Are Leeds Real Promotion Hopefuls?
My beloved Leeds United are likely on a hiding to nothing today against league leaders Newcastle. But if we can get something out of this match in front of a packed house at Elland Road, I'm going to start to believe we have a chance at promotion. Join me for all the action this morning!
posted by The Blue Devil @ 8:49 AM
164 Comments:
I'm getting to this one a wee bit late and watching on my phone using the link that UWS gave me yesterday.
The teams news for today's match:
Leeds United
Green; Ayling, Jansson, Bartley, Taylor; O’Kane, Phillips; Doukara, Vieira, Roofe; Wood. Subs: Silvestri, Cooper, Sacko, Berardi, Grimes, Dallas, Antonsson.
Newcastle United
Darlow; Anita, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett; Colback, Shelvey; Ritchie, Gouffran, Perez; Gayle. Subs: Sels, Yedlin, Mbemba, Hayden, Diame, Atsu, Mitrovic.
Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)
Bugger! As I join the link, Rob Green drops a real spanner. A nothing lofted into the area by Jack Colback should have been routine for Green, but he drops it right at the feet of league top scorer Dwight Gayle, who says thank you very much.
Newcastle 0-1 up!
Taylor gets into the box and stumbles over Anita, looking for a penalty. Nothing doing from Referee Scott.
Leeds have a corner now - come on!
Leeds are finally putting Newcastle under some pressure here toward the end of the first half.
Yet another corner - come on!
Big shout for a penalty there against Colback. Nothing. And Jansson picks up a yellow card for protesting it.
One minute of stoppage time to come. Time enough for one more go at it.
The half-time whistle comes and we're 0-1 down due to a calamitous howler by our keeper Rob Green on 22 minutes.
That Jack Colback hand-ball will be the talking point for half-time as the punters enjoy their pies.
Hi Bob
My footer was cancelled today because of the snow. We don't have a lot but it is still snowing
I have the match on my phone too
Great effort by Leeds
Nice save
Shame no one was there for the rebound
We're back on at Elland Road for the second half now and the Whites are right back into the attack. Good signs for a push back.
Leeds look to be on the front foot
They're going up!!
Morning, UWS - thanks for that link. BEin isn't interested in this sold out fixture for some reason. But I've got it blasting.
uh oh
Sorry mate
It is good link
Only works on iPhone
Bugger! Just when we were pressing our claim, Dwight Gayle has added a second goal. A killer blow.
Newcastle are the cream of the crop of this division. Even after a horrible start they are building gap!
Relegation did them a power of good
Yeah - it seems so. Hanging on to Rafa Benitez was key for them. I think they'd probably finish mid-table in the Prem with this side.
It's good to see the entire stadium full
I always see blank sections behind both goals when watching highlights from ER
It's the first full house we've had all season.
We need a goal back quickly in order to have a chance of turning this one around.
After yesterday's results, Leeds did drop to 7th but only 5 points off third and 3 points off fourth
Nine points off automatic promotion spot but 10 away from the relegation zone
Playoffs it is
Sub for Leeds: Vieira off, and Hadi Sacko comes on. Looks like a change of formation too, perhaps something closer to a 4-4-2 with Doukara pushed further forwards.
In League 2, Colchester are seven points off the playoffs.... THEY ARE IN THE BOTTOM TWO!!
Exeter are bottom and are only one point worse off
Let's hope so, mate.
ooh, Leeds blew that break!
Take a little off it!
Kemal Roofe has been the standout for us today. I haven't seen much of him because BEin hasn't been showing us, but I'm impressed.
You have snow?
We have a dusting and it is still snowing
I think we are supposed to get 3-6 inches
We had some lake-effect stuff last night for a couple of hours but it's warm and it hasn't stuck.
We were warm yesterday...not today!
What are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Kate's mom is coming up from Virginia and we're doing a group Thanksgiving Dinner with friends.
About fifteen minutes left for us to pull this one out.
Quieter few minutes. Now a change for Newcastle, as Gouffran departs and Mo Diame enters.
