Leeds v Aston Villa - Match Thread - Sunday 28th April, 12pm | Vital Football

Leeds v Aston Villa - Match Thread - Sunday 28th April, 12pm

JuanPabloAngel

JuanPabloAngel

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It looks a lot like Leeds have botched automatic promotion now (assuming Sheffield United beat Ipswich on Saturday evening, they'll be 6 points clear of Leeds with a vastly better goal difference).

They will be looking ahead to the playoffs, where all things being equal, they will play Derby or Bristol City and we will play Sandwell. Assuming we both win, we'll meet them in the final.

I'm not normally one for conspiracy theories, but if we play our best team on Sunday, what's are the chances 'dirty' Leeds will look to wind up or put reducers on SJM and Super Jack so they are suspended/injured/doubtful for said final? It would certainly be in Leeds' best interests to rule out arguably our two best players (with apologies to Tyrone Mings).

Or am I doing them a disservice and the game will, in fact, be one for the purists where football is the winner?

I don't know, but the main thing is that Leeds will surely have had the stuffing knocked out by failing at the last having spent most of the season in the top two?

What do you think, fine folks of Vital Villa?
 
Leeds have blown it and unless I've buggered my maths Sheff U have to lose both for them to get automatic. Leeds win the next two, Sheff U draw/win then through. Lose/win GD sees them through?

Undoubtedly they are finalists though for me, but this weekend could decide confidence and an utter hammering given their last two results could see them fall away completely.

I take your point JPA, but equally, if we let Mings, Whelan et al do their thing can Leeds put a team out if they have any more injuries themselves lol
 
Don't think Leeds are one of the dirtier sides. We're more likely to get battered from the WBA games than this one.

DS will want to win this one. Think he might make the odd change but not too much.
 
I think you're doing them a disservice JPA too. They outplayed us in December, this isn't the Leeds of the 70s, I haven't seen anything of them to suggest they'd be out to cause injury over the season.

You could also flip it on its head and say we could be going out to do the same and eliminate the likes of Hernandez from the play-offs. However, I don't think these sort of things happen.

I think it could be a good game but I do fancy us. Another way of analysing the game is it could provide a psychological boost should we meet at Wembley too (imagine their confidence if they go there having beaten us twice already). I am also keen to try and leapfrog West Brom too, again from a psychological perspective I think it could have an influence come the semi-final.
 
Steer
Elmo Axel Mings Taylor or Hause
Albert McGinn Whelan Jack ElGhazi
Kodija

Albert retains his place as he works hard and we are away. He is on borrowed time though. Get McGinn off if he gets booked or go with Lansbury from the start as he needs to get match fit? We may need him before seasons end.
 
If we can finish 4th I think that's massive as we would then play Smethwick away first leg then back down to B6 . Leeds v Derby in the other SF which I can see Derby winning
 
Silhillvilla said:
If we can finish 4th I think that's massive as we would then play Smethwick away first leg then back down to B6 . Leeds v Derby in the other SF which I can see Derby winning
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I'm normally favour playing the second leg at home as the advantage.

I'm not sure now. Both spurs and Liverpool won their European league 1/4 finals playing home first. Although both us and Fulham went through last year playing away first.

We are capable of taking the 2nd leg out of the equation. A Boro or Derby type home performance and scoreline can do that.

Playing away 2nd doesn't worry me as much as it would previously.
 
Problem is I can't see any 3 or 4-0 wins in a play off semi.
The games will be tight , low scoring affairs in my opinion with the odd goal winning them
 
Silhillvilla said:
Problem is I can't see any 3 or 4-0 wins in a play off semi.
The games will be tight , low scoring affairs in my opinion with the odd goal winning them
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No. Neither can I in truth. But we are capable.

Baggies have Rotherham at home then Derby so based on that and our games v Leeds and Norwich, prepare for VP home leg first .
 
I just think the 2nd leg down B6 would be so advantageous, especially if it goes to ET / pens. I don't even want to think about that.
 
