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Ok, seeing as i've recently torn my ankle ligaments...then on monday (while on crutches) fell down the stairs and cracked my ribs, work is going to be a no no (thank god for sick pay) So with that in mind, i got myself the FM and with it, may as well make a story, gotta keep the brain active...
Funny how things work ain't it? One second top of the premier league, fighting the best in europe and winning and the next, ya playing in the championship...yeah, really funny that. But this is the life of a Leeds United fan...it has it's up's...but mostly it has it's down, but we stay loyal to the cause. Having supported Leeds all my life, i'd seen some great times (The above, winning the league in '92) and some bad times (Getting dumped out of the best league in the world by Bolton) but life goes on and it did for Leeds United and me. My names Reece, been a fan of this team since the day i was born, my dad and older brothers made sure of that. But back to the main story... We'd just finished 10th...which wasn't bad...but it was no way near brilliant. It was a happy medium. Blackwell had brought stability to the team along with help from Ken Bates (which i admit warming to now) but, stability never lasts in the land of Bates and in the summer, some sort of arguement ended Kevin Blackwells hopes of being the longest serving Leeds manager of the last few years as he was ousted out. The press condemned Bates of course (not happy unless they're slating someone for something) but he as always had a trick up his sleave...and we loved it...
"And late breaking news, Leeds United chairman Ken Bates has announced that former Leeds and England Midfield favourite David Batty has been appointed as manager. It's been a strange couple of weeks at Elland Road but early reaction has been positive. Batty is held in high reguard with fans of the Yorkshire club and it will be interesting to see how the former Newcastle hardman reacts to life in management."
Take 1 part shock, 2 parts joy and 1 part unease and you have how i felt. Yes David Batty, legend...but does he really have what it takes to manage a team of this size? One way to find out i guess...
The next few days were weird for us...we actally had money to spend and from the offers reportedly being made, we had quite a bit (By championship standards). Before we go further, let me give you a run down of the side...
Goalkeepers: Ian Bennett and Neil Sulivan. Both high quality, Sulivan being one of the top 3 keepers in the league. I must admit i had seen very little of Bennett but he was experienced and seemed eager to work hard for anything he got, which was a must for this team.
Right Backs: Gary Kelly and Fraser Richardson. Kelly, proven to be a top quality defender, loyal servant to this team and a legend in the mind of every Leeds fan, great player. Richardson, still haven't seen enough of him, but highly rated and at such a young age, plenty of room to improve and progress.
Left Backs: Dan Harding and Stephen Crainey. Harding comes highly rated, a great prospect for the future and great to have as this position has always been a bit of a tough one to cover. Crainey, never really had the chance to impress last term with injury and when he did play, he didn't stand out so this season will be a big one for him.
Central Defenders: Matthew Kilgallon, Sean Gregan, Paul Butler and Rui Marques. Kilgallon is another one of our great prospects for the future, got regular football last season and looking reasonably sound, time to really start showing his worth. Gregan takes the captains armband and although he's not the quickest around he knows the back line well and can organise the defence. Same goes for Butler, not the quickest but his experience will give him an edge over most. Marques is one i doubt will make it to the start of the season, doesn't possess the quality but may be given a chance until a replacement can be found.
Right Midfield: Steve Stone and Robbie Blake. Stone is a proven but faded international. Great in his forest days but (as most players do) faded at Aston Villa. Found some of his familar form at Portsmouth so hopefuly he'll bring some of that to Leeds, out for a little while, misses start of the season. Robbie Blake is a player with alot of potential if he can get a regular run of good form going. Moved for some big money and we'll be wanting him to justify that.
Left Midfield: Eddie Lewis and Danny Pugh. Very short in this area but we've got a top class player in Lewis, establised internation for the USA and could be playing in the world cup if he's lucky. Pugh impressed last season, but has to build on it as he faded in a big way towards the end. Good for a few goals i'm hoping.
Central Midfield: Jonathan Douglas, Shaun Derry, Simon Walton and Jermaine Wright. Douglas is on a season long loan from Blackburn and sounds like a decent player, made a few appearences for Rovers but will be looking for regular football while here, could impress. Derry could boss the midfield this season, tough as they come and not afraid of a tackle, nice to see in this ballet dancing center midfielder days. Walton is the same, tough and determind, has great talent for someone just 17 and i hope to god we keep him unlike the others who left (Milner, Lennon and co.). Jermaine Wright did well last season, nothing brilliant but can really dominate a midfield if given the right partner.
Strikers: David Healy, Rob Hulse, Ian Moore, Richard Cresswell and Matt Warner. We'll start with Healy. Came in last term with high hopes but didn't really realise them, needs to score more regularly and hit at least 15 in the league, 20 in all. Hulse really looked good on his loan spell, now he's here for good i'm hoping he recreates that same form and does the business for us, could forge an awesome partnership with Healy if they gel right, out until september. Moore is one i'm still wondering about, think Blackwell had a striker fetish and sometimes the strikers weren't that good but all deserve a chance, dunno if Batty will see it that way. Cresswell is the same, never really rated him and hope he gets the boot sooner rather than later. Warner, not seen much of the lad, he scored a few last term before he got injured, if Cresswell gets the boot, could have a better chance, we'll have to wait and see. He's very very quick.
