I must admit I was enjoying tonights rain-soaked, gut-busting goalfest vs the Baggies until someone mentioned our next game was Leeds away, and a slight alarm went off in my mind about volunteering a preview for such match, but no - I was sure that was months away. How wrong I was. So apologies in advance for a last-minute throw together preview devoid of facts, analysis, expert opinion, XG, XP and XXL as Saturday sees us head north to play the Leeds 49ers in a must-win wild-card play off. Shamefully, I’ve never been to Leeds - always sped past it on the M62 on my way to other places, but two things come to mind when I ponder Leeds: the PlayOff final in 2006 at Cardiff (got very drunk) and a bloke who came to service our boiler about five years ago who basically turned out to be a member of the Leeds Ultras (or equivalent of) and took great delight in telling me how he beat a Reading fan senseless and wouldn’t miss a good fight for the world. I took my revenge by not making him tea and getting someone else to check our boiler the year after. In memory of our boiler friend, here’s some Leeds fans who will no doubt welcome us come the weekend: Allegedly those last two pics are from a pre-season friendly vs Eintract Frankfurt in Austria, in 2015. ----- Strange start to the season for Leeds: impressive win at Ipswich aside they’ve drawn four of seven and scored less goals than us. I predicted Farke to Farke-off and be the first Championship manager sacked, I did think he was a strange choice in the first place. They’ve spent some dosh but I’m not convinced they’ll be ‘up where they belong’ come May 2024. No idea how serious Porteous’s injury is of writing, but the squid - sorry, squad depth looks like being tested with Pollock a potential starter. Just a shame we couldn’t sign Ryan Prawn, Keith Halibut and Mikel Stickleback in the off season to shore up that back four. Prediction: heart says 2-6, heads says 2-1. Weather: Looking good at 15 degrees, sunny intervals with a gentle breeze. Skyla - if you can bear another waffle I’m happy to ‘do’ Hull away on the 2nd Dec. Safe journey all heading north.
Very fact you have an image of two Leeds "fans", one with a bloodied head wound and the other with a cigarette perched in his ear is all you need to know about one half of their fanbase. Last time I personally went to Elland Road was way back in 2009 in the then "Carling Cup". We lost 2-1 AET with Rob Snodgrass scoring both of their goals. Actually we have a pretty good overall record against them, so I think Saturday's game is not one to fear as much as say, Leicester City away. Everyone remembers our P.O Final win, and the 6-1 hammering we gave them under the stewardship of Warnock. Porteous will probably be out, unless he was taken off as precaution tonight, because we do not really have anyone to replace him. Tough game, we cannot win away from home anymore, and a game I would be very happy with a point from. Personally, I can see them scoring, but I do not think they will thrash our young side, we can put up a bit of steel it would be pleasing. Leeds 2 Watford 1 EDIT: I'll put you down for the Hull game.
Our boiler is due for a service and our gas fitter is a huge Leeds fan. IF we get a good result on Saturday, the boiler gets serviced ASAP.
Think we'll get smashed in this one. Intimidating crowd with possibly Livermore or Pollock having to come in. I just can't see beyond a 3-0 defeat.
Leeds 3-1 Watford, VI sacked .Neil Warnock brought in for one last hurrah in football before retirement
I always wonder what would have become of Leeds had they got back up then, would they have returned to chasing Europe or would the consequences of all that spending have hung over them? Their continued fall was spectacular though, they then got relegated again the next season, was that season one last crack (with the aid of parachute payments) before it really turned to ****?
