Mighty Leeds Weblog

MAMBA MENTALITY Written by: Rob Conlon Even when Jackie Harrison is the story, he never gets to be the story. Facing the LUTV cameras after Leeds’ win over Accrington, Harrison’s contentment with his afternoon’s work was reflected in the cap he was wearing backwards, just like all the coolest kids wear theirs. Except Harrison isn’t considered one of the coolest kids at Leeds anymore. Four seasons at the same club makes a footballer old news — part of the furniture, like the old leather sofas in the West Stand hospitality areas that seem to have been there since Don Revie used to sit on them. Nothing is more exciting than a shiny new toy, so it didn’t take long before Jackie was being asked about how great Georgi Rutter is. It’s impossible to compete with the hype of a record signing, even when you’re Leeds’ third top scorer since returning to the Premier League, have created more goals than any other Leeds player in that time, and are the subject of a bid from a divisional rival....

IN THE MOMENT Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman Leeds United went to Accrington and went into the fifth round of the FA Cup, efficiently if not joyfully, and given the fun has usually been at our expense in these situations that’s good. Feels odd, though. When the world’s oldest cup competition meets football’s tiredest joke the results are supposed to be more chaotic than this and part of me feels a little cheated. Jesse Marsch keeps insisting that he’s here to change this about Leeds United: “I’ve heard this a lot … [that] we always think we have to do it the hard way. Honestly, part of the job of being the manager of this club is to change that mentality.” But better coaches than him have demurred to the weight of our history, settling for adding something instead of changing things. It’s brave of him to try but I’ve never been keen on the idea and this game is why. The FA Cup. Live on the BBC on a cold Saturday lunchtime. Lower league opposition, away from home, a club ow...

Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch expressed his delight for left-back Junior Firpo after the Spanish defender scored his first goal in a Whites shirt against Accrington Stanley Joe Donnohue The 26-year-old netted Leeds’ second goal in a 3-1 win over the League One outfit as the Whites secured passage to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon. Firpo started at left-back, as he did against Cardiff City in United’s 2-2 Third Round draw and subsequent replay. Marsch was unaware Firpo’s well-taken strike was his first for the club, but addressed the difficult period he has endured since joining in the summer of 2021. "I think Junior has been really good,” the head coach said. “I know he's had a tough time here with injuries and with fans sometimes being dissatisfied with him, but his mentality to work for the team and to try to get himself into really good form has been good and I think now he's played in three cup matches, and I think he's been one ...

Two goals in as many second-half minutes from Junior Firpo and Luis Sinisterra killed the tie Mark Walker Leeds avoided another FA Cup upset by winning 3-1 at Accrington to reach the fifth round for just the fourth time in 20 years. Jack Harrison’s stunning strike gave the Premier League side an interval lead and two goals in as many second-half minutes from Junior Firpo and Luis Sinisterra killed the tie. But it was not all plain sailing for Jesse Marsch’s side and Sky Bet League One side Accrington deservedly pulled one back through teenage substitute Leslie Adekoya’s first senior goal. But Leeds, dumped out of the cup by the likes of Hereford, Histon, Rochdale, Sutton, Newport and Crawley in recent years, had too much quality for their hosts and reached the last 16 for the first time in seven years. The opening exchanges were fast and furious. Accrington skipper Sean McConville stung Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier’s palms with a 25-yard drive and Shaun Whalley was denied...

Leeds United eased their way into the FA Cup fifth round as goals from Jack Harrison, Junior Firpo and Luis Sinisterra ensured a 3-1 victory at Saturday’s lunchtime hosts Accrington Stanley. Lee Sobot Accrington put Leeds under early pressure but a series of Illan Meslier saves helped keep the hosts at bay and the Whites squandered the game's best early chance as record signing Georgino Rutter fired wide. Leeds, though, went ahead in the 23rd minute thanks to a terrific strike from Harrison who rifled the ball home from 25 yards out after Patrick Bamford's lay off. The frame of the goal then denied the Whites a second goal as Sinisterra's shot on the turn from the edge of the box rattled back off the post. The lively Rutter, Marc Roca and Rasmus Kristensen then had chances to add to Harrison's strike but Accrington continued to pepper the Whites goal only to be continually thwarted by Meslier who did spill one cross which Junior Firpo cleared. Patrick Bamford also...

