leedsunited.com 11/9/10
UNITED MARCH TO SWANSEA VICTORY
United manager Simon Grayson was forced into making one change to his starting line-up with Shane Higgs making his first start of the season in place of Kasper Schmeichel, who has sustained a foot injury. Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Jason Brown joined on a hush-hush loan deal to take his place on the bench.
Grayson had preached patience before the game, citing Swansea's style of possession football, but it was Leeds who started on the front foot and Luciano Becchio fired wide early on as United carved out the first chance.
Neil Kilkenny also headed a Bradley Johnson cross over the top following more good build-up play.
But United were behind on 13 minutes. Richard Naylor mis-judged a long ball forward and Stephen Dobbie capitalised to slide the ball across an advancing Higgs and into the far corner.
And Higgs came to the rescue moments later when he denied Scott Sinclair after David Cotterill played a defence-splitting ball that gave his team-mate a great chance to double the advantage.
As Leeds responded, Dorus De Vries totally missed a cross in the box and Alan Tate had to scramble clear under pressure from Johnson.
Despite trailing, Leeds were enjoying all the ball, and Neill Collins was the next to try his luck when he saw a goalbound header blocked by a defender.
The problem for United was that on the rare occasions Swansea saw the ball during the opening exhanges, they looked dangerous. Higgs was called upon again on the half-hour to save well when a Nathan Dyer shot took a deflection off Naylor.
Leeds again responded by carving out a good opening, Becchio being denied by Garry Monk, but it was Higgs who made another good save on the stroke of half-time when he was at full-stretch to turn a Dobbie shot around the post.
Yet there was still time for United to be denied by the woodwork when Johnson rattled the bar from distance with a powerful strike which had De Vries beaten.
Swansea started the second half with a couple of early raids, but United were back on level terms 55 minutes. Max Gradel supplied the cross from the right, Naylor's header was saved on the line, but Johnson was on hand to smash home the rebound.
And United were 2-1 up within eight minutes. Gradel was again the intitial provider, Sam had a shot saved, and Kilkenny's follow-up was deflected off Jonny Howson, but Becchio was on hand to hammer the ball home from close range.
It was an amazing turnaround and with emotions running high, in the wake of the second goal, Becchio and Swansea goalkeeper De Vries clashed with the visiting stopper hurling a ball at the head of the Leeds striker.
Swansea were suddenly playing catch-up and they looked to attack Leeds with some good passing football as the game headed into the final quarter-hour.
The visitors had more of the ball than Leeds, but Grayson's side were defending well as they looked to close the game out.
United were putting in a professional performance as the game entered the five minutes of time which were added on, and Grayson's men almost added a third goal when Ross McCormack's header was collected by De Vries.
The win was enough to keep United among the early pace-setters in the Championship and it was the first time since Christmas 2005/06 that the club has recorded three successive victories in the second tier.
leedsunited.com 11/9/10
KASPER OUT AS BROWN JOINS ON LOAN
Leeds United have signed Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Jason Brown on a month-long loan.
The 28-year-old joined the club ahead of Saturday's Elland Road clash with Swansea City.
The Welsh international went straight into the squad for the game against the Swans, following a foot injury sustained by Kasper Schmeichel.
United manager Simon Grayson said: "Kasper picked up a foot injury a couple of weeks ago and we are assessing him as we go. We have a lot of games coming up and I'm delighted that Jason has agreed to come in."
Brown, who has won two caps for his country, has made 153 career appearances, the majority of which came for Gillingham before his move to Blackburn Rovers four years ago.
During his time at Blackburn he has made 16 appearances and has served as understudy to both Brad Friedel and Paul Robinson.
Yorkshire Evening Post 11/9/10
Recruitment policy has strengthened Grayson's hand - Hay
At the height of a constraining shortage of numbers, Leeds United were in the lamentable position of lacking a squad as large as Lincoln City's.
Quality over quantity is never much of an argument when a head count stops at 17, as it did on August 10.
The weeks since the first round of the Carling Cup have been a time of constructive surgery, so much so that the reserve side sent by Leeds to Grimsby on Tuesday was nothing less than a misnomer. Their coaching staff are now addressing the rhetorical question of how to fit seven forwards into a team of 11.
Simon Grayson realised some time ago that Leeds would finish August with of a stronger core of players than he possessed at the start of the month and, with the transfer window behind him, it cannot be claimed that United's manager has been thrown to the wolves with a blunt knife. Even while four influential professionals contend with injuries, Grayson has the makings of two complete teams in a league of disparate resources.
The view of those observing his dealings last month was that, with seven days of the window left, he lacked a striker of Championship ilk and a midfielder with a liking for bloody-minded destruction. The signing of Ross McCormack tackled the first concern at a stroke and the offer of a trial to Amdy Faye proved that Grayson's analysis of his midfield was not at odds with public perception. It is a footballer in Faye's fashion that Leeds will be grateful of at some stage of the season.
