Pre-season fixture 4: Reading vs Leeds United
Venue: Estadio Nacional, Lisboa
Kick-off: Saturday 18th July 2015 3pm
Weather: Calm 19C
Our pre-season excursion in Portugal would end in a game against a team from our own league, Reading.
Reading haven't played a game yet so my hoping going into the game was that they wouldn't be as sharp as we are. Still, we had come up against three very capable sides in the last week or so and had done a lot of travelling, so tiredness was a possibility for us.
Matty Taylor flew straight out to Portugal on the day he signed for us and has been training with the lads ever since. Having come through without any first-week injuries, he was ready to jump straight into the side and take up his position on the left.
I had also been looking into my second signing during the week. I had been sent a scouting report on a holding midfielder by Terry Potter. This midfielder is currently contracted to Southampton and answers to the name Harrison Reed. I was impressed with the report, which even came with footage of him playing. He had even made a handful of league appearances last season.
Already sold, I sent an email straight off to Southampton. I offered what they wanted, I could have him for as long as I want as long as we contribute 504% towards his wages. I put in a season-long loan offer which was immediately accepted. We still await a reply from Reed himself.
With regards to team news, we had one absentee. Jordan Botaka had been called up to play for DR Congo, ruling him out for this clash.
As for the game, there was a cluster of fans gathered opposite the dugouts. Leeds and Reading fans had congregated together for the 'festival derby' (a reference to the Leeds/Reading music festival to be held in a week).
When I was satisfied the team had been reasonably put through their paces, I called them in for a final team talk.
"Right lads, we've played incredibly well so far, I'm really liking the application I'm seeing. This game is an early chance to gauge where we're at in comparison with the rest of the league, so give it your all. As always, good performances will be rewarded"
Leeds United starting XI (4-4-2): Silvestri, Byram, Bamba, Bellusci, C Taylor, Dallas, Adeyemi, Cook, M Taylor, Doukara, Wood
Subs: Turnbull, Cooper, Berardi, Antenucci, Wootton, Philips, Mowatt, Dawson, Erwin
There was the usual pre-season air of anticipation about the ground, as we got the game underway in the warm Portuguese sunshine.
The opening exchanges were a little nip-and-tuck, with both sides having their few minutes on top. We fashioned out the first decent chance on 15 minutes when Dallas found Byram on the overlap. The young right back swung in a cross that was headed inches wide of the post by Doukara.
It was a first half almost devoid of decent chances, and on 35 minutes we created only the second opening when Charlie Taylor slipped it inside to Cook on the edge of the area. The young lad should have done much better, as he screwed it wide after having all the time and space he could have hoped for.
Reading were next to come close, when Ollie Norwood lined up a free kick from 25 yards out. Luckily for us, he sent it sailing over Silvestri's cross bar.
We finally got a break through two minutes from time. Byram made decent progress down the right before slipping the ball in to Adeyemi. The Cardiff loanee cut inside with the ball before playing it back to Doukara. Doukara then looked up and passed it short to Cook who instantly laid a brilliant through ball to Wood. Wood was free of the last defender, and took no prisoners, burying it with his second touch.
That goal was just what we needed going into half-time and it's just what the game needed as it had been a pretty cagey first half. I went down the tunnel at half-time feeling pretty confident, hoping we can go on to make the first goal really count.
"Fellas, we know the first half was pretty cagey stuff but I feel like we just about shaded it there. We played well in the last ten minutes of the half and I'm glad we have a goal to show for it. Let's back out there and pick up where we left off"
Stuart Dallas was looking pretty tired at half-time, so I replaced him with Berardi in a change that would see Byram play right wing and Berardi play right back.
We started the second half as we ended the first half, creating chances and dominating possession. We came close to a second goal four minutes after the restart, when Byram slipped a short ball into the area for Doukara. The ball did take a bobble on its way to Doukara's feet which he was unable to control and he ended up firing wide.
Shortly after, Doukara was at it again. This time he was on the end of a brilliant early cross from Charlie Taylor, heading just wide of Federici's right-hand post.
Shortly before the hour mark, Reading grabbed an equaliser against the run of play. Jake Cooper picked out Nick Blackman in the box with a through ball and the Reading striker buried it first time.
That goal was a wake-up call for the defence who had been given little to do so far. The way the goal came about also gave me an idea of how Reading were going to try and hit us so I made a tactical switch.
Mowatt was brought on for Doukara. Adeyemi would sit in the defensive midfield position providing cover for the defenders whilst Cook and Mowatt played in the middle in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
We set about getting our lead back and we almost got it not long after their goal. Matty Taylor whipped in a dangerous corner which was narrowly headed over the bar by Sol Bamba.
As the game wore on, we suffered from more tired legs. Although he scored our goal, Chris Wood was having a quiet night so he was replaced with Antenucci.
We were still on top of the game but not creating chances like we were before. I switched it up on 79 minutes, going for a high-intensity 4-3-3, replacing Matty Taylor with young Lee Erwin on the left, keeping Byram on right wing.
A minute after the change, we should have scored. Mowatt whipped in a corner which Bamba headed across the face of goal. Somehow, from two yards out, Bellusci managed to fire his header straight at the bar before the ball went over.
With two minutes on the clock, we almost had the winner we were looking for. A brilliantly aimed cross from Taylor found the on-rushing Byram, whose header skimmed the top of the bar. I put my hands to my head in disbelief. Surely, we should be in front by now.
It was a game that we had a hatful of chances to win but we didn't take them. The draw was unlucky and I still felt encouraged by the performance we had put in against Steve Clarke's side.