Silhillvilla said:
Problem is I can't see any 3 or 4-0 wins in a play off semi.
The games will be tight , low scoring affairs in my opinion with the odd goal winning them
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Have we re-employed Steve Bruce then?
Recent games have shown that Dean Smith does not have an overly cautious approach and that to keep going forward. With better finishing and keepers not playing like Yashin, we should have had a few more 4-0 wins.
I cannot see DS changing the approach for the play offs.
 
Just read that the little blond haired player Alioski is out for the season .i thought he was very decent against us at Villa Park and I can't say I am shedding a tear.

Leeds will be in the play offs for certain come Sunday and I think they will rest a few players , we could also rotate one or two , so this game could be vastly different to what it how it may have looked a couple of weeks ago.
 
sirdennis said:
Just read that the little blond haired player Alioski is out for the season .i thought he was very decent against us at Villa Park and I can't say I am shedding a tear.

Leeds will be in the play offs for certain come Sunday and I think they will rest a few players , we could also rotate one or two , so this game could be vastly different to what it how it may have looked a couple of weeks ago.
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Another case of karma just like Kieftebeld at the Sty. Alioski was going out of his way to maim our players from what I saw and is evidence of the old saying of "what goes around, comes around".
 
Can we ask the kit man to provide Mings with extra large pockets in his shorts this weekend so that he can comfortably fit in Bamford and their other striker!
 
Tierney said:
I think you're doing them a disservice JPA too. They outplayed us in December, this isn't the Leeds of the 70s, I haven't seen anything of them to suggest they'd be out to cause injury over the season.
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To be honest, I was playing devil's advocate and trying to whip up a bit of debate.

Leeds are no more agricultural than anyone else and almost never get into the positions they have been occupying this season without being a damn good footballing side - Cardiff last season being the obvious exception.

They are a high energy team which plays football the way we have been playing. I agree with other comments above about the game being unlikely to break goalscoring records, but both ourselves and Leeds have goals in us and there is surely no way it will be as eye-watering as the 0-0 with Middlesbrough last season.
 
sirdennis said:
Just read that the little blond haired player Alioski is out for the season .i thought he was very decent against us at Villa Park and I can't say I am shedding a tear.

Leeds will be in the play offs for certain come Sunday and I think they will rest a few players , we could also rotate one or two , so this game could be vastly different to what it how it may have looked a couple of weeks ago.
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Big loss for filthy Leeds , yay ?
 
Difficult to know the best approach really. Play the strongest 11 and go all out for the biggest battering possible or hold your best cards in reserve for the bigger prize.

Would like to have the second leg v Albion at VP and a demoralising victory would be damaging to an an already wounded Leeds. However the risk of injury/ booking for key players and Leeds defeating our best side would be counter productive.

On reflection, I would go for the tactic of battering them with our reserves and a completely different formation, therefore.

Steer

Hutton Elphick Jedinak Taylor

Bjarnason Lansbury Hourihane Ramsey

Davis Kodjia

Should be enough there for 11 wins and that would certainly demoralise them and quieten down the YRA. :clap::grinning:
 
northamptonvillan said:
Difficult to know the best approach really. Play the strongest 11 and go all out for the biggest battering possible or hold your best cards in reserve for the bigger prize.

Would like to have the second leg v Albion at VP and a demoralising victory would be damaging to an an already wounded Leeds. However the risk of injury/ booking for key players and Leeds defeating our best side would be counter productive.

On reflection, I would go for the tactic of battering them with our reserves and a completely different formation, therefore.

Steer

Hutton Elphick Jedinak Taylor

Bjarnason Lansbury Hourihane Ramsey

Davis Kodjia

Should be enough there for 11 wins and that would certainly demoralise them and quieten down the YRA. :clap::grinning:
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i saw the question posed on here last week as to whether bookings carry over into play offs. Do you know the answer northampton.
 
wittonite said:
i saw the question posed on here last week as to whether bookings carry over into play offs. Do you know the answer northampton.
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Yes, if McGinn picks up two more bookings in the remaining games, he will incur a 3 match suspension and therefore miss the entire playoff campaign, were we to play all three matches.

But if he avoids picking up these two bookings, they do not carry over into the payoffs.
 
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