Into the Final Stretch
posted by The Blue Devil @ 8:11 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
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!
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Lakenheath Old Boys
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!
Contributors
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246 Comments:
Morning, chaps - I've been looking forward to this massive match for the entire week. It's the Yorkshire Derby and it's 2nd v. 3rd. Couldn't be bigger.
The teams now out on the pitch:
Leeds United: Casilla, Ayling, Cooper, Jansson, Alioski, Phillips, Klich, Roberts, Hernandez, Bamford, Harrison. Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Douglas, Dallas, Berardi, Shackleton, Clarke, Gotts.
Sheffield United: Henderson, Baldock, Stevens, Cranie, Fleck, O'Connor, Basham, Egan, Norwood, Sharp, McGoldrick. Subs: Lundstram, Dowell, Hogan, Coutts, Stearman, Duffy, Moore.
I'm excited to see that Young Jack Clarke is back in the fold on the sub's bench after a lengthly absence. Not so happy to see Billy Sharp in the Blades' lineup. Come on!
Nice round of applause for the former Leeds managing director Bill Fortherby, before kickoff. And now we're set to go. Come on!
The Blades gt us going, wearing a naff Canary yellow number. And the Whites are straight into attack.
Good morning, Bob. Here to join you for the big match at ER
Not watching the Cup Quarterfinal, LOL
Morning, mate - great to have you on board. The FA Quarterfinal can get stuffed. This is where the action is this morning .
Bielsa said he's learned the most tactically from Chris Wilder and the Evil Blades. Surely, he's being sarcastic!
Cheap shot by Chris Baldock on Bamfoprd. Not even a card
Oh - Tyler Roberts turned Creany well there but didn't quite do enough to win a corner sadly.
Cheers, Bob and a humorous response. Great reply.
Norwood tries a pop from distance but it sails over. He's a dangerous player to watch today.
Bielsa is a wily one, for sure.
Long range effort from Ollie Norwood well over. Probably the top Evil Blade this season and one of the few That is good enough to play in the Prem
Basham bursts forward but is well challenged.
Oh - Pablo teed up Patrick there but he needed to put his foot through it.
OH! Bamford with a close range effort blocked by O'Connell for the first Leeds corner of the match . Nice run and pass from Hernandez.
We're controlling this match right now. Keep it up!
Bollocks. Just tuned in to see Bamford's shot blocked
Interesting title for the thread. I start my final stretch on Monday!
Good Morning, Steve.How have you been?
Pontus getting into a tangle with the dreaded Billy Sharp.
Billy Sharp naughty on his return to ER. He and Pontus are two tough costumers. Should be an interesting battle.
Why is this dolt of a commentator calling only the Blades "United?"
Ali wins a corner off Stephens with a looping cross.
Pretty good David. You?
Morning, Gooner! Thanks for joining in.
Jack Harrison over with a close range volley with a pass that really Kliched.
Oh - great move there through Ayling to Klich and Harrison just couldn't keep the shot down. That would have been lovely.
Doing well. Thank you, Steve,.
Definitely a Sheffield leaning in this commentator, whoever he is.
Oh - Tyler nearly onto that cross.
Watching both matches. The Hornets in the lead just over half an hour in
Oh - Baldock went in high on Pontus. Yellow card for it. Could have been red.
nasty!
Should have been a straight red for sure, on the replay. He went over the ball and got Pontus' ankle. Thankfully the Super Swede is okay.
George Baldock should have been sent off for a two footed challenge on Pontus. Only a booking, which he should have had earlier. He's got away with a quite a bit this match
You can tell that Billy Sharp is pumped up for this return to Eland Road. I'm surprised the faithful aren't booing his every touch.
Steve, are you pleased with the EL draw against the city of your birth?
Oh - Bamford was in there and took it on the half volley - well over the mark but I like the confidence.
Nice long diagonal pass from Hernandez to Bamford, who shoots wide from close range
Tough draw for the Gunners, to my mind. But not as tough and ManYoo's v. Barca.
Marcelo noticeably agitated today, not sitting on his blue bucket.
Pontus surprisingly pops up in the area and has a flop. Nothing in that one.
