Leeds Will They Or Won't They?

[warriors]

75% Start = won one drawn one. Will they or won't they go all the way to the top grade this year? Your thoughts please, for those that care The people that do not care, then enjoy your selfs with your teams and good look to all of you

[mrbojangles]

Hard question, that is. The Championship is, IMHO the hardest league to get out of (unless your going down of course)

Good luck anyhow

[percy2]

75% Start = won one drawn one. Will they or won't they go all the way to the top grade this year? Your thoughts please, for those that care The people that do not care, then enjoy your selfs with your teams and good look to all of you

Hope so.

[eddie11]

Champions this season

[taxexile]

it will be a long hard season , the winter months especially , but at the end of the day if the lads train hard , can eke out more of those all important away 0-1's and they can be convinced by the manager of the need to cut back on those excessive energy sapping pre match masturbation sessions then i would say we have a good chance.

Edited August 11, 2006 by taxexile

[KP1]

Champions this season

No - Sheffield Wednesday will win it - even if they do only have 8 fit players left!

Know anywhere that is showing the Owls v Leeds game week after next?

[redrus]

Leeds Will They Or Won't They?

Will they <deleted>.....!

redrus

[percy2]

Leeds Will They Or Won't They?

Will they <deleted>.....!

redrus

More chance of Leeds winning the Championship than Man U winning the Premiership.

[redrus]

Leeds Will They Or Won't They?

Will they <deleted>.....!

redrus

More chance of Leeds winning the Championship than Man U winning the Premiership.

In the words of a famous Scouser, My Arse...........

redrus

[taxexile]

Gray urges fans to back Blackwell

By Charlie Henderson

The expectations at the club are very high and managers at Leeds have always had to live with that

Leeds legend Eddie Gray has called on the club's fans to give Kevin Blackwell time as pressure mounts on the manager after a lacklustre start to the season.

Supporters are already calling for Blackwell's sacking, but Gray says there are mitigating circumstances.

Gray told BBC Sport: "Important players are injured and it's difficult when you budget for them being fit and once the season starts they're unavailable.

"But there's no doubt they can perform a lot better, particularly at home."

Calls for a sacking five games into a season and three months after a play-off final may seem preposterous, but Gray says it is ever thus at Leeds because of expectation.

And the 58-year-old should know. Gray, who starred for Leeds in the club's glory days in the 60s and 70s, has twice managed the club and is a denizen of Elland Road.

"The expectations at the club are very high and managers at Leeds have always had to live with that - it's par for the course," the Scot said.

"That will never change because Leeds supporters feel they should be up there in the top flight.

"Fans are not fickle, they are just desperate for success and that puts pressure on everyone at the club.

"It puts pressure on the chairman, the manager and the players. It's a big city with one football club and they want success and success at the highest level."

Following their last league outing - "it was a poor game and it wasn't entertaining," is Gray's verdict of the defeat to Cardiff - Blackwell's popularity hit a new low.

606 VIEW

Calling all Leeds supporters - it is time for us to show our dissatisfaction and ask for the removal of Mr Kevin Blackwell

whistlestop22

606: Have your say

Glenn Hoddle was mentioned in the Sunday newspapers as a replacement, and on the 606 messageboards names such as Alex McLeish, Alan Curbishley and Claudio Ranieri were linked with the post.

It looks as if Blackwell is the successor to Ranieri's self-proclaimed title of being a dead-man walking.

But Gray does not see it that way and says there is a strong bond between the manager and his boss, Ken Bates.

"Everyone assumed when the chairman came in he would do his own thing, but they seem to have struck up a good relationship, he's given Kevin the power to bring players in and things have just gone a bit wrong with the injuries.

"Richard Cresswell got injured when Rob Hulse left the club and Kevin Nicholls got injured as soon as he came to the club.

"Plus Steve Stone's injured and there's Geoff Horsfield, who has been suspended.

"The key is to get the players back and get a settled side, and they need to approach matches at home with more confidence.

"In the Carling Cup against Chester, Blackwell's assistant John Carver said the point they made to the players at half-time was that they needed to be courageous, they needed to make things happen.

SO FAR THIS SEASON...

Champ: Leeds 1-0 Norwich

Champ: QPR 2-2 Leeds

Champ: C Palace 1-0 Leeds

Champ: Leeds 0-1 Cardiff

CC: Leeds 1-0 Chester

"Sometimes that's easier said than done, especially at home when you've got to be able to stand up if you make a mistake and accept it, but it's vital they keep trying to do the right things."

And it's vital they stay within striking distance of the business end of the table until things settle down.

To that end a win at Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday would help on both fronts.

Gray always expected Leeds to find it hard this season because of the strength of the teams that came down but sees no reason why they cannot challenge again.

"You don't want them to get too far adrift of the teams at the top and they are still perfectly capable of getting into the top six," he added.

"The fans have a right to express their opinion, the game is all about opinions, but they've played four league games, won one, should have won at QPR and were unfortunate at Crystal Palace where they coped well with 10 men until the last minute.

"There maybe something in the fact that the team are struggling with the pressure of playing at home, but that's part of the make up of the club.

"It's expectation again and you've got to go out and perform there because basically if you're going to go up you're going to do it at home.

"You'll pick points up away from home but that won't get you promoted, you have to win the majority of your home games and that's what the players have to learn to live with.

"The football has not been great, attendances have been average, but it's not all doom and gloom."

bbc sport

[taxexile]

Sheffield Wed 0-1 Leeds

Leeds beat 10-man Sheffield Wednesday thanks to a David Healy penalty.

On-loan goalkeeper Brad Jones was sent off for bringing down Healy, who got up to place a precise shot past substitute keeper Chris Adamson.

