We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
It's been a bloody busy week for both me and my beloved Leeds boys, with three matches in the space of six days. That culminates with an away fixture in the Championship today at Doncaster Rovers. I wouldn't imagine that this is the kind of match that will stop your clocks, so I may be flying solo today, but if you're around and feel like keeping me company, please do.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 1:54 PM
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
95 Comments:
I've raced home from work to be in Blue Devil HQ for the starting kickoff. I've got a great Sky stream up through VSS:
http://www.livevss.tv/
Here are the starting line-ups with five changes for my Leeds boys:
Leeds: Higgs, Hughes, Bruce, Collins, White, Gradel, Howson, Kilkenny, Johnson, McCormack, Somma. Subs: Brown, Naylor, Becchio, Sam, Faye, Watt, Snodgrass.
Doncaster: Sullivan, Dumbuya, O'Connor, Martis, Friend, Coppinger, Gillett, Martin Woods, Shiels, Oster, Sharp. Subs: Gary Woods, Stock, Lockwood, Wilson, Mason, Hird, Fairhurst.
Teams in the tunnel now. Come on, you Leeds boys!
Doncaster are in dream land in 4th currently while we've dropped to 9th after that 5-2 battering at Barnsley the other night.
It's all change up front, with our top scorer this season Davide Somma partnering new boy Ross McCormack, who makes his Leeds debut tonight.
Good luck Bob!
It's fantastic to see the name Robert Snodgrass back in the substitutes list. He's been out far too long. Great to see him back.
Cheers, mate!
The Mighty Yellows get us underway here. It's a local derby so there's an edge to the atmosphere.
An early scare for us there and Hughes does well to deflect Sharp's shot. Terrific opening by Doncaster here. They'd like to punk us early.
Three quick corners for Doncaster and we're really rocking here. We need to weather the early going.
Johnson lunges in and that could easily been a card later in the match. He'll have to watch himself now.
Gradel's providing some great width on the right and there he tried a pop at aging keeper Neil Sullivan. Well collected at the near post.
This is better now. We've got past the early burst from Doncaster and are gradually putting together some dangerous moves.
Lots of Leeds connections in the Doncaster starting XI. Sullivan played one season for us in the Championship before we dropped. Martin Woods was a youth academy product and Billy Sharpe was strongly linked with a move to Leeds this summer. Lots of edge because of that.
Alex Bruce goes flying in and that could also have been a card. Referee being very tolerant so far.
This is my first good look at Davide Somma and I like what I see. He's a big rangy bloke who likes to play off the shoulder. Looks a bit like Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Terrific work from Gradel there flying by the fullback and feeding Somma. This is promising.
Great move from us, with Howson finding Somma on the edge of the box. Little deft touch back to McCormack who's shot was deflected out for a corner.
Doncaster's rhythm has been totally destroyed at this point. Well done, lads.
Merely by kicking off, Doncaster have moved into fourth and we've moved into 6th spot, of course ahead of the regularly scheduled fixtures tomorrow afternoon.
Johnson goes into hard again and now I do think he'll go in the book. The Doncaster player Coppinger is down looking hurt. Yellow it is.
On the replay, that was really nasty. Close to a red, in fairness. He's a lucky boy.
Oh - that free kick went straight through and had to be dealt with by Higgs. Close thing.
McCormack hasn't impressed me yet. He's had a number of chances to play ball through to Somma and his passing has been wayward. I'd prefer to see Becchio used alongside Somma in the absence of Billy Paynter.
Oh - Somma was in there after a lovely flick by Gradel, he jinked by the center back and fired a shot in that Sullivan could only palm it away.
The half-way mark of the first half and we're definitely in this match.
Shields with a shot that was not that far away. Lots of chances so far from both sides.
Doncaster have reverted to a long ball approach now. That suits us.
Oh - Shields was put through after Hughes lost his bearings. Fortunately, he has no left foot and has to come back in on his right and try a curler. Off the frame of the goal.
Kilkenny is breaking up a lot of the Doncaster moves in midfield.
Dear oh dear, it's another foul from Bradley Johnson there just inches outside the box. Good decision from the ref but Grayson really needs to think carefully about allowing Johnson to continue.
I'd have Lloyd Sam on for Johnson and Becchio on for McCormack sharpish in the second half if I were the gaffer.
Hey Bob
I am home. I tried to get that link and didn't open!
Bruce did well to deny another chance for Billy Sharpe.
Really? I'm still watching it. It's just the home page for Live VSS. Try it again, mate.
I have a link from Atdhe... it is really clear!
ooh, Leeds should have scored there!!!
Welcome to the weekend, btw. How are you mate?
Oh - Somma should have scored there. Big chance but he hit Neil Sullivan with the shot. Scuffed left footed shot.
The score isn't posted at the top of the screen. Is it still scoreless
Boy that bloke should have done better there! Just put it to the side of the keepere
What's the schedule for tomorrow morning? I haven't really checked yet.