Oh - Ali with a zinging cross to Tyler who just nodded wide. Should have scored.
Roberts should have done more with such an inviting cross
OH! Tyler Roberts heads a cross from Ali just wide.
It's the sharp end of the tournament David. No really easy ones.
That's exactly right - all of the teams left in the CL and EL are good sides.
Agreed. United got the toughest draw of the lot. It will be a tough April with another trip to Molineaux a week before the first leg and the Manc Derby the week after the second leg.
Roberts picks up a cheap one there and gives us a chance to reset.
That is a big week for United!
True, Steve. In the match against Rennes, Cech played against the team he left to join Chelsea. That match must have seemed like it took a tres long temps.
Halfway through this half and I'm reasonably happy with the proceedings. We've had a number of good chances and should be 1-0 up at least, while the Blades haven't really got going.
Sorry. the pun is supposed to be that it seemed like the match took a tres Rennes temps. Accurate Francais?
Magnifique, MUR!
A pair of stoppage time minutes at ER
Merci Bob. Would Kate give us a good grade?
Bugger! Liam Cooper upends McGoldrick there and gives away a dangerous free kick.
Norwood into the wall, fortunately.
I'm sure she would, mate.
Liam Mini Cooper with a fender Bender on David McGoldrick just outside the Leeds box. Failure to yield the right of way. Into the Leeds wall that was made without emergency funding
Cheers, mate
Kevin Friend blows the halftime whistle at ER with the Hornets one up.
Did you know that Henderson, the Blades keeper, is a United youth product?
Ah - Ali should have hit the target there when the Ayling cross reached him.
OH!!! Ali with a shot from just outside the box that lands in Row J. Superb One Two between Hernandez and Ayling
Cynical foul by Martin Creaney on Bamford and not even a booking
Free kick from Hernandez straight to Dean Hendo, on loan from United
A loose ball in midfield nearly gave the Blades a chance there. We've got to keep it tighter than that.
Enda Stevens does not enda up with a shot for the Evil Blades.
Dangerous cross from Fleck had to be turned around for a corner by Ali.
The link for the cup match is buffering, but can tell that Capoue scored.off a corner . The Palace keeper saved twice from Deulofeu as well.
Oh - mad scramble there from the corner. Phew!
Spell of Evil Blades pressure leads to consecutive corners.
And another dangerous corner that McGoldrick heads over, fortunately. The most tense moment for us in the half.
Free header for McGoldrick off the curling corner headed well wide.
Oh - Sharp was nearly in there. Wins a corner. Not liking this period. We need the half-time whistle to come.
Billy Sharp has a shot deflect off of Pontus for an Evil Blades corner.
A minute of stoppage time.
One minute of added time to come now. Would love to end this half on a high.
Phew! Sheffield United nearly score through Basham but Kiko did well to stand up. Cleared out in the end and we've got the whistle finally. We'll need to regroup in the dressing room as they got stronger as the half went on.
PHEW! David McGoldrick puts through Chris Basham , who rounds Casilla , but several Leeds defenders are there to clear and it's 0-0 at the half.
I didin't like the way that half ended. There should be a thorough rattling of tea-cups from Biela at the half.
Agreed. Bielsa with plenty to discuss at the half as the Evil Blades had a strong end to the half.
Three minutes into the second half at VR. Hornets still lead 1-0
My link is buffering , but it looked like a great reflex save by Gomes Addams off the corner from Townsend, making Uncle Woy feel more like Uncle Fester
Looking at the replay, it was low driven corner met first time by Max Meyer and Gomes Addams with a Banks like save and his view was obstructed by two Palace players. Looks even more impressive.
Second half underway from ER
Back on at a rainy Elland Road for the second half. I've got a bagel and a cuppa, the official breakfast of the LOB, at my side.
Leeds clear off a putrid yellow jersey for a goal kick, but a corner is given. Pontus letting the lines man have it. Thankfully, nothing comes of it.
Great brekkies. Finished my bowl of Special K on an unusually cool, gloomy morning in South Texas.
The Blades have started as they finished the first half - looking dangerous. We've got to settle this match down.
