The last time we played Derby on a Friday night I had to miss due to a birthday party and have spent the last 2 seasons with my mates telling me how brilliant that performance was ! Well now I have seen us better it both in terms of peformance and in terms of result. In the pub pre match we all agreed that if it was not a must win game it was certainly a must not lose - 3 on the bounce and panic would set in certainly amongst the fans. The pub (West Ridings) was bouncing with a bunch of Dublin lads who spent the whole time singing and dancing - their favourite was "Biiiiielsa he comes from Argentina, he knows exactly what we need, Jansson at the back, Pablo in attack, taking us to the Premier League" A very lively ditty but a bit tedious when it was sang 40+ times on the run (thats what it felt like) So the fans were certainly up for it with another home sell out. The team news was met with some relief in that Pablo was declared fit and some excitement with Clarke getting a start, and some (as it turned out, totally unnecessary) worry with Alioski at left back (my mates are NOT Alioski fans)The bench on the other hand was a cause for concern with only Roberts a genuine first team squad player and the only one with a shirt number under 40 ! What would happen if Cooper and or Hernandez could not last the 90 mins ? We all agreed that we needed to be at our best and needed to really get at them from the start, and we certainly did that with a penalty given (and then rescinded) in the first two minutes. We totally dominated from start to finish and I dont think Derby had a shot on target all game. We attacked and attacked and were quick, decisive and totally relentless - we chased them down, harried and just got at and in amongst them , making them look second rate The only criticism / worry was that it was only 1 0 at half time (having said that we have won every game when we scored first according to Sky stats) - then at the start of the second we got the killer goal - at 2 0 I never thought we would not win . Sky love saying that 2 0 is a 'dangerous' scoreline with the team in the lead never knowing if to stick or twist and one goal back puts in on a knife edge. Well we know we never stick and were always going to carry on attacking and always felt even if Derby did get a goal back (though no idea how that could happen) we would get a third At the final whistle I just said "Magnificent" and all the fans around me agreed, that was a brilliant performance and once again the perfect riposte to the 2 league defeats There were heroes and great performances all over the pitch in a white shirt , so tens all round, but special mentions to Alioski who gets a lot of stick, Harrison who is growing into his role in a Leeds shirt, Forshaw who had by far his best game for us really getting the tempo going, and of course match-winner Jack Clarke who on from the start really came of age and scared them to death. Often in discussions we agree that we do not have a player who frightens the opposition, well Jack will do so from now on. Some good chants "we're Leeds United we spy when we want " "all spies are we" and to Derby fans who instead of putting fans in the bottom tier filled it with a massive flag "Take your flag and F off home" So, after a wobble we returned to our best - this was the Leeds United that started the season v Stoke - fast, one touch exciting possession football with a cutting edge Magnificent Dave _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected]
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