Leeds United v Ipswich Town
Wednesday 24th October 2018 – 19:45
Elland Road
Pre Match Thoughts - Mike
Rock Bottom
The euphoria of the win at Swansea has very soon evaporated as Town managed to plummet to new depths with a performance which really did dredge the very bottom of the pit as we fell to defeat against a woefully poor QPR side who still managed to make us look Ten time worse than them. The upshot of it all is that once again we find ourselves rooted to the foot of the Championship table and having taken what looked like a big step forward we now seemed to have taken several backwards and are right back to square one again. It really is hard to comprehend quite how poor we were on Saturday, you had to see it to believe it really because it really was that bad, at Swansea Two weeks previous we looked to have the desire to climb out of trouble, we were creating chances, playing a bit of decent football, albeit on the break and we showed the fans some hope for the long slog ahead, I came away from the Liberty stadium in good heart believing we would be ok, unfortunately I came away from Portman Road fearing the worst, how could it be so Chalk & Cheese ?
One of the big talking points among Town fans was once again Paul Hurst's bizarre team selection, Square pegs in round holes all over again, A capable Right back with no Left foot being played at Left Back, A Centre Back who was ripped to pieces at Swansea being played at Right Back, Knudsen who if nothing else is a Left back on the bench and no sign of Myles kenlock, you couldn't make it up, add to that Freddie Sears as the lone striker in a game where we seemed intent on lumping long hopeful balls up to him, if that was the tactics we wanted to play then why the hell Sears instead of Kayden Jackson ? None of it made any sense, it looked like a team thrown together in desperation and that is how we played.
I just do not get the treatment and lack of use of Tayo Edun at all, I do not believe that he is injured so where the hell is he ? He started the season as one of the better players and at times looked really impressive, the team may not have been winning but my god we were looking far more likely than we did against QPR, there has to be a place in the team somewhere for him but to not even be on the bench is plain ridiculous. Hurst needs to get back to doing what we started the season doing or this situation will very soon become irreversible, if it isn't already.
Deja Vu
The main reason I finally jumped across to the "Mick Out" side of the fan base was down to the fact he had lost the fans, the atmosphere at games, particularly at home had turned nasty & toxic and once that happens there is no way back, unfortunately after a mere Two months into Paul Hurst's reign as manager it is happening again. We have all seen how tensions can rise when things are not going well and opinions clash, unfortunately I was witness to it in the North Stand at Saturday's game too, with the team labouring to a powder puff defeat some fans were expressing themselves how they deemed fit which prompted others to retort, it soon became very animated and what started off as an exchange of verbal insults soon descended into personal threats with the very real prospect of fists flying, with others trying to get involved too it was only with the intervention of stewards etc that the situation was diffused with the Two main culprits being held apart and subsequently removed from the ground.
The point of this is that already we are back to square one but this time we are in a much more precarious position, with some calling for Hurst's head and others baying for the blood of Marcus Evans flashpoints like saturday's will inevitably become common place, I have seen it all last season so this is worrying, you don't get the feelgood factor back once it's lost and already it is lost, it may only be the minority but that is how it started with Mick and with us losing games, playing poorly and being at the bottom of the table the momentum of the disharmony will gather pace very quickly indeed. In short I think Hurst is doomed.
Another Massive Shock Required
If we are to take anything at all from our trip to Leeds it will take another shock of seismic proportions, even bigger than the Swansea match, a repeat of Saturday and this could be Four or Five, yes we were that bad, thankfully Leeds have been on a poor run themselves but they quality in the ranks and it is only a matter of time before it starts to click again. We have to get the line up & tactics right to start with, put players in their natural positions for god sake and get some attacking threat on the pitch, Sears had his good day at Swansea, it will be Three years before we see another one.
Hernandez, Klich, Saiz, Alioski, Beradi & Roofe, daunting isn't it ? When they click they tear through teams at will, I fear our fragile Midfield & Defence will not be able to cope with wave after wave of attacks, quite how they have been on such a poor run really is baffling but as I said it won't last for long, I do not fancy us at all in this one I am afraid to say, it is the games coming up against the likes of Preston, Millwall & Reading that will define our season and ultimate fate so in a sense this is a bit of a free hit, in some ways it may just suit us, we tend to defy logic at times so who knows. Hand on heart I see this as a heavy defeat which will only heap more pressure on everyone concerned, however another epic shock on our travels may just appease a few of the natives for a while longer. Why is the life of a Ipswich Town fan never smooth. 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.
Thomas Christiansen was sacked after a bad run of games (not a single win since Boxing Day 2017 across all competitions) leaving the team 10th in the Championship table. On 6 February, Paul Heckingbottom was confirmed as Christiansen’s replacement, just four days after signing a new contract at Barnsley.
On 24 May 2018, Leeds announced that 49ers Enterprises had bought shares in the club to become a minority investor, the 49ers Enterprises is the business arm of the NFL side San Francisco 49ers owned by Denise DeBartolo York, Jed York and John York.
Heckingbottom was sacked by Leeds on 1 June 2018 after being at the club for just four months. Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa was named the clubs new Head Coach on 15 June and In doing so he became the highest paid manager in Leeds United history.
The Gaffer – Marcelo Bielsa
Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev
[youtube] [/youtube]
Form Guide
Leeds United Last 5 Matches - Currently in 4th place with 23 points
2 Sep Leeds Utd 1 - 2 Birmingham City
28 Sep Sheffield Wed 1 - 1 Leeds Utd
2 Oct Hull City 0 - 1 Leeds Utd
6 Oct Leeds Utd 1 - 1 Brentford
20 Oct Blackburn 2 - 1 Leeds Utd
Ipswich Last 5 Matches - Currently in 24th place with 9 points
22 Sep Ipswich Town 0 - 0 Bolton
29 Sep Birmingham City 2 - 2 Ipswich Town
2 Oct Ipswich Town 0 - 2 Middlesbrough
6 Oct Swansea City 2 - 3 Ipswich Town
20 Oct Ipswich Town 0 - 2 QP Rangers
Match Referee – Craig Pawson
LEEDS UNITED 1 IPSWICH TOWN 0
Nice bunch.
