Happy Hump Day, everyone! Are you ready for some footer? I know I am. What with the interminable international break and the FA Cup weekend, it's been several weeks now since my beloved Leeds United has played a league match. Today, they travel to the Midlands to meet Aston Villa. Last season, we thumped Villa 0-3 at Villa Park, thanks to a hat-trick by Lord Bamford, in one of our most impressive performances of the season. But times have changed in the past year. For one, we've been without Bamford for most of the season. Villa have recently gotten a bit of a bump from bringing in Stevie G. to replace Dean Smith at the helm. My patented rubric says that we need a point today and a score draw and a good showing would be very satisfying heading into a busy and important period. We'll be on The Cock today, sadly.
The featured match on USA this afternoon is Soton v. Spurs, for some reason. At the same time, league leaders take on Brentford - of course, I'll be hoping that Citeh put the Bees to the sword. And Norwich host Palace - I'll be cheering on the South Londoners for that one.
Join me around 2:45 when the USA coverage starts after the Winter Olympics nonsense.
Come on, you Leeds! #MOT!
237 Comments:
Afternoon, chaps - I'm just wrapping up my work for the day and settling in.
Both Leeds and Villa are unchanged from their last match. Their last matches came in the Premier League, both having been knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round and therefore sitting it out last weekend. Villa are coming off the back of a hard-fought win at Everton, while Leeds lost at home to Newcastle.
The teams getting ready at Villa Park:
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins, Coutinho.
Subs: Sanson, Chambers, Young, Ings, Olsen, Hause, Chukwuemeka, Iroegbunam, Chrisene.
Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Dallas, Koch, Klich, Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison, James.
Subs: Forshaw, Roberts, Klaesson, Bate, Gelhardt, Hjelde, McKinstry, Shackleton, Kenneh.
Of course USA have some bloody curling action on instead of previewing the evening's matches. Is anybody really interested in curling? Honestly - it's a ridiculous "sport."
There are also seven matches in the Championship this evening, the pick perhaps upwardly trending Nottingham Forest’s visit to second-placed Blackburn Rovers.
The USA coverage of the Soton v. Spurs match has started on USA right at kickoff. Disgraceful.
Blimey - Teemu Puuki has fired Norwich into an early lead at Carrow Road. Not good for us.
MOT!
The Leeds United faithful making their voices heard as the boys come out of the tunnel.
Hi Bob
I just finished a tutoring session....pulled up Leeds on the Cock
A win would be a great thing!
We have an Aussie ref for some unknown reason
Regu with a big chance for Spurs....saved
Looks like we're wearing our blue away shirts tonight. I like those.
Hiya, Dave - thanks for joining me.
As expected Dan James has lined up in the center forward role.
Early corner for Villa - mark 'em up!
Phew....Leeds survive that corner
Son gives Spurs the lead
Oh - dangerous one there - and out for another.
I hate all this crap in the Leeds box.... ref blows up for a foul
It wasn't Son it was an OG
Finally the ref gives us a free kick and relieves the pressure.
That one works for me - I don't expect Soton to be in trouble but they are a bottom half side.
Soton go straight down the other end...great run... poor decision at the end
Doesn't do my lot much good tho!
I have given up on the season anyway
I don't want this team to get any lucky success
Not happy about that early Norwich goal. They need to knock it off!
I hope Leeds have this done and dusted before the end
I have at tutoring session at 4:30
We're really under the cosh so far. Haven't really got going.
Toon back in the drop zone
What was that by Meslier!
We look rusty - and no wonder - we haven't played in 18 days. Another unforced mistake leads to a corner.
Full slate of matches north of the border
Only two teams are leading at the moment
No prize given for guessing the two teams....boring!
Good punch out this time by Meslier.
They shouldn't be tired then!
Great run by Luke and then Raph had a chance to cross. Better.
Southampton have a deserved equalizer
DIdn't beat the first man.
I'm hoping that we've weathered the opening onslaught and can build now.
This Southampton side will rip United to shreds on Saturday morning if they play like this
YES!!
Great turn and finish by Dan James!!
1-0!!!
YESSSSSS!!!!!!
Dan James fires in from close range!
Great finish!!!
I wouldn't call that close range....great finish
Lovely shift of feet to open up the space and a perfect shot into the corner.
0-1!
Guy on the mic dissing the Leeds defending!
Shut it
Dan's third goal for Leeds now.
I'm not having it - no need to tempt fate.
Southampton really attacking Spurs
James in again.... should have crossed it there... was close with a shot but had to pull it back a bit
Oh - James is in again and he tests Martinez at the near post.
A great ten minutes for us - total domination. We need to get a second.
Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham and United..... alll of them don't deserve Fourth Spot
Sounds like another certain United I know of!!!
Not to long ago, Villa were one of our main rivals in the Championship. I still remember that notorious match where Matty Klich scored after a Villa player went down and Bielsa instructed the players to allow Villa to equalize. Pontus disagreed and earned the gaffer's ire.
Klich was wide open for that pass....grrrr
BTW, Mike feels the same as me about Leeds
He seems to like teams for their manager more than anything
Villa fans sound restless.
