Posts

Showing posts from October, 2011
Sporting Life 30/10/11 HONOURS EVEN AT ELLAND ROAD Robert Snodgrass rescued a point for Leeds as they recovered from Joe Mason's first-half strike to secure a 1-1 draw with Cardiff at Elland Road. The Scotland international hit home from six yards after 73 minutes to cancel out Mason's opener to earn a deserved point for the Whites after long periods of pressure Patrick Kisnorbo's free-kick near the halfway line found Tom Lees who knocked the ball down with a header for Snodgrass to find the back of the net. Cardiff had led since the 17th minute, when Joe Mason pounced on some hesitant defending from Darren O'Dea, before rounding Paul Rachubka to notch his third goal in as many matches. The home side started much brighter after the break with David Marshall expertly denying Andrew Keogh at point-blank range after Snodgrass' free-kick. Leeds threatened again moments later when Paul Connolly's cross flashed across the box with Keogh and Ross McCormack both inches
Yorkshire Evening Post 27/10/11 Paynter joins Brighton and Hove Albion on loan By Phil Hay Brighton have completed the signing of Billy Paynter after reaching a deal to take the striker on loan from Leeds United until January 2. Paynter saw his wish for a move to another Championship club granted last night after Leeds and Brighton reached an agreement over a transfer to the Amex Stadium. Brighton manager Gus Poyet is a long-term admirer of Paynter’s but had previously failed with a number of attempts to lure the 27-year-old to the south coast. Talks over a permanent transfer came to nothing at the end of the summer transfer window, and the prospect of United sanctioning a loan to Albion appeared remote once Grayson ruled out a deal involving a Championship side with prospects of promotion or an appearance in the play-offs. Speaking last week, Grayson said: “One or two people from the Championship have enquired about him. “I won’t be lending him out to any rivals who are in or around u
Image
Yorkshire Evening Post 27/10/11 Zigic strikes to give Whites the blues By Phil Hay As games in hand go, Simon Grayson admitted he could think of easier than a visit to St Andrews. His caution was borne out by Leeds United’s loss to Birmingham City but it will feel today like an self-inflicted wound. Birmingham’s record at home before last night showed no defeats in four leagues matches and only one goal conceded, creating no shame in a defeat on their turf. Leeds succumbed as three other Championship sides had before them but their manager could not pass off the result as inevitable or deserved. Grayson’s players fell to a 35th minute goal from Nikola Zigic, claimed with little effort or guile in a first half when United gave as good as they got and were running Birmingham’s clean sheet close. Their promising display floundered when Zigic swallowed up a weak parry from goalkeeper Paul Rachubka and stretched a net which had been largely unthreatened in the previous half-hour. At a strok
Telegraph 26/10/11 Birmingham City 1 Leeds United 0: match report By Brendan McLaughlin So often the butt of the jokes, Birmingham City striker Nikola Zigic reminded St Andrew's what he has to offer with the winning goal against Leeds United. The 6ft 8ins Serbia striker ended an eight-month goal drought with his first goal since his historic effort in the Carling Cup final to earn Chris Hughton's fast-improving side a sixth successive victory in all competitions while, at the same time, ending Simon Grayson's team's own seven-match unbeaten sequence. Hughton, meanwhile, can do no wrong. This latest success elevated his team up to eighth - still with two games in hand on most of their rivals - within a point of the play-off places. The Birmingham manager said: "This run has raised my expectation levels to a degree. We don't know how long the European campaign will last but I always wanted to be in contention (for the play-offs) when it ended. "Leeds are not
Sabotage Times 23/10/11 Peterborough vs Leeds United: Cut Out The Errors And Promotion Is Ours By Jon Howe With a disturbing trait for throwing points away now causing some anxiety at Elland Road, it is essential that Leeds United attain some consistency if promotion is to be achieved. The last four days have been a microcosm of Leeds United’s existence in the Championship since their return in August 2010; conceding dramatic late goals, scoring dramatic late goals, living on the edge, but in general, by the skin of their teeth, just about maintaining an upward curve. Tuesday night’s 93rd minute equaliser, conceded to a Coventry side whom we had dominated for the opening 45 minutes and should have put to sword, was one of those calamitous, Keystone Kops episodes that Leeds fans have just come to expect in the last 18 months. We, as fans, have become fantastically adept at taking the rough with the smooth; if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Conversely, fast forward to Satur
Image
Mail 22/10/11 Peterborough 2 Leeds 3: Late drama as O'Dea denies 10-man Posh comeback Darren O'Dea scored a controversial injury-time winner as Leeds secured a win over 10-man Peterborough they appeared to have thrown away. The Republic of Ireland defender's effort went over the line seconds before Luciano Becchio made sure in the 95th minute, although the home fans felt O'Dea should have seen red for a last-man foul minutes before. Becchio also claimed the goal, although the linesman confirmed at the whistle that O'Dea had scored, flicking in a free-kick from Adam Clayton - who had put Leeds ahead for a second time on the afternoon. Prior to O'Dea's late intervention, another error from Leeds keeper Paul Rachubka appeared to have cost his side all three points. Having gifted Coventry a late equaliser on Tuesday, the stopper was caught in no man's land as a ball sailed into his box and got tangled up with his defenders, allowing Mark Little to bundle in
Image
Yorkshire Evening Post 19/10/11 Rachubka clanger costs Whites dear By Phil Hay For 90 minutes and more, a change of goalkeeper by Leeds United passed almost unnoticed at Elland Road, but a last-gasp error from Paul Rachubka cost Leeds United a victory over Coventry City. The former Manchester United trainee stepped in for the injured Andy Lonergan last night and delivered a near flawless performance until his fumble in the closing seconds surrendered two points at the death. Leeds were closing in nervously on a 1-0 win, leading through Darren O’Dea’s 26th-minute goal, when Rachubka spilled a cross from Cyrus Christie and watched Richard Wood knock the loose ball into his net. Blame fell heavily on the 30-year-old keeper, making his full league debut at Elland Road, but accusing fingers could be as readily pointed at the outfield players who dropped dangerously deep in the last 10 minutes and failed en masse to see out the game. Such was Coventry’s late surge that their draw was almost
Image
Guardian 18/10/11 Coventry's Richard Wood makes Leeds United rue missed chances Leeds United threw away a chance to move into the top six of the Championship deep into stoppage time when their goalkeeper, Paul Rachubka, making his first league start of the season, made a mess of a save and set up the Coventry City defender Richard Wood's equaliser . Time was running out when the City defender Cyrus Christie launched a hopeful cross to the far post in time added on and, when Rachubka could only parry the ball, Wood pounced to cancel out Darren O'Dea's first-half opener. It was just reward for the visitors, who refused to buckle under long periods of pressure, and Leeds were made to pay for a hatful of missed chances in either half. The Republic of Ireland defender O'Dea drove home an angled shot midway through the first half but the home fans were left to endure an anxious finish and watched in despair as Wood made them pay for their profligacy. Leeds's leading s