Football and the passage of time... I can remember the very first competitive fixture against Leeds. It was a Milk Cup (that's the Carabao Cup, for any youngsters reading – how times of changed!) tie at Elland Road in October 1984. We were the top flight club and Leeds were treading water in Division Two. I was nine, sitting at home watching the scores on Ceefax (that's the closest we had to the internet, for any youngsters reading). Watford won 4-0. I still remember my Dad saying something like: "How the mighty have fallen," because it was only nine years after Leeds had been in the European Cup final (that's the Champions League, for any youngsters reading). So my childhood perception of Leeds was not of a faded giant but of a bog-standard side bumping about in the Second Division, playing in a half-empty stadium, no different to Stoke or Huddersfield or Grimsby. When they got promoted and won the league title under Howard Wilkinson, it felt like a seismic shock rather than a return to past glory. Eight years after that first meeting, I was on the Vicarage Road terrace with a mate when we beat Leeds in the Coca-Cola Cup (Milk/Carabao etc) – when Leeds were the reigning league champions. That was the night Cantona missed the one-on-one. After the match we went for a pint (aged 17) in a pub we'd never been in before, nervous that we'd be refused. The 3-0 play-off final win over them in Cardiff is now 17 years ago... the same gap as between Leeds' European Cup final defeat against Bayern Munich in Paris in 1975 and that Coca-Cola Cup match against them at Vicarage Road. Not sure where this is going, other than, like Hogg-DEENEY, I've often thought of these kind of sliding doors moments in football history. What would have happened if... Another one I think of is the Blackburn Rovers play-off we didn't lose (only side to go out on away goals without losing a match). What would have happened if we'd got back up at the first attempt.
It's when they used to take all the plastic seats out before kick-off and make you stand up on your actual legs.
I vividly remember catching a train at Bristol heading for Cardiff for the play off final with my then young sons who were dressed from head to toe in Watford stuff with their faces painted yellow, red and black and finding ourselves in a carriage full of Burberry clad Leeds ultras swigging lager, effing and jeffing and generally being a pain in the ar5e. Which was nice
Every time I've been to Elland Road, we ended up winning. The most memorable visit was back in 2015 when we came from behind to win 3-2. If memory serves Miguel Layún played but he wasn't that great (probably drunk on tequila). Vydra had his scoring boots on though. I'm not going to this one however, so make of that what you will.
I may have not shouted myself hoarse, not got hideously drunk and not turned up hungover to a job interview the next day. My whole career path could have been very different.
Lewis and Andrews for Morris and Ngakia please. If Porteous is out, we might see Sierralta drop to CB and see a midfield trio of TDB, Kone and Louza. Would rather that than see Pollock start.
If they're the sort of company to have an interview the day after such a momentous day, I think it's fait to say they weren't the right one for you!
For ages and ages, you’re right, we were the only team to go out of the play-offs without losing, but I believe, years later it finally happened to someone else. No idea of the teams involved, though.
ah, I think there was someone who went out on penalties after two draws, yes. What I meant was we were the last - and I think only - team to go out on away goals after two draws. After that the FL introduced the penalty shoot outs, which I think was a direct response to what happened to us.
Anything other than a heavy loss would probably be a good result here, effectively a free hit. Leeds 1-4 Watford Rajovic x 2 Martins x 1 Porteous x 1 Tough day out for the yellow super soaker gang.
Despite only have a point more than us, Leeds (unsurprisingly considering their squad) pose a big threat and it's a poor match-stats wise for us. - Both sides like to have plenty of possession both at the back (Deep Circulation - tendency to move the ball around the back instead of playing long or vertical balls) and in the opponents half (High Retention - tendency to keep possession in the final 3rd for prolonged periods of time) - Both sides like to counter-press (tendency to react immediately after loosing possession and try to win it back). Expect both teams to be nicking the ball off each other regularly - Leeds have been poor at defending crosses - something we've generally been pretty good at - Leeds really like to play ground through balls to their forwards, we've been pretty good at defending those so far this season, but this could be an issue considering Porteous is 50/50, Pollocks inexperience and lack of pace could be an issue here. Overall I'm expecting a high tempo game, considering their weakness against crosses and the quality of their wide players Lewis simply has to start
I thought Pollock was OK when he came on, but I think this is where we could have done with Cathcart.
I know... I had to double-check it by counting the years on my fingers. Gap between the Cardiff play-off final and now: 17 years 4 months Gap between GT taking over the first time (June 1977) and coming back in February 1996: 18 years 8 months
Leeds have a great squad and are starting to find their stride and we can't win away for love nor money. 3-0 Watford.
going to leeds tomorrow and looking for a good place to park. There is a large car park at Elland Road but not too sure how quickly it fills up or if it is ok for away supporters?
