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Early Season Report - Cup Wins Provide Optimisim |
Leeds continue to show good early form in Cup competitions but still seek their first home league victory. George Parker provides an early season report on how the Whites have performed in their first 7 games of the 2008/09 campaignAn away win, after being behind at Scunthorpe on the season’s opening day, surprisingly remains the only league victory of Leeds’ League One campaign as August drew to an end! An equally surprising lack lustre display in the first home game of the season as they were defeated by an inform Oldham Athletic, has been followed by two draws. First a 1 – 1 result at Yeovil in which Gary McAllister’s team dominated for the first hour of the game, only to succumb to an equaliser resulting from a Casper Ankergren penalty save and a failure to respond effectively to the set back to take the three points expected. Game Four in the league was at home to Bristol Rovers resulted in the Whites once again taking the initiative and the lead early in the game to then surrender the advantage and go in at half time 1 – 2 down. A Beckford equaliser mid way through the second half saved a point, but once again chances for all 3 points were available yet not taken! Interestingly, whilst laying in 14th place (as of 3.9.08), with 5 points from 4 games (just one point behind 6th place, 5 points behind 1st) there still appears to be an optimistic outlook for the season ahead as the way the team is playing still suggests the results are soon to come. Why such optimism? Look no further than the games completed so far in the Carling Cup and the Johnstone Paint Trophy. A 5 – 2 away win at Chester (and a Jermaine Beckford hat-trick) in the first round of the Carling Cup was followed by an impressive the first home win of the season against Neil Warnock’s Crystal Palace, from the Championship, as Leeds hit them for four with no reply. More encouraging from this victory was that McAllister had replaced his entire midfield four from the Yeovil game for the Palace game, Kilkenny, Delph, Hughes and Douglas were in for Howson, Robinson, Snodgrass and Prutton. Their displays kept them in the side for the Bristol game. Competition for places very keen and depth in the squad not in question. Progression in the Carling Cup looks promising as the third round draw has provided a home time against Hartlepool. The disappointment of failing to take 3 points against Bristol Rovers on the 30th August was quickly dealt with as Leeds overcame local rivals Bradford City (now of League Two) in the first round of the Johnstone Paint Trophy by 2 – 1 in front of a 20,000+ crowd (2.9.08), giving grounds for optimism for the next home game on Saturday 6th September against Crewe. The habit of collecting 3 points from each game is obviously key to success, which can be no less than promotion this season for Leeds, and is surely only a matter of days away. The promising style of football played by the team must surely further result in a rapid climb up the table before early season leaders Leicester, Oldham and Carlisle can establish a significant gap from the chasing pack. George Parker Fancy writing for LiveFootball? Click here to find out more. |