LUFC - Marching on Together to the Top

#47583 MANUMAD : Hopefully you ll help drop Leeds back where they belong: League 1!!!

Only joking. This looks interesting. Will be reading.

cheers mate. and no thanks, i have had enough of leeds in leaugue 1 to last me a long time!

LEAGUE CUP - PETEBUROUGH VS LEEDS

GK: Rachkuba
DL: Parker
DC: Lees (Kisnorbo, 81)
DC: O’Dea
DR: Connolly

DMC: Frimpong (Clayton, 72)
MC: Brown
MC: Vayrynen

AMR: Sam
AML: White
ST: Forsell

Again, I rested all my players for this, mainly because it is the league cup, and also because we have West Ham next, who I want to beat because we lost our last one. But anyway, in this one, we got the first goal through a Tommy Rowe own goal and sat back and held it for the rest of the match. This result means that I have lived up to my board’s minimum expectations for the league cup-the third round! I am also considering bringing in a winger on loan to cover for McCormack’s injury, any ideas anyone? And star striker Becchio is almost back from injury. Final Score 0-1 Man of the Match – Ben Parker, 7.5

CHAMPIONSHIP - LEEDS VS WEST HAM

GK: Lonergan
DL: Pugh
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DR: Parnaby

DMC: Arismendi
MC: Howson
MC: Clayton

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: van der Gun
ST: Andy Keogh (Forsell, 68)

We were the better team in the first half, creating some good chances, but Keogh was terrible, scuffing all his shots and missing chances that came to him on a plate and West Ham were never really in the match. Still, we were bound to score sooner or later, until Arismendi was sent off for ungentlemanly conduct after 54 minutes. I was worried that it would cost us the match, but we played as well as before, but still couldn’t score. When, in the 90th minute, we finally put the ball in the net, van der Guns goal was ridiculously ruled offside! We were really unlucky today and I am extra frustrated because we deserved better the game before as well, against Reading! The only thing I can say is that if we keep playing the way we have been we will start to pick up more points.Final Score 0-0 Man of the Match – Scott Loach, 7.2 (West Ham)

CHAMPIONSHIP - CARDIFF VS LEEDS

GK: Lonergan
DL: Pugh
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DR: Parnaby (Lees, 82)

DMC: Frimpong
MC: Howson
MC: Clayton

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: van der Gun (Becchio, 62)
ST: Keogh

We really needed to bounce back after getting one point from a possible six in the league, and this game was the complete opposite of the West Ham match. It was like Cardiff weren’t there, we swept past their defence so easily, and after 10 minutes we were unlucky not to be ahead! Keogh finally gave us the lead after 15 minutes with a cleanly struck shot from close in, and Snodgrass doubled our lead with a curler from distance tem minutes after that. Our third came from Keogh again when he placed a shot perfectly past the keeper, and we went in at half time three to the good. Keogh completed his hat-trick with a powerful shot that never gave the keeper a chance 15 minutes after the break, and we always looked like scoring more. I was also able to give Becchio half an hour to rebuild his match fitness and he looked like he had never been gone! He was excellent. Cardiff managed to pull one back just before the end, but I really can’t fault my teams performance today. Final Score 1-4 Man of the Match – Keogh, 9.6

CHAMPIONSHIP - LEEDS VS BIRMINGHAM

GK: Lonergan
DL: Pugh (Inj,82)
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DR: Parnaby

DMC: Frimpong
MC: Howson
MC: Clayton (Vayrynen, 81)

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: van der Gun (White, 57)
ST: Keogh (Becchio, 71)

I was determined that we would show some consistency and win this one, and Andy O’Brien helped us to do that by heading home a goal from a Danny Pugh corner. Our lead didn’t last long though, as an unlucky own goal by Lonergan gave Birmingham an equalizer. The game was pretty even till half time, but we got the break when Liam Ridgewell gave away a penalty in the dying seconds of the first half. Snodgrass stepped up and slotted it into the bottom left corner to send us into the break with the lead and then we were probably slightly the better team in the second half, and we got our third and final goal through a Robert Snodgrass wonder goal which dipped past the keeper, however Birmingham got a consolation goal in injury time so that we had a nervy last minute or so! Final Score 3-2 Man of the Match – Snodgrass, 8.8

