leigh Bromby and Chris Taylor would do nicely.
Renewing old rivalries
We got the big game we were looking for when the draw was made for the third round of the Carling Cup – Liverpool at Elland Road.
It should be a great night in front of a packed house and I’m expecting plenty of banter in the stands.
The fixture may not carry the prestige it once did but neither side will want to lose against their old foes.
The next few days could be very important for clubs up and down the country. The transfer window closes at midnight on Monday and it could prove to be a pivotal time in Leeds United’s season.
The club have been very bullish in their stance over Jermaine Beckford, the man who holds the key to our promotion hopes. Will they be swayed with a multi-million pound offer? Will the club strengthen our defensive resources with the signing of centre-back Leigh Bromby from Sheffield United? Who will leave the club?
All these questions will be answered in the next few days. One thing is for sure in my mind, Ken Bates will be the name on all fans’ lips come next Tuesday!
[poll:6]
Leeds United moved into the third round of the Carling Cup with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over Watford at Elland Road.
A double from the much improved Robert Snodgrass was enough to see off the Championship side in extra time – making it six straight wins at the start of the season.
It was another impressive performance and it will take a good side to come to Elland Road and win this season.
It was great to see Robert Snodgrass back to somewhere near his best last night – he worked really hard and looked dangerous in the final third, taking his goals well.
I’m looking forward to seeing Patrick Kisnorbo paired with Richard Naylor at the back. Kisnorbo is a real find – he’s as solid as a rock. Rui Marques is having a good season too and will be a more than able understudy.
Shane Higgs continues to impress. He commands his box and is a very good shot stopper. I never felt safe with Caper Ankergren in net so it is good to have a keeper who doesn’t give us the hairy moments.
The Carling Cup isn’t high on our list of priorities this year but it is important to keep the momentum going at this stage of this season.
The draw for the third round takes place on Saturday and I’m hoping for a big game. Man United at home would be perfect!
Leeds United gave Tranmere Rovers a footballing lesson on Saturday as they eased to a comprehensive victory,equalling the club’s best ever winning run in the league at Elland Road in the process.
The 3-0 scoreline flattered Tranmere and they were indebted to keeper Luke Daniels, who won the man-of-the-match award, and the woodwork which saved them five times.
Despite starting the season with four wins, we have stumbled through the first few games. I had no doubt a big performance and result was just around the corner and we certainly got that at the weekend.
From the first minute to the last there was no let up and it was a great team performance. Jonny Howson had his best game for a long time and Bradley Johnson is making my criticisms look a bit stupid now – he was superb again.
The front two just go from strength to strength and it is going to take a good defence to contain them in this league. They made Ian Goodison look like an amateur.
The back five dealt with everything that came their way and it is encouraging that we have only conceded two goals so far – both from set-pieces.
There is no doubt there will be tougher times ahead but I am very optimistic for the rest of the season. Simon Grayson has done a fantastic job so far and really has us going in the right direction.
Cup Revenge
We take on Watford at Elland Road tomorrow in the Carling Cup second round. The play-off final at Cardiff was my worst day as a Leeds fan – a truly awful day from start to finish. A victory would only go a small way to avenge that defeat but would be sweet all the same.
It is hard to predict cup ties so my consecutive correct predictions record is on the line – I correctly predicted the last two Leeds scores. I’m on a roll this summer – I predicted the Ashes score, the Lions result and the Wimbledon winner. I really need to start making some money while I’m hot!
Prediction: Leeds 2 Watford 1
Leeds United will be looking to make it 13 straight home league wins with victory over Tranmere Rovers at Elland Road tomorrow.
A home win would also see Leeds extend their 100 per cent record and we should have enough to beat a Tranmere side who have had a mixed start to the season.
It was a ridiculous decision to get rid of Ronnie Moore. Tranmere would have contested last year’s play-offs were it not for a last minute Scunthorpe goal – the team they were vying with for the sixth spot and the team who eventually went up. No-one knows what goes on behind the scenes but Moore’s sacking just highlights the fickle nature of football management.
Anyway, back to Leeds. It has been a solid, if not spectacular start to the season. We have had to grind out the results and have yet to click. There have been glimpses of what we are capable of and I am expecting us to put it all together tomorrow.
It is likely Simon Grayson will name an unchanged side – as is his policy after a win. I would think about bringing a specialist left-back in but apart from that it would be the same again, with no injuries picked up on Tuesday. Apparently, Richard Naylor and Ben Parker aren’t far away from a return.
Bradley Johnson put in a strong performance against Walsall so has done enough to keep his place and Andy Robinson is always good for a cameo off the bench.
