Rival Watch 2

^^^

Biggest change being the best keeper in the Champo
didn't play. He was rested and not even in squad.

comment by Best fans - Leeds Carajo (U2196)
posted 2 hours, 31 minutes ago
They’ve conceded 4 in last two games, I know it was cup game but the spell of them not conceding has broken.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see them concede at a higher rate now, statistically they’ve been massively over performing defensively.

West Brom, Coventry, Norwich, Watford and Sheff Utd to come for them, that’s 5 tough games in their last 11
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That's re-assuring to hear that, Best, especially when you look at our run in. The next three are as tough as it gets, Portsmouth, Milwall and QPR, and if you take away the history and context of the games, we are - player for player - much better than them. I know football can be a funny old game, but seven wins from the last eleven games is not a big ask, considering how well we have done so far this season.

It feels as if the West Brin draw hurt the players. They’ll want those points on Sunday at all costs.

On paper, where we could drop points is Middlesbrough away and Bristol City the penultimate game fighting for a Play-off place, which I very strongly believe they will be.

We really should have too much in the tank for all the other teams to not get over the line. I’m going to stick with my dizzy 107 points total; as I think we will beat either Middlesbrough or Bristol City, probably the former.

Let’s see. I am sure we will be promoted though and that has always been our primary aim.

How are the next three as tough it gets? There no where near as difficult as the last three

Funny how the football gods work. Burnley's run of clean sheets is over, so hopefully the voodoo jinx that makes opposition strikers mysteriously miss chances against them has gone. That said, along with the goal, cardiff hit the woodwork twice and missed a last minute sitter... so maybe not.

Seriously, Burnley the better team last night but whilst both the blunts and burnley are very well organised defensively and have very good keepers at this level... jeez have they both ridden their luck this year.

comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 12 hours, 12 minutes ago
Speaking of rivals, Villa who got promoted one season before we did have one foot in the champions league quarter final. With Bournemouth and Fulham chasing European football and both, with Villa and Brighton are 3 wins away from winning the FA Cup. What an opportunity we let slip after finishing 9th in 2021
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They should have been relegated the first season they went up but for a ball crossing their goal line against the blunts but not given as a goal.
That said they have made the most of their luck and are now a top half if not top six PL side.
It shows what can be done with a big club, strong support and ambitious owners.

comment by tslufc (U12903)
posted 15 minutes ago
comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 12 hours, 12 minutes ago
Speaking of rivals, Villa who got promoted one season before we did have one foot in the champions league quarter final. With Bournemouth and Fulham chasing European football and both, with Villa and Brighton are 3 wins away from winning the FA Cup. What an opportunity we let slip after finishing 9th in 2021
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They should have been relegated the first season they went up but for a ball crossing their goal line against the blunts but not given as a goal.
That said they have made the most of their luck and are now a top half if not top six PL side.
It shows what can be done with a big club, strong support and ambitious owners.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

They also made a terrible appointment with Gerrard like we did Marsch.

The difference was getting rid early enough in the season. That’s where it really went wrong for us

comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by tslufc (U12903)
posted 15 minutes ago
comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 12 hours, 12 minutes ago
Speaking of rivals, Villa who got promoted one season before we did have one foot in the champions league quarter final. With Bournemouth and Fulham chasing European football and both, with Villa and Brighton are 3 wins away from winning the FA Cup. What an opportunity we let slip after finishing 9th in 2021
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They should have been relegated the first season they went up but for a ball crossing their goal line against the blunts but not given as a goal.
That said they have made the most of their luck and are now a top half if not top six PL side.
It shows what can be done with a big club, strong support and ambitious owners.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

They also made a terrible appointment with Gerrard like we did Marsch.

The difference was getting rid early enough in the season. That’s where it really went wrong for us
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So true. We stuck with Marsch far too long because he "saved" us from relegation after we sacked Bielsa. In reality the players coming back from injury would probably have kept us up anyhow but Marsch was seen as a saviour and was therefore allowed to sink us.

comment by tslufc (U12903)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by tslufc (U12903)
posted 15 minutes ago
comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 12 hours, 12 minutes ago
Speaking of rivals, Villa who got promoted one season before we did have one foot in the champions league quarter final. With Bournemouth and Fulham chasing European football and both, with Villa and Brighton are 3 wins away from winning the FA Cup. What an opportunity we let slip after finishing 9th in 2021
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They should have been relegated the first season they went up but for a ball crossing their goal line against the blunts but not given as a goal.
That said they have made the most of their luck and are now a top half if not top six PL side.
It shows what can be done with a big club, strong support and ambitious owners.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

They also made a terrible appointment with Gerrard like we did Marsch.

The difference was getting rid early enough in the season. That’s where it really went wrong for us
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So true. We stuck with Marsch far too long because he "saved" us from relegation after we sacked Bielsa. In reality the players coming back from injury would probably have kept us up anyhow but Marsch was seen as a saviour and was therefore allowed to sink us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I remember watching the game at the Original Oak and what a day. But I genuinely was saying 'right time to sack Marsch' on the walk home. It was obvious we stayed up despite him.

comment by HaveFaithInLeeds (U8688)
posted 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
comment by tslufc (U12903)
posted 15 minutes ago
comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 12 hours, 12 minutes ago
Speaking of rivals, Villa who got promoted one season before we did have one foot in the champions league quarter final. With Bournemouth and Fulham chasing European football and both, with Villa and Brighton are 3 wins away from winning the FA Cup. What an opportunity we let slip after finishing 9th in 2021
----------------------------------------------------------------------
They should have been relegated the first season they went up but for a ball crossing their goal line against the blunts but not given as a goal.
That said they have made the most of their luck and are now a top half if not top six PL side.
It shows what can be done with a big club, strong support and ambitious owners.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

They also made a terrible appointment with Gerrard like we did Marsch.

The difference was getting rid early enough in the season. That’s where it really went wrong for us
----------------------------------------------------------------------


Except we got worse after Marsh. So reality was he needed to go the summer before, replaced with better than he was replaced with... or kept on until the end of the season.

It was interesting that losing away to Emery's Villa was one of Marsh's last games. We absolutely battered them.

I didn't care much for the football under Marsh but it was actually pretty effective and hard to play against. A lot of people who aren't Leeds fans viewed his tenure differently to most Leeds fans. The villa game summed us up, strikers missing sitters, defenders and goalkeepers making errors. That's what cost him... and typically a load of other managers their jobs. Absolutely his responsibility of course as he was involved in the recruitment. In my view he underestimated the importance of pace at the back and a defence who can defend to a PL standard.