LEAGUE CUP – LEEDS VS WOLVES

GK: Lonergan
DR: Connolly
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DL: Parker

DMC: Frimpong
MC: Brown
MC: Vayrynen (Howson, 64)

AMR: Snodgrass (van der gun, 75)
AML: White
ST: Becchio (Keogh, 90)

I played more of my first eleven for this League cup match, as we were playing a premier league team, but I still rested a couple. Wolves shaded the first half, but on the 55th minute Robert Snodgrass scored to give us the lead! We weren’t playing that great, but just as it looked like we were going to hang on, substitute Steven Fletcher scored a long range effort that gave Lonergan no chance. The match went to extra time, but there were no real chances until the 119th minute when Roger Johnson scored a diving header from a corner. There was no time for a fightback, and I was gutted because we had come so close! Still, at least we can concentrate on the league for a bit now. Final Score 1-2 (e) Man of the Match – Roger Johnson, 8 (Wolves)

CHAMPIONSHIP – BRIGHTON VS LEEDS

GK: Lonergan
DR: Parnaby
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DL: Parker

DMC: Arismendi
MC: Howson
MC: Clayton

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: van der Gun (White, 74)
ST: Keogh (Becchio, 59)

So much for concentrating on the league. We were appalling today. We couldn’t keep the ball, and Brighton wiped the floor with us. I can’t say I was enjoying myself too much playing this game, with Clayton’s goal being the only highlight. Sorry guys, but I don’t feel like going through it again. I’ll just tell you the score and be done with it. Final Score 4-1 Man of the Match – Craig Mackail-Smith, 9.6 (Brighton)

CHAMPIONSHIP – LEEDS VS COVENTRY

GK: Lonergan
DR: Parnaby
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DL: White

DMC: Arismendi
MC: Frimpong
MC: Clayton (Howson, 58)

AMR: Sam
AML: Snodgrass (van der Gun, 72)
ST: Keogh

I was desperate to win this one after the tragedy of the Brighton match, and apparently the team felt the same. We took the lead in the 13th minute when Lloyd Sam ran down the right flank and crossed superbly for Andy Keogh, who turned and smashed it past the keeper with his laces. However, my good mood didn’t last, as just before half time some sloppy defending by us led to David Bell scoring a well taken header from just outside the six yard box. At half time I told the lads to push for a winner, and Adam Clayton gave us it on the 53rd minute with a well struck effort which flew past the opposition keeper. Keogh then made sure of our three points by scoring his tenth of the season, and his eighth in the league in the 72nd minute. Final Score 3-1 Man of the Match – Andy Keogh, 8.8

CHAMPIONSHIP – MILLWALL VS LEEDS

GK: Lonergan
DR: Connolly
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DL: White

DMC: Frimpong
MC: Howson
MC: Clayton

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: van der Gun
ST: Keogh

We had had a tough period of quick games and by today the players we running on empty. A gritty, tough performance today gave us an away victory, and it was Robert Snodgrass who scored the winner in the 83rd minute. We were on the counter attack, Becchio slipped a lovely ball through to him out on the right side, and he slotted it past the keeper to keep us in third place in the Championship. Final Score 0-1 Man of the Match – Snodgrass, 8.2

This seems like an interesting story to follow as my Dad & Bro support Leeds. They've shot themselves in the foot this season being a strong contender for playoffs to a fight to finish in the top half so hopefully you can show Warnock how its done! Keep up the good results.

CHAMPIONSHIP – LEEDS VS SOUTHAMPTON

GK: Lonergan
DR: Parnaby
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DL: White

DMC: Frimpong
MC: Howson
MC: Clayton (Arismendi, 68)

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: van der Gun (Sam, 58)
ST: Keogh

This match was the best home team in the league hosting the worst away side in the league. I don’t know whether complacency got to the lads at all because we did not play at our best today, but Keogh put us in the lead in the 13th minute and we were relatively comfortable from then on until Rickie Lambert burst free of the defence and powered it past Andy Lonergan in the 48th minute. We still had time to win it but we struggled to create chances despite having most of the ball. It finished a draw but we were the better team and were a bit unlucky not to win. Final Score 1-1 Man of the Match – Morgan Schneiderlin, 7.6 (Southampton, 7.6)