GOOD TIMES! Written by: Rob Conlon As a boyhood supporter who had a season ticket at Elland Road for nearly ten years and came through the club’s academy, returning to Leeds United as an Accrington Stanley player was one of the proudest moments of Will Hatfield’s career. Hatfield was a midfielder who played in Leeds’ academy with the likes of Tom Lees, Lewis Cook, and Kalvin Phillips. An appearance on the bench in Leeds’ FA Cup replay with Tottenham under Simon Grayson was the closest he got to a senior debut before he permanently left the club in 2012. Two years later, he finally got to fulfil his dream of playing at Elland Road when Accrington were drawn at Leeds in the second round of the League Cup. “When I found out it was Leeds I was buzzing, especially at Elland Road as well,” Hatfield says. “All my family were there. My dad’s a massive Leeds fan who took me to Elland Road until I started playing on Saturdays. I had a season ticket with my dad for just under ten years. Goi...

Leeds United have sent Joe Gelhardt on loan to Sunderland for the rest of the season but insist he remains in their long term plans. By Graham Smyth The Black Cats reached terms with the Premier League outfit yesterday after a hotly disputed race for Gelhardt’s services. Sunderland were one of several Championship sides hoping to secure a loan deal and although the player initially favoured a return to Wigan Athletic, the chance to get involved in a charge for the play-offs swayed him. Leeds are understood to have decided that Sunderland represented the best move for the 20-year-old. Gelhardt, who arrived at Elland Road in 2020, made his senior breakthrough last season and was at the heart of a number of memorable moments in the survival battle. The penalty he won against Wolves at Elland Road helped seal a vital point, and although his first Premier League goal came in defeat at Chelsea, his second was a famous late winner at home to Norwich City. He also ended last term with fo...

JAMIE KEMP / AUTHOR, MATT SISNEROS / DESIGN, JONNY WHITMORE / DATA VIZ “And somebody like Gnonto, would he be Premier League ready in your mind?” came the question. It was 19 August 2022 – a day before Leeds were set to host Chelsea – with Jesse Marsch doing his usual pre-match press conference. The defining days of the transfer window were fast approaching, and an interest in Wilfried Gnonto, an 18-year-old forward at FC Zürich, had been circulating in the days leading up to the match. With Marsch rarely one to return an abrupt answer, it was always worth asking him to shed some light. Before the question from the BBC’s Adam Pope could even be completed, though, the Leeds coach interjected. “No, no… no.” What followed from Marsch assured that Gnonto was not a player for the present in their mind, nor a signing that Leeds were even sure they could secure before 2023. The Italian was someone they were aware of but not bound to, and their attacking plans wouldn’t hinge on an 18...

For a team Jesse Marsch insists until he is blue in the face is making good progress and achieving greater clarity, Leeds United's best XI is far from obvious. By Stuart Rayner Perhaps that is because this is 2023, when many clubs no longer have an identifiable strongest team. The addition of Georginio Rutter, the emergence of Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto, and the reinvigoration of Patrick Bamford means the Whites have plenty of options up front. Rodrigo is their top scorer, Luis Sinisterra is fit again, and Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson are in the mix too. But it is in defence where Leeds most need to get their act together to avoid the sort of nerve-shredding relegation battle they put supporters through last season. Marsch was brought in precisely because Leeds had become an embarrassingly soft touch defensively at the end of Marcelo Bielsa's reign. Losing 3-0, 4-2, 6-0 and 4-0 was no way for one of the great figures in the club's history to si...

Leeds United youngster Joe Gelhardt could travel to Sunderland for a medical tomorrow to finalise a loan move to Sunderland. By Graham Smyth The YEP understands that the Black Cats have agreed to contribute a significant chunk of the youngster's wages for the second half of the season in order to secure the loan - which comes without an obligation or option to buy. Gelhardt was initially sold on the idea of a return to his former club Wigan Athletic, to help in their fight against relegation to League One. The prospect of being close to home and surrounded by familiar faces was a big pull for the 20-year-old, and Wigan were ready and able to stump up the necessary financial package to make it happen. Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City were among his other suitors and also prepared to match Leeds' salary contribution requirements, but the Welsh side dropped out of the race last week. Upon further reflection with his parent club and his advisors, Gelhardt, who boasts 15 ...

