Daniel Wales and the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Lee Sobot discuss all things Leeds United. This week they look at Leeds’ shock loss against Blackburn, the Championship run-in, a must-win game against Middlesbrough, and Leeds players being recognised at the EFL Awards.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Lee, here we are once again talking about Leeds United. Things aren't looking good at the moment though are they?
00:06 It's not.
00:07 It wasn't the best of weekends for Leeds, they needed a response from the goalless draw against Sunderland with another home tie at Elland Road against Blackburn Rovers, a side who themselves were struggling.
00:19 But Leeds came up against Sammy Smordyks, who I believe is the Championship's top scorer or at least their amount. And his goal sealed all three points for John Eustace's side.
00:31 Leeds had a lot of chances but just couldn't really get anywhere near. A lot of them were perhaps clear cut apart from maybe the one went on to Slidden from that delivery, but they were never quite clinical enough Leeds were they?
00:44 That's what it comes down to. That was Daniel Farker's first response really. What happened in that game? Why didn't you win it? He said basically we didn't put the ball in the back of the net, which is a very straightforward thing to say.
00:53 But that is the truth really because you can just look at the stats. I mean, 19 shots compared to three. I mean, that speaks volumes. Only five on target compared to two to Blackburn. 75% possession.
01:04 But how many times can you say these things where you go through, you know, look at games, none of them stats matter really. The only one that matters is the score at the end of the day and the result. And that could be a hugely damaging result for Leeds United.
01:14 Obviously, it's not far from over yet. We'll talk about that in a minute. Obviously, it could soon change and hopefully it will. But very much out of their hands now after that defeat.
01:23 Yeah, a really frustrating time. I mean, one point from three games out of those last three, you know, obviously defeat at Coventry, the draw against Sunderland and then obviously this defeat against Blackburn.
01:32 And, you know, it just shows you we looked at the game beforehand and we sort of said, you know, well, it should be a perfect fixture. You know, then Blackburn just getting walloped.
01:39 Obviously, then coming back, you know, two games in very close proximity of each other, having played Bristol City away and losing 5-0.
01:45 But, you know, this is the championship and we did sort of say beforehand that, well, we recorded it before that 5-0 defeat, that before that 5-0 defeat, they were actually on quite a good little run under new boss John Eustace.
01:55 And we did also, you know, signal the danger, obviously, which was obvious about Sammy Smoddicks. And in the end, he was the difference.
02:01 And I mean, I think it's a bit simplistic to just say that, you know, Smoddicks was the difference in the result. And if Leeds had Smoddicks, they would have won.
02:09 I don't think it's quite as straightforward as that, but it certainly would have helped. And at the moment, they're just not scoring the goals, you know, I mean, just looking black and white.
02:16 And the results, they've not really had a massive problem with it this season. I mean, they haven't got like goals in absolute abundance.
02:22 I think it's 76 for the season, you know, and Ipswich are on 85. So they're not too far away from, you know, top of the division in terms of goals.
02:28 But obviously, more would help and they definitely need them at the moment. And there's just loads of different factors to it, really.
02:33 I feel like, you know, Daniel Farker at the moment doesn't feel like he doesn't really seem like he knows what definitely to do in terms of the number nine.
02:40 Obviously, we talked about Bamford. He came out the side. You know, I think a lot of people are calling for that.
02:46 I mean, awful lot of respect for Bamford and his hold-up play, etc. But he is a streaky player that goes on runs.
02:50 And, you know, it wasn't difficult to imagine that run extending in terms of not scoring.
02:54 Peru went into the team and it just didn't happen for him basically at all, really. It was a little bit better when he dropped a bit deeper.
03:00 He stayed on the pitch the whole game, which was a surprise because he was definitely one of the poorer players.
03:05 So obviously, you know, it brings back this whole question of should Matteo Joseph start at number nine?
03:10 I mean, I think he's I think Daniel's made it pretty clear. He doesn't want to throw him straight in.
03:13 So I don't suspect that will happen. So we'll wait and see what happens there.