Even without him, Leeds persisted with their recruitment to the point where a second year in the Championship should be theirs to lose and well within their reach. There is no question that a suitable array of nuts and bolts exists at Elland Road, leaving the onus on Grayson to construct and maintain a balanced team. The line-up favoured by him last month was not lacking in that regard. Seven points from four matches would have been a cause for optimism in most circumstances. That Leeds harvested those points in a comparatively fragile state served only to heighten the value of August, a month in which more established Championship clubs made more sluggish progress. The division, as it stands, is indicative of very little but it is healthier from Leeds' perspective than it might have been.
Grayson knew that United were weaker than they ought to be on the first weekend of the season; that they would carry a better squad at the end of August than they did at the end of July. He did not have a have a single striker with prior experience of the Championship available for United's game against Derby County, and there was only one midfielder on his bench. The potential for points to go begging last month, at a time when his team felt far less familiarity than the clubs they were due to play, was plain.
For all that, damage limitation was not necessary. The international break suspended an agreeable passage of form, driven by a splendid rout of Millwall and a more turgid victory at Watford, and Grayson returns to the season tomorrow awash with options. Robert Snodgrass and Billy Paynter are in the final throes of recovering from injury, and Ben Parker is in their slipstream. Without indulging needlessly premature discussions about promotion, it can be argued that Leeds took a foothold in the second tier at a time when they were at their most vulnerable.
The transfer window was not by any means perfect. United's interest in Nick Montgomery and John Eustace produced no positive outcome, despite a sense that the signings would materialise, and Grayson was disappointed by a potential loanee who back-tracked at the very moment when a deal seemed to have been agreed. But on reflection he will not feel any serious regret at the way in which the summer developed.
For several years, a certain amount of scepticism has been generated by United's financial workings, some of it shared by this column. It was widely asked at the end of last season whether Leeds would invest in their playing squad with enough ambition to make Grayson's job any more than a fire-fight in a division where the strain on coaches is often as severe as it is in the Premier League.
As the dust settled on a reluctant transfer market last week, he was able to count 11 new investments including undisclosed fees spent on Neill Collins, Alex Bruce, Adam Clayton and Ross McCormack. What that amounts to in definite financial terms is difficult to gauge, but it could not be said that Grayson attacked the market without support. Nor were United guilty of relinquishing their more vital assets, as Derby seemed to do with Rob Hulse on the last day of August. At the very least, they have given themselves a fighting chance.
UNITED MARCH TO SWANSEA VICTORY
United manager Simon Grayson was forced into making one change to his starting line-up with Shane Higgs making his first start of the season in place of Kasper Schmeichel, who has sustained a foot injury. Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Jason Brown joined on a hush-hush loan deal to take his place on the bench.
Grayson had preached patience before the game, citing Swansea's style of possession football, but it was Leeds who started on the front foot and Luciano Becchio fired wide early on as United carved out the first chance.
Neil Kilkenny also headed a Bradley Johnson cross over the top following more good build-up play.
But United were behind on 13 minutes. Richard Naylor mis-judged a long ball forward and Stephen Dobbie capitalised to slide the ball across an advancing Higgs and into the far corner.
And Higgs came to the rescue moments later when he denied Scott Sinclair after David Cotterill played a defence-splitting ball that gave his team-mate a great chance to double the advantage.
As Leeds responded, Dorus De Vries totally missed a cross in the box and Alan Tate had to scramble clear under pressure from Johnson.
Despite trailing, Leeds were enjoying all the ball, and Neill Collins was the next to try his luck when he saw a goalbound header blocked by a defender.
The problem for United was that on the rare occasions Swansea saw the ball during the opening exhanges, they looked dangerous. Higgs was called upon again on the half-hour to save well when a Nathan Dyer shot took a deflection off Naylor.
Leeds again responded by carving out a good opening, Becchio being denied by Garry Monk, but it was Higgs who made another good save on the stroke of half-time when he was at full-stretch to turn a Dobbie shot around the post.
Yet there was still time for United to be denied by the woodwork when Johnson rattled the bar from distance with a powerful strike which had De Vries beaten.
Swansea started the second half with a couple of early raids, but United were back on level terms 55 minutes. Max Gradel supplied the cross from the right, Naylor's header was saved on the line, but Johnson was on hand to smash home the rebound.
And United were 2-1 up within eight minutes. Gradel was again the intitial provider, Sam had a shot saved, and Kilkenny's follow-up was deflected off Jonny Howson, but Becchio was on hand to hammer the ball home from close range.
It was an amazing turnaround and with emotions running high, in the wake of the second goal, Becchio and Swansea goalkeeper De Vries clashed with the visiting stopper hurling a ball at the head of the Leeds striker.
Swansea were suddenly playing catch-up and they looked to attack Leeds with some good passing football as the game headed into the final quarter-hour.
