Leeds United v Southampton - Match Thread

[Kennyb41]

All i know is he's just got to have our players ready for a change if need be, and have them ALL ready and prepared to know the plans.

Play A, B and C

In an ideal scenario like Norwich, plan A is doing just fine.

If he goes with the same team, we have back up with James, Joseph, Roberts and Anthony to use as needed from the bench, and those 4 don't alter much to any set up that's going well, but would be welcome fresh legs.

I hope we don't even have to see PB or Byram, that would mean things aren't going well, and PB is never a good introduction from the bench as he struggles with that, getting into a game cold doesn't suit him.

[Sean_Nile]

It would require Georgie to become a midfielder out of possession but that's OK it did wonders for Joelinton at Newcastle and we know Georgie isn't afraid of tracking back.

How often have we seen good results from Geogio picking the ball up deep and making a killer pass to the forwards to score a goal.

Or when he starts the move and finishes it.

I think there will be a tussle between him and Smallbone that may results in a card for one or the other.

[Barlow Boy]

Got a point about the kits, would hate to play this in the pink kit

Surely we play in white and them in red ?

[Cjay]

How often have we seen good results from Geogio picking the ball up deep and making a killer pass to the forwards to score a goal.

Or when he starts the move and finishes it.

I think there will be a tussle between him and Smallbone that may results in a card for one or the other.

Will require a lot more discipline from Georgie playing as effectively an 8 out of possession which is what I'd do.

A front 2 press just doesn't work vs Southampton as we've seen.

Hopefully a change we make.

Smallbone as you say will be key for them

[Cjay]

Both League 1 and League 2 playoff finals have been won by teams who failed to beat the opponent in the regular season . . . .

[Sean_Nile]

Does Russell Martin have the hump over his past relationship with Daniel Farke?

Daniel Farke dropped Russell Martin from the Norwich City lineup
primarily due to a combination of tactical decisions and performance
considerations. Does that leave Russell with the feeling he is not good enough?
Will it play on his mind that this man rejected me, and does his two victories
over Farke make some sort of statement that he is wanting to prove Farke wrong?

When Farke took over as head coach of Norwich in 2017, he brought in new defensive
strategies and preferred other players in the defensive roles, which led to Martin,
despite being the club captain, not fitting into his immediate plans.
You could say the same about Farke and Cooper.

There were no personal conflicts reported between them;
Martin acknowledged that he was simply not part of Farke's tactical vision for the team.

Is there unfinished business between the pair of them? A festering wound.

[Finnatic]

Got a point about the kits, would hate to play this in the pink kit

If not in white we’ll probably be in the peacock blue kit.
If I remember correctly, we wore that v Southampton away.

[CUSSIE01]

If not in white we’ll probably be in the peacock blue kit.
If I remember correctly, we wore that v Southampton away.

[Cjay]

Does Russell Martin have the hump over his past relationship with Daniel Farke?

Daniel Farke dropped Russell Martin from the Norwich City lineup
primarily due to a combination of tactical decisions and performance
considerations. Does that leave Russell with the feeling he is not good enough?
Will it play on his mind that this man rejected me, and does his two victories
over Farke make some sort of statement that he is wanting to prove Farke wrong?

When Farke took over as head coach of Norwich in 2017, he brought in new defensive
strategies and preferred other players in the defensive roles, which led to Martin,
despite being the club captain, not fitting into his immediate plans.
You could say the same about Farke and Cooper.

There were no personal conflicts reported between them;
Martin acknowledged that he was simply not part of Farke's tactical vision for the team.

Is there unfinished business between the pair of them? A festering wound.

They did have a falling out of sorts, Martin spoke about it years ago.

Started in pre season where some of the Norwich players weren't sure about some of the things Farke was doing so Martin was asked to clarify as club Captain and Martin said whilst he wasn't being critical he felt Farke didn't like being questioned.

Relationship never recovered and culminated with him basically being banned from the 1st team dressing room in the end and leaving.

Wasn't a massive fight sort of thing but he said he was hurt by how his departure was handled after 8 years and multiple promotions with Norwich.

[Ellandback1]

Sunday 26th May 3:00pm | Wembley


The 2023/24 football season comes to an end on Sunday, as Leeds and Southampton lock horns at Wembley to decide the biggest prize in World club football today. TV deals, sponsorship and other income streams worth an estimated £265m are at stake for the winners, as well as trips to the likes of the Etihad, Emirates and Old Trafford, a sharp contrast to days out at Portsmouth, Derby and Oxford Utd. Leeds have been given the home England dressing room, and an allocation of 35,796 seats (East side), with their South coast opponents occupying the West (35,667). Leeds will play in their famous all white kit, inspired by the late, great Don Revie; how ominous that this game should be decided exactly thirty-five years to the day of his sad passing.