03:16 But just loads of factors also, you know, if you're relying on the strikers, you then need him magic from someone like Somerville, you know, who's obviously the main man.
03:23 And, you know, he's still a massive threat, but he's not quite as brilliant best at the moment.
03:27 Rutez struggling a little bit at the moment. Nonto was very, very good.
03:31 A lot of disappointment when he came off, but I think you've got to factor into that that he's only just come back from injury.
03:36 I mean, you could see the list goes on and on. Corners is a huge thing.
03:40 I mean, the number of times when you're doing a live blog or whatever with Leeds or you're tweeting about and you say Leeds corner and it just comes to nothing.
03:45 It's just a staggering amount of corners that they're just not making the most of.
03:48 So there's all these things that come into it. In terms of the two games overall, you can look at the referee and decisions, obviously, especially against the Sunderland game.
03:56 You can look at Blackburn time wasting, but I'm not one for sort of blaming things like that, really.
04:00 I think you've got to sort of like, you know, being got to do it yourself and like be better on the pitch and take your chances.
04:05 And, you know, I think most fans would agree with that as well. So, yeah, really disappointing.
04:10 And the only thing is, let's be honest, it could have been a lot worse.
04:14 You know, if I'd have lost that game and Ipswich would have won as well, then it still wouldn't be over.
04:18 But you would already be looking at that now thinking, you know, are Ipswich potentially gone?
04:22 Yes, Leicester are only just ahead of you, but they've got that game in hand and a lot will come down to that.
04:26 So it's very, very, you know, finely balanced now.
04:30 And it feels like, I don't know, we'll see what happens, but it feels like they're going to need probably three wins from the last three games or at least very, very close to.
04:37 And even then that might not be enough. But, you know, it's not just Leeds.
04:41 Everybody's slipping up at the moment and it's not just in the Championship. It's in the Premier League as well.
04:45 So, you know, it comes down to crunch time. I'm sure pressure does come into it.
04:48 You know, even if you can't tell if pressure comes into it, but it's probably just one of those things, you know, and the stakes are very, very high.
04:54 So, yeah, very, very disappointing. I should say also that, although like you sort of forget about it, that's the unbeaten home record gone as well, you know, which we talked about every week on this.
05:03 And I don't know about people who forgot about it, but you almost think the main thing that matters is just getting into the top two.
05:08 Like, you know, so it's not as much focus on the fact that the home record's gone, but the unbeaten home record has gone, which was a very proud home record.
05:16 But, you know, just got to sort of hope they bounce back. I mean, you don't want to go in too hard on them because they've been very, very good all season, obviously, after a very, very difficult start.
05:24 But I mean, it's crunch time now. It's beyond crunch time, you know, and they just have to have to respond.
05:30 And as I say, there's loads of different things you can go through there as to why it's not happening at the moment.
05:35 The bottom line is they've got to correct them. And Daniel Farker said that himself afterwards.
05:38 He says, well, you know, I'll go away. To be fair to him, he said, I'll go away as well and I'll work hard.
05:42 It's down to me to find the solution. So lots of questions for him to answer and they've just got to find the right answers to it really now, Daniel.
05:50 Yeah, I think these were certainly done a favour the night before with Leicester losing away at Plymouth, Argyle. That helped.
05:56 And then, of course, as you mentioned, Ipswich only picking up a point at home to Middlesbrough.
06:00 So as much as it's not in Leeds' hands, they were helped by these results on the other sides.
06:06 Again, not picking up maximum points. It's as if neither of the top three are wanting to just break free of the others at the moment.
06:13 They all keep stumbling a little bit as if they're all limping towards the finish line and neither of them are able to just blow the other two away.
06:21 Regardless, though, we'll now look at the three of them, Leeds included.
06:25 We will also take a little look at Southampton because if we're honest, they are still within touching distance, given the games they have in hand.
06:32 At the time of the recording, they are due to play this evening. So we'll factor that in too.
06:37 But as I say, they could still catch Leeds at least.
