Leeds banter 7

24 May 2024 19:42:41
I'm sulking, in a mood and a typical grumpy. iddle aged man. For the first time since I started supporting (49 ers, sorry 49 years! ) I've not made it to Wembley (or Cardiff Vs Watford) to see Leeds play. I'm massively urinated away!
Are any of you guys going with your better halves and likely to split up before Sunday? Or maybe willing to lock them in the cellar for the day?

24 May 2024 19:59:11
ILK You were at the Leeds vs Liverpool Charity Shield match in 92? That was good!

24 May 2024 21:38:00
Baz yep, saw strachs pin ball impression.

24 May 2024 22:20:33
Yep unusual own goal but marvellously entertaining game.

24 May 2024 23:35:37
Baz I was at that game. Sat in Scousers end.

25 May 2024 00:31:13
Nice one Georgey.
Hopefully you perfected the scouse accent.
" calm down calm down "

25 May 2024 08:59:12
I was there for the Liverpool match which was a good day but then I was also there for Villa in 96 and the play off finals v Watford (in Cardiff) and Doncaster. So, I was disappointed not to get tickets this time - but maybe it’s for the best!

Leeds can beat Southampton - we’ve just got to take one of the early chances. We had plenty in the last home game against them in the first 20 minutes.

Come on Leeds!

25 May 2024 09:37:50
Manston crucial we can score first (from early chances) .

25 May 2024 09:43:48
Correct Oldbri with your guess on first part
. "Up The Whites"

The rest

And
" Down The Pints "

25 May 2024 10:06:47
I was there for the 'why is brolin on the bench' game. He came on and that shut us all up, realised why he was on the bench 🤣.

25 May 2024 21:04:05
There only ond Thomas Brolin . superb for Sweden though . class.

24 May 2024 19:02:30
Good morrow everybody peeps innit. Wow what weekbof waiting it's been, I am beside myself with excitement and pride. These are the moments to savour, this is why we are Leeds, we fear no one and care not what they think. Believe siblings, trust and enjoy, we are going to Bury the smoke in a White tidal wave of euphoria and show the world what it means to be Leeds. UTWDTP and revel in every second.

24 May 2024 19:25:01
We blooming hope so

But that said Vid you were banging the Leeds United are going up as Champo Champions all season

IF Leeds United play as well as tney did against Norwich we will go up.

24 May 2024 19:29:56
Do we blame Alf Cuppa IF Leeds United lose on Sunday seeing as they usually lose when he attends Leeds United matches

Side before self Cuppa ?

24 May 2024 22:15:10
Actually this season I haven't witnessed any losses at ER - 2 draws and 4 wins. So maybe there is hope. I've seen more losses on TV this year.

24 May 2024 22:56:09
Ok
Good news
Permission to attend Cuppa ☺.

24 May 2024 23:36:57
Well yes Baz that is true, but to borrow your mantra I was right up until the international break. I though believe in this group, I realise things don't always work out how you wish. To be Leeds is the essence of life, it's expectation, despair, frustration, but always hope. We are unique, that's why everyone hates us, they are jealous of the emotion they will never have. This will be seen on Sunday. Leeds forever come what may.

25 May 2024 00:08:43
Vid, got a table booked at Queens Street Tap for 1345 if you fancy joining? Offer open to all MOT.

25 May 2024 00:32:22
Fair dos Vid .
and and you say UTWDTP.

25 May 2024 08:54:09
I know this sounds stupid but what does utwdtp stand for I have no idea up the whites is a guess but that's it.

25 May 2024 11:12:28
Oldbri
Up the whites down the pints! 🍻.

25 May 2024 12:46:15
Where is that Dougie?

25 May 2024 15:09:57
Thanks.

24 May 2024 14:19:39
I’m glad it’s not Russell Martin and Daniel Farke playing in the Final as it is, I’m sure a revenge trip for Martin.
Farke when he first arrived at Norwich as manager gave the captain Martin the boot.
Martin was coming to the end of his career and had just signed a new contract at Norwich before Farke had arrived.

Not sure if there is bad blood in this story but I am sure it does add some fuel to Martin’s fire.

24 May 2024 19:31:07
Martin has had Farke on toaat so far this season

More than time for the all important redemption match on Sunday.

