Marching On Together

Leeds Utd v Middlesbrough

Saturday 30th November 2019 15L00 | Elland Road


Relegation threatened Middlesbrough are the visitors to Elland Road on Saturday as Leeds aim to finish November with a maximum haul of 15 points. Middlesbrough did manage to sneak out of the relegation zone this week with their first victory since mid-September as they beat fellow Yorkshire strugglers, bottom placed Barnsley. At the other end of the table Leeds’ 1-0 victory at Reading extended their unbeaten run to seven games and puts them 18 places and 20 points ahead of Jonathan Woodgate’s side.

Tyler Roberts is unavailable for the Smoggies visit, the Welsh International picked up a suspected hamstring injury picked up against Reading. Helder Costa replaced Roberts on the 35 minute mark and made an immediate impact adding some natural width to the side, and along with fellow substitute Alioski helped set up the winner. Costa is likely to get the nod again with Pablo Hernandez moving into a more central role. Eddie Nketiah trained well this week and featured for the under-23s in their 2-1 victory against Sheffield United on Friday lunchtime but it will be another week before he is available for the first team.




The match will see former Leeds defender Jonathan Woodgate return to Elland Road as a manager for the first time but he will be without Anfernee Dijksteel with a knee injury, while Britt Assombalonga and Paddy McNair are doubts. George Saville returns from suspension, but Marvin Johnson is still banned. Whilst Leeds may lament Leeds’ lack of clinicalness up front Middlesbrough have the lowest shot conversion rate in the Championship this season, netting just 16 of their 221 attempts on goal.

Leeds have won 37 points from their 18 Championship games this season, their highest points tally at this stage of a campaign in the top two tiers of English Football since 1999-2000. The Whites are unbeaten in their past six league meetings with Middlesbrough at Elland Road, since a 1-0 loss back in August 2011. Last season saw honours shared with a 0-0 victory at Elland Road and a 1-1 draw at the Riverside with Kalvin Phillips grabbing a dramatic equaliser 11 minutes into injury time.

With West Brom not playing fellow promotion hopefuls until Monday it is a chance for Leeds to regain top spot again.


Leeds Starting XI:
Casilla, Ayling, White, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Hernandez, Klich, Harrison; Costa, Bamford

Subs: Miazek, Douglas, Alioski, Berardi, Stevens, Clarke, Nketiah

It will be interesting to see how Boro get on tonight against Barnsley.
It's a game they should win but they are obviously low on confidence right now.
It will be another tough game for us regardless.

We have the easiest game of the top 6. It’s a massive game, a nice little 5 point gap on third place could be extended. Bamford up against his old club, can he heap more misery on Boro? I’m happy they got a scrappy win tonight, takes the pressure off them a bit, expect them to hold us for an hour and then fall off

On paper this should be an easy win but.... we are second and they are near the foot of the table, they’ve just sneaked a win, they don’t seem to score many goals and let loads in, their managers ex-Leeds and our centre forward is ex-Smoggie so a 0-4 to the Smoggies

Only joking we’ll smash them 3-0 to the mighty Leeds

I'd go with :

.........................................Casilla.........................................

Ayling................White..........Cooper.........Dallas

..............................Phillips......................................

Cost.....Hernandez.....Alioski.....Harrison

.............................Bamford........................................

A team full of energy & pace in abundance, no slouches in the middle of the park

1964white wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:57 am I'd go with :

.........................................Casilla.........................................

Ayling..........White.......Cooper..........Dallas

.............................Phillips...........................

Costa.........Hernandez.....Alioski.....Harrison

............................Bamford........................................

A team full of energy & pace in abundance, no slouches in the middle of the park

Looks good....although I would still rather see Davis at LB.
I doubt Shackleton will start though.

Chilli D wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 12:15 pm Looks good....although I would still rather see Davis at LB.
I doubt Shackleton will start though.

I agree on both counts Chilli

I believe Davis picked up a knock which maybe the reason why he hasn't on the bench in our last two games

1964white wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 12:26 pm I agree on both counts Chilli

I believe Davis picked up a knock which maybe the reason why he hasn't on the bench in our last two games

I've just seen that Shackleton has started for the U23's and Nketiah, Alioski and Beradi are on the bench.

Boro are in crisis injury wise.

Darren Randolph- Out
Been their best player for years.

Captain George Friend- Out

Long throw merchant Ryan Shotton- Out

Winger Marcus Browne -Out

Rudy Gestede- Out

Marvin Johnson- Out (suspended)

Anfernee Dijksteel - Out

And 2 of Boro's best outfield players are serious doubts

Paddy McNair and Britt Assombalonga.

All this means Boro will win probably . . . . .

1964white wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:57 am I'd go with :

.........................................Casilla.........................................

Ayling................White................Cooper.................Dallas

........................................Phillips..........................................

Costa.....Shackleton.....Hernandez.....Alioski.....Harrison

.......................................Bamford........................................

A team full of energy & pace in abundance, no slouches in the middle of the park

Always easier naming a team when you can have 12 players in it!!!

Does look a strong team but I would expect Boro or the ref to notice.

weasel wrote:
Always easier naming a team when you can have 12 players in it!!!

Does look a strong team but I would expect Boro or the ref to notice.

If Twiggs were here I am sure he would classify one of those players as Captain Invisible... no wait a minute... Captain invisible is now playing right back for Boro, so that is them down to 10 men already.

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk

weasel wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 4:01 pm Always easier naming a team when you can have 12 players in it!!!

Does look a strong team but I would expect Boro or the ref to notice.

Oops!

Take Shacks out.

1964white wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 5:13 pm Oops!

Take Shacks out.

Are you sure?

that will cost you £40,000 cash in a plain brown paper bag, 50% up front, rest upon contract termination

Castillo

Ayling. White. Cooper

Phillips

Hernandez. Klich. Dallas. Harrison

Shackleton

Bamford

Castillo

Ayling. White. Cooper

Phillips

Hernandez. Klich. Dallas. Harrison

Shackleton

Bamford

I think it will be the same side from Tuesday with Costa replacing Roberts in the starting 11.

With so many players unavailable and Woodgate under so much pressure I hope we don’t make him into a tactical genius come ten to five tomorrow afternoon.

Take those chances boys.

Was really impressed with ali midweek - if he isn't on the team sheet he should get at least 30 minutes.

Our first easy win of the season incoming

faaip wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 5:19 pm Castillo

Ayling. White. Cooper

Phillips

Hernandez. Klich. Dallas. Harrison

Shackleton

Bamford

I'd put Dallas in for Ayling and Alioski in for Dallas.

hector wrote: ↑Fri Nov 29, 2019 5:19 pm Are you sure?

that will cost you £40,000 cash in a plain brown paper bag, 50% up front, rest upon contract termination

Bloody hell Hector your an expensive hitman, round here they’ll do it for a tenner and a bag of.......