06:41 But we'll look at the top three, obviously, as I mentioned there, Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Leeds United.
06:46 It's been an interesting few weeks, as I say. Neither three really at their very best.
06:53 And so, Lee, if we look at the run-ins, who's likely to do it?
06:57 It's a million-dollar question, that one, isn't it? You're quite right about Southampton, first and foremost.
07:02 I mean, obviously, they're the four favourites, even if they get a win in this game that we're speaking ahead of tonight.
07:08 But even with Southampton before that, I think last week there were hundreds of ones finishing the top two,
07:12 and those odds have very quickly gone down to nearer like 20s and even getting towards 10.
07:16 So, I mean, they are closing. And Daniel Farke has actually said in his last couple of presses about Southampton,
07:20 you know, almost unprompted, you know, don't forget about them, etc.
07:23 So, by no means forgetting them, especially with the fact they're playing Leeds on the last game of the season.
07:28 And it's not difficult to see it going down to the last game of the season, to be honest.
07:32 Now, the interesting thing with the schedule is, which is a big factor, really,
07:36 especially if pressure does things to teams, which I'm sure it can do, is how long Ipswich have now got without a game,
07:42 obviously, because they were supposed to be playing Coventry this weekend and obviously they're in the FA Cup.
07:46 So that game's basically been shelved and moved forward a little bit.
07:48 So what it does mean is it means Leeds played twice before Ipswich.
07:52 Obviously, Middlesbrough away and QPR away.
07:55 I mean, that in itself is a difficult week because obviously they've both been moved to Sky.
07:59 So you've got like two away days, other ends of the country, one on a Monday night and one on a Friday,
08:03 with not an awful lot of recovery time in between, you know, so that's difficult in its own right.
08:07 But simply, they've got to go into those two games and get six points, you know,
08:11 and then pile the pressure on Ipswich. And obviously, then the gap will change.
08:14 The gap would then become four. So, you know, like, obviously, that's what they've got to go and do.
08:18 They've got to go and get those six points in those games.
08:21 The thing I would say with the run-ins is you would look at the other games and you can see the other teams slipping up.
08:27 And, you know, to be honest, at the moment, everyone's slipping up against anyone anyway.
08:32 You know, no disrespect to other teams, but I mean, who would have seen Leeds slipping up against Sunderland, you know?
08:36 And obviously, Blackburn and Leicester as well at Plymouth.
08:39 All right, Plymouth are fighting for a fighting relegation, but every team seems to be dropping points at the moment.
08:44 But even if they weren't, you'd look at these fixtures and think there's chances there.
08:47 Leicester obviously play first. They've got West Brom this weekend.
08:50 I think that's a Saturday lunchtime kickoff. So, I mean, West Brom obviously look like they're pretty much safe in the playoffs.
08:55 But nevertheless, you know, they're a decent team. They're flying reasonably high.
08:58 So there's obvious chances there, especially with Leicester having lost the last two.
09:01 So there's a chance there. Leeds obviously then go to Borough.
09:04 Leicester-Southampton is the game in hand. That is absolutely huge.
09:08 And if you're looking at Leicester in terms of, you know, what game are they going to slip up in?
09:12 I mean, could slip up in any, but that's the one you look at straight away because Southampton will obviously, you know,
09:16 assuming they keep going between now and then, they'll have to get on.
09:20 They'll have to be almost perfect to have any chance of the top two.
09:22 And then Leeds obviously go to QPR, who, you know, another team fighting the drop, who, you know, sort of like are down towards.
09:27 They'll probably be all right, but very much scrapping away as well.
09:30 So that's the first ones that come up. Obviously, then Ipswich go to Hull.
09:35 And then you've got Leicester going to Preston and then Ipswich going to Coventry.
09:39 And they're the two ones, I think from some way out, people looked at this and they thought with Ipswich,
09:43 those two away games, Hull away and Coventry away. Now, can you really see them getting six points in those?
09:48 We definitely can. Yeah. But I mean, you could equally see them dropping points.
