Middlesbrough v Leeds United: Warnock: This is the best team I’ve had at Leeds
Yorkshire Post 12/2/13
By Richard Sutcliffe
LEEDS United manager Neil Warnock insists Middlesbrough are not the only team in the top six vulnerable to a late charge from the chasing pack.
The 64-year-old takes his side to the Riverside tonight looking to inflict more misery on Tony Mowbray’s men, who have lost their last five Championship games.
Boro’s collapse in form since the turn of the year means they have slipped from the automatic promotion places to sixth in the table.
Just five points separate Boro from fifth-placed Crystal Palace so the chasing pack – headed by Brighton & Hove Albion, just two points adrift of the play-off spots in seventh – are casting a predatory eye over the Teesside club.
With Leeds sitting five points behind Mowbray’s men, Warnock admits defeat tonight would be a serious blow to any hopes of gatecrashing the top six.
However, the United chief is also adamant that a couple more of the current top six could yet be caught over the final third of the season.
He said: “Middlesbrough are, by no means, the only team for the chasing pack to catch. I think one or two of the others are there to be shot at by ourselves and a few others.
“Just look at last weekend. None of the top six won. That shows that the closer we get towards the end of the season, nerves and all sorts can come into play.
“So, no, I don’t think Middlesbrough are the only team to chase. But, equally, we can’t afford to get left behind so the game at the Riverside is important to us.
“Boro are on a poor run. Most teams have a hiccough in a season, especially after Christmas.
“It is such a long season and there isn’t really a break so that can make a team stumble from time to time.
“The Cup has probably helped us as it has distracted us from the league and just how punishing it can be. We have also been able to take that form into the league.
“Birmingham away stands out, as winning that Cup replay helped us turn our season round after what happened at Barnsley.”
Leeds travel up the A19 tonight looking to maintain a proud record at the stadium Boro have called home since 1995. In 10 previous visits, the West Yorkshire club are yet to lose and boast an admirable record of four wins and six draws.
On the debit side for United, however, is a recent away record that has brought just one win and six defeats in 11 league outings.
Warnock, who will later this month have been in charge for 12 months at Elland Road, said: “We have shown that little bit more over recent weeks to suggest things can click into place.
“We have turned our season round after the mess that was Barnsley away. Mind, Barnsley’s form since then – which includes a win at Middlesbrough over the weekend – shows that our result maybe wasn’t as bad as it seemed at the time.
“Having said that, if I’d had the team I have now at Barnsley then we wouldn’t have lost like we did. I am certain of that.
“I don’t fear anything like what happened last season (when Leeds’s play-off challenge fizzled out via just two wins in the final 10 games).
“This is the best side I have had since coming to Leeds and the character is very different to the team that struggled during those final few weeks. The only person I wish was still here is Robert Snodgrass. If we had him, we’d be in the top four at least with the players that would be around him.
“Funnily enough, it was against Boro last season when Snod had one of his better games. We were excellent that day in winning 2-0. Definitely one of our better performances since I came to the club and one we want to repeat this season.”
Rudy Austin, rested in the weekend draw at Wolves after international duty with Jamaica, and El-Hadji Diouf are in contention for a recall.
For Boro, a chance is on offer to not only sweep away any concerns among supporters that their team has peaked, but also avenge an unfortunate defeat at Elland Road in December.
Mowbray, who could welcome back former Leeds defender Jonathan Woodgate after injury, said: “You either look at things, in life and in football, as positive or negative.
“If we don’t beat Leeds, we will have teams coming up behind us. But if we do win, we could be three points off second.
“I would rather worry about promotion than the teams behind us. That is my mentality to the players. People are saying we have had five defeats on the bounce.
“But, hang on a minute, don’t Cup games count now? We have actually won two cup games in those five defeats.”
As for tonight’s game, Mowbray added: “Whenever Middlesbrough play Leeds, it is a fiery contest regardless of who their manager is.
“I don’t know Neil. I don’t feel he engineers relationships. He will be single-minded, thinking about his team, and that is fine. Some managers want to chat, some managers don’t want to chat. I don’t judge them.
“Leeds are a big club with a big history and are striving to get into the Premier League. In the first game (at Elland Road), I thought we played well at Leeds but we didn’t punish them and we paid for that late on.”
