Mighty Leeds Weblog

GET THIS OVER Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman Time was always against Sam Allardyce at Leeds United, but this weekend the problem was too much of it. He was given four games to try to keep the club in the Premier League. By the end of his third, he looked as sick as those of us who have been watching this all season. A match that started well went on too long, like the season, like the club post-promotion. Allardyce will talk the talk about playing Tottenham next weekend, and who knows, who knows. But even if a miracle keeps Leeds up, Sam and all the fans will be glad when this is over. West Ham’s players brought their children with them onto the pitch. After their families were subjected to a lot of hoodied posturing at the end of their successful Conference League semi-final in the Netherlands, the Hammers were making up for it with bring the kids to work day. Declan Rice was possibly, probably playing his last home game and the Premier League was straining to make some...

By Graham Smyth Can there be any surprise that Leeds failed to hold a lead, failed to control a game, failed to take chances and failed to win at West Ham? This is what they do. This is who they have become. Forever blowing leads, a grand total of 25 points have been given up from winning positions this season. It's not the hope that kills you, it's lacking the quality and tactical nous to kill a game. And a 3-1 defeat at the London Stadium, against a team with nothing at all to play for and a European final to think about, Leeds did nothing whatsoever to suggest they can suddenly change their ways at the last minute. Yes, they took the lead on 17 minutes as Rodrigo - who else? - swept home a Weston McKennie long throw on the volley. But everything that followed was classic, unadulterated 2022/23 Leeds. Getting into excellent positions only to butcher the opportunity with a complete lack of composure? Check. Giving the ball away and with it control of the play? Check....

For any photographer playing relegation bingo, it was all there. By Stuart Rayner Luke Ayling crying into his hands? Snap. Joel Robles sat disconsolate in his goal? Flash. Rodrigo burying his head in his shirt? Click. Sam Allardyce ripping his tie off as he stomped down the tunnel? Say cheesed off. If you were not fully up to speed on your permutations and "as it stands" table, you would think you were watching Leeds United being relegated from the Premier League. They go into the season’s final game in with a chance but relying on favours. A win at West Ham United would have spared them that. Last year Newcastle United, surging towards the finish line, helped them out, this time they need Bournemouth, whose brilliant season stopped as soon as they hit the safety mark against Leeds, to hold Everton up. Leicester City taking points at Newcastle on Monday would further complicate matters. But the Leeds players did not look as if they believed they can do the n...

Leeds United's fate was in their own hands at east London but when the chance came to grab it, they were just too timid to do so. By Stuart Rayner Their 3-1 defeat at West Ham United means that for the second year running, Leeds will be relying on favours to keep them in the Premier League. Last year it was a Newcastle United team enjoying a very strong sprint to the finish who helped bail them out, this time they need a Bournemouth side whose brilliant season stopped as soon as they hit the safety mark against Leeds a few weeks ago to hold Everton up. And then they need to help themselves. Helping themselves was something that proved beyond them at West Ham United. Early on when the sun was shining on the Olympic Park, a Sam Allardyce escape act was looking well and truly on. When the full-time whistle blew it still was, but Leeds had made their job harder than it ought to be. They trail Everton by two points and three goals' difference going into their final g...

Leeds United’s place in the Premier League is now dangling by a thread following a hugely disappointing performance in Sunday’s clash at West Ham which ended in a 3-1 defeat. By Lee Sobot Leeds squandered a fine chance in just the fourth minute through Rodrigo who failed to control a pinpoint cross from Patrick Bamford who had been played in down the left by Robin Koch. Bamford's cross found Rodrigo in the middle of the box but a heavy touch saw the ball bobble back to Lukasz Fabianski who then safely held a first time volley from Jack Harrison three minutes later after a Luke Ayling cross. Leeds, though, had looked far more likely to strike first and went ahead in the 18th minute through a terrific finish from top scorer Rodrigo who connected first time to a Weston McKennie long throw with a volley that was rifled past Fabianski from the middle of the box. West Ham looked off colour following Thursday night's exertions in Europe but Irons captain Declan Rice looked to ...

Sam Allardyce’s Leeds United side are playing catch up and the manager says there is only one place to turn to in apportioning the blame. By Lee Sobot Relegation-threatened Leeds are heading for today’s penultimate game of the season at West Ham still sat in the division’s drop zone on 31 points from their 36 games of the Premier League campaign so far. Just two of those games have come under new boss Allardyce who was presented with an almighty first test at Saturday’s newly-crowned champions Manchester City who recorded a 2-1 victory at the Etihad. Leeds then bagged their first point under their experienced new manager through last weekend’s 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle United but Allardyce admits that his side should have left with the full three-point haul and that the blame only lies at United’s own door. Asked where he expected to be at this point, Allardyce reasoned: “I expected, having watched what we did last Saturday, to be on 33 instead of 31. We’ve only got ourse...

Sam Allardyce is hoping he can make the difference in Leeds United's fight against relegation. By Stuart Rayner As the number of substitutes allowed in matches goes up over the years, so the influence managers like Allardyce can have when the game is up and running. So with his team needing a result against West Ham United on Sunday as they fight Premier League relegation, Allardyce is hoping his experience of pulling teams out of the mire works in the Whites' favour. He has a history of pulling out surprise results late in the season. "At Crystal Palace (in 2016-17), we beat Arsenal 3-0 and then beat Hull City 4-0," he says, overlooking a victory at Liverpool in between them. "At Sunderland (the previous season), we beat Everton 3-0 in the penultimate game and in 2003 with Bolton we beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at home (in the final day) to stay up. "With Blackburn (in 2009) we beat Tottenham 2-1 at home and we only had Chelsea to play in the (penul...