Ok thats it, thats the team Batty has to work with and you'd have to be down right dumb not to realise it needs improvement. Wheather it gets improved is under debate...
I've fast forwarded a little bit to the start of the real season. Pre-season was joy after joy, especially when we spanked Burrow town 27-0. Matt Warner netted 11 times, incredible for him as he scored 20 goals in 4 games. All the opposition was poor but he was by far the best of the lot. As for signings, the first one showed alot of promise, with Hulse out and Moore and Cresswell being sold as soon as, Batty bought Geoff Horsefield in from West Brom for £140k. Bargain in my book, could thrive with the young lad Warner as they netted 19 of the 27 goals in that Burrow game. Other signings brought in were Carlos Bocanerga from Fulham for a structured £1m deal. I'll give ya a quick run down of the In's and Out's of the transfer window...
IN's:
Carlos Bocenegra (CB), £1m structured deal from Fulham
Geoff Horsefield (ST), £140k from West Brom
Seyfo Soley (CB/DMC), £750k from Genk
Peter Leven (AMC), £200k from Kilmarnock
Ryan Jarvis (AMC/R/ST) Season long loan from Norwich
Out's
Ian Moore (ST/CM), £50k to Aldershot
Richard Cresswell (ST), £110k to Oldham
Jermaine Wright (CM/AMC) £200k to Lincoln
Danny Pugh (LB/LM) £100k to Coventry
Rui Marques (CB) £20k to Vit. Setubul
There we have it, some shocks going out, some coming in but thats football and part of the reason why we love it so. Our first 2 matches found us traveling to the midlands to play Wolves and then Derby. After battering every single team we came across in pre-season (breaking into double figures 3 times from 5) the team looked confident enough to give Chelsea a run for their money...
Wolves 3-1 Leeds: Dismal to say the least, Walton came off injured after just 2 mins, only ray of sunshine all day was Warner and Horsefields link play, they we fantastic and the source of our best moves. We dominated from start to finish then going into the last 10mins, conceded 3 goals and blew it, but i suppose we can take alot away from the game. The missus wasn't happy that she missed eastenders for that performance but i pay the bills so stuff her, least what i'm watching is real. Sorry, side tracked. I saw alot in the Wolves game that gave me hope that the bookies prediction of relegation (And 3000-1 for the title) was wrong (put £10 down on Leeds for the title...too good to pass up, shhh...don't tell the woman)
Waking up on monday morning, i got the papers in, finding something rather interesting...
"Seyfo Soley has come out after Leeds Uniteds 3-1 defeat to Wolves stating that he isn't happy with the way manager David Batty talks to the team during match day..."
Well, hardly suprising you got a talking to son, you were to blame for at least one, if not 2 goals. It also said that Dan Harding felt the same, but thats just tough...i think Batty had some stern words for Soley after that little outburst, i'd rather not be him this morning i tell ya.
Tuesday soon came round as did some good news results wise, the trip to the midlands was not a pointless one..
Derby 1-3 Leeds: Goals from the brilliant Warner and Horsefield. Horsefield opened the scoring on 3 mins with a big header. A bit of a defensive lapse let Tommy Smith pull one back before Warner Netted his 3rd with a well placed effort and he doubled his tally with a second on 61mins. He's really thriving with Horsefield, they've both looked very inventive and like a strike force to be reckoned with. First win on the board and hopefuly we have more to come. The next game is against QPR at home, i'll be there with my season ticket in hand after this little doozy.
The aftermath of this result is however that David Healy is out for 2 months and Kilgallon out with a sprained ankle, as well as Shaun Derry with the same. Sulivan suffered a training injury. He hasn't started a game this term and while Bennett has conceded a few, he hasn't been half bad and will for sure get a longer run in the side now. After the win, the whole team had they're confidence back, yes they've leaked some stupid goals but it just looks like trying to get to know each other still, when they gel i'm sure they'll be alot more solid. Still with some funds and some time, Batty was still looking for some new recruits to bring in. As injuries mount it doesn't look brilliant in terms of the size of the squad but it could be worse. A couple of back up signings could do the trick and i've heard rumours of Mark Kerr being top target.
Leeds United 6-0 QPR: Absolutly bloody amazing. We dominated from first to last, how can people still pen us in at 30-1 for a win...i'm making a killing...i just made £150 quid for myself, cheers Mark Jarvis. Back to the result though, again it was Horsefield and Warner making all the headlines, they netted a hat trick each and the entire back 4 seemed incapable of getting a sniff of the ball. Eddie Lewis was fantastic, Robbie Blake is starting to thrive in that right midfield spot and the defence was faultless for once, not a foot wrong anywhere. Matt Warner was man of the match with 3 goals and 2 assists.
The whole city was on a high after that, relegation? Yeah right, we were gonna go up this season, i had a feeling and from what i heard, so does David Batty. After spending more than any other team in the league it looks like we'd become the Chelsea of the championship and we all know that Chelsea are gonna win the league again...or will they?