Come on Leeds! . Let's do Southampton big time!

24 May 2024 23:36:32
Only Russell I want leaping for joy on Sunday is Crowe.

24 May 2024 13:36:56
Does anybody have any tickets to the final for sale? I doubt it but I thought I'd ask!

MOT.

24 May 2024 08:09:23
Does anyone else feel like this like waiting for Christmas as a kid, 2 more sleeps left. All that excitement and anticipation of what the day will bring, nothing else has been on my mind since last Thursday. I hope when I see this huge box it containing a pressie that I really want, and not something t you had to put a face on to say thanks, but inside you're gutted.
I wish you all 2 more happy sleeps, and here's to opening up a subutteo table at 5pm on Sunday. MOT.

24 May 2024 08:41:35
It’s a peculiar feeling. Excitement, nervous, dread, wonder? They are all in there. Changing every minute.

24 May 2024 12:56:11
same dougie but I always feel like that when going to see Leeds. I hate it when we lose any game regardless of what is at stake.

24 May 2024 14:27:01
Nervous as a kitten Dougie…. Mrs Class just said she’ll be glad when it’s all finally over as allegedly I've been unbearable (even more than normal) I think she’s referring to Sunday’s game!

Well where would she go?

24 May 2024 18:05:46
Trying to think of anything else at the moment.

I’ll let the nerves and anticipation kick in when I arrive at Elland Road on Sunday morning to get on the supporters coach.

24 May 2024 19:34:20
fairly optimistic of victory.

24 May 2024 08:01:07
Does the whole squad travel to Wembley inc returned loan players or is it by Farke invite only?

23 May 2024 22:16:57
On a side note, I see Shrek may be given the opportunity to escort the Pilgrims to League 1.

23 May 2024 22:08:12
Saints absolutely have Crees number. He will be marked out of game and I really don't expect that much from him, barring some miracle or a moment of his magic!

Hopefully, like 51leeroy has suggested with Cree taking 2 or 3 defenders DM will hav a plan to exploit the space left by them. Let's hope so!

24 May 2024 07:09:10
Talking in absolutes is a bit mad considering the nature of football game to game.

Guess we'll see Sunday, but wouldn't write him off before a ball is kicked.

24 May 2024 08:15:15
If both Cree and Willy play well, Saints won't be able to contain them both.

24 May 2024 19:35:52
What Danny says . plus Rutter playing well too . and DJ comimg on to further roast slow Southampton.

23 May 2024 16:20:44
As far as attacking abilities go there’s not a huge difference from Leeds and Southampton .
Where we hope to have an advantage over them is our defense, they have let in over twenty more goals than us over this season.

I think them winning both games against us this season is not a true measure of the better team as of course at very beginning of our season we didn’t start well with too many players to bed in and not really up to speed by the time we played them. Then of course the last game of the season where the players already knew in the second half we were out of the auto promotion.

However, what they did manage to do was to keep Cree very quiet, they doubled up on him and didn’t give him an inch to move.
Summerville is a very talented prospect and still has a long way to go to prove his potential. It’s in a big game like this where if he really wants to showcase his abilities, this is the moment, no matter how many players are on to him. Quality players deal with being the target and he now needs to kick on and show it.
As he did at Anfield scoring the winning goal he does possess the nerve and ability to score a goal on the big occasion.
Of course it’s not about one player on Sunday, but I’m looking at him to make the difference when it really counts.

23 May 2024 17:09:19
No mention at all of midfield OP?

where match is often won n'est pas?

I would suggest that Saints midfield is better than Leeds United midfield.

Flynn Downwes and Smallbone must be nullified by Leeds ; but Southampton also have Aribo and Armstrong who are quite decent.

Despite all this I am still going for a Baz double special :

Leeds to win 2 -1 ;

And

Willy Gnonto 1st goalscorer.

23 May 2024 17:20:30
I agree OP, the two games vs Saints are a poor indicator and we need to play as well as we can as a team if we want to beat a very tricky opponent. The key is team for me - if an opponent doubles or triples up on one player then that opens space and opportunities elsewhere and we have to be intelligent enough to use that to our advantage as opposed to being stumped and running out of ideas. Summerville also needs to be mature enough and shrewd enough to use that to our advantage and stay focussed and professional. SBSET.