That's the difference there - a hopeful ball is lofted toward Wood and Gonzalo comes and claims it. Why couldn't Rob Green have done that in the first half. GRRRRR!
Looks like Markus Antonsson is about to come on for us. Add a bit of firepower to the front line.
Doukara is off - why pull him Gary?
And for Newcastle, big Aleksandar Mitrovic comes on in place of Gayle.
Oh - half-chance for Wood - knocked out again.
Free kick now....
Come on, you Whites!
Ooh - Wood was nearly in there but the ball isn't rolling for us today.
We're not really pushing for goals now - sad.
Sorry about the score
I ve been running around a bit keeping one eye on the match
Losing to the leaders isn't the end of the world
Into stoppage time now.
And that's it - Newcastle wrap up a 0-2 win at Elland Road. I didn't expect much.
all over
Sorry mate
8 wins in a row for the Toon
Second time in club history...only behind Kevin Keegan's sides of the 90s
It isn't - as you say we're in seventh but within striking distance. We won't have to play Newcastle every weekend.
I'll be back for the Chelski match.
no team that has won 8 in row in the second tier hasn't been promoted since 1982
Sorry, Bob. As you say,you won't play the Toon every week. I will join everyone for the late match.
I'm settling in to enjoy the late one - Boro v. Chelski. Here is the team news:
Middlesbrough: Valdes; Barragan, Chambers, Gibson, Da Silva; Traore, Forshaw, Clayton, De Roon; Ramirez; Negredo. Subs: Guzan, Espinosa, Fischer, Nsue, Leadbitter, Downing, Rhodes.
Chelsea: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Diego Costa, Hazard. Subs: Begovic, Ivanovic, Terry, Chalobah, Fabregas, Oscar, Batshuayi.
Good morning, mate. Sorry about the result, but it should be easy in the remaining matches compared to today
Teams in the tunnel now at the Riverside.
Morning, MUR - great to have you on board for this one. Thanks for the condolences. I really didn't expect much out of that fixture. I would have taken a score draw ahead of time.
It really is Autumn in South Texas. A morning low of 42 this morning, I needed to wear a windbreaker on walkies, but it looks to be a spectacular day today.
A moment's silence since this is the closest home game for Middlesbrough to Remembrance Day.
The Remembrance Day ceremony is over now and we're away at the Riverside.
They're off from the Riverside.
A through ball fro Gaston Ramirez was just too long
A win for the Blues today would put them on top of the Premier League again. To answer the question that came up yesterday, no one in the PPP pool has picked Chelski. Or Liverpool, for that matter.
WOW!!!! Between that and the mighty Leipzig, we all look set for a low points tally. Thanks for the update,.
Bright start for Boro here. They're giving it a go from the off.
A Middlesborugh counter comes to naught as a shot from Negredo goes across the box after a deflected shot made it s way to him. Then Adama Traore wins a corner.
Ben Gibson with a nice slide tackle on Costa as Chelsea counter from the Boro corner
Yeah - we'll be lower on the points scale this week. However, having Citeh drop into the CL slots allows everyone but you, me and Yellows to pick up 4-5 points in that category.
Traore is looking lively at the start of this one. Chelski back on their heels right now.
Today is our 23rd Wedding Anniversary, but we celebrated it Friday due to everything going on in our life.
Jon Moss produces the first card of the afternoon - for our LUFC old boy Adam Clayton.
Marvelous - congratulations, mate!!!
Former Leeds player, Adam Clayton booked for rash challenge on Hazard. Did he l;earn that at Leeds or at the Citeh Academy?
Thanks, mate. We're leaving as soon as the match ends to visit the in-laws because some elderly relatives that hasn't seen in years are visiting. Also, we do have a nice cool sunny day to go along with it. Supposed to be sunny and 72 this afternoon. Morning low of 42.
Hazard is back on after having received some treatment.
Sounds like a nice afternoon plan. Where are the in-laws?
Hazard is still limping a bit - he may not be able to make the full 90 minutes.
AN illegal Sideshow on Negredo , rated PG_13 , for mature audiences only.
Boro midfielders and defenders are certainly snapping into the challenges.
Naughty by Matic on Traore.