I remember that one
What's that - that we can't defend?
Nice chip in to the back post by James
Only just cleared
Oh - Dan nearly found Rodrigo at the back post there. We needed that one nodded in.
Every time I look up from the computer, Southampton go close to scoring!
Rubbish - Koch got all ball there. Buendia just made a meal of it. Free kick to Villa. Mark 'em up!
Fortunately, the free kick was well overhit.
Villa are starting to play a bit again. They were really rocked by our goal.
Phew...Mings heads just wide....Are you Maguire in disguise
Nah...Mag uses his shoulder!
Oh - Mings had a free header there - missed it! A real let off.
This is a great match, swinging from end to end.
Southampton are all over Spurs!
Oh - off the bar! So close to Dan's second after a thrilling move.
ooooh...James.... great break and James hits the crossbar!
BUGGER!
Leeds attack with great pace.... very positive
Are you watching Ralf!!
Bugger.....sorry mate
Bugger! Just like that Coutinho equalizes.
1-1
City lead Brentford from a the spot
City always gets pens
We went to sleep there from the throw. Good finish.
Two goals similar to each other
Boro knock out United....and now losing at Loftus Road
Leeds almost in again....James is every where!!
Brucie's debut being ruined by the Blades
Oh - Dan was in again but his shot was blocked off.
Forest fresh off Foxes thumping are winning at second place Blackburn
Oh - Jack fires a cross over but no one was following in.
Yeah - Dan is having a great match. He hasn't always looked comfortable leading the line but this match is really suiting him with its openness.
Oh dear - Llorente is down in some distress. I think Watkins trod on his Achilles.
If only that second Dan James had gone in, we'd have been 0-2 up and flying.
Fortunately, Diego is up and back on again. Phew!
Just like another United from 24 hours ago
Oh - Matty Klich had a chance there but didn't quite catch it.
Buendia needs to stop whinging like a baby.
Gordon Bennett....SO UNDESERVED
Both player that scored against United have done it today too
Bugger! Just like that, Ramsey strides through onto a Coutinho ball and we're behind.
2-1.
This one isn't over - it's been back and forth all match.
NEVER a penalty for City..... it is just so unfair!!
This reminds me of so many matches we played last season - very open and exciting.
Sterling gets breathed on and they call a foul
Others aren't given!
Chelsea squeaked by some team today to make the World Club Final
Lukaku with the only goal
I'll take it - we need Brentford dragged back into the dropzone.
A Man U type corner by Raph
Struth
3-1
Sorry mate
Still not over
Bugger! 3-1. I thought that there was a foul earlier in the move but we've in a hole now.
Still not over.
Off again in North London
YES!!
Ball in the net.... the commentator wants VAR involved
YESSSS!!!!
We've got another back! What a match!
ABSOLUTELY A GOAL!!!
It stands!1
It's Dan James again - and the goal should stand.
3-2!
That is James' goal
The commentator disagrees but it was his head
STRUTH....almost a fourth for Villa!
Great game
Half time
3-2
COME ON LEEDS
Half-time: Well, that was breathless stuff. I need ten minutes in a darkened room to recover before the second half starts.
3-2!
FA Cup 5th Round is Midweek again this season
All 8 games are on Wednesday March 2
That means Liverpool host Norwich and Everton host Boreham Wood at exactly the same time
I thought they weren't allowed to play at the same time
Again, I have to leave the match for tutoring at 4:30....tough commute up the stairs to the West Wing
Good Afternoon, Bob and Dave. Back from a family outing and here for what looks like quite a match at Villa Park
The teams are coming out again - it will be hard for the teams to match that first half. It was sensational.
Teams back out and looking forward to the second half
Dan James has been credited with the second goal, as he should have. He might have had a first half hat-trick.
No changes to either side so far - and we're away again. Come on, Leeds!
We are off for the second half
Come on Leeds....have a better second than the United from yesterday
Second half underway at Villa Park.
COME ON LEEDS! MOT!
Commentator tempting fate gain. Grrr!
They already have had a better half....United has conceded but this time
Palace have tied it up at Carrow Road
Cheers, mate!
Toon out of the drop zone with that Eagles goal
Shot from Dallas deflects straight to Martinez
Hiya David
Welcome.. I have to leave soon to tutor.... a shame because this has been a great game
Southampton have been all over Spurs too!
Stu Dallas tries a pop from distance and it loops harmlessly up into Emi Martinez's hands. Good bright start from us though.
Stupid foul by Ayling
Welcome, David!
Zaha missed a penalty three minutes after scoring the tying goal
Dangerous free kick now for Villa. Build that wall!
Thanks, Bob. Hopefully I bring some of that MOT magic
Who will take if for Villa
Douglas Ruiz, Digne?
Stupid move
Spurs take the lead
Sonaldo
Totally undeserved by Spurs
GOAL ! NUM BER ONE SOIN GIVES THE SPUDS A 2-1 LEAD VS SAINTS
Comes to only a corner thankfully. Mark 'em up!
That's what I'm hoping, too. I'd be happy with a 3-3 draw.