The visitors had more of the ball than Leeds, but Grayson's side were defending well as they looked to close the game out.
United were putting in a professional performance as the game entered the five minutes of time which were added on, and Grayson's men almost added a third goal when Ross McCormack's header was collected by De Vries.
The win was enough to keep United among the early pace-setters in the Championship and it was the first time since Christmas 2005/06 that the club has recorded three successive victories in the second tier.
leedsunited.com 11/9/10
KASPER OUT AS BROWN JOINS ON LOAN
Leeds United have signed Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Jason Brown on a month-long loan.
The 28-year-old joined the club ahead of Saturday's Elland Road clash with Swansea City.
The Welsh international went straight into the squad for the game against the Swans, following a foot injury sustained by Kasper Schmeichel.
United manager Simon Grayson said: "Kasper picked up a foot injury a couple of weeks ago and we are assessing him as we go. We have a lot of games coming up and I'm delighted that Jason has agreed to come in."
Brown, who has won two caps for his country, has made 153 career appearances, the majority of which came for Gillingham before his move to Blackburn Rovers four years ago.
During his time at Blackburn he has made 16 appearances and has served as understudy to both Brad Friedel and Paul Robinson.
Yorkshire Evening Post 11/9/10
Recruitment policy has strengthened Grayson's hand - Hay
At the height of a constraining shortage of numbers, Leeds United were in the lamentable position of lacking a squad as large as Lincoln City's.
Quality over quantity is never much of an argument when a head count stops at 17, as it did on August 10.
The weeks since the first round of the Carling Cup have been a time of constructive surgery, so much so that the reserve side sent by Leeds to Grimsby on Tuesday was nothing less than a misnomer. Their coaching staff are now addressing the rhetorical question of how to fit seven forwards into a team of 11.
Simon Grayson realised some time ago that Leeds would finish August with of a stronger core of players than he possessed at the start of the month and, with the transfer window behind him, it cannot be claimed that United's manager has been thrown to the wolves with a blunt knife. Even while four influential professionals contend with injuries, Grayson has the makings of two complete teams in a league of disparate resources.
The view of those observing his dealings last month was that, with seven days of the window left, he lacked a striker of Championship ilk and a midfielder with a liking for bloody-minded destruction. The signing of Ross McCormack tackled the first concern at a stroke and the offer of a trial to Amdy Faye proved that Grayson's analysis of his midfield was not at odds with public perception. It is a footballer in Faye's fashion that Leeds will be grateful of at some stage of the season.
Even without him, Leeds persisted with their recruitment to the point where a second year in the Championship should be theirs to lose and well within their reach. There is no question that a suitable array of nuts and bolts exists at Elland Road, leaving the onus on Grayson to construct and maintain a balanced team. The line-up favoured by him last month was not lacking in that regard. Seven points from four matches would have been a cause for optimism in most circumstances. That Leeds harvested those points in a comparatively fragile state served only to heighten the value of August, a month in which more established Championship clubs made more sluggish progress. The division, as it stands, is indicative of very little but it is healthier from Leeds' perspective than it might have been.
Grayson knew that United were weaker than they ought to be on the first weekend of the season; that they would carry a better squad at the end of August than they did at the end of July. He did not have a have a single striker with prior experience of the Championship available for United's game against Derby County, and there was only one midfielder on his bench. The potential for points to go begging last month, at a time when his team felt far less familiarity than the clubs they were due to play, was plain.
For all that, damage limitation was not necessary. The international break suspended an agreeable passage of form, driven by a splendid rout of Millwall and a more turgid victory at Watford, and Grayson returns to the season tomorrow awash with options. Robert Snodgrass and Billy Paynter are in the final throes of recovering from injury, and Ben Parker is in their slipstream. Without indulging needlessly premature discussions about promotion, it can be argued that Leeds took a foothold in the second tier at a time when they were at their most vulnerable.
The transfer window was not by any means perfect. United's interest in Nick Montgomery and John Eustace produced no positive outcome, despite a sense that the signings would materialise, and Grayson was disappointed by a potential loanee who back-tracked at the very moment when a deal seemed to have been agreed. But on reflection he will not feel any serious regret at the way in which the summer developed.
For several years, a certain amount of scepticism has been generated by United's financial workings, some of it shared by this column. It was widely asked at the end of last season whether Leeds would invest in their playing squad with enough ambition to make Grayson's job any more than a fire-fight in a division where the strain on coaches is often as severe as it is in the Premier League.
As the dust settled on a reluctant transfer market last week, he was able to count 11 new investments including undisclosed fees spent on Neill Collins, Alex Bruce, Adam Clayton and Ross McCormack. What that amounts to in definite financial terms is difficult to gauge, but it could not be said that Grayson attacked the market without support. Nor were United guilty of relinquishing their more vital assets, as Derby seemed to do with Rob Hulse on the last day of August. At the very least, they have given themselves a fighting chance.