Looks like you will be around for all three meals on this marathon day. Brekkies to watch your United and dinner to watch my United
Agreed, mate.
COME ON LEEDS! MOT!
McGoldrick wins a corner off of Ali.
Mini Cooper drove sharply into that tackle
Oh - big chance for Norwood. Fortunately he banged it over the bar.
Adam Masina booked for a poor challenge that ref said was anything but friendly.
Barry Douglas comes on for Jack Harrison, which likely means pushing Alioski further up the wing.
Barry Douglas on for Jack Harrison after Olly Norwood was high and wide with a shot from the edge of the Leeds box
Oh - Tyler rockets one off the post!
Gomes Addams routinely tips over a free kick from Townsend from just outside the Hornets box. Corner headed away at the near post
Better period from us here. Come on, you Whites!
OH! Shot from Tyler Roberts crashes off the post off a pass from Klich , who got a slide rule pass from Hernandez.
Come on, ref - get the card out for Sharp.
Sharp gets what's coming to him, finally
Billy Sharp with a nasty challenge on Pontus. Clumsy at best and at worst really nasty. The ref gives Sharp a booking
Pontus trots off for treatment.
GOAL !!! HORRIBLE HORNETS DEFENSIVE ERROR AND BAT BOY TIES IT UP AGAINST THE RUN OF PLAY. WON A TACKLE OFF A DEFENDER TRYING TO BE TOO FANCY THEN SCORED WITH A WELL PLACED FINISH PAST THE STRANDED GOMES ADDAMS.
Now 1-1 at VR and based on my understanding this one will go straight to penalties if drawn at the end of regulation.
Free kick for the Blades now - mark 'em up!
Twenty minutes left to win this one. Come on!
Bugger! Sheffield break and score through Basham. Liam Cooper with a big mistake there.
Bloody-hell. Cooper, what were you thinking there mate.
We need a quick response.
BUGGER! THE EVIL BLADES SCORE ON THE BREAK. MINI COOPER MISS JUDGED A LONG BALL AN BILLY SHARP PUT THROUGH CHRIS BASHAM WITH JUST CASILLA TO BEAT.
Tyler Roberts wins a corner off of Basham
Sorry, Bob. Plenty of time for Leeds to tie it up.
COME ON LEEDS!
MOT!
TIE IT UP!
We'll need another change shortly.
Klich and Ayling to come off soon. Double change.
Doucourre misses a sitter for the hornets. Gauita missed a cross then the pass went to Doucourre , who shot over of a wide open goal
Wahay - it's the return of Jack Clarke! Stu Dallas also coming on.
Stuart Dallas for Ayling and young Jack Clarke Kliched on to the pitch
Bielsa off his bucket.
Andre Gray on for Will Hughes
Oh - Pontus with a crucial interception but he's in trouble now.
Pontus down for Leeds. They cannot afford that as Leeds have made all their substitutions.
I thought that was just a sting of knee to knee but Pontius looks pretty striken back there now. Worrying.
Pontus is carrying on but limping quite a bit.
We need to throw everything we've got at them in this last ten minutes or so. Our season depends on it.
Oh - what a chance! Pontus has gone up front for the duration but misses a golden opportunity.
So close!! More of that please.
GOAL !!! ANDRE GRAY GIVES THE HORNETS A 2-1 LEAD MINUTES AFTER COMING . LONG GOAL KICK PLAYED WIDE LEFT TO DEULOFEU AND HIS CROSS WAS DIVERTED IN BY GRAY
bEST PERIOD OF THE MATCH FOR lEEDS. pONTUS DIVERTED A PASS FROM JACK Clarke just wide.
Piling the pressure on now. McGoldrick troops off to be replaced by a defender.
What a difference a match fit Clarke could make here. C'mon Leeds!
We deserve at least a draw out of this one.
Kieran Dowell on for David McGoldrick
Nearly a lovely team move there - Tyler just not on to the final ball.
Last ditch effort from Martin Creaney prevents Tyler Roberts getting off a close range effort.
We've got to get the ball back quickly.
Just a few minutes to rescue a point here. Come on!
Five minutes of stoppage time now!
Kiko gives up a foul and could be in trouble here. Not quite last man back.
