Leeds United v Ipswich Town
Saturday 23th September 2017 – 15:00
Elland Road
Pre Match Thoughts - Mike
It is usually easier writing match reports or penning these articles for the previews after a Town victory but I must confess I found it quite hard work this time around. Despite picking up the win against Bolton and cementing our place in the top Six I still found myself bemused, no angry, at the response of some Blues fans who's comments on Radio Phone ins and Social media etc were in my opinion bordering on idiotic and down right ignorant. I accept that everyone has a right to an opinion, even the dimwits amongst us, but these Trolls who like nothing more than a good old moan in the hope of getting a reaction really are something else. First off our performance was not great by any means, of that we all agree, BUT we won, we had the bottle to get it done when so often in the past we would have maybe taken a point or worse still got beat, sometimes in any walk of life things don't go according to plan but you have to still put in your best efforts, the players did this and got the right outcome. Finding ourselves in the lofty position of 5th place with a game in hand which if won would see us top, yes top is just not good enough for sections of our "support" wrong word actually but lets go with it, the entertainment wasn't good enough, the Line up wasn't the right one, the tactics were poor from the off, the toilet paper was the wrong colour, you name it. There is some myth going around, mainly from know it alls who weren't there that we set up defensively, we didnt !! We went with 3-5-2 which is not defensive, Myles Kenlock played Left Wing back and had Two shots on goal in the first 20 minutes !!! Over the piece we had Thirteen attempts at goal not Two or Three so it was hardly a cautious approach. Fair enough we were struggling with it and after the break we switched to the more conventional 4-4-2 which did see a marked improvement, which it has to be said wasn't difficult to achieve given that the first half was turgid stuff, for me it's just another case of looking for something to beat the manager with when if anything he should be recognised for changing it around and coming up with a plan B. I do feel it's a waste of time even trying to reason with those who's mind set is already one of nothing but negativity come what may.
As already stated the win sees us up to 5th and Fifteen points from a possible Twenty One would be a decent start without an injury crisis so to achieve it with such limited resources only makes it even more pleasing. Yes we still have far harder teams to play than most of those already faced but some of the teams we have already beaten like Millwall are coming up with big wins against some of the so called big boys of the division so our efforts should not be dismissed quite so easily. The big talking point prior to Saturdays game was whether or nor Bersant Celina would be in the starting Eleven and as we now know he was again on the bench, a dead leg earlier in the week making Mick's decision that much easier. There is no doubt this guy has talent and skill in abundance, he will without question get us off our seats, however what was again evident during the second half against Bolton is that he has a bit to learn in the art of defending, it's ok to walk the walk when attacking but that is only half of the job, it's well documented I am not the greatest lover of Freddie Sears and I probably wouldn't have him anywhere near my starting Line up but he does the defensive side of his duties well and that will always sit well with Mick when it comes to team selection etc so Bersant still has plenty of room for improvement, that said he is a joy to watch with the ball at his feet.
This weekends trip to Leeds Utd was always going to be a really tough test and now that they go into the game on the back of a defeat it will probably make it that much harder. When I looked at September's fixtures to predict how many points we would obtain I had this down as a certain defeat and there has been little since then to change my mind, for me it is a bit of a free hit, should we attain a point or better still all Three it will be a massive bonus but defeat would come as little surprise to anyone if we are honest. Trying to shut up shop against a team as capable as Leeds would be suicide so it would be nice to think we will play with a freedom that allows us to give it a go and who knows what may happen but having seen them Two or Three times they really do look a good side, especially going forward so our defence is going to be put to the test big time. I see that Adam Webster is pencilled in for a game this week and how good would it be to have him back in time for the Two home games that follow the Leeds game, to have a back Line approaching something like our best would be a massive plus and increase our chances of those Nine points from the Three home September games. I think Leeds will prove too strong for us and alas I see a defeat here, I wonder what the reaction will be should that be the case, but then again would the reaction be any different if we were to win but not play with the style and swagger of Barcelona ? In some Quarters I doubt it very much. COYB'S
The Opposition – Leeds United
Leeds United's predecessor team, Leeds City FC, was formed in 1904, and were elected League members in 1905, but were forcibly disbanded and forced to sell off all their players by The Football League in 1919 in response to allegations of illegal payments to players during the First World War.
