Closed Leeds United v Chelsea

[Mark Price 1]

"Hate. We hated them and they hated us": Ian Hutchinson

[Jase 43,479]

[Hutcho 8,443]

Any line up news?

10 blokes and torres, who will score a hat-trick, will be proclaimed to be back, we will pull out the falcao deal, and get relegated. Optimism

[Sheva. 5,373]

This is going to be very difficult. We also need to rest some players and start a couple bench warmers, i'd take a smash and grab win right now.

[Fulham Broadway 17,339]

Heres some of the history

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/league-cup/9752399/Leeds-v-Chelsea-the-rivalry-tackles-red-cards-crunch-games-and-controversy.html#

[Tomo 21,751]

With our old team we could go to Elland Road, stand up, match and better the physical aspect of the game and come out with a win, now im worried we will lose.

For years we were able to cope and lol at rough and tumble tactics set by the likes of Allardyce and Warnock, now we are getting battered by it.

[Muzchap 8,966]

^^^

This, our team used to be beasty but skilful - JM really had a great balance...

Just wonder if he could do it again

And would they bring back tha advert of him with the umbrella?

[DJames 729]

Hoping for a win! Could live with a draw.....please don't be a loss

[Jase 43,479]

With our old team we could go to Elland Road, stand up, match and better the physical aspect of the game and come out with a win, now im worried we will lose.

For years we were able to cope and lol at rough and tumble tactics set by the likes of Allardyce and Warnock, now we are getting battered by it.

Hence why I said before that this is where one would appreciate the team built and created by Mourinho last time. Whenever we want to play football, we can do that. Whenever we need to be physical against the opposition, we also can do that. Adaptable and versatile then. Now, we're like Arsenal. Wants to play tiki-taka football but crack immediately when facing opposition with a physical approach!

[TheCount 146]

I suggested that the team needed more balance a few months back that it needed to be tougher and have some strength/height in the midfield and i got laughed outa it, oh how times change.

Edit, Tbh ive been saying it since the start of this "barca" revolution,

Were just a shit arsealona.

[Jase 43,479]

If we lose this one I whole-heartedly expect FSW to be sacked afterward.

Yeah...sack Benitez and then appoint who? Avram Grant? He is probably next in line.

Like it or not, Benitez is the best of the bad bunch of available managers out there at the moment.

[gary gordon 1,777]

The game is played tomorrow, in 24 hours.

I need more sleep

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

I suggested that the team needed more balance a few months back that it needed to be tougher and have some strength/height in the midfield and i got laughed outa it, oh how times change.

Edit, Tbh ive been saying it since the start of this "barca" revolution,

Were just a shit arsealona.

Agree with the fact that we lack balance. disagree with needing to be tougher and having more height/strenght. We're caught between 2 styles. Counter-attacking and possession football. Our front 4 are best suited at playing possession while our midfield and back four just aren't. We're not playing out from the back like we should. Our midfield lacks any sort of creativity or forward movement.

Our front four aren't great at finishing and in counter attacking football finishing saves your life. You need to be clinical with your chances. If you can't finish 1 of the couple of chances you get your fucked. (Last game against Corinthians, got chances, didn't finish ended up losing the game.)

It's basically about choosing what direction to go as a team. Seeing as how we invested around £80 000 000 to play possesion football i suggest we keep following that style of play.

So sort out our midfield : Get a smart DM who's good on the ball. Of the 3 midfield players 2 of them need to be able to pick out a pass, be creative, have good off the ball movement and be able to pass in close spaces while under pressure.

Get a striker : Torres just isn't good enough. Get a striker who's got good hold up play, good touch, who can finish.

Play out from the back (even when getting pressed.)

[Green Lantern18 54]

Yeah...sack Benitez and then appoint who? Avram Grant? He is probably next in line.

Like it or not, Benitez is the best of the bad bunch of available managers out there at the moment.

Agreed and Benitez is also trying to do the best with what he has to work with. Now i could be wrong here but i think that we have the smallest squad in the Premier League at the moment.

And our squad is getting smaller and smaller each week due to unforeseen circumstances.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Agree with the fact that we lack balance. disagree with needing to be tougher and having more height/strenght. We're caught between 2 styles. Counter-attacking and possession football. Our front 4 are best suited at playing possession while our midfield and back four just aren't. We're not playing out from the back like we should. Our midfield lacks any sort of creativity or forward movement.

Our front four aren't great at finishing and in counter attacking football finishing saves your life. You need to be clinical with your chances. If you can't finish 1 of the couple of chances you get your fucked. (Last game against Corinthians, got chances, didn't finish ended up losing the game.)

It's basically about choosing what direction to go as a team. Seeing as how we invested around £80 000 000 to play possesion football i suggest we keep following that style of play.

So sort out our midfield : Get a smart DM who's good on the ball. Of the 3 midfield players 2 of them need to be able to pick out a pass, be creative, have good off the ball movement and be able to pass in close spaces while under pressure.

Get a striker : Torres just isn't good enough. Get a striker who's got good hold up play, good touch, who can finish.

Play out from the back (even when getting pressed.)

Great analysis of our situation. Mikel and ramires were bosses last season bcos of counter attack football, but this season the team is disjointed in the style we want to play.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Agree with the fact that we lack balance. disagree with needing to be tougher and having more height/strenght. We're caught between 2 styles. Counter-attacking and possession football. Our front 4 are best suited at playing possession while our midfield and back four just aren't. We're not playing out from the back like we should. Our midfield lacks any sort of creativity or forward movement.

Our front four aren't great at finishing and in counter attacking football finishing saves your life. You need to be clinical with your chances. If you can't finish 1 of the couple of chances you get your fucked. (Last game against Corinthians, got chances, didn't finish ended up losing the game.)

It's basically about choosing what direction to go as a team. Seeing as how we invested around £80 000 000 to play possesion football i suggest we keep following that style of play.

So sort out our midfield : Get a smart DM who's good on the ball. Of the 3 midfield players 2 of them need to be able to pick out a pass, be creative, have good off the ball movement and be able to pass in close spaces while under pressure.

Get a striker : Torres just isn't good enough. Get a striker who's got good hold up play, good touch, who can finish.

Play out from the back (even when getting pressed.)

You're right in saying that we're caught in between the two styles but I'd say that only our 3 amigos are really suited to possession football whilst the rest of the team are more inclined to counter attacking football - that includes Torres. It's why the attacking has been a bit dysfunctional.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Found this article which is either completely misleading or greatly informative: http://plainsofalmeria.co.uk/2012/12/17/no-love-lost-how-chelsea-and-leeds-teams-learned-to-actively-dislike-each-other/

[Spike 12,049]

Also look at the lifestyles of the two teams in the 60s/70s. The Chelsea players were into partying and having a good time which probably lent itself to underacheiving, while the opposite could be said for the Leeds players. Fashionable King's Cross to dreary old Leeds.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Yeah...sack Benitez and then appoint who? Avram Grant? He is probably next in line.

Like it or not, Benitez is the best of the bad bunch of available managers out there at the moment.

Well Avram did get us the CL final...

[Blue Traveler 256]

There will be another less competition for us tonight!