Breakfast Debate Friday 15th March

Morning all

Elland was locked in the wardrobe until late so You'll have to put up with me

Big stories today are that our U23s beat a strong Fulham team to go through to the quarter finals. We did it the hard way as young U18 keeper Harrison Male got himself sent off in the first half, which meant we had to lose Edmondson who had put us into the lead, then Alex Rae another U18 player came on between the sticks but could do nothing about the resulting penalty. They then went ahead only for a lackluster Leeds to come back with a goal from Izzy Brown to level. We then went into the 2nd half and our 10 men battered them at times and great performances from Jack Clarke who came on, Alex Rae made some wonderful saves, Bogusz yet again, Izzy Brown played 120 minutes and scored the first penalty in the shoot out. Another player who is getting rave reviews is another one of Victor Orta's finds, Pascal Struijk a CB who was brought in from Ajax. The kid is really starting to shine and has been second fiddle to Aapo Halme but since Halme made the first team squad the young Dutch player has done great and will be a huge player for us.

Big day tomoz and Billy Sharpe gave his team some advice, which is always good from the club captain. 'Dont wait to hear from me as it'll be too noisy'. I have a feeling that Bielsa has said all the right things and the team realise what they have to do. I also see us winning by a couple and expect Paddy O'Bamford to show Billy Sharpe that he is the man in this league and would be golden booting if he had been fit all season.

Kiko has now had 3 clean sheets on the bounce and he's looking like the best keeper in the league now and gives our defence more confidence.

Whats are people doing to take your minds off the match? anyone got the runs and having to wear nappies yet?

 

The key thing to cope with the stress is to plan your alcohol requirements carefully. Imagine there’s going to be a no deal brexit next week and buy enough to survive, or if that’s not enough just copy Shaks

 

Copying Shaks is ok up to a point, but some of the hedges he wakes up in are a bit uncomfortable now, he's not as young as he was

 

Weirdly I think that there's more chance we'll lose away to Preston rather than this game.

Slight worry tomorrow, Jansson will be so up for this, he'll either be the hero, top performance and a goal, or will be sent off. Hope it's the first.

 

What great advice, it's like the biblical flood here at the moment so drinking heavily

 

Anyone else wondering how our old mate would be behaving regarding the club, Bielsa, the team, our performances, Radz etc? Probably only Eire and Chesh may know as I blocked his bollox everywhere.

 

Good morning all
Thanks Doc for putting the breakfast debate up,in Ells absence.
It's really beginning to show that Kiko has now had 3 clean sheets in a row,you can see their starting to ooze confidence from the back which filters threw to the rest of the team,giving them freedom to play the sort of football we have been witnessing lately,midfields/fawards no longer worrying so much about what's going on behind them,giving them the freedom to show their stuff.
What are people doing to take their minds off the match? wish someone would tell me,cause i can't stop thinking about tomorrow & can't concentrate on anything else,just ask the wife as she can't understand when we make love i am shouting GETTTTTT INNNNNN.

 

Morning all. The more I think about it the more likely a draw looks to be on the cards. Id settle for that too if offered it now.

 

That's one of the problems with advancing years

 

No stress or pressure here, chaps. I'm just enjoying the ride. Even if we fall apart now, this has been the best football ever we've played outside of the PL, & I've enjoyed every minute of it - even when we've lost. It's been brilliant & I refuse to lose sight of that.

I can't imagine feeling anywhere close to this if we'd had Pullis boring us to death each week with long ball & getting promotion by February.

Now of course I'd like to get promoted, but seriously, I'd never forgive myself if I failed to enjoy this once in a lifetime event to the max.

 

Great reply and I agree with every word. Thats why I was wondering about what our old mates views would be. We pay for entertainment which we have had in every match this season. For the last 15 years we have had rubbish, with a bit of entertainment but a lot more upset. Being entertained is one part but being entertained and getting results and then seeing the likes of Jennas and Fat Frank turn into laughing stocks is a bonus too.

 

Morning Doc, morning everyone else.

Tomorrow is the 40th meeting between the two sides at Elland Road, Leeds have won 20, drawn 11 and lost 8.

Biggest game in the last 15 years???