In 1919, Leeds United was formed and they received an invitation to enter the Midland League. Following Leeds City's disbanding, Yorkshire Amateurs bought their stadium Elland Road who in turn offered to make way for the new team.
The chairman of Huddersfield Town, Hilton Crowther loaned Leeds United £35,000, to be repaid when Leeds United won promotion to Division One.
On 31 May 1920, Leeds United were elected to the Football League. Over the following few years, they consolidated their position in the Second Division and in 1924 won the title and with it promotion to the First Division. They failed to establish themselves and were relegated in 1926–27. In the years up until the start of World War II Leeds were twice relegated, both times being instantly re-promoted the following season.
In the 1946–47 season after the war, Leeds were relegated again with the worst league record in their history.
Leeds remained in the Second Division until 1955–56, when they once again won promotion to the First Division, before being relegated again in the 1959–60 season.
In March 1961, the club appointed former player Don Revie as manager. His stewardship began in adverse circumstances as the club was in financial difficulty and in 1961–62 only a win in the final game of the season saved the club from relegation to Division Three.
Revie implemented a youth policy and a change of kit colour to an all-white strip in the style of Real Madrid, and Leeds soon won promotion to the First Division in 1963–64. In his thirteen years in charge, Revie guided Leeds to two Football League First Division titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup, two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups, one Football League Second Division title and one Charity Shield. He also guided them to three more FA Cup Finals, two more FA Cup Semi-Finals, one more Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final and one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Semi-Final, one European Cup Winners' Cup Final and one European Cup Semi-Final. The team also finished second in the Football League First Division five times, third once and fourth twice.
Following the 1973–74 season, Revie left Leeds and Elland Road in 1974, to manage the England national team, and though it no longer dominated English football, it remained in the top ten for subsequent seasons before being relegated at the end of 1981–82.
In October 1988 Howard Wilkinson took over the Managers role and oversaw their promotion back to the First Division in 1989–90. Under Wilkinson Leeds finished 4th in 1990–91 and in 1991–92 season Leeds won the title.
In October 1998 David O'Leary assumed the managers role at Leeds and under his guidance Leeds never finished outside the top 5 in the Premier League, and secured qualification for both the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League, enjoying cup runs to the semi finals of both competitions.
Under chairman Peter Ridsdale, Leeds had taken out large loans against the prospect of the share of the TV rights and sponsorship revenues from UEFA Champions League qualification and subsequent progress in the competition. However, Leeds narrowly failed to qualify for the Champions League in two successive seasons, and as a consequence did not receive enough income to repay the loans. The net result was that Leeds best players were sold, O’Leary fell out with Risdale and was sacked who in turn was replaced by Terry Venables who also ended up by being sacked after disagreeing with the Chairman. Ridsdale himself resigned from the Board soon after.
In the 2003-04 season an insolvency specialist, Gerald Krasner, led a consortium of local businessmen which took over Leeds and oversaw the sale of the clubs' assets, including senior and emerging youth players of any value which saw them relegated at the end of the season.
Following relegation to the Championship, Leeds were forced to sell both their training ground and stadium in the autumn of 2004.
The board finally sold the club to Ken Bates for £10 million, who appointed a number of managers until with relegation virtually assured, Leeds entered administration on 4 May 2007, thus incurring a league imposed 10-point deduction which officially relegated the club to the third tier of English football.
The club was put up for sale by KPMG, and again Ken Bates' bid was accepted. The league eventually sanctioned this under the "exceptional circumstances rule" but imposed a 15-point deduction.
Over the next two seasons Leeds reached the playoffs but failed to achieve Promotion.
In the 2009–10 season under Simon Grayson Leeds won their final game of the season to confirm automatic promotion to The Championship, however Grayson was relieved of his duties after failing to challenge for promotion to the Premiership.
On 21 November 2012, Middle East-based private equity group GFH Capital finalised a deal for a protracted takeover of Leeds, gaining 100% shareholding in the club.
On 7 January 2014, Leeds United's Managing Director David Haigh was involved in Sport Capital, a consortium involving the managing director of Leeds United's main sponsors, Enterprise Insurance, Andrew Flowers. Sports Capital came close to completing a transaction with GFH Capital that would have given them a 75% stakehold in the business. However on 30 January, Sport Capital's takeover collapsed due to a lack of "financial backing".
