Leeds United -v - Derby County ***Matchday Thread***

[BelfastAndy]

Leeds captain Liam Cooper will miss out because of a dead leg sustained in the defeat by Sheffield United.

Caleb Ekuban (foot) and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (ankle) are unavailable, while Gaetano Berardi and Kalvin Phillips are both suspended.

Derby County have no new injury worries following their win over Norwich City.

But forward Johnny Russell is likely to remain sidelined with the groin injury that forced him to miss the 2-1 victory at Carrow Road.

Match facts

Leeds are unbeaten in four home league games against Derby (W2 D2) and won 1-0 last season courtesy of a Chris Wood header.

The Rams haven't lost back-to-back league matches against the Whites since August 2004 on the opening day of the 2004/05 Championship season.

United have won 23 points from their opening 14 matches - their best points tally at this stage of a season since the 2009/10 League One campaign (33) - a season which saw them achieve promotion.

Matej Vydra has won more penalties (2) and netted more spot-kicks (3) than any other player in the Championship so far this season.

Derby are unbeaten in six Championship games - a run of three draws followed by three successive victories, keeping three clean sheets in the process.


3 - 0 to the Leeds. (Positivity please......)

MOT.

[joellufcprice]

Be very interested to see how we set up vs Derby given how poor Lassoga, Pennington, Cooper, Ayling, O'Kane, Alioski and Anita have been/were.

Personally I'd set up like this:

GK- Lonergan (Its not even debatable he is our first choice now)
Lb- Anita
Cb- Jansson
Cb- Cooper
Rb- Ayling
Cm- Phillips
Cm- Vieira
Cam- Saiz
Rw- Alioski
St- Roofe
Lw- Dallas

I'd drop Ayling but don't think we have enough options same with Anita as I don't think he is a left back but again, no options.

O'Kane for me has lost his touch and I'd rather the energy of our two young lads in midfield to give it to our flair players who can then do the business.

Roofe for me upfront, I'm a fan of the target man option but fact is Lassoga wins nothing so we lose nothing by putting Roofe up there who might at least give us an option in behind/hold a ball up that comes to feet every now and again + they can play much more fluid roles and switch about creating space for each other.

[MrsORichSenior]

Looks as 'tho Derby recruitment wise went for the journey man approach.A lot of experience on show from Derby this season ........Carson in goal,Joe Ledley & Tom Huddleston in midfield & Nugent up front with Bradders,Vydra feeding off him and then they've got the awkward Chris Martin back via loan from Fulham on the bench ........... 😳

Positive ? Mmmm - Right now we're 5th and have three more points than this stage last year so for me it's 👍 and like Joel states -Roofe for Lassoga (who needs to be much fitter).This would allow more width for our attack to feed Roofes direct runs in central areas.Be nice to see three at the back,Dallas on the left ..................

[CLIVETHELEEDSFAN]

I want to see how we do when all our players are back available and fully match fit, and to also see players in their natural positions, difficult for some due to their natural positions being places like DMC or no.10 etc, we could do with trying a proper 2 upfront, give the defenders and gk more to think about

This admitidly is off a game but on FM I sometimes use a GK, sweeper, 2 cbs, 2 wing backs, 2 cms, an attacking cm/no.10, and 2 strikers, it normally works a treat, it would potentially knock out the idea of full backs, so ayling Berardi and CBJ would all be out of the equation, I’d go alioski and dallas as both have played both wing and fullback before, Lonergan in goal, id try pennington as the sweeper and try jansson and Shaughnessy at cb, maybe try phillips and Vieira in the cm roles, Hernandez no.10 with saiz and lasogga upfront, cooper could replace any of the 3 defenders, okane any of the 2 cms, roofe grot and ekuban could be used upfront, with saiz dropping back to number 10 if required

In essence, we have options, and I don’t think that formation will be used unless I become leeds head coach lol, but we are in the playoffs, and I believe we can beat derby, MOT!!!

[whitestomper45]

Be very interested to see how we set up vs Derby given how poor Lassoga, Pennington, Cooper, Ayling, O'Kane, Alioski and Anita have been/were.

Personally I'd set up like this:

GK- Lonergan (Its not even debatable he is our first choice now)
Lb- Anita
Cb- Jansson
Cb- Cooper
Rb- Ayling
Cm- Phillips
Cm- Vieira
Cam- Saiz
Rw- Alioski
St- Roofe
Lw- Dallas

I'd drop Ayling but don't think we have enough options same with Anita as I don't think he is a left back but again, no options.

O'Kane for me has lost his touch and I'd rather the energy of our two young lads in midfield to give it to our flair players who can then do the business.

Roofe for me upfront, I'm a fan of the target man option but fact is Lassoga wins nothing so we lose nothing by putting Roofe up there who might at least give us an option in behind/hold a ball up that comes to feet every now and again + they can play much more fluid roles and switch about creating space for each other.

How could that be the team when Cooper is injured and Phillips is suspended?

[CLIVETHELEEDSFAN]

Probable team is lonergan ayling Anita jansson Pennington okane Vieira hernandez/roofe alioski Saiz lasogga/roofe

Roofe might be used for either hernandez or lasogga, that's why he features twice, this is my guess anyway, not necessarily my 11 but I think it will be TCs

[Tichi1]

Be very interested to see how we set up vs Derby given how poor Lassoga, Pennington, Cooper, Ayling, O'Kane, Alioski and Anita have been/were.

Personally I'd set up like this:

GK- Lonergan (Its not even debatable he is our first choice now)
Lb- Anita
Cb- Jansson
Cb- Cooper
Rb- Ayling
Cm- Phillips
Cm- Vieira
Cam- Saiz
Rw- Alioski
St- Roofe
Lw- Dallas

I'd drop Ayling but don't think we have enough options same with Anita as I don't think he is a left back but again, no options.

O'Kane for me has lost his touch and I'd rather the energy of our two young lads in midfield to give it to our flair players who can then do the business.

Roofe for me upfront, I'm a fan of the target man option but fact is Lassoga wins nothing so we lose nothing by putting Roofe up there who might at least give us an option in behind/hold a ball up that comes to feet every now and again + they can play much more fluid roles and switch about creating space for each other.

With Cooper and Phillip missing my 11 would be -

GK- Lonergan (Its not even debatable he is our first choice now)
Lb- Anita
Cb- Jansson
Cb- Shaugnessy
Rb- Ayling
Cm- Klitch
Cm- Vieira
Cam- Saiz
Rw- Alioski
St- Roofe
Lw- Dallas

[Tichi1]

But expect the team to be -

GK- Lonergan
Lb- Anita
Cb- Jansson
Cb- Pennington
Rb- Ayling
Cm- Klitch
Cm- Vieira
Cam- Saiz
Rw- Alioski
St- Lassoga
Lw- Hernandez

which has recently been lacking as a formation.
Still who knows which LUFC will turn up tonight? - Get the first goal and I think we win - concede first and best we can hope for would be a draw IMO

[Rev72]

Need a win and a good performance to banish the thoughts of last Friday night!

Come on you whites!

MOT

[spaldy]

think we have to play for a win. Hate to say any game is critical at this early of the season but the table is tightening up and a draw does us no good. this is one of those games that says whether you are playing for top six or just another mid table year.