A quintet of stoppage time minutes and Casilla fouls Billy Sharp[ on the break. A booking as there were covering defenders on the counter./
Bloody hell - Kiko is off! Pablo is stripping off and going in goal.
Christ! Red for the keeper? Sorry Bob.
No - it's big Pontus Jansson to go in goal. What a hero!
That'll mean some more games for Bailey Peacock-Farrell to come.
BLOODY HELL! CASILLA HAS BEEN SENT OFF. DOWN TO TEN MEN AND PONTUS IN GOAL AS THERE ARE NO SUBS REMAINING.
Phew! The free kick is cleared out. Now we need to get it up front again!
Bugger! Now a Blades corner. They're just wasting time, as you would.
Ali wins a corner. This must go in!
Pontus is up for the corner!
aLI WINS A LATE lEEDS CORNER.
Sorry Bob. Disappointing.
That's it - we've lost a huge one. No sugarcoating that one. We've dropped matches to our two major rivals in the last month.
It's over at ER. Evil Blades win 0-1 at ER. Sorry, Bob.
When all is said and done, we're now out of the two automatic promotion spots and in third on 73 points, a point behind the Blades and Norwich who play later today.
Next is the Prem on NBCSN with Burnley vs the Foxes. Doesn't sound too appealing
Sorry, mate. Thankfully, there are still plenty of matches to play between now and the end of the season
The Hornets defeated Palace 2-1 and are the first team in the semis.
Off to take Sparky walkies. Will join you as soon as we get back
I'm going to take a break after that bollocks. Will be back for the Wolves v. United match later on.
Cheers, mate. Look forward to chatting with you later today.
I've just checked in on the scores at a break. Norwich are leading at Rotherham but only 1-2. Come on, Rotherham!!!
Back for the late one from Molineaux.
COME ON MAN UNITED!
They're off from Molineaux
Martin Tyler says it's Saturday Night Live! An accurate description.
First shot on target of the match . A corner is passed to the D to Ruben Neves and his side footed effort is easily saved by Romero
Cross from Matt Doherty side footed by Jota straight to Romero
United got away with one . Wolves could have had a penalty off a corner as Smalling was rugby tackling Boli.
Very similar situation to the one in Paris. Shot from Dalot off of Jonny's arm, but corner given instead .
Boli booked for fouling compatriot, Pogba , on a United counter.
OH!!! Jota put through with just Romero to beat and hos shot is well saved by the United keeper.
Neves booked for fouling Pogba on another United break
Neves booked about thirty seconds after setting up the best chance of the match
A minute of stoppage time.
Long range effort from Jota off of Herrera for a corner and Matic booked for a foul in the possession.
It's 0-0 at the end of a cagey half.
Hiya, David - sorry to abandon you. We just got off a lengthy FaceTime chat with some friends who just moved to Long Island. I'm here for the duration now.
How was the first half? I'll look forward to reading your comments during half-time.
I've just watched the heartbreaking clips from the earlier City v. Swansea match. What a shame that the Swans couldn't hold out.
Teams back on the pitch after the halftime light show at Molineaux.
Second half underway
Welcome back, mate. It was a really dull first half.
Let's hope for better in the second half, eh? Just after kickoff Rashford has a chance but goes wide of the near post. Promising.
Agreed about the Swans match. Proof that the cup can be cruel. Citeh awarded a controversial penalty that went in off the post then off the keeper. Citeh quite fortunate, but a fantastic match to watch
Agreed. and especially if it means United scoring.
Neves has a go from distance. Didn't really trouble Romero.
You will be interested to read that these are the two teams I picked to meet in the final.
I'll bet you'd take a match-up with the winner of tomorrow's match-up between Brighton and Millwall in the semis, wouldn't you?
I noticed that!
Jimenez put through and he was Shaw to score but his shot was well blocked.
That's who we would prefer providing we can defeat Wolves.
Rash booked for nasty two footed challenge.
Dendoncker wins a corner off of Pogba.
OH!!! Romero superbly tips over a header from Jimenez off the corner from Moutinho
Oh - what a save by Romero! It seems like he's been keeping United in this one.
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