09:51 And the bottom line is, is if Hull, if Ipswich drop anything in any of those two games, even if they get four points,
09:57 if Leeds get nine, that'll be enough, you know.
10:00 So look, it's not in their hands. Absolutely not. I mean, that's, you know, the maths tell you that,
10:04 especially if Leicester win the game in hand, although that will also be key.
10:07 But I do think if Leeds can get nine points from those last three games,
10:11 I would think there's a reasonable chance of at least Ipswich dropping points and, you know, Hull away,
10:15 Coventry away or Leicester slipping up in West Brom, Southampton, one of those, or if not both, you know,
10:20 it might be that seven points is enough for Leeds.
10:23 The caveat to that is that you've got to be honest with yourself and say that the way Leeds are playing at the moment
10:27 and not taking the chances, can you really see them getting nine points from those last three games?
10:31 You can if they come back to the best and it all starts to click, but it's got to be a big question mark about it.
10:36 So you could well see it going to the last game of the season and the last day of the season.
10:40 And they're all three are at home.
10:41 And you've got to be honest when it comes to the last game of the season, Leeds have got the hardest game.
10:45 You know, they've got Southampton at home who might well need to win to get anywhere near close to the top two.
10:50 It might already be done by them.
10:51 I don't know. Whereas Ipswich have got Huddersfield at home and Leicester have got Blackburn at home.
10:55 And you would definitely fancy both of those two, all things being equal.
10:57 So it feels like really something has to happen very, very soon, you know,
11:02 before that last day for this to sort of go Leeds' way again.
11:05 It definitely can. The betting's interesting. Leicester are one to seven to finish in the top two.
11:09 Which is really, really short. And that's obviously based on their game in hand.
11:13 But I mean, that's not to say they'll get anything from the game in hand, which is against Southampton.
11:16 So if they weren't, that would very quickly change. Ipswich are four to seven and Leeds are 11 to 10.
11:21 So Leeds are very much now third favourites. They have been second favourites for a long time.
11:25 It's not surprising, though, because it is out of their hands.
11:28 But I think to summarise, I think there will be a couple more twists and turns yet,
11:33 even though there's only three games left for Leeds and Ipswich and four for Leicester.
11:36 Obviously Southampton will have four after tonight. But time's definitely running out.
11:41 And, you know, they kind of got away with it. There's two things with Leeds.
11:45 Number one, they kind of got away with it a little bit here, because obviously one point out of the last three.
11:50 And yet there's still very much of in-touch and distance of top two, albeit it's out of their own hands.
11:54 So that is what that's the first thing. They've kind of got away with it.
11:56 The second thing is the other way of looking at it is that it's a huge missed opportunity, really.
12:01 I mean, from those three games to get one point, even if they'd have got six or seven,
12:05 they would be very much in their own hands and that you would be sat here now thinking it looks like they're going to do it.
12:10 You know, you couldn't sit here now. You could if you wanted to and you're optimistic.
12:14 You couldn't sit here now being realistic of yourself and say Leeds are going to do it because it's out of their hands.
12:17 And you just don't know what you would say is there's still definitely a chance.
12:20 But they've got to, got to, got to pile the pressure on Ipswich in these next two games.
12:25 And Borough away won't be easy, as we'll come to in a minute.
12:28 And obviously there's two things, really.
12:30 They've got to hope they get six points from these next two games and hope that Leicester slip up from there next two.
12:34 And then it's over to Ipswich. But that's the first instalment of it.
12:37 And they've got to do their bit at Borough.
12:39 I think you're spot on there, Lee. Leeds, if they'd even picked up a couple of more points in these three games where they have slipped up,
12:47 things would look a lot different right now.
12:49 I'm not saying they had to go and win maybe two or three of them, even if they won one of them, for example.
12:54 They'd still be much more in a much healthier position than they are.
12:58 But as you say, performances are just not there for Leeds at the moment.
13:01 And so they're going to need a sharp turnaround performance-wise.
13:04 Daniel Thorkett is going to have to find that solution if they are going to sort themselves out.