After three games on the road it will be nice to get back to Elland Road. Tranmere have had an inconsistent start and I can see see us winning comfortably. If John Barnes’ management is as bad as his commentating, they are in for a long season.
Prediction: Leeds 3 Tranmere 0
Leeds maintained their 100 per cent record at the start of the season with a come-from-behind victory at Walsall.
The comeback was all the more impressive considering we went behind with only eleven minutes to go. Bradley Johnson’s diving header and Jermaine Beckford’s superb turn and strike sent the travelling fans wild.
It is very early days but I see last night’s result as one of the most important this season. The team showed qualities which were badly missing last season – the ability to grind out results away to the lesser teams and being able to dig deep and turn a result around.
On many occasions last season, particularly around Christmas, we went one nil down and it was game over. We didn’t seem to know how to chase a game. Equally frustrating was the way we would beat a team at the top comfortably before going to somewhere like Hereford and losing the following week.
The problems stemmed from Gary McAllister’s time in charge and you could see the mentality of the team change towards the end of the season. There seems to be a good team spirit under Simon Grayson and plenty of belief too, epitomised by the great comeback last night.
It was another sluggish performance but all champion sides get results when they’re not at their best. Bradley Johnson was much improved and was a lot of people’s man of the match. I have been really critical of him so far this season so it’s good to see him bringing something to the team.
It’s a good place to be after three league games but we need to start putting in performances to match the results. I have a feeling a big performance is just around the corner and we can expect to see the goals fly in soon.
We are four games into the new season and Leeds are sitting nicely in third place in League One, as well as booking their place in the Carling Cup second round. We are not playing our best stuff at the moment but it’s all about the points at this stage of the season. There have, however, been some notable displays during the first couple of weeks.
[poll:5]
Leeds recorded a 1-0 win at Wycombe on Saturday to make it three wins from three at the start of the new season.
It is a tough time to play newly promoted sides so to get six points is a decent effort, especially when you are not playing anywhere near your best.
It took a brilliant finish from Luciano Becchio and a tremendous save from Shane Higgs to take the points at Adams Park, but we know there is still a lot more to come from this team.
It is three points and a clean sheet in the kind of game we struggled in last season. We were pretty average on the road and that is what cost us an automatic spot – I have a feeling Simon Grayson won’t let that happen this season.
We have started our last two games lethargically and it seems Grayson’s half-time words are having a positive effect on the team because they have come out much improved in the second half.
Some players just haven’t got going yet, most notably Robert Snodgrass – one of our best players last season. I’m sure it is just a blip though and he will be back firing soon.
One of our main problems at the moment seems to be the left side, which surprises me because we have some decent left sided players out of the side at the moment. Grayson doesn’t seem to rate Andy Robinson or Aidy White – I would have them both in the side ahead of Bradley Johnson and Andy Hughes. White looked really good at the start of last season but we haven’t seen anything of him since.
We do have a few important players missing at the moment, especially Richard Naylor, so we will look a lot more solid with those players back.
There are positives to take out of the first week, there has to be if you win all three games! The front two, Becchio and Jermaine Beckford, look bang in form and Shane Higgs is making the number one jersey his own.
We go to Walsall tomorrow night, the scene of one of those horror shows last season. The midfield players really have to stand up tomorrow and stamp their authority on the game – something they have struggled to do so far. If we do that I can see us nicking the win.
Prediction: Walsall 1 Leeds 2
Leeds United travel to newly promoted Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow for the first ever meeting between the two clubs.
After a tough opening game against Exeter City, another of the promoted sides from League Two, Leeds know they will be in for a difficult afternoon at Adams Park.
United’s fans will be reunited with former defender Michael Duberry, he is bracing himself for a hostile reception. He was the source of much amusement whilst he was at the club. His heading ability caused me to give him the nickname ‘50 pence head’.
Despite my opinion on Dubes, he has had a decent career and will be a good defender at League One level. It will be interesting to see how he gets on against Jermaine Beckford, assuming the real Beckford turns up. He has been known to go missing on our travels.
Beckford should partner Luciano Becchio up front, though I expect Mike Grella to push Becchio in the coming weeks. Patrick Kisnorbo and Rui Marques have returned from international duty and should start at the heart of the defence. Richard Naylor is still recovering from a back operation.
Ben Parker will again be missing after straining a hamstring during the game against Exeter. That’s a shame because he looked like he had picked up where he left off last season.
Utility man Andy Hughes started at left-back against Darlington which was a surprise considering we had two specialist left-backs on the bench – Alan Sheehan and Aidy White. Hughes is a wholehearted player but he isn’t a left-back. If he is to play I would put White on the left wing. He would provide good cover and I think he would be more of an attacking force than Bradley Johnson right now.