Nice one touch passing down the right as Harry kane and abel to find lucas Moura wide right and his pass was diverted in the corner by Number One Son
Armando Broja down for Saints off a tumble from a challenge with Casino Royal
Oh - Raph ghosted in there but then couldn't quite do anything with it.
Citeh go two up vs the Bees. KDB with the goal
Ayling upends Ollie Watkins and Villa have a free kick out wide right now. Mark 'em up!
Spuds now sixth behind United on goal difference
What on earth was Raph doing in the box there?! Bloody Cruyff turn!
Conte have Kittens on the sideline
Phew! That was nearly a Stu Dallas o.g. there.
Coutinho shows some Ayling magic getting past his marker then his cross finds Stu Dallas and an out stretched leg results in a back pass to Meslier
Second half has been a poor imitation of the first half
Bloody Buendia is down again - a stiff breeze makes him topple.
Gary Mac should be at Leeds - he has no business being a Villa man.
Broja wins a tackle in midfield, goes on a solo run then blast over from the edge of the box
Glad to see the back of Buendia - he's been cheating all match.
Gary Mac definitely a legend at ER. Was he signed originally to help them get promoted in 1990? Was signed from the Foxes
GOAl ! DESMOND AT SFL 2.0 AS EL YANOUSSI SUPERBLY HEADS IN A CROSS FROM JWP.
Saints up to twelfth while Spuds remain sixth now a pair of points behind United
An hour in and I'd love to see some changes. Joffy must come on before long.
shot from Dallas from the Bug D deflected off Mings the Merciless for a corner
Nice move there ending with Klich with a deflected effort over the top. Corner.
GOAL ! CHE ADDAMS GIVES SAINTS A 2-3 LEAD AT SFL 2.0
Oh - off the line!
Saints tie it up
They are going to crush United on Saturday morning
NOW IT IS 3-2 SAINTS
LOVE IT
YES!!
LEEDS GET IT TIED UP!
goal ! way hay !3-3 at villa park. congrats, bob
Leeds have NEVER been down and out in this game!
YESSSSSS!!!!!
3-3! Diego!
Dave will be delighted that the goal came off a a short corner . Cross from Rodrigo and a Struijched header blocked by Mings then blasted in by the Llorente Express
That's it for me boys
Best of luck Bob
It's LEED TIME
James hat-trick goal to come
Both Saints goals in the last couple of minutes were headers off crosses from JWP.
I was just going to say that - one of the only times that I've seen a short corner routine come to anything.
Cheers, Dave. Enjoy the rest of the day
The Leeds fans had a bit of fun with the old Joy Division nugget, singing "Leeds, Leeds are falling apart again" to the Villa fans who had been singing it at us earlier at 3-1.
Leeds half a dozen pints clear off the drop zone as they were prior to kickoff
Phew! A lovely curler there from Coutinho. Just wide. And he's down nursing an injury now.
Saints now in tenth place, which is nosebleed territory for them. Spuds down to seventh place behind their North London rivals on goal difference
Now that we've leveled it, I suspect Bielsa might put Adam Forshaw to anchor things. But who knows. I'd like to see Joffy.
Ten Man Cherries take a 3-1 lead vs Brum and now second . That is thanks to Blackburn trailing Forest 0-1 . Forest now sixth in the last playoff spot , ahead of the Teesiders on goal difference
Theo on for Broja for Saints
Free kick now for us - nice ball in Raph.
Free kick from Raph headed out by Chewbakka for a Leeds corner
Corner off first man Done for another
Half a dozen stoppage time minutes at SFL 2.0
Good ball in from the corner and Llorente nearly got his head to it. MOT!
Evil Blades two up vs ten man Baggies on a debut Brucie would love to forget. Baggies down to ninth and Evil Blades now tenth
Looks like Mings may have to come off now - lovely.
Oh - Rodrigo should have had a go there - instead he laid it off to Klich who scuffed it.
GOAL ! 3-3 AT SFL 2.0. Cross from Harry Kane headed down and Steve Berg-Wione with a cheeky back heel. Looked a tad offside. VAR to check
Now Matty Cash is down and we may get to see your old mate Cashley.
No it's still 2-3 to the Saints late on
Cherries with a great response after that embarrassing cup defeat to Wood
Digne brings down Raph and we've got a free kick chance out wide right now.
Diallo on for El Yanoussi as Ralphie makes a really late substitution to irk Dave during his tutoring session
It's over and Saints get a great 2-3 win at SFL2.0
Citeh have defeated the Bees 2-0
It finished Canaries 1 Palace 1
It's Coutinho coming off and Cashley on - maybe Stevie G. is satisfied with a draw?
Foirest go two up at Ewood Park as they are now in a playoff spot. So is Blackburn but because they are no longer second
Several players down now - it's getting sloppy out there.
Dan James gets a yellow for the foul on Digne.
Dan James gets a card. I don't think it's an early Valentine's Day Card from our favorite Aussie ref
Come on, Marcelo - get Joffy on!
No - it's Forshaw, so Marcelo is going to try to play for a draw.
Ayling is as he appears to have cramped and so is his Kliched teammate
Villa playing on while Matty Klich is down.
I'm sure you would have tyakenb a draw at Villa Park prior to kickoff . That would be a decent result
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