Leeds were the better side after the break, but the Owls, with better luck, might have been ahead at half-time.

Deon Burton missed two good chances, Chris Brunt had a free-kick that was well saved by Tony Warner, while Lloyd Sam hit the post from a cross.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell:

"It was a clear penalty.

"The minute the keeper goes to ground he is asking for trouble.

"We had some great chances, we've put in a solid performance and we deserved to win.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

bbc sport.

leeds up to 12th place with 7pts from 5 games.

[bendix]

The Sheff Wed win might have just saved Blackwell's skin. I think Bates might have let him go had they slipped up again. Deservedly not, perhaps, but this is football. He's done a good job settling the team, but the jury is still out whether he can galvanise the team to move to the next level.

I hope to God we can get up there this year. I'm 60% optimistic that we will.

Being a Leeds fan for 38 years, I've learned not to get too carried away.

[bendix]

I have nothing useful to add to this thread, except an overwhelming desire to see Leeds above Manchester United for a few moments, albeit only in Thai Visa.

How long will they remain at the top, i wonder.

[Papa_Lazarou]

What does this topic have to do with Steve Irvine?

[bendix]

Kevin Blackwell has a pair of crocodile skin shoes.

And Shaun Derry once ate Stingray in a Leeds restaurant.

Edited September 6, 2006 by bendix

[Totster]

Looks like Leeds have got a good start to the season to me...

totster

[redrus]

Looks like Leeds have got a good start to the season to me...

totster

Cheltenham are above them too then....

redrus

[Thaipwriter]

they wont

[ThaiPauly]

Another go at the play offs...perhaps...Brum will win the league..selling Rob Hulse..WHY? If you had kept him then maybee..but when you are building a new team from scratch why sell your best player??????

OK Healy is good to....but its not a one man show..apart from Sullivan and Kelly the rest are unknowns to me, so why do you think you will gain automatic promotion...you won't.

Sorry ..thats my opinion....I hope you Leeds fans proove me wrong and make it...as long as you dont come up at the expense of the finest team to ever grace the Championship

Edited September 10, 2006 by ThaiPauly

[bendix]

Rob Hulse flattered to deceive, Thaipauly. He started off with a whizz and a bang, but was very slow and his goal-scoring ratio wasnt that hot. You also have to remember that, we also have David Healy, Robbie Blake and Richard Cresswell (and Ian Moore) up front so we werent short of striking options.

I was sad to see him go, but given our financial state, it was a sound piece of business.

And, let's face it, he looked ordinary yesterday against Blackburn.

Too early to talk about Leeds prospects yet. Half our first team is injured, but most are due back in the next month (Stone, Nicholls, Cresswell, Derry etc). I'll reserve judgement until Christmas.

[ThaiPauly]

Rob Hulse flattered to deceive, Thaipauly. He started off with a whizz and a bang, but was very slow and his goal-scoring ratio wasnt that hot. You also have to remember that, we also have David Healy, Robbie Blake and Richard Cresswell (and Ian Moore) up front so we werent short of striking options.

I was sad to see him go, but given our financial state, it was a sound piece of business.

And, let's face it, he looked ordinary yesterday against Blackburn.

Too early to talk about Leeds prospects yet. Half our first team is injured, but most are due back in the next month (Stone, Nicholls, Cresswell, Derry etc). I'll reserve judgement until Christmas.

Love your Avitar Bendix

yep, Hulse missed a penalty, but his goal against liverpool was a good 'un, and I DID mention Healy, he was our mentor last year..2 draws...only Leeds and WATFORD we did not beat.

gis us a job I could easily do that

[bendix]

Sadly, some of the humorless killjoys on the board were offended by that avatar, Thaipauly, and complained to the mods.

I think they were upset by a 'rude word' that chubby gentleman was mouthing.

Shock horror

[ThaiPauly]

Sadly, some of the humorless killjoys on the board were offended by that avatar, Thaipauly, and complained to the mods.

I think they were upset by a 'rude word' that chubby gentleman was mouthing.

Shock horror

Shame about that

Do you think your new one will last longer

[Mosha]

Leeds up yes I'd like that, even better if it was to replace a certain team from Manchester. Well dreaming is free

[bendix]

[

Shame about that

Do you think your new one will last longer

probably not, but I've got a long supply chain of others waiting in the wings

Edited September 12, 2006 by bendix

[terry57]

[

Shame about that

Do you think your new one will last longer

probably not, but I've got a long supply chain of others waiting in the wings

well bendix,

i hope there a bit better than that other little cracker you had.

you know, # 2.

the little dude with the green hat.

[bendix]

The dude with the greenhat was deliberate Terry. I'm sure someone with your brainpower would have got the subtle reference to a recent debate on these pages which actually included you . . . . . .. .

But then again, perhaps you didnt get the irony.

[ThaiPauly]

Whats the Leeds fans opinion on KB?

Should he stay or go after such a disasterous start?

I have heard talk of Alan Curbishley waiting in the wings !

[eddie11]

I think Blackwell will go, probably this week.

I think he has done a great job all things considered.Last season may have been a bit flattering and we were well beaten in the play-off final. We have a lot of injuries but I don't think that excuse will save him.

As for a replacement

Curbishley or God forbid O'leary

[ThaiPauly]

I think Blackwell will go, probably this week.

I think he has done a great job all things considered.Last season may have been a bit flattering and we were well beaten in the play-off final. We have a lot of injuries but I don't think that excuse will save him.

As for a replacement

Curbishley or God forbid O'leary

OMG...You certainly do not want David (My Babies) O'Leary back again ...nightmare