13:09 And as you say, it's not in their own hands, but they can give themselves the best chance by putting that pressure on Ipswich.
13:15 And that's what's really important.
13:17 We should say as well about the goal difference, you know, because when I say obviously like the gap will be four points,
13:21 obviously, in terms of if Leeds can get these two wins, you know, before Ipswich play and the gap becomes four,
13:26 obviously then Ipswich could get four points from Hull away and Coventry away.
13:30 But four points wouldn't be enough for them because of the goal difference, you know,
13:33 and obviously goal difference can soon change, but it's a decent difference.
13:36 You know, it's not something that's likely to change in the space of three games.
13:39 So that's why I say if Leeds can get six from these next two, from Borough away and QPR away, before Ipswich return to action,
13:47 even though it's out of their hands, I think a lot of people would fancy it because there'd be four points ahead of Ipswich.
13:53 All right, they'd have two games in hand, but, you know, you'd look at Ipswich and say
13:57 you'd think there'd be a good chance from slipping up at least to some degree in Hull away and Coventry away.
14:03 But it's all ifs, buts and maybes at the moment because, you know, we're sort of sat here saying,
14:08 oh, that's with Leeds with six points in the bank and it is by no means a foregone conclusion that they get six points from Borough away and QPR.
14:14 Absolutely, definitely not. You know, they definitely can do it, as we'll come to in a minute, but it won't be easy at all.
14:20 They've got to do it, really.
14:21 Well, they often say goal difference is worth an extra point.
14:24 But as you say, Middlesbrough away is next and obviously Middlesbrough are a team I'm used to covering.
14:29 Michael Carrick's got them playing some good football at the moment.
14:32 They've had something of an inconsistent season, I think it's fair to say, compared to the previous campaign.
14:37 They lost a couple of players who were on loan during the summer. That didn't help them.
14:42 But even now, towards the end of the season, they are putting the pressure on the knock on the door of the playoffs just a little bit.
14:47 It's perhaps unlikely they make it in, but they've still given themselves a chance with some really good results of late.
14:53 Obviously, they took that point off Ipswich in their last fixture away from home.
14:58 And then they returned to the Riverside this time to welcome Leeds United in what is, as you say, Lee, an absolutely huge game for both sides.
15:07 Because if Middlesbrough win, they give themselves, as I say, a good chance of still making the playoffs, despite it being a little bit unlikely at the moment.
15:14 But as for Leeds, realistically, they have to win.
15:17 If they don't win, I think they confine themselves to the playoffs, to be honest, because that gives Ipswich the chance with games in hand to go and play their own football and just make it simple for themselves.
15:29 Leicester, of course, also having a game in hand.
15:31 So Leeds simply have to win that game at Middlesbrough.
15:34 But it won't be easy.
15:36 Michael Carrick, as I say, got some good football going on at the Riverside.
15:40 They've got some good players, some players coming back from injury soon too.
15:43 The likes of Hayden Hackney, to name just one of them.
15:47 So what can Leeds do?
15:50 What can they change in this fixture?
15:52 How can they go about getting those three points they so desperately need?
15:55 Well, they've got to be more clinical.
15:57 That's the first thing to say.
15:58 You know, when they get chances, they've got to take them.
16:00 But also, they've got to create slightly better chances, because as we say, when we look back at these, apart from the odd one, certainly look back at that Blackburn game.
16:06 I didn't leave at full time when I was doing my little verdict at the end.
16:10 I didn't look back at it and think, how on earth did he miss that?
16:13 There was nothing that really stuck out as glorious gold.
16:16 There was lots of good chances, but not superb ones.
16:18 They've got to create better chances.
16:20 And they've got to take the chances more, well, take any chance when it comes to it.
16:24 I don't know whether this game will suit Leeds or not.
16:27 I half wonder at the moment, because of the pressure and because obviously both Blackburn and Sunderland sat deep and made themselves very hard to break down,
16:34 whether actually playing away will suit Leeds a little bit better at the moment, whether they'll get a little bit more space,
16:39 whether teams will come out and attack them.