Neil Kilkenny came off the bench at Darlington and it will be interesting to see who starts in central midfield. I would say Jonny Howson’s place is the one under threat at the moment. I think Simon Grayson will continue with Howson and Michael Doyle though.
We should have enough firepower to beat Wycombe but this was the kind of game we slipped up in last season. I’m expecting a tough game with Leeds just edging it.
Prediction: Wycombe 1 Leeds 2
Leeds United secured a place in the second round of the Carling Cup with an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Darlington.
The cup tie came hot on the heels of the opening league fixture and we again made life difficult for ourselves.
A lot of credit must go to a determined Darlington side who gave a good account of themselves. If they maintain that level of commitment they will have a decent season.
There are no easy games for Leeds United at this level – every team we come up against treat it as their “cup final”.
We slipped up against some of the less fancied teams last season and that is what ultimately cost us promotion. Hopefully those slips ups are a thing of the past after that infamous night at Hereford.
Last night was a pretty boring affair, and I’m a Leeds fan. I can’t imagine many neutrals enjoying it if they were watching on Sky Sports!
All I remember from the first half was long ball after long ball, each one as aimless as the last, giving the strikers no chance.
Thankfully, we changed a few things at half-time and came out and played some nice stuff. Mike Grella was very impressive on his first start for the club. He will benefit from more game time and could become an important member of the squad.
Jermaine Beckford missed the game through injury. Simon Grayson was very firm in saying people shouldn’t read anything into it. He seemed certain that Beckford will be staying for the season.
Wycombe away on Saturday will be an early test of our title credentials. It is the kind of fixture that caused us problems last season.
Leeds United opened the new campaign with an unconvincing 2-1 victory over Exeter City at Elland Road.
For the opening half an hour it looked like the game would be nothing more than a training exercise. However, Exeter showed a lot of spirit and endeavour and deserved their equaliser through an excellent free-kick. A last gasp winner from Jermaine Beckford saved United’s blushes and ensured a winning start to the season.
All in all it was a solid enough performance from Leeds but wasn’t one which lived up to our billing as favourites. I always felt we would win the game, if anything we got complacent after Beckford’s early goal.
All the debutants gave a good account of themselves. Shane Higgs didn’t have a shot to save other than the free-kick, and he couldn’t do much about that. Patrick Kisnorbo had a couple of shaky moments but otherwise looked solid. I thought Jason Crowe got forward well and looked quite dangerous in the final third (although he did miss a sitter in the second half).
The player I was most impressed with out of the four was Michael Doyle, based on his first half showing. He looks like he loves a tackle and looked comfortable on the ball. He did fade away after the break but I put that down to fatigue.
The man of the match had to go to Jermaine Beckford. He looked dangerous every time he got the ball in and around Exeter’s box and took his goals brilliantly. He even chased down lost causes and looked like he was enjoying himself out there.
It really is imperative we keep him if we are serious about going up automatically – unless we have a like-for-like replacement waiting in the wings.
Two players who disappointed me were Jonny Howson and Bradley Johnson. I thought Howson would get forward more with the introduction of Doyle but he looked as if he didn’t know which role he was playing in the team. Bradley Johnson frustrates me; I can’t think of one game where he was impressed me.
It was the first game of the season though and I’m sure we will see a gradual improvement in the coming weeks.
We are away at Darlington tonight in the Carling Cup. Rui Marques and Kisnorbo are away on international duty but there won’t be many more changes, according to Simon Grayson. I’d like to see Mike Grella start the game and maybe Andy Robinson in place of Johnson.
Even though Darlington have a whole host of problems, I’m expecting a tough game. I’m not a big fan of the Carling Cup but it is important to keep winning at the start of the season and I hope the lads put in a professional performance.
Prediction: Darlington 1 Leeds United 3
After a long summer without any meaningful football, the new season starts in earnest tomorrow as Leeds take on League One new boys Exeter City at Elland Road.
My enthusiasm hasn’t been dented by Fabian Delph’s transfer to Villa this week – it was inevitable we would have to start the season without him. If anything it will allow Jonny Howson to get forward more. I think he will have a big season.
We will have to start the season without influential captain Richard Naylor and Neil Kilkenny, who finished last season strongly. We should win quite comfortably even with a couple of players missing.
There could be as many as four players making their debuts tomorrow and I think there will be a real buzz around the ground – I never thought I’d be saying that after the Millwall game! A crowd of over 27,000 is expected.
Robert Snodgrass will be looking to put in a strong performance after signing a new four-year contract today. He had a great first season at the club and I thought he would attract some interest this summer. After Delph’s departure it is imperative we don’t lose any more of our better players.