By Richard Sutcliffe
LEEDS United manager Neil Warnock insists Middlesbrough are not the only team in the top six vulnerable to a late charge from the chasing pack.
The 64-year-old takes his side to the Riverside tonight looking to inflict more misery on Tony Mowbray’s men, who have lost their last five Championship games.
Boro’s collapse in form since the turn of the year means they have slipped from the automatic promotion places to sixth in the table.
Just five points separate Boro from fifth-placed Crystal Palace so the chasing pack – headed by Brighton & Hove Albion, just two points adrift of the play-off spots in seventh – are casting a predatory eye over the Teesside club.
With Leeds sitting five points behind Mowbray’s men, Warnock admits defeat tonight would be a serious blow to any hopes of gatecrashing the top six.
However, the United chief is also adamant that a couple more of the current top six could yet be caught over the final third of the season.
He said: “Middlesbrough are, by no means, the only team for the chasing pack to catch. I think one or two of the others are there to be shot at by ourselves and a few others.
“Just look at last weekend. None of the top six won. That shows that the closer we get towards the end of the season, nerves and all sorts can come into play.
“So, no, I don’t think Middlesbrough are the only team to chase. But, equally, we can’t afford to get left behind so the game at the Riverside is important to us.
“Boro are on a poor run. Most teams have a hiccough in a season, especially after Christmas.
“It is such a long season and there isn’t really a break so that can make a team stumble from time to time.
“The Cup has probably helped us as it has distracted us from the league and just how punishing it can be. We have also been able to take that form into the league.
“Birmingham away stands out, as winning that Cup replay helped us turn our season round after what happened at Barnsley.”
Leeds travel up the A19 tonight looking to maintain a proud record at the stadium Boro have called home since 1995. In 10 previous visits, the West Yorkshire club are yet to lose and boast an admirable record of four wins and six draws.
On the debit side for United, however, is a recent away record that has brought just one win and six defeats in 11 league outings.
Warnock, who will later this month have been in charge for 12 months at Elland Road, said: “We have shown that little bit more over recent weeks to suggest things can click into place.
“We have turned our season round after the mess that was Barnsley away. Mind, Barnsley’s form since then – which includes a win at Middlesbrough over the weekend – shows that our result maybe wasn’t as bad as it seemed at the time.
“Having said that, if I’d had the team I have now at Barnsley then we wouldn’t have lost like we did. I am certain of that.
“I don’t fear anything like what happened last season (when Leeds’s play-off challenge fizzled out via just two wins in the final 10 games).
“This is the best side I have had since coming to Leeds and the character is very different to the team that struggled during those final few weeks. The only person I wish was still here is Robert Snodgrass. If we had him, we’d be in the top four at least with the players that would be around him.
“Funnily enough, it was against Boro last season when Snod had one of his better games. We were excellent that day in winning 2-0. Definitely one of our better performances since I came to the club and one we want to repeat this season.”
Rudy Austin, rested in the weekend draw at Wolves after international duty with Jamaica, and El-Hadji Diouf are in contention for a recall.
For Boro, a chance is on offer to not only sweep away any concerns among supporters that their team has peaked, but also avenge an unfortunate defeat at Elland Road in December.
Mowbray, who could welcome back former Leeds defender Jonathan Woodgate after injury, said: “You either look at things, in life and in football, as positive or negative.
“If we don’t beat Leeds, we will have teams coming up behind us. But if we do win, we could be three points off second.
“I would rather worry about promotion than the teams behind us. That is my mentality to the players. People are saying we have had five defeats on the bounce.
“But, hang on a minute, don’t Cup games count now? We have actually won two cup games in those five defeats.”
As for tonight’s game, Mowbray added: “Whenever Middlesbrough play Leeds, it is a fiery contest regardless of who their manager is.
“I don’t know Neil. I don’t feel he engineers relationships. He will be single-minded, thinking about his team, and that is fine. Some managers want to chat, some managers don’t want to chat. I don’t judge them.
“Leeds are a big club with a big history and are striving to get into the Premier League. In the first game (at Elland Road), I thought we played well at Leeds but we didn’t punish them and we paid for that late on.”