CHAMPIONSHIP – BLACKPOOL VS LEEDS

GK: Lonergan
DR: Connolly
DC: O’Brien
DC: Lees
DL: Parker

DMC: Frimpong
MC: Brown
MC: Howson (Arismendi, 74)

AMR: Sam
AML: Snodgrass
ST: Becchio (Forsell, 60)

I rested a couple of names because of the tough fixture up next and almost lived to regret it. Blackpool were the better team all game, and went ahead through Matt Phillips in the 12th minute. After that they carried on creating chances but didn’t finish them, and we surprisingly got an equalizer after 71 minutes when Mikael Forsell fired in from point blank range. We came into it a bit after that but honestly we didn’t really deserve the point we got. We were lucky today. Final Score 1-1 Man of the Match – Matt Phillips, 8 (Blackpool)

CHAMPIONSHIP – LEEDS VS BURNLEY

GK: Lonergan
DR: Parnaby
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DL: Parker

DMC: Arismendi
MC: Frimpong (Howson, 70)
MC: Clayton

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: White
ST: Keogh

Huh? Someone pinch me. Talk about inconsistency. We go from drawing at home to the team with the worst away record in the league, to being outplayed against a team we were favourites to beat, to smashing the league leaders by near on ten goals. It’s a funny old game, football. Robert Snodgrass gave us the lead in the 2nd minute when Aidy White put the ball across and Snoddy controlled it nicely and placed it past the keeper. Keogh scored his personal goal of the season for our second, a curler from outside the area, and on the 38th minute Kisnorbo headed us a three goal lead from a free kick. Then, just before half-time, another Robert Snodgrass shot took a lucky deflection off Adam Clayton to confuse the keeper and send him the wrong way. The second half went exactly the same as the first, and it was Keogh who scored next after Clayton slipped a wonderful pass through the two centre backs for him to chase and then round the keeper and tap into an empty net! Kisnorbo, who hadn’t scored all season before this game, then decided that he had some catching up to do and scored another from another free-kick, before a Burnley defender gave away a penalty by clattering Snodgrass, which Andy Keogh converted to complete his hat-trick and get his 14th of the season, (I think) . Finally, in the second minute of injury time, just to rub salt in the wounds, a Snodgrass free-kick flew into the top corner to finish the match and to really make me wonder whether I imagined the whole thing! Final Score 8-0 Man of the Match – Snodgrass, 9.7

CHAMPIONSHIP – LEEDS VS WATFORD

GK: Lonergan
DR: Parnaby
DC: O’Brien
DC: Kisnorbo
DL: Parker

DMC: Arismendi (Sam, 59)
MC: Howson
MC: Clayton (Brown, 79)

AMR: Snodgrass
AML: White (Becchio, 59)
ST: Keogh

We had to win this one. Watford were adrift at the bottom, they hadn’t won for eight games, and we were sure-fire favourites for this one. I didn’t want another Southampton, but I needn’t have worried-we played really well today. We got the first goal, Snodgrass scoring again with a great piece of close control before smashing it high into the roof of the net. Keogh made it two on 53 minutes, a one-on-one with the keeper and well, the form he’s in he wasn’t going to miss. With a quarter of an hour to go, Howson made it three with a pile-driver into the top corner, and just for the fun of it Keogh scored his second with a headed goal from a free-kick. That was his 16th goal in 15 appearances, and he has an average rating of 7.86 which is incredible because his attributes are rubbish! He has been a demon this season and I really need to get him a permanent deal because he is only on loan at the moment, and there is a 500k release clause in the loan deal. I will be using it! Final Score 4-0 Man of the Match – Keogh, 9

TALKING TRANSFERS

Just to let you know that Emmanuel Frimpong has returned to Arsenal after his loan spell here. Here did ok, but I have now loaned in a new DM to cover for Arismendi. He is a better player than Frimpong and I have to pay less of his wages too! His name is Hendry Thomas, from Wigan, and I think he will do well. I had to pay a 300k loan fee.