Another lightening run for Traore before he's finally upended by Matic.
Her parents are at their house, her sister lives a quarter of a mile away, a niece and nephew have flown in with their kids from Chicago, she has an aunt and uncle coming from Atlanta, a cousin came from San Diego on Tuesday , and the girls are staying up there till Thanksgiving. Need a scorecard, mate?
Victor Moses wins a corner off of one of the United twin rejects. The corner from Hazard is headed away
Barragan finds Ramirez, who overran it out of play.
LOL! I think I've got it.
Moses jinks inside and rifles a shot that is deflected out.
Victor Moses did not part the Red Sea with that wild effort.
I've been meaning to ask if you've heard anything from our old LHS pal JDLC. He unfriended and blocked me on FB a while back during some heated banter about the election and his support for Trump, which I still don't understand. Any news?
Gaston Ramirez appears to be covering every blade of grass.
Glad o help. Sadly , her mom still has ovarian cancer and her dad is in the beginning stages of Alzheimers, so he is not able to help her too much. That is way Elizabeth has been up there a good amount of time. It's been a difficult year, but we are managing and do quite a bit of improvising.
I can't believe he did that. That was horrible and ridiculous. I'm somehow, still one of his FB friends. According to his status, he's engaged! That's all I know.
I should be just a few miles away from JDLC when we go to visit the in-laws. I think he's been living with his sister since he got divorced. I think she got custody of the kids, which may explain the turnabout of recent events. I think he's upset at the world.
The Side Show got away with one with a poor back header, but a handball by De Roon saved his blushes.
Wow! What a save from Valdez from Pedro there - wow!
OH!!! Victor Valdes acrobatically tips over an effort from Pedro, his former BArca teammate off run and pass from Moses that did part the Red Sea.
Valdes clears a deflected effort as Chelsea turn up the screw just a gear or two.
Costa did well to pick out Pedro after a blocked pass from Moses, but it was a tame effort easily saved by Valdes.
Some handbags at five paces between Negredo and Sideshow.
That's a reasonable analysis of JDLC's situation. Sad.
Agreed. Did you see the update about Elizabeth's family posted a minute before JDLC?
Negredo heads wide from a cross from Barragan . He should have had that on target.
Oh - Negredo should have done better there from Traore's fabulous cross.
Great save by Victor Valdes from Marcus Alonso. Play is stopped as he was injured by a stray boot from one of his teammates.
Valdes is down injured after a nasty clash there when he saved from Alonso.
Brad Guzan is warming up in case his services are required. He should have better protection than he did in Costa Rica on Tuesday. Vlades is up and appears to be okay, so Brad won't have to worry about any necessary protection.
Looking likely that this one will go in 0-0 at the interval. A draw, btw, would keep Chelski in third level on points with the Arse but with better goal difference and two points shy of Citeh in second.
Victor Moses with an effort well wide. A corner is awarded as it appeared to clip Fabio.
GOAL! Famous last words from me as Diego Costa appears at the backpost to volley home his 10th goal of the season.
0-1 Chelski.
GOAL !!!! COSTA SCORES WITH A GREAT FINISH OFF THE CORNER. THE CORNER WAS TAKEN BY HAZARD , HEADED INTO THE AIR BY ADAM CLAYTON AND COSTA WAS FIRST TO REACT AS HIS LEFT FOOTED VOLLEY LANDED IN THE CORNER.
Nearly a goal a game record for Costa right now. At present he's on course for a 30+ goal season in the Prem. Impressive!
Sorry to say, but your old mate, Adam Clayton needs to do a better job with defensive headers from set pieces.
Agreed.He seems set to be GBB this year and perhaps PFA Player of the year and Footballer of the year
Two minutes of stoppage time.
Chelsea is one up at the half thanks to a predatory goal by Costa off a corner a few minutes ago. Chelsea is comfortably in control and appear to be set to top the table.
Half-time! Middlesbrough 0-1 Chelsea
Diego Costa’s goal is the difference at the break.
The second half is underway from the Riverside.
Back on at the Riverside then. Chelski in the driver's seat but Boro have had something about them today.