Doncaster Rovers v Leeds United: Mac’s special help Whites cruise home - YEP 15/10/11

Image
By Phil Hay Simon Grayson was once a manager with problems but at present he will find only those he invents. A first away win of the league season carried Leeds United into the Championship’s play-off positions last night, far removed from the corner they once occupied. Grayson sounded words of encouragement amid signs of an impending crisis at the back end of August and United’s appearance in the Championship’s top six underlined the strength and conviction of his side’s response. The club were liable to lose fifth place today as the division’s other fixtures played out but Leeds will feel that their point has been made regardless. Danny Pugh instigated their victory at Doncaster Rovers, converting Robert Snodgrass’ first-half free-kick, and doubt was erased by a sublime overhead kick from Ross McCormack, his 10th goal of the season scored early in the second half. From there, a fourth league win in five games was wrapped up with a swagger, sealed by a Tom Lees header. McCormack’s fi
Image
Yorkshire Evening Post 3/10/11 Leeds United 1 Portsmouth 0: Lees and Pugh looking to return of the good times SIMON GRAYSON revealed he had issued a final warning to his defenders and they heeded his words by keeping Leeds United’s first clean sheet of the season. It capped a tremendous week in the fledgling career of Tom Lees, who has ambitions of emulating boyhood hero Jonathan Woodgate in the heart of the United defence. Awarded a new four-year contract by Leeds manager Grayson, Lees responded with a mature performance after being switched inside to his prefered central defensive role, Paul Connolly being brought in at right-back with Leigh Bromby dropped to the bench. Having been at the club for 12 years, the 20-year-old has witnessed the demise of Leeds but wants to see them again emulate the feats when Woodgate was in a side which reached the semi-finals of the European Champions League. Lees reflected: “There is a much better feeling in the dressing room than last Friday (the 3
Image
Yorkshire Evening Post 3/10/11 Whites silence the Pompey chimes By Phil Hay In the wake of Leeds United’s draw at Brighton, Simon Grayson pleaded in desperation for a plain and overdue 1-0 win. Here it was eight days later, earned by Danny Pugh’s early goal and the will to withstand the tenacity of Portsmouth. So basic had Grayson’s request been that entertainment was not even part of the bargain. “I wouldn’t mind being boring from time-to-time,” he said, reflecting on a game against the Seagulls which was drama personified. His players disregarded that comment and wore Pompey down with their usual flair before edging over the line in an anxious second half. Pugh’s clinical header was all United’s pressure would yield but it mattered not while the opposition remained goalless. After 12 games and two months of waiting, Grayson has a clean sheet to savour and a viable defensive line to cling to during a fortnight-long break for international fixtures. In that respect, United’s victory ov
Mail 2/10/11 Leeds 1 Portsmouth 0: Pugh on target as Grayson's troops extend unbeaten run Danny Pugh marked his second home debut for Leeds with a goal as Simon Grayson's men finally put their defensive frailties to one side to beat Portsmouth. United's defence is notoriously porous and arguably cost them promotion last season, while it has been little better this time around, with a number of combinations failing to return a clean sheet prior to today. But Grayson stumbled across the right formula this afternoon - although Greg Halford did go close to scoring for Pompey - and Pugh's 14th-minute header, his first since returning to the club from Stoke after five years away, helped extend Leeds' unbeaten run to four games. They are now perched just outside the play-offs - having played a game fewer than everyone else - but the situation is not so pleasant for Portsmouth. Last-minute losers against Peterborough in midweek, they have still to win away from home and hav
www.leedsunited.com 30/9/11 DEFENDER SIGNS NEW UNITED CONTRACT Leeds United defender Tom Lees has signed a new contract with the club, taking him up to 2015. The 20-year had signed a new contract last Christmas while on loan at Bury, but the club has moved to secure his services for the longer-term. Tom has made seven appearances so far this season, having made his debut against Bradford City in the Carling Cup in August. He also scored his first goal for the club, against Hull City during the same month. Having made over 100 appearances during loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Bury over the past two years, Tom returned to the club during the summer knowing it was a crucial year for him as a Leeds player. "I'm delighted to be in this situation and I'm delighted to sign a new contract. "I'm really chuffed with how things have gone so far. It's been tough, and I've been learning lots, but I've really enjoyed playing regularly and being a part of the