23 May 2024 19:12:51
I agree with Baz regarding keeping their midfield quiet
Summerville will no doubt be triple marked, so rather than keep hold of the ball (like he has a lot recently)
The space Southampton will leave will need exploiting by Rutter and Willy
I'm confident and going with a 2 - 1 Leeds win.

23 May 2024 22:28:15
Great overall assessment OP, and good point raised by Baz regarding our midfield. One thing that OP mentioned regarding Cry, yes when we played Southampton on the last game of the season they and others teams before them in our last few games, nullified him by over marking him, but we did not play our last games against Blackburn, QPR, Sunderland, Hull City, Coventry and Southhampton with the same intensity that we used when playing Norwich City last week. We were more full on, we were more in control and we wanted it more.

My point is all of this intensity on the pitch opens up spaces and provides Cry with room to move more freely. Southampton have not seen this side of Leeds United and I hope they will see us in full swing, we are a different proposition when we play with the confidence and freedom that we are capable of.
Wembley, bring it on it’s our time now 👍 MOT ALAW.

24 May 2024 08:03:34
Spot on Woody with what you said. They haven't, and I just hope it doesn't turn into a cagey boxing match, little jab hear and there. We need to go out like we did against Norwich. No excuses around fatigue can be given, they should be fresh and ready to go, and I feel confident we will play well, potential showroom window for some, and what better stage.

24 May 2024 08:10:23
Put very well Woody and that is the point, the intensity and accuracy of our play, which was very evident against Norwich at Elland rd.
The passing especially was notably much quicker and that leaves opposition players dead in in their tracks and gives our attackers like Cree with more room to manœuvre.
If we can perform in the same way as against Norwich I can’t see us losing the final.

24 May 2024 08:57:09
I've been watching some Southampton games, in particular the games they conceded more in.

Some notes:

They're very fluid in transitional play, and tend to commit a lot of runners forward when they do so. Some of the goals they've conceded have come from the CBs being touch tight on their CFs and winning that first ball. With their players already committed to runs, it left space for the opposition to take advantage of.

With VAR in play, I think we can afford to play a higher line and for our CBs to play touch tight when marking. Key is to win those first balls and allow their runners to either run offside if they do win the ball or take them out of the game by winning the first ball. I feel like this is a key factor that will come into play Sunday as they do overcommit to attacks. If they do win the first ball it's generally a give and go or a flick, so playing the high line would help alleviate the pressure somewhat by the offside threat - which if VAR does it's job right - will call the offsides correctly.

They don't like early crosses. They've looked vulnerable to early crosses that force their defenders to turn and face goal. Sometimes it doesn't even have to be a good cross. Just make them turn and have to run back to goal to try intercept and there is opportunity as they don't defend them particularly well.

They are particularly vulnerable down their left hand side. A lot of the attacking play from opposition seemed to be down Saints left. They seem to be caught out of position a fair bit down that side, in particular Ryan Manning. He didn't start in the last game, which could be due to this - maybe not. If Bree plays in his place, as he has done on occassion this season - plays both full back roles - he also looks to be a weak link for them, as he's a bit of a ball watcher and wanderer.

TLDR: Id we play a higher line and press their attackers to stop balls to feet, we can take advantage of nullifying their runners from deeper by either winning the first or allowing them to venture offside. Plenty of early crosses to cause problems and attack their left flank relentlessly as it's vulnerable.

24 May 2024 19:38:19
Good points Dill on Southampton weakneses especially down their left

Leicester obliterated them.

22 May 2024 13:44:39
Didn't manage to get a ticket for Wembley so will have to settle for watching it on TV. Does anyone know who Sky have selected for commentary duties, please don't tell me its going to be our old mate Don. The guy seems to hate Leeds and I can't stand the way he has to put us down at every opportunity.

22 May 2024 13:53:36
It’ll no doubt be him or Hinchcliffe.

22 May 2024 16:00:48
As long as its not Melissa Reddy or the two above i don't care.

22 May 2024 17:28:04
DIB Seems you say? No seems about it.

22 May 2024 18:32:56
Didn’t he get released by Leeds as a youth player?