SMALL WORLD Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman Jesse Marsch finally has an assistant to fill the gap created when Mark Jackson left his coaching role to take over in the gap in the league table occupied by MK Dons. Chris Armas is best known in the Premier League for being laughed out of Old Trafford while trying to help the reddest bull of them all, Ralf Rangnick, convince the squad of overpaid brats over there to run. The aftermath of that half-season is only one place to look for information about Armas, though. Another place is in the gushing profiles that were talking up his arrival. “The first thing Jesse Marsch told me about bringing Chris in was that the guy’s a winner,” Max McCarty told The Athletic, about Marsch bringing his old Chicago Fire teammate to be his assistant at NYRB back in 2015. In training, according to teammate Alex Muyl, Armas then showed himself to be “a fucking competitor.” This reminded me of a profile of Marsch himself, on the MLS website, from...

Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch faces the media this afternoon as he prepares to take his side to League One Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup Fourth Round Joe Donnohue Leeds negotiated their way past Championship outfit Cardiff City at the second time of asking in the previous round, while Accrington required extra-time to defeat non-league Boreham Wood. The League One club are in the midst of a relegation battle, hoping to remain in the third tier but recognise progression in English football’s oldest club competition is also a vital money-spinner. Saturday lunchtime’s game will be broadcast live to the nation on BBC One at 12:30pm from the Wham Stadium in Lancashire. Jesse Marsch is understood to be pleased about the quality of the pitch at Accrington, and hosts his pre-match press conference this afternoon from 1:30pm. Marsch on FA Cup memories I remember watching Arsenal when they had a good run under Wenger when they were winning the FA Cups. I remember in college w...

By Declan Harte Cody Drameh’s move to Luton Town will involve no permanent option for the player. According to Fabrizio Romano, the full back will arrive back at Elland Road in the summer to be part of Jesse Marsch’s squad. Leeds United agreed a deal with the Hatters to loan out the 21-year old for the remainder of the season. The defender is set for a medical later today as the club looks to complete the deal ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup clash with Grimsby Town. Rob Edwards is looking for reinforcements at right back following the decision to accept a deal worth up to £750K with Southampton for James Bree. Drameh has made just one league appearance so far this season, starting in a 5-2 loss to Brentford back in September. The right back enjoyed a successful period on loan in the second half of the previous campaign with Cardiff City. Drameh made 22 appearances for the Bluebirds as he helped the team to an 18th place finish in the Championship. Despite this, he fail...

By Pranav Shahaney Leeds United director of football Victor Orta has reportedly been handed a proposal to take over as the director of the Mexico national team. According to ESPN journalist David Faitelson, former Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa is also under consideration to be the head coach. This would mean that Orta would be part of the setup which is above the coaching staff – a similar sort of hierarchy the two had at Elland Road. Via Twitter, Faitelson wrote, “The Spanish Víctor Orta, current soccer director of Leeds United, was a proposal from Grupo Pachuca as director of national teams. He would be above Marcelo Bielsa.” It remains to be seen what Orta ends up doing as it would be a good opportunity for him to work for their national team ahead of their home World Cup. He would also have more power than he does at Elland Road and Bielsa is likely to be open to working with him, given their fruitful relationship at Leeds. However, if he does want to continue at the clu...

As a couple of days bled into a week and then a couple of weeks, one might have wondered if the Leeds United board were wavering. By Graham Smyth Jesse Marsch expected to welcome Mark Jackson's replacement in the days following the 0-0 draw at Newcastle United, but said the same thing a number of times as January progressed without an appointment. Confirmation of Chris Armas' arrival, as another assistant to the Whites head coach, came on January 25, a full 26 days after Marsch was first asked the question. In truth the club never gave any indication that there was any kind of a problem or an unwillingness to pull the trigger on the bolstering of the backroom team, it always appeared to be on the cards and progressing. And when they made the announcement on Wednesday, Leeds reaffirmed their position with regards to Marsch and his position. He is still being backed. It simply would not make sense for the club to bring in a new member of staff and one so specific to Marsc...

Leeds United are pleased to confirm the appointment of Chris Armas as our new assistant head coach, subject to obtaining a work permit. The 50-year-old, former USA international adds further experience to Jesse Marsch’s backroom staff. Armas enjoyed a successful playing career in Major League Soccer, with LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire, playing alongside Marsch at the latter. After his retirement from playing, Armas served as assistant to Marsch from 2015-2018 at New York Red Bulls, before becoming head coach after Marsch departed for RB Leipzig. Armas spent two years in charge of New York Red Bulls, whilst also had managerial experience with fellow MLS outfit Toronto FC. Last season, Armas spent time as an assistant at another Premier League club, working under Ralf Rangnick. He now links up with Marsch once again in West Yorkshire and is expected to be in the dugout for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup round four tie at Accrington Stanley. On the appointment, Leeds United head co...