The JT Factor

DECEMBER 2012

Newcatle 1-0 Fulham

Jeremy Menez 74'

Reading 2-2 Fulham

Adam Le Fondre 30', 40'
Phillippe Senderos 55'
Bryan Ruiz pen 81'

Fulham 1-2 Man Utd

Jonny Evans 38'
Wayne Rooney 58'
Angel Rangel 82'

Fulham 2-1 Norwich

Mladen Petric 17', 23'
Alexander Tettey 58'

Liverpool 3-2 Fulham

Oussama Assaidi 4'
Luis Suarez 37'
Steven Gerrard 45'
Bryan Ruiz 49'
Chris Baird 83'

Fulham 0-1 Stoke

Kenwyne Jones 21'

QPR 4-1 Fulham

Esteban Granero 4'
Sylvain Marveaux 8'
Shaun Wright-Phillips 45+1'
Bobby Zamora pen 66'
Brede Hangeland 70'

Fulham 3-2 Arsenal

Damien Duff 18', 54'
Ashkan Dejagah 38'
Olivier Giroud 40'
Mikel Arteta pen 64'
Hugo Rodallega 83'

Mostly, the results in Townend's first month in charge have been disappoining. The Cottagers have constantly found themselves chasing games and often, failing. Whilst the result against Arsenal was very pleasing, Fulham will have to improve a lot if they are to come anywhere near midtable by the end of the season

BREAKING NEWS: TOWNEND JUMPS SHIP AGAIN



After shocking football fans with his Blue Square Premier/ Premier League switch last month, Josh Townend has once again turned the managerial world on it's head. His latest destination being boyhood club Leeds United, following the dismissal of Neil Warnock yesterday. Having beaten Arsenal 4-2 yesterday, Townend's Fulham side clearly looked to be going places, but it seems the 47-year-old was too easily swayed by the team he has passionately supported throughout his life, and rumour has it that he's even taken a paycut to complete the move back up to Yorkshire.

"I swear on my life, I wasn't actively looking for a departure, I genuinely wanted ot try and keep the club (Fulham) up" said the Yorkshireman

"At the end of the day, managing Leeds has been a dream for me since my playing days and when they came calling, it was an offer I just simply couldn't refuse. I wish Fulham and their new manager all the best in their attempt to stay up. In the meantime, I'm really looking forward to the challenge of making this club (Leeds) great again"

Townend will take charge immediately and his first game will come at home to local rivals Huddersfield in two days time.

Just found this in my inbox:

BECCHIO OUT FOR A YEAR

Leeds United were rocked by the events that unfolded early on in the game against Huddersfield as star striker Luciano Becchio was stretchered off the field with damaged cruciate ligaments, an injury that will sideline him for almost a year. The Argentine striker was accompanied off the field by ex-team mate Adam Clayton alongside his other team mates including Sam Byram and loanee Billy Clifford.

Is your third club in five month lol. By 2014 you be at your tenth club

2013-01-25 23:27#78896 Sonalexwild : Is your third club in five month lol. By 2014 you be at your tenth club

Nah, I've supported Leeds all my life so I have a strong feeling I'll be there for quite a while

JANUARY 2013 TRANSFER UPDATE: 13TH JAN

IN:

MC Owen Garvan Crystal Palace £800,000
MC Danny Murphy Blackburn Rovers £1.8M
DL/R Phil Bardsley Sunderland £2.4M
DC Ben Turner Cardiff City £4.7M
ML Jerome Thomas West Bromwich Albion £2M

Total: £11.7M

OUT:

MC/L Danny Pugh Crystal Palace £375,000

Total: £375,000

Murphy is an interesting buy he usually lasts the season then declines very speedily, and you should of bought a forward considering Becchio is out for a year

2013-01-26 13:31#78950 Sammmm : Murphy is an interesting buy he usually lasts the season then declines very speedily, and you should of bought a forward considering Becchio is out for a year