 

The class of 92

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Leeds United Under-23s: 10-man Whites seal Premier League Cup progression with shootout victory over Fulham

10-man Leeds United sealed progression through to the quarter-finals of the Premier League Cup on Thursday evening with a penalty shootout victory over Fulham. Marcelo Bielsa made first-team players Izzy Brown, Barry Douglas and Gaetano Berardi available for the knockout tie against the Cottagers.

Jack Clarke and Jamie Shackleton were also named on the bench while midfielder Robbie Gotts was handed a start. Leeds were the better of the two sides but failed to hit their free-flowing best in the opening exchanges. United's sloppy play in the final third saw a number of stray passes overhit as Fulham grew in confidence as the half progressed.

Ryan Edmondson saw a shot blocked and Mateusz Bogusz fired a volley over the bar from outside the area. Carlos Corberan's side, though, did produce one moment of quality before the half-time whistle as Brown and Douglas combined inside the box which saw the latter brought down by Jayden Harris. Referee Darren Middleton pointed to the spot and Edmondson fired the spot-kick high into the net with a thunderous strike.

United's lead didn't last long after the break as Harrison Male was caught on the ball inside his own six-yard box. Harris made up for his earlier mistake as he swept up the loose ball before being hauled to the ground by the stopper. He was adjudged to have failed to play the ball and given his marching orders with Josh Rae stepping off the bench in United's final substitution of the night.

Matthew O'Riley found the bottom corner from the penalty spot and it didn't take long for the visitors to complete the comeback. Nicolas Santos Clase found space just before the hour mark to fire home underneath Rea with Leeds struggling to get a foothold in the game following the dismissal.

United, though, did muster a leveller with their only chance of the second half with substitute Clarke the architect. The 18-year-old beat his man on the right and found Bryce Hosannah who drilled low into the box first time with Brown on hand to slot home and force extra-time.

Leeds went close through Struijk after the swapping of ends as he headed a corner over the bar before substitute Sonny Hilton fired a volley wide for the visitors. Rae was forced into late action as the striker again found a way through the United backline but the goalkeeper got down low to ensure penalties would be required. Brown, Bogusz, Struijk and Clarke all bagged for United with Jordan Stevens and Steven Sessegnon both missing to send the shootout to sudden death.

Berardi sent George Wickens the wrong way before goalscorer Santos Clase saw his effort fly over the bar to send Leeds into the quarter-finals of the competition on a dramatic night.


Leeds United XI: Male, Hosannah, Struijk, Berardi, Douglas, Diaz, Bogusz, Gotts, Stevens, Brown, Edmondson. Subs: Rae, Shackleton, Clarke, Davis, Kun.

Fulham XI: Wickens, Drameh, Sessegnon, Edun, Jenz, Opoku, Harris, O'Riley, Kait, Francois, Santos Clase. Subs: Stahl, Abraham, McAvoy, Hilton, Havilland.

 

Good Morning to Matt andco from a very windy Bardsey
Well high noon approaches and the one with the most desire will be the winner at least we won't after worry about Madine who is living with Stacey Floundersshe does pick em the poor girl !
Feeling a bit better today but went to the Docs and she wants m e to have an x Ray only one place to go Seacroft no waiting time there
Well done to the under 23 on last nights result by picking Izzie and Clarke does that mean they will not be playing on Sat
Finally did all our Christmases come at once I see that Santa Clause miss his penalty is this a good omen

 

On Saturday 17 March 2018 we played Sheffield at home - well it was Wednesday not United and we lost 2-1. And we dropped to 14th with 50 points (strangely Norwich were in 13th 2 points ahead of us)

When you look at the team what a difference a year/Bielsa makes

• Peacock-Farrell
• Berardi
• Jansson
• Pennington
• Pearce /Grot
• Forshaw
• O'Kane/Phillips
• Alioski
• Hernández
• Dallas
• Ekuban/Lasogga

 

Morning Doc. Kiko still worries me when he comes flying off his line at times. Don’t know how to calm the nerves tomorrow, the game is too early to get drunk.

 

I like Kiko, on the whole he’s done well. But he’s made mistakes every game.. and just been fortunate they haven’t cost us. But for inept finishing he’d certainly have cost us points v brizzle and boro. Here’s hoping his luck hold’s up tomorrow.

Against the others in the top 5 we’ve come out with even points over the two games. Let’s hope we break that trend tomorrow.