16:41 But let's be honest, Michael Carrick's a very good manager.
16:43 He won't want to give them much space either.
16:45 So I expect even though Borough are at home and they'll probably try and go for it,
16:48 they'll certainly be very, very hard to break down and tighten, whatever.
16:50 But it might just suit Leeds a little bit better than the last couple of games have.
16:54 But I was quite, I mean, obviously, you keep your eye on all the results, but I was amazed when we looked at Borough's recent runs.
16:59 I think it's nine games unbeaten, which has sort of come from nowhere, really.
17:02 I mean, and the other thing I would say with that is they've done wonderfully well to have an unbeaten run like that,
17:06 because I did a little piece putting all the injuries together and they've got a staggering amount of injuries, you know,
17:10 like they really, really have.
17:11 I know they're starting to ease off a little bit now.
17:13 We'll wait and see if Hayden Hackney's back.
17:15 He's a player I think is a very, very good young player, etc.
17:17 There might be a few other ones coming back, but they're still going to be without an awful lot of players.
17:21 That said, they've achieved this recent run with most of those players out.
17:25 Another big factor in this, which should be a massive relief to Leeds fans, is the fact that both Luke Ayling,
17:29 especially Luke Ayling, and Sam Greenwood won't be able to play because obviously they're facing the parent club.
17:34 And I mean, that's just common sense.
17:36 You wouldn't want to be spending Ayling away on loan, then he scores the winning goal that confines you to the playoffs.
17:40 I mean, talking about what a nightmare that would be.
17:42 So that won't be happening.
17:43 So you don't need to worry about anything like that.
17:44 And that will be a big factor.
17:46 Sam Greenwood's obviously a good player as well, but he's kind of been coming off the bench a little bit of late.
17:50 I think he came off the bench against Ipswich, but Ayling's very much a starter.
17:53 He got the assist, didn't he, at the weekend and stuff.
17:55 So basically they'll have to do something to replace him.
17:58 And they'll have to do that at a time when obviously they've got a lot of injuries already.
18:01 So that is a big factor, I think, the fact that it's not all about one player, but that is a big factor.
18:05 On the flip side, Laté Laff, the striker, Emmanuel Laté Laff's in red hot form.
18:11 We talked about coming up against Sammy Smoddick at the weekend.
18:14 Lo and behold, he went and got the winner.
18:16 And I won't be at all surprised to see him score in this game.
18:19 He's a striker in form, probably going to be very, very confident.
18:22 So that'll be a hard one as well.
18:23 So it'll be a really difficult game, I think, this.
18:26 And Johnny Halson, obviously ex-Leeds, he's already come out and said basically not even so much about the playoffs,
18:31 just about the unbeaten run, saying, you know, we've still got a lot to play for when we want to keep this unbeaten run going.
18:36 There's also an element of rivalry in there. There's no doubt about that.
18:39 So there's loads of different factors to it.
18:41 Obviously, the Sky cameras, it's Monday night, etc., etc.
18:44 And it's just when I first looked at the game and I looked at Borough's injuries, I thought Leeds will win there.
18:49 They've got to win there. And I think they'll go there and win.
18:51 I still kind of half think they will.
18:53 But when you look through it really and stuff, and like obviously the striker in form and their unbeaten run,
18:57 they've got a very good manager.
18:59 It's a very, very difficult game.
19:01 But I mean, we can sit here and predict it all day long to what we think will happen.
19:05 I think it's a very, very hard one to call.
19:06 But I think you're dead right.
19:08 The bottom line is, is no matter what we think about the game, Leeds have got to go there and win.
19:11 You know, they've got to go and get there in three points and go and put the pressure on.
19:14 I don't think it's over if they get one.
19:16 A lot of people will feel that way.
19:18 I think you're dead right in terms of saying that if they don't win there, then they can sign to the playoffs.
19:23 I don't think that would quite be the case yet.
19:25 I mean, obviously clutching at straws a bit because then you really do need the other teams to collapse.