On 31 January 2014 under controversial circumstances a new buyer was found for the club in Massimo Cellino, the president of the Serie A club Cagliari Calcio and his Company Eleonora Sports Ltd. After weeks of speculation regarding the purchase of Leeds United, on 7 February 2014, it was announced that Cellino's family consortium had acquired a 75% ownership of the club subject to Football League Approval. At its meeting on 23 March 2014, the Board of the Football League decided unanimously that Cellino's conviction by an Italian Court meant that he did not meet their Owners and Director's Test, so could not take over Leeds United which he immediately appealed. On 5 April, Cellino was successful in his appeal and the takeover was completed on 10 April with Cellino's company, Eleonora Sport Limited, buying 75 per cent of the clubs shares.
On 19 June 2014, Dave Hockaday was appointed head coach of Leeds on a two-year contract but this only lasted 70 days.
On 23 September 2014, Darko Milanič appointed the new Head Coach of Leeds United but he only lasted 32 days in turn being replaced by Neil Redfern who lasted for the remainder of the season before resuming his position for the 2015/16 season as the Academy Director.
Redfearn was replaced by Uwe Rosler as head coach in the summer of 2015, but Rosler was himself replaced by Steve Evans after only a few months in the role.
On 30 October 2015, Cellino agreed a deal in principle with Leeds Fans Utd to sell a majority stake in the club. When asked to legally commit to an exclusivity period to allow due diligence to commence, he reneged.
On 2 June 2016 Garry Monk was appointed as the new head coach, replacing Steve Evans.
On 4 January 2017, Italian businessman Andrea Radrizzani purchased a 50% stake in the club from Massimo Cellino.
At the close of the 2016/17 season, Leeds narrowly missed out on the Playoffs. Leeds had been in the Playoff positions for the majority of the season before a poor run of form in the final games saw them drop into seventh place.
On 23 May 2017, Radrizzani announced the 100% buyout of Leeds United, buying the remaining 50% shares from previous Co-Owner Massimo Cellino, with Radrizzani taking full ownership of the club. Garry Monk resigned as head coach 2 days after the takeover, after one season at the club guiding them to 7th place.
On 15 June 2017, former Spain international Thomas Christiansen was announced as the new Head Coach of Leeds, replacing Monk after joining from APOEL.
On 28 June 2017, Radrizzani completed the purchase of Elland Road, making the stadium property of Leeds United for the first time since 2004.
The Gaffer – Thomas Christiansen
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
Media Watch - K L Blue
Managers reaction
Phil Parkinson
https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2017/septem ... wich-town/
Mick McCarthy
https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/32286
Sky Sports match review
http://www.skysports.com/football/ipswi ... ton/374710
Leeds Problems
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-8758240
Form Guide
Leeds United Last 5 Matches - Currently in 1st place with 17 points
Millwall FC 1-0 Leeds United
Leeds United 2-0 Birmingham City
Leeds United 5-0 Burton Albion
Nottingham F. 0-2 Leeds United
Leeds United 5-1 Newport County
Ipswich Last 5 Matches - Currently in 5th place with 15 points
Ipswich Town 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
Derby County P-P Ipswich Town
QPR 2-1 Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town 0-2 Fulham FC
Crystal Palace 2-1 Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town 2-0 Brentford FC
Fixtures of Interest
PRESTON NE VS MILLWALL
FULHAM VS MIDDLESBROUGH
NORWICH VS BRISTOL CITY
SUNDERLAND VS CARDIFF
WOLVES VS BARNSLEY
Marko’s Caption Contest
Bolton scores
Barmy Billy 5pts (embarrassing dad!)
Bluemike 4pts
Tangfastic & Ohiotractorboy 3pts
Frosty 2pts
LEAGUE TABLE
TANGFASTIC 18
NICSCREAMER 17
SHED ON TOUR 17
BLUEMIKE 17
HERFORDER 15
FROSTY 14
OHIOTRACTORBOY 14
DERICKIPSW 12
BARMY BILLY 12
BLUEBLOOD 8
ANDO 8
IPSWICHTOWNNO1 8
BLUEPETER 7
QUASAR 6
WATERSHIP DOWN 6
NUMBER9 5
JAMMA123 4
LOUDnPROUD 2
AYLESBURY BLUE 2
PATTHEGIMP 1
Leeds caption:
Match Referee – Geoff Eltringham
LEEDS UNITED 1 IPSWICH TOWN 2