There's no love lost between Daniel Farke and Russell Martin who Captained the Canaries during Farke's early tenure at Carrow Road. The two don't get on, which led to the Scot ending his eight year stay with Norwich, and joining Walsall (in 2018). Leeds will keep their cards close to their chest regarding the fitness of Patrick Bamford. He has missed four games with a knee injury (minor trauma in his patellar tendon). Joel Piroe, who impressed in the second leg against Norwich, stands by. Pascal Struijk remains a long term casualty. On-loan defender Connor Roberts is still looking to get back to full fitness, having picked up an ankle injury whilst on duty with Wales last time out. Both he, and fellow International team-mate Dan James (bruised ribs v Boro) were given a run-out during the last twenty minutes or so during the 4-0 win last Thursday evening.

Saints Striker Che Adams will be fit for the visit to Wembley. The 27yo forward has been in sparkling form for the South Coast outfit, netting 18 times this season from just 27 starts. Fellow forward Adam Armstrong (23 goals and 13 goals) shook off an ankle injury, and terrorised the West Brom defence in their 3-1 drubbing. Namesake Stuart Armstrong (no relation) misses out through injury. Shot stopper Gavin Bazunu has a ruptured Achilles tendon which is likely to keep him out until next year. One time Leeds keeper Alex McCarthy will continue to deputise. Striker Ross Stewart could play his first game in over six months after coming a troublesome hamstring problem!

[The Subhuman]

Unchanged one would assume, maybe Byram on the bench if fit

[BlancdeBlanc]

I had a nightmare last night that we lost 1-0 to a Byram own goal - please, no!

[Ellandback1]

Unchanged one would assume, maybe Byram on the bench if fit

If he's fit. The big challenge will be keeping their forwards out.

[Sean_Nile]

If he's fit. The big challenge will be keeping their forwards out.

We managed Sara and Rowe for Norwich, same again for Fazer and Armstrong.

Easy Peasy

[Orange Box]

Soton must have be thinking they’ve got us in their back pocket already and making travel plans for Newcastle next season. Then Norwich happened. They’ll be as edgy as hell, now. I see us winning this. Come on Leeds.

[Irish Ian]

Should be a fun day out for the club. I am slightly worried that some of our fans will make arses of themselves but it's not som2thing I can control.

I have already decided that come what may to be graceful in defeat, awful in victory and personally block all the hand wringing hindsight blamers if we end up not promoting.

I may as well put this in here.

It would be great to get promoted and have the financial backing and hopefully a talented manager who will finally lift us out of the shadow of the past Leeds legends and build something a bit more durable than what it as been since the Revie era.

Looking back is dragging us down. Look what is happening across the pennines since Fergie left, their fanbase are stuck in an endless cycle of unhappiness since. It's great:) But so in many respects so are we, tied to a golden decade which in many cases is on the outer limits of our memory.

Wilko and O'Leary went close. Bielsa raised expectation and now Farke and co have the opportunity to push us on to the next level. But we continually shackle any manager with useless points of comparisons from past glories.

Farke for all his faults seems a strong enough person not to wilt under that constant pressure.

A promotion raises the possibility of us being set free.

Big game. Let's back him and the side.

[Tom the Cat]

If we play like we did against Norwich we can beat anyone so don't worry about Southampton let them worry about us. I watched their game against WBA and they were not great against a side that made Norwich look good. My only concern is that it seems Bamford has declared himself "fit" but I cannot see how DF can leave anyone out of the side that played so well against Norwich.

[Ellandback1]

Soton must have be thinking they’ve got us in their back pocket already and making travel plans for Newcastle next season. Then Norwich happened. They’ll be as edgy as hell, now. I see us winning this. Come on Leeds.

I actually think Saints will be dreading it. They've beaten us twice. To beat us 3 times in one season would is very unlikely.

[Barlow Boy]

6 more sleeps.

[Irish Ian]

I actually think Saints will be dreading it. They've beaten us twice. To beat us 3 times in one season would is very unlikely.

We beat Norwich 3 times. And Plymouth.

They will have an edge as they used tactics that worked for them and stuck 5 goals past us.