Leeds United - v - Norwich ***Matchday Thread***

[BelfastAndy]

5.30pm KO.

http://i64.tinypic.com/vs036h.jpg

Championship leaders Leeds United will host second-placed Norwich City at a sold-out Elland Road on Saturday.

Marcelo Bielsa's Whites would go six points clear at the top with victory, while Norwich will move level on points with Leeds and go top if they win.

Tyler Roberts is set for his first league start since October and Pontus Jansson is back after Leeds boss Bielsa*named his side two days in advance.

Philip Heise may make his Norwich debut after joining from Dynamo Dresden.

Midfielder Emiliano Buendia is expected to be fit after featuring in last week's*2-2 draw against Sheffield United,*but Louis Thompson and Carlton Morris are still out.

Argentine Bielsa, who revealed his Leeds starting XI during his pre-match news conference on Thursday, will also have full-back Barry Douglas back on the bench.

The Whites won*the reverse fixture at Carrow Road in August 3-0,*thanks to goals from Mateusz Klich, Ezgjan Alioski and Pablo Hernandez.

Match facts:

Leeds are looking to complete a league double over Norwich for the first time since the 1980-81 season.

Norwich have won just one of their last nine visits to Leeds in all competitions (D4 L4), a 2-0 win in April 2015.

Leeds have lost three of their last five Championship games (W2), as many as they had in their previous 25 in the competition (W16 D6 L3).

Norwich have lost just one of their last 17 Championship matches (W10 D6), and are unbeaten in their last 12 on the road (W6 D6).

Leeds' Pablo Hernandez (11) has provided more assists than any other Championship player this season.

Norwich's Teemu Pukki has been directly involved in 16 goals in his last 14 league games (12 goals, 4 assists).


1 - 1.....I hope for a win, but will settle for draw.

MOT.

[asturianblanco]

phillips, bamford, clarke, douglas , strong bench today for a change, hoping clarke will come ona nd tear norwich a new one in the second half...

[CalverleyBoy]

Not sure I can cope watching this one but if anyone has a stream it will be better than hitting refresh every 30 seconds on the BBC site

[ozleeds]

Not sure I can cope watching this one but if anyone has a stream it will be better than hitting refresh every 30 seconds on the BBC site

Im watching it here now http://www.usagoals.ws/c/football/2927532/4/leeds-united-vs-norwich-city-live-stream/

[ozleeds]

If you guys in the uk cant access it you need a vpn. Tht link is in russian ill get another

http://www.usagoals.ws/c/football/2927541/12/leeds-united-vs-norwich-city-live-stream/

[CalverleyBoy]

Im watching it here now http://www.usagoals.ws/c/football/2927532/4/leeds-united-vs-norwich-city-live-stream/

Cheers computer gave me a Malware notice and then Norton jumped on an attack so I hope you have some anti virus but its working - I think I'll be worn out doing the translation of the commentary :-) I don't even recognise the language - ok Russian must have been the dialect

[CalverleyBoy]

I knew I should nt have watched

[ozleeds]

I knew I should nt have watched

i have an add blocker the mailware with nortons is bs anyway *******er stops the windows poping up. And i know i went for a smoke before the game came back 1 nil down ffs

[CalverleyBoy]

Alioski needs to be careful silly push back then

[CalverleyBoy]

I hate t0 say this but they defend better than we do

[asturianblanco]

piss poor at the back today, better team by a country mile, but no firepower...

[BelfastAndy]

Poor indeed. I'm honestly not surprised at score. Disappointed.

[asturianblanco]

wonder if we would have conceeded those 2 goals with phillips playing?

[Rev72]

Forshaw,Ayling,Harrison complete sh1te so far today..and Jansson is having a poor game.

You can't gift a team like Norwich 2 goals..and they look a far better side than us as well.

Feckin gutted..think we have a few players who are bottling it to be honest.

Be amazed if we get anything from this game now.

[asturianblanco]

2-2 Rev.

[Rev72]

wonder if we would have conceeded those 2 goals with phillips playing?

Gobsmacked he did not start to be honest.

[Rev72]

2-2 Rev.

Hope so :s

Clarke and Douglas on..lets see how we go!


MOT

[CalverleyBoy]

We need a goal like soon

[Rev72]

Very poor indeed.

[Rev72]

Bamford scores

[asturianblanco]

norwich fully deserved their win, we looked like a punch drunk boxer.....

[asturianblanco]

got to try 4-4-2 with Roofe Bamford up top, Hernandez out wide, harrison benched, and phillips for klich who badly needs a rest.

[Rev72]

norwich fully deserved their win, we looked like a punch drunk boxer.....