19:29 But obviously you have to see how Leicester get on beforehand against West Brom.
19:32 If they were to only get one point from that on Saturday, that might change things.
19:36 But certainly like getting three points, it feels like almost essential really in this one.
19:41 And they can definitely do it.
19:43 Leeds have gone to places like Leicester, haven't they, and stuff.
19:45 And Ipswich turned on the style and got great victories and stuff.
19:49 And with all due respect, they're better teams than Middlesbrough.
19:52 So, you know, there's no reason why they can't go and do it.
19:54 But they'll have to return to something like the best.
19:56 They'll have to take the chances.
19:58 And, you know, it's an absolutely massive, massive game.
20:00 I mean, it goes without saying it's Leeds tonight's biggest game of the season.
20:03 It's Leeds tonight's biggest game for some time.
20:05 And, you know, things will feel a lot differently, I think, if they go there and win.
20:09 But it's a big 'if', Daniel.
20:10 And it's one that I really wouldn't want to call.
20:13 I'll just about go with Leeds.
20:15 But, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't do it or even if Borough got a win.
20:18 Leeds are odds on.
20:19 I don't know what people will think about that.
20:21 I suspect a lot of people will think they shouldn't be odds on because a lot of the stats 5-6 favourites.
20:25 Borough are 17-5.
20:27 So just short of 4-1, which is not a bad price, really, if anyone wants to play at the Grand National winnings.
20:32 But I won't be advising people to have a bet on Borough, although probably a lot of people will,
20:36 because to soften the blow if it goes wrong.
20:38 But let's think positive.
20:40 Let's hope that the good thing is Leeds have had a lot of time to work on things as well after that game.
20:44 I think it was nine days without a game.
20:46 So, you know, they can obviously, you know, get their heads down and Daniel Farker can do bits and bobs on the training ground
20:53 and hopefully work the oracle.
20:54 It's an absolutely massive, massive game.
20:56 I think Leeds can do it.
20:57 But I've got an enormous amount of respect for the opposition, no doubt about it whatsoever.
21:01 Yes, I think we've talked about as much as we can.
21:04 As you say, you can over-talk, you can analyse every little intricate detail.
21:09 But at the end of the day, it all just comes down to what the scoreline is after 90 minutes.
21:13 That's all that will matter in this game.
21:16 Performance, as bad as they have been for Leeds at the moment, will go out the window.
21:20 You can play badly in this game and still get the three points and things will look an awful lot rosier.
21:25 If we end on a high, though, it was the EFL Awards recently.
21:30 And Legionnaire did quite well, or some of their players did at least.
21:34 Certainly showing how talented this squad can be on their day.
21:37 I believe Christopher Somerville picked up Player of the Season.
21:41 Player of the Season, yes.
21:42 Yes, so it just shows how good Leeds can be on their day in this division.
21:48 But as I say, at the moment, they're nothing but little gongs, aren't they?
21:55 They're niceties, but at the minute, obviously, the football takes precedence.
21:59 But it's still nice for those involved and for those recognised to show how good of a season they've had.
22:05 Yes, 100 per cent, definitely.
22:06 They deserve the accolades.
22:07 Christentia Somerville, first and foremost, Player of the Season.
22:10 Obviously, stiff competition when you think about some of the players that Leicester have got.
22:14 And obviously, Southampton, when they were on their fantastic run, Ipswich as well.
22:19 Sammy Smoddick's as well.
22:20 Obviously, the amount of goals he's got has been outstanding for a team that are nowhere near the top of the division.
22:25 But Somerville, 17 goals and 8 assists.
22:27 And when he's been on song this season, which he's been most of the time, really,
22:31 he does look like a young winger absolutely going places.
22:33 He's still only 22, obviously.
22:35 It's crazy with Christentia because, obviously, he covered the Leeds under-21s.
22:39 It was only a few seasons ago that he was stepping out for the under-21s.
22:42 You always thought, 'This guy looks like he's got something about him.'