Reading 1-1 Leeds United
Scorers: Wood 44, Blackman 58
Att: 3,556
Man of the Match: Lewis Cook
Venue: Estadio Nacional, Lisboa
Kick-off: Saturday 18th July 2015 3pm
Weather: Calm 19C
Our pre-season excursion in Portugal would end in a game against a team from our own league, Reading.
Reading haven't played a game yet so my hoping going into the game was that they wouldn't be as sharp as we are. Still, we had come up against three very capable sides in the last week or so and had done a lot of travelling, so tiredness was a possibility for us.
Matty Taylor flew straight out to Portugal on the day he signed for us and has been training with the lads ever since. Having come through without any first-week injuries, he was ready to jump straight into the side and take up his position on the left.
I had also been looking into my second signing during the week. I had been sent a scouting report on a holding midfielder by Terry Potter. This midfielder is currently contracted to Southampton and answers to the name Harrison Reed. I was impressed with the report, which even came with footage of him playing. He had even made a handful of league appearances last season.
Already sold, I sent an email straight off to Southampton. I offered what they wanted, I could have him for as long as I want as long as we contribute 504% towards his wages. I put in a season-long loan offer which was immediately accepted. We still await a reply from Reed himself.
With regards to team news, we had one absentee. Jordan Botaka had been called up to play for DR Congo, ruling him out for this clash.
As for the game, there was a cluster of fans gathered opposite the dugouts. Leeds and Reading fans had congregated together for the 'festival derby' (a reference to the Leeds/Reading music festival to be held in a week).
When I was satisfied the team had been reasonably put through their paces, I called them in for a final team talk.
"Right lads, we've played incredibly well so far, I'm really liking the application I'm seeing. This game is an early chance to gauge where we're at in comparison with the rest of the league, so give it your all. As always, good performances will be rewarded"
Leeds United starting XI (4-4-2): Silvestri, Byram, Bamba, Bellusci, C Taylor, Dallas, Adeyemi, Cook, M Taylor, Doukara, Wood
Subs: Turnbull, Cooper, Berardi, Antenucci, Wootton, Philips, Mowatt, Dawson, Erwin
There was the usual pre-season air of anticipation about the ground, as we got the game underway in the warm Portuguese sunshine.
The opening exchanges were a little nip-and-tuck, with both sides having their few minutes on top. We fashioned out the first decent chance on 15 minutes when Dallas found Byram on the overlap. The young right back swung in a cross that was headed inches wide of the post by Doukara.
It was a first half almost devoid of decent chances, and on 35 minutes we created only the second opening when Charlie Taylor slipped it inside to Cook on the edge of the area. The young lad should have done much better, as he screwed it wide after having all the time and space he could have hoped for.
Reading were next to come close, when Ollie Norwood lined up a free kick from 25 yards out. Luckily for us, he sent it sailing over Silvestri's cross bar.
We finally got a break through two minutes from time. Byram made decent progress down the right before slipping the ball in to Adeyemi. The Cardiff loanee cut inside with the ball before playing it back to Doukara. Doukara then looked up and passed it short to Cook who instantly laid a brilliant through ball to Wood. Wood was free of the last defender, and took no prisoners, burying it with his second touch.
That goal was just what we needed going into half-time and it's just what the game needed as it had been a pretty cagey first half. I went down the tunnel at half-time feeling pretty confident, hoping we can go on to make the first goal really count.
"Fellas, we know the first half was pretty cagey stuff but I feel like we just about shaded it there. We played well in the last ten minutes of the half and I'm glad we have a goal to show for it. Let's back out there and pick up where we left off"
Stuart Dallas was looking pretty tired at half-time, so I replaced him with Berardi in a change that would see Byram play right wing and Berardi play right back.
We started the second half as we ended the first half, creating chances and dominating possession. We came close to a second goal four minutes after the restart, when Byram slipped a short ball into the area for Doukara. The ball did take a bobble on its way to Doukara's feet which he was unable to control and he ended up firing wide.
Shortly after, Doukara was at it again. This time he was on the end of a brilliant early cross from Charlie Taylor, heading just wide of Federici's right-hand post.
Shortly before the hour mark, Reading grabbed an equaliser against the run of play. Jake Cooper picked out Nick Blackman in the box with a through ball and the Reading striker buried it first time.
That goal was a wake-up call for the defence who had been given little to do so far. The way the goal came about also gave me an idea of how Reading were going to try and hit us so I made a tactical switch.
Mowatt was brought on for Doukara. Adeyemi would sit in the defensive midfield position providing cover for the defenders whilst Cook and Mowatt played in the middle in a 4-1-4-1 formation.
We set about getting our lead back and we almost got it not long after their goal. Matty Taylor whipped in a dangerous corner which was narrowly headed over the bar by Sol Bamba.
As the game wore on, we suffered from more tired legs. Although he scored our goal, Chris Wood was having a quiet night so he was replaced with Antenucci.
We were still on top of the game but not creating chances like we were before. I switched it up on 79 minutes, going for a high-intensity 4-3-3, replacing Matty Taylor with young Lee Erwin on the left, keeping Byram on right wing.
A minute after the change, we should have scored. Mowatt whipped in a corner which Bamba headed across the face of goal. Somehow, from two yards out, Bellusci managed to fire his header straight at the bar before the ball went over.
With two minutes on the clock, we almost had the winner we were looking for. A brilliantly aimed cross from Taylor found the on-rushing Byram, whose header skimmed the top of the bar. I put my hands to my head in disbelief. Surely, we should be in front by now.
It was a game that we had a hatful of chances to win but we didn't take them. The draw was unlucky and I still felt encouraged by the performance we had put in against Steve Clarke's side.
Reading 1-1 Leeds United
Scorers: Wood 44, Blackman 58
Att: 3,556
Man of the Match: Lewis Cook