Yeah - still 0-0. Doncaster came out of the traps quickly but we weathered it and have had some really good chances. Five changes from the side that got turned over by Barnsley.
It has been a long week. First full week of classes and also having things in the evening every night but tonight!
The boys have played a couple of times this week. On Tuesday, Matt scored two for the JV and Tom scored one for the Varsity. Thursday, Matt scored a penalty (upper 90). Tom got an assist.... just a proud papa
A bit threatening there. Woods swung a ball in and Brett got onto it.
Blimey - you'll need a good kip tonight, eh Dave? Well done to the boys for their footie exploits.
Four weeks of the semester down for me. Long, long week this week. Next week looks a wee bit easier.
I think Stoke and West Ham is the early match. Sunderland Arsenal the late one.
United Liverpool is early on Sunday on the computer only FSC Plus
Cheers - should be a good weekend of the footer.
McCormack needs to come off at half time. He's been really unimpressive.
Oh - Kilkenny had a real chance there. Didn't get the shot off early enough but it was deflected out for a corner.
Our set pieces haven't been good enough yet. We've got a real height advantage over Doncaster.
Just checked it on my tv guide
Stoke West Ham on ESPN 2 early
10 o'clock on FSC Spursv Wolves
Sunderland Arsenal is the late game
Chelsea Blackpool is the Sunday match
Half-time whistle then. 0-0 in the big derby. I'm reasonably pleased, particularly with the defensive solidity after we conceded five in mid-week. But I want to see some early changes.
I really don't know what link I have!
The commentator is a nobody and at half time they are just showing the back of the goal!
Sunderland could be tough for Arsenal. They tend to flatter to deceive when they come back from their European exploits such as the 6-0 pounding of Braga. Sunderland won't roll over like the Portuguese did.
Second half starting up then...
I agree with the commentators there. The Championship is a more competitive league. That's not to say that these teams are as good as Premiership clubs but rather that there isn't as big a gap between the clubs.
Somma was in there again but whiffed his shot badly.
I can't believe that Grayson is risking Bradley Johnson in this second half. He's very close to a second yellow at this point.
You WATT, You WATT, You WATT!!!
You need a bit of Dirty Sanchez.
Perhaps, but I'd say the more immediate need is to get Johnson off and put someone on with that kind of steel. That would be Lloyd Sam. But maybe sticking Sanchez on for Gradel at some point makes sense.
I'm still on Live VSS, mate. It's Sky coverage. We had a panel at the half. Good stuff.
I am back for a bit
I still have this other link... must be a Club channel.
The natives are getting restless at the Keepmoat. I like it. Leeds fans starting to find their full voices.
MOT!
Oh - Gradel did well but so did Sullivan.
An hour gone and certainly time for Grayson to start thinking of some changes.
I'd love to sneak this one.
Leeds on top, bossing possession now.
Looks like Luciano is getting prepped to come on. Hopefully for Ross Mc.
Yes - I was hoping that McCormack would come off anyway, but now he's having to come off due to a knee twist. That's not good for us.
Way hay - it's Snoddy back in the pink and coming off the bench. Welcome back!
Big roar from the away crowd for Snoddy as he comes on. Gradel has been pushed up top with Somma now.
Marching on together....
Come on, you Whites!~
Come on, referee. Let the game flow. Somma penalized there merely for using his strength.
70 minutes in and Johnson is on the pitch. I'm shocked.
Lots of big figures in the crowd here - Steve Bruce, Howard Webb, the Sheffield United mugs, even some bloke from Juventus doing some scouting!
Gradel wins another corner. Come on - let's make this one count.
YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
No, Davide Somma's strike there is ruled offside. BUGGER!
In that ruck, Neil Sullivan saved well from Johnson. He's really kept Doncaster in this one.
All Leeds pressure now. Come on!
Doncaster making a couple of changes.
Oh - should have been a penalty there, a push by Friend on Somma.
Inside the last ten minutes then here at Keepmoat Stadium.
Doncaster boss Sean O'Driscoll is furiously writing notes. He doesn't seem happy. I hope we can make him really angry.
Doncaster bring on a Spurs lad on loan and we bring on Arsenal loanee Sanchez. Gooner will be happy that Sanchez was greeted by the chant of "You Watt, you watt, you watt!"
Kilkenny's delivery from corners has been rotten all night.
Marching on together...!
Oh dear - dangerous free kick opportunity now after some sloppy defending.
Lloyd Sam about to come on. Late, late show for him.
Into stoppage time now.
That's it - 0-0 at the end. I'm actually slightly disappointed with that one. We could so easily have snatched the win. Still - a priceless point in the Championship.
Damn. I was hoping to dip in again and see that you'd sneaked this one. Ah well, at least a point towards the 50.
Sorry mate... two drop points!
That's my thought to - an away win and 39 more points to get. That's 13 wins and we're there.
Post a Comment
<< Home