There are a couple of records on the line tomorrow. We haven’t lost the first game of a season since 1989 and a win this weekend would extend that record into a 20th season. A victory against Exeter would also mean a 12th successive home league victory.
It would be nice to keep those records going but it is more important to put a marker down for the season and hit the ground running.
Prediction: Leeds United 3 Exeter City 0
Leeds United have taken Coventry City midfielder Michael Doyle on a season-long loan.
Doyle has made almost 300 appearances for the Sky Blues during his six years there. He was a regular under Chris Coleman last season but his first team place has come under threat following the arrival of Sammy Clingan from Nottingham Forest.
I am sure a lot of Leeds fans will see this as an underwhelming signing, especially in the wake of Fabian Delph’s move to Aston Villa. Given the money we will be receiving for his transfer, it may seem strange that we are delving into the loan market.
Doyle is known for his tough tackling and has a good engine – I think he will be a replacement for Jonathan Douglas. Granted we did well with Jonny Howson and Neil Kilkenny at the heart of the midfield towards the end of last season, but they do look a bit lightweight and could get found out against the more physical sides.
We need a bit of aggression in the middle of the park and Doyle’s presence will encourage Howson to get forward more and rediscover the form he showed at the end of the 2007/2008 season.
I think Doyle could become a fan favourite.
It seems I got it wrong with Delph’s move to Villa. There isn’t a player exchange or a loan back, Uncle Ken just liked the way Aston Villa conducted themselves.
It has been strange reading articles praising Leeds for the way they handled the transfer. After all the years of negative media coverage, it makes a nice change.
So Doyle has become our fourth signing of the summer and we still haven’t spent a penny on transfer fees. Pressure will be on Bates to dust off his wallet after Delph’s departure. Watch this space for news of a big money arrival at Elland Road!
Leeds United have accepted an offer from Aston Villa for highly-rated 19-year-old Fabian Delph.
It isn’t really a shock to Leeds fans – we pretty much knew he was going to leave after we missed out on promotion again last season.
After the game against Millwall at Elland Road, Delph appeared to say his goodbyes to the fans and good luck to the lad. He really is a talent and has obviously caught the eye of Premiership managers.
Having said that, it is a lot of money for a player who has only played one full season of professional football. The details of the deal haven’t been revealed yet but it is thought to be in the region of £6m.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes confirmed his interest in Delph at the weekend and it was widely thought they would follow-up that interest with a bid.
However, Leeds have resisted approaches from other Premier League clubs since agreeing terms with Aston Villa so it appears Manchester City, and the other clubs linked, are out of the race to sign him.
By saying this, Leeds have ruled out the possibility of a bidding war. This is strange and led me to think there is something in the deal which makes Villa’s offer stand out.
There were rumours back in January that Leeds wanted to do a deal which brought Delph back on loan. It was also reported recently that Villa’s 18-year-old striker Nathan Delfouneso would join Leeds on a season-long loan as part of the deal.
It is just a hunch but I think something like this is more likely than the club just appreciating the honourable manner in which Aston Villa have conducted themselves.
Whilst it is a real shame to be losing another one of our young stars, Fabian Delph is a luxury for a League One side and the money will go a long way to buying our training ground back.
Leeds United shrugged off the absence of a number of key players to record an impressive 2-1 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor.
I think the boys can go into the new campaign with great confidence after an unbeaten pre-season. The trip to Burnley completed a week of fixtures against teams of Premier League calibre.
The latest result was all the more impressive considering we were missing many of our key players. Of the starting line-up, I think only the back four and Jonathan Howson can expect to start next Saturday.
It didn’t take long after the teams were announced for the rumours to resurface regarding Fabian Delph’s future. He missed today’s game through injury, according to the club. It may just be a case of making sure he’s right for next week but it does look as if Manchester City will be coming in with a bid pretty soon.
As I have stated in previous blogs, I don’t mind if he goes if it benefits the club in the long run. I just don’t like the timing of it all – if he leaves this week, it gives us little time to replace one of our best players before the start of the season. We will just have to see how it pans out. Even without Delph, Leeds can feel confident going into the new season.
When I saw the team without Jermaine Beckford, Robert Snodgrass, Luciano Becchio and Delph, I must admit I thought we looked a little weak. But it was nice to be proved wrong. The partnership between Rui Marques and Patrick Kisnorbo goes from strength to strength and it was good to see Mike Grella get his first senior goal with a composed finish.
Richard Naylor and Neil Kilkenny seem certain to miss the first game. I hope the players who missed today’s game were left out as a precaution, it would be nice to get combinations working right from the start of the season.
Although on today’s evidence we should be a match for anyone in League One, no matter who takes the field.