Derby aside..we have been poor/average at best for a few months now.

Fully agree Norwich were far better than us but we gave them a massive hand with the 2 goals 1st half.

Hope it was 'just one of those games'.

[asturianblanco]

sure theres plenty of twists and turns to go yet Rev.

[Rev72]

And now we have the Sky w@nkfest to contend with ffs.

[StensonRam]

And a points deduction

[Rev72]

sure theres plenty of twists and turns to go yet Rev.

Agree mate.

Question I am starting to ask myself is have we got enough in the squad to go up???

[asturianblanco]

how are the playoffs working out for you?

(in reply to the special needs lad from Derby, not you Rev!)

[Rev72]

And a points deduction

11810

[StensonRam]

how are the playoffs working out for you?

(in reply to the special needs lad from Derby, not you Rev!)

Similar to your FA cup

[CalverleyBoy]

Nothing to worry about, oh just a trip up the A1

[Rev72]

To put in a performance like that in a game of this magnitude was very disheartening.

Anyways..tis done now so lets see what we do at Boro.


MOT

[CLIVETHELEEDSFAN]

im the only leeds fan who knows we will be automatically promoted this season, the norwich loss will not change that

[StensonRam]

Best start winning games then to build that 20 gap to third ready for your points deduction

[norfolk white]

Got back at midnight after leaving at half ten in morning, to watch ayling, Jansen, alioski and Harrison have mares, how Harrison gets anywhere near the first team is beyond me, being from Norwich I said weeks ago if Norwich get their noses in front they won't blow it like we do, now they have, this whole county is behind this bloody team and it's embarrassing living here at times, the ref was all Norwich, every 50/50 ball ran in their favour, they have always been a lucky side, god knows why Phillips didn't even come on, still fuming, sour grapes.....oh yes, but in all honesty, the poxy canaries wanted it more.

[Pacaman]

Ayling, Forshaw,Harrison,Alioski in second half, poor. Only bright spot for me was the appearance of Bamford. Seems to have that touch of class that will help define our season,

I’m no Bielsa either but I was surprised Phillips wasn’t in front of back 4 against a free flowing Norwich side. Norwich deserve their day in the Sun and we need to get straight back on the bike against Boro. Hopefully 4500 fans will be there to help.
MOT

[Ozwhites]

Struggling to come to terms with the thought that a loss against Boro next weekend, and we possibly drop out of the top 2. Wind the clock back about 6 weeks or so, and that just didn't seem a likelihood the way we were bossing teams week in week out. :s

[denver11]

Surprised the ref hasn't been mentioned. Krul should have walked, penalty for foul on Roberts, St3eppenwolf fouled and dived but no booking, Dranjic foul on Forshaw and he only gets a talking to. We weren't good in the 2nd half but the despair on here is a bit much. Were joint top on points despite the bad luck that seems to follow Leeds United and the EFL conspiracy to keep us in the championship so heads up. Were doing brilliant.

[Ozwhites]

Bewilderment more so than despair. About 2 wins in the last 8 or so matches. You haven't noticed any change at all? Have had a great season overall, but why the significant drop off? Chance to atone this weekend, so we'll see how they respond.

[Billyni]

im the only leeds fan who knows we will be automatically promoted this season, the norwich loss will not change that

But a loss next week will Clive.
This game will decide if we're worthy of automatic or if we will scrape into the playoffs.

[UbiqueLUFC33]

Slightly more than a wobble but let's hope the Bucket One makes some changes.

Bamford coming back is a plus and surely Phillips has to come back in - possibly for Forshaw? Would like to drop both Harrison and Roberts but cannot see who would replace them. Maybe Douglas returns to left back and push Alioski forward but that will just result in an explosion of poor crosses and offsides.

[OldWhiteTaff]

Slightly more than a wobble but let's hope the Bucket One makes some changes.

Bamford coming back is a plus and surely Phillips has to come back in - possibly for Forshaw? Would like to drop both Harrison and Roberts but cannot see who would replace them. Maybe Douglas returns to left back and push Alioski forward but that will just result in an explosion of poor crosses and offsides.

And there you have it, if our tiny squad starts to struggle we have nowhere to turn. I wonder if Bielsa will bring Brown's debut, or at least inclusion in the match day squad, forward. We need some changes just to freshen things up, but having said that, on last night's performance you could argue for replacing Ayling, Douglas, (I thought he was pretty sh1t for the 45 mins he played), Alioski, Harrison, Roofe, and Forshaw. And Klich and Hernandes clearly need a rest as well...........

[norfolk white]

Blimey, that's 8 players you want replacing, not disagreeing with you, but who or where would we find suitable replacements?