Oh - nearly a second one there from Alonso. Great save Valdez!
Superb reflex save by Valdes from MArcus Alonso from a nice run and pass by Hazard then Callum Chambers clears for a corner, but a goal kick is awarded/
Welcome back, mate. How was your halftime break?
Naughty by De Roon on Costa, who was none too pleased about that challenge.
Azpi is booked for a foul on Gaston Ramirez, who received a deflected pass.
The free kick is into the wall by Ramirez.
Chelsea are so, so comfortable. They are barely breaking sweat and Boro could be doing a lot more to pressure them.
That said - Boro are still in this one. Ramirez was nearly in there for an equalizer.
Just over by Ramirez after a nice dummy by Negredo.
Welcome back, mate. Were you eating lunch?
Gaston Ramirez fouls Hazard , who showed several Boro players some moves.
Chelski are risking an equalizer with Sideshow as part of a back three.
Not quite yet - just trying to do some half-time chores.
Then Adama does the same before winning a free kick in midfield.
I see. I hope you were able to complete some.
The match from ER is BEIN shown at 1 PM , just in case you want to watch or record the match.
Oh - great move from Chelski ends with Pedro rattling the bar!
I don't think I need to live through that one again, but thanks.
OH!!!! A rocket from the edge of the box from Pedro crashes off the bar. Somehow , Boro are still in this match
I completely understand and don't blame you.
Chesea counter off a Boro corner and Costa puts through Moses, who sees Valdes rushes out and block his close range effort.
Will you be around for any of the action this week?
I did enjoy watching it on my phone this morning; we played reasonably well but were outclassed in the end. Newcastle are easy title favorites.
I should be. I don't know about tomorrow. WBA v. Burnley doesn't inspire me very much. But I'm up for some CL action on Tuesday.
Stuart Ten Downing Street is on for not so fab Fabio.
I'm off all week. Sounds great. Unfortunately, United play on Thanksgiving due to their participation in the EL. I may need to record that. Otherwise, I should be around for all the action.
Former LUFC favorite, Adam Clayton is replaced by Danish international , Victor Fischer, who was signed from Ajax cleaner this summer.
Ben Gibson is booked for a rugby tackle on Costa. An easy decision for Jon Moss.
Oh - huge chance for Boro but a poor finish from Traore.
Talking about rugby, that effort from, Adama Traore , was so far over that it would have been worth something in a rugby match
A shame that you may have to miss the Baggies vs Burnley. Sounds like a classic, LOL!
This one is still in the balance going into the last 15 minutes.
OH!!!! A spectacular volley by Negredo is pushed around by Courtois after Traore was put through on the counter. Courtois punches away the corner then well over by Ramirez. Better from Boro.
Nat Chalobah is on for Pedro, who takes ages to come off.
Ramirez fouls Hazard just outside the Boro box.
Chelski have a golden opportunity to kill this match off.
Sideshow rifles it just over the bar. Close call.
The free kick from the Sideshow is kind of dull as it goes a couple of feet over the goal.
It looks like Chelsea will be grinding out a result unless there is a late equalizer by Boro.
It's now or never time for Boro. Come on!
The final roll of the dice from Karanka and a change from Conte as Ivanovic is on for Victor Moses and Grant Ledbitter is on for Adam Forshaw.
I wonder who will top the PPP. Somehow , I think the standings will be similar, but with fewer points for everyone.
Into four minutes of stoppage time.
The final roll of the dice for Conte as Oscar is on for Hazard. Sounds like time wasting.
Hazard's had enough for one day. He's off and Oscar is on for a short cameo.
Come on, Boro - long ball now!
It's over and Chelsea go top in typical Italian pragmatic fashion, grinding out a 0-1 result at the Riverside.
Chelski hold on for a narrow win that keeps them top of the pops. Valiant effort from Boro but they didn't have their shooting boots on today.
That's it for me today, mate. Thanks for joining me for this one.
Enjoy the time with the in-laws and the rest of your anniversary. Congrats!
Cheers, mate. I enjoyed the pleasure of your company. A great way top spend an anniversary. Thank you very much and enjoy the rest of your day.
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