Well I decided to play Byram on the right and Thomas on the left which allows me to play McCormack and Diouf up front

JANUARY TRANSFER WINDOW

The only transfer window activity of any note since the update has been Michael Brown's 3-month loan to League 2 table toppers Fleetwood Town

JANUARY 2013

Leeds 0-0 Huddersfield

Leeds 0-2 Brighton

Dean Hammond 17'
David Lopez 23'

Bolton 2-2 Leeds

Ross McCormack 24', 60'
Kevin Davies 31'
David N'Gog 90'

Leeds 2-1 Millwall***

David Norris 11'
Jerome Thomas 33'
Chris O'Grady 77'

Barnsley 1-1 Leeds***

Craig Davies 34'
Ross McCormack 42'

Townend seems to have got off to a flyer at Leeds, having lost just one out of his first five games in charge. Yes, he only won one but there will be plenty of positives that Townend can take fom this month. However, his selection skills will really be put to the test in February with Becchio out for 11 months with a cruciate ligament injury sustained againnst Huddersfield and Ross McCormack sidelined for a month with a twisted knee sustained in the draw at Barnsley. Taking maximum points from February is likely to give Leeds some real momentum for the rest of the season when Ross McCormack is fit again.


***NOTE: MY LAPTOP RESTARTED AFTER I WROTE THIS AND TOOK ME BACK TO 15TH JAN, SO FROM THE MILLWALL GAME, THE RESULTS WILL CHANGE. WHEN I HAVE GONE THROUGH THESE GAMES, THERE WILL BE 3 ASTERISKS NEXT TO EACH GAME***

FEBRUARY 2013

Leeds 2-1 Nottm Forest

Lee Camp OG 17'
Billy Sharp 31'
David Norris 25'

Birmingham 1-1 Leeds

Danny Murphy pen 16'
Peter Lovenkrands pen 34'

Leeds 2-0 Ipswich

Luke Varney 32'
Jerome Thomas 90+3'

Leeds 3-0 Crystal Palace

Luke Varney 17'
David Norris 33', 41'

With Townend's second month in charge, Leeds seem to have finally found some positive consistency, having won 4 out of 3 games which has put the Whites on an unbeaten run of 8 league games. With McCormack and Becchio both injured, Varney has capably stepped up with David Norris also bursting onto the scene with his own contribution to a successful month. Dominating displays have seen Leeds move up to 10th, just 5 points away from the playoffs and they will have the opportunity to leapfrog Cardiff in 8th when they play them in the first game of March.

MARCH 2013

Cardiff 0-1 Leeds

Luke Varney 78'

Leeds 2-1 Watford

Luke Varney 59'
Jean-Alain Fanchone 61'
David Somma 88'

Brighton 3-0 Leeds

Stephen Dobbie 77', 82'
David Lopez 90'

Leeds 1-0 Middlesbrough

Luke Varney 8'

Blackpool 2-2 Leeds

Gary Taylor-Fletcher 2'
Nathan Delfouneso 22'
Luke Varney 45+2'
Jerome Thomas 86'

So Leeds United's unbeaten league run finally came to an end at the same team that last beat them when they met in the FA Cup. The Whites however appeared to have bounced back afterwards with a hard-fought victory over Middlesbrough and a battling display at Blackpool. Townend's men still seem to have got on just fine without McCormack and Becchio and after lingering in 14th when Townend took over, Leeds havee now lifted themselves into 6th place with 7 games remaining. The playoff race appears to be heating up and it could get very interesting.

Couldn't get the image up but with 4 games remaining, Leeds lie in 8th, 2 points behind 6th placed Wolves who have a game in hand. In order for Leeds to stand a chance, it will be imperative that they win every one of their last 4 games

6th paced Wolves have drawn their game in hand 3-3 with Leicester, putting them 6 points clear of Leeds with 2 games remaining. However, they have a goal difference of +24 to Leeds' +1, making it impossible for Leeds to maake the playoffs this year