The papers confirmed that we had been bidding for Mark Kerr and we'd just had a £900k offer accepted, but so did West Ham and Sunderland. That has been the main problem...just when we get close to signing someone, the vultures swarm in and snatch them from under our noses. David Batty spoke of his frustration in the transfer market in a radio phone-in. Having the funds doesn't always mean you'll get a signiture as it proves, seeing as many players snubbed Batty and Leeds for other teams. Hopefuly we'll get to rub they're nose's in it come May when were back in the premiership.
I managed to get off lunch and down to thorpe arch to watch the lads train and i must say, they look good and healthy. It's a relitivly young side, the most impressive players being Warner, Douglas (still to start a game), Walton looked to be taking things easy after his injury, as did Shaun Derry. It's all looking a bit bare training wise, hopefuly we'll have a full strength squad for the visit of Burnley.
Leeds 4-1 Burnley: Again, the brilliance of Horsefield and Warner partnership shone through as they bagged a brace each. In control from start to finish but more worries were raised as Ian Bennett was taken off leaving us with just one established goalkeeper. We lead 3-0 at half time before Horsefield got his 5th goal of the season 15mins from time. New Burnley signing, former Leeds striker Brian Deane got the consolation goal with 4mins remaining but the points were in the bag at half time. Upto 3rd and 3 wins from 4 games. Only Reading and top team Crystal Palace can better that.
Sadly though, the injury list is just getting bigger and bigger. It's now 9 first team players out with injury. Meaning they'll be no rest for the likes of Warner, Horsefield and Blake for the trip to Mansfield in midweek for our first round League cup tie. The players who are out are as follows,
David Healy
Rob Hulse
Dan Harding
Ian Bennett
Carlos Bocanegra
Matthew Kilgallon
Steve stone
Eddie Lewis
Gyfil Einarsson
Bleak reading really and not what we want to be seeing, as were only 4 games into the new season and every game seems to bring a new casualty. More bad news followed on the monday when Mark Kerr decided against a move to Leeds, saying he felt it would be a step down, yeah right...have you actually seen scottish football. Anyhow, not to be dishearted Batty threw his all into the last week of transfer madness, making bids for Nick Montgomery of Sheffield Utd, Bjarni Gudjonsson of Plymouth, Youl Mawene of Preston and a loan offer for Spurs teenage striker Bernard Lee.
Offers didn't just go out on the monday though, catching a glimpse of sky sports news i spotted that Spurs had a £7.25m offer for Matt Warner turned down and Middlesborough had a offer rejected for Dan Harding. It was all kicking off as i sat down to watch Jeff Stelling guide me through the 1st round league cup fixtures.
Mansfield 0-8 Leeds: Another brilliant night but expected in some ways. Warner and Horsefield bagged a brace each, Douglas got one as did new signing Leven. Derry scored a fantastic 30 yard effort for his first of the season, and Walton wrapped it up with a penalty in the 88th min to seal our route into the next round. But all our good news seems to come with bad news, loan signing Ryan Jarvis is out for at least 2 months with strained ankle ligaments making it 10 first team stars out. I hope to god we manage to sign someone before the transfer window is done.
CSKA Moscow beat Liverpool 3-2 on penalties in the super cup final which was welcome, bloody scousers! Oh and just to inform you also, Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-1 in the charity shield final and to celebrate, bought Ronaldo from Real Madrid for £24m. A few party poppers and some beer is good enough celebration for me but those Russians, always going one better. It has been a slow week really. The next game coming up is against Plymouth away, could be a tough one. The day of the match quickly came as did the draw for the 2nd round of the league cup, in which we drew Northampton Town at home, hopefuly we'll make it through and get a big team in the 3rd round but all in due time, 3 points against Plymouth is a must to keep up the confidence, hopefuly we'll be able to get through this match without picking up another injury. The Elland road's physio room must look like a world war 2 field hospital by now.
Plymouth 0-4 Leeds: Another top class result, only mistake being a missed penalty. Goals from the usual sources, Horsefield opening the scoring after a cheeky headed flick from Warner set him free to lash home from 12 yards, Warner netter a penalty 6mins before half time with ease. Blake finished off a fantastic chipped through ball from Walton to make it 3-0. Warner missed a 2nd penalty but made up for it 3mins later, latching onto a Crainey through ball before nutmegging a defender and lashing it into the top corner. 4-0 final score and upto 2nd in the league. Sulivan man of the match.
What made things more impressive is that we got through the game without picking up an injury and Rob Hulse made a small 10min cameo in place of Warner. What did shock me and most of the footballing nation that night while watching Match of the Day is that Chelsea had announced a failed £15m bid for Matt Warner. I really hope we don't sell the lad, he's been amazing and i hope he knows how he got here, i think unlike others before him, he is true Leeds Utd material. Big LUFC tattoo down his forarm, always wearing the shirt with pride, great to see these days after the likes of Smith and Ferdinand, b****ards! And Lee Bernard agreed to his 3 month loan move, so he'll be joining the squad in time to play Watford at home on Monday.
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