22:45 But he's just gone from strength to strength and stuff.
22:47 So, so quick and skilful.
22:49 The only thing with it is, you just worry Leeds are relying on him a little bit too much at the moment.
22:55 They need to get it from other angles.
22:57 Obviously, Nanto can hopefully help with that now he's back from injury and whatnot.
23:02 But, yeah, he's had a superb season and congratulations to him.
23:05 He definitely deserves that.
23:06 Obviously, Archie Gray, I mean, what a season.
23:09 It's crazy to think he hadn't even made his debut before the start of the season.
23:14 And now he's come in and, obviously, two awards for him.
23:16 Young Player of the Season and Apprentice of the Season as well.
23:19 So, a double for Archie.
23:20 And, obviously, it goes without saying, at 18, the world's his oyster.
23:23 Just a player going from strength to strength.
23:25 Obviously, added a new position to his bow at right-back as well.
23:28 And some people might think he's better off there at the moment, to be honest,
23:31 because, obviously, it's a lot of pressure at the moment in midfield with the stakes so high.
23:36 But, you know, play with an enormous future, obviously.
23:38 And then three players in the Team of the Season.
23:39 And, to be honest, they could have had more.
23:41 Obviously, Routier, Somerville and Ampadu all got in there.
23:44 Joe Roden's one who would not have looked out of place in the Team of the Season whatsoever.
23:48 He's been superb at centre-back.
23:50 Obviously, you could argue for Archie Gray as well, I suppose.
23:52 Potentially, Leif Davies made the Team of the Season, which was interesting.
23:54 Obviously, ex-Leeds at Ipswich.
23:56 A lot of people will be thinking, why did they let him go, etc.?
23:58 But these things happen when players don't get in and they move on and quite often excel.
24:02 So, yes, a really good night for Leeds United at the EFL Awards, no doubt about that.
24:06 But the two things with that, I think you said the first point, which is absolutely right,
24:10 which just shows how good a team they've got, etc., etc., and what they can do on the day.
24:14 But the second thing is, it's quite obvious that if Leeds don't go up,
24:17 people are going to be looking at these players.
24:18 And that's the fear, isn't it?
24:20 You hope if Leeds don't go up that they keep everybody together,
24:23 that they strengthen the squad and that they go even stronger, go even harder next season.
24:27 But you can't beat around the bush and you've got to be realistic.
24:30 When you've got players like that, especially Cris Enzio, Somerville,
24:33 Archie's a bit different because he's only just come through the ranks and stuff.
24:35 But Somerville's very, very much in the sort of like, you know, in the headlights already at the moment.
24:40 You know, everybody knows about him, how good he is and stuff.
24:43 And he's obviously a player and he's having a crack at Premier League level.
24:46 So, to me, it shows how good a team they've got.
24:48 It also shows that this squad should probably be going up.
24:51 There's no doubt about it that they had a very, very hard start to the season.
24:55 And I think Daniel Farker deserves enormous, enormous credit for the way that he sorted this out at the start of the season,
25:00 because it was a right mess in the summer in terms of so many players leaving on loan exits and stuff.
25:04 He didn't know from one day to the next what his squad was going to look like and who was going to be here.
25:08 And he deserves amazing credit for getting them going as quickly, relatively speaking, as he did.
25:13 But he got them into that position and now they've got to make the most of it.
25:15 And obviously, it's fallen out of their own hands.
25:18 You just cross your fingers and toes that they can turn it around.
25:20 And as these awards show you, they've certainly got the players to do that.
25:23 So three wins, no excuses. Go and get it done and just hope one of the others slip up.
25:26 I think they probably will do. They need to get three wins.
25:29 Well, that would be your optimism. From my standpoint as a neutral, you'd like to think Leeds could do it.
25:36 But as you say, being out of their hands, you're relying on other teams slipping up.
25:41 But as we've said already, the three teams are very much prone to slipping up at the moment.
25:47 So anything can happen. But we'll come back next week and we'll see how Leeds have got on against Middlesbrough.