[Archived] Pre-season

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Not a bad crowd. Not to sure that they needed to delay kick off due to 'the sheer number of people trying to get into the game'

Did you see the length of the queue for home tickets at 2.50pm? A good fans decision by LUFC

[cn174]

Did you see the length of the queue for home tickets at 2.50pm? A good fans decision by LUFC

No I didn't. It just sounded a bit ridiculous the fella kept announcing it over the tannoy when the ground was 1/4 full.

Anyway a couple of photos from today (click for bigger):

[tcj_jones]

Agree pretty much with what Parson said, except for 15th next season. Top 10 has to be our aim.

Top 10? Hughesy, are you crazy???

[andyroversmad]

With our midfield we will be lucky with 15th.

[American]

No I didn't. It just sounded a bit ridiculous the fella kept announcing it over the tannoy when the ground was 1/4 full.

Anyway a couple of photos from today (click for bigger):

That bottom one is a REALLY good picture.

[Guest Kamy100]

I've said for the last 6 months that we need to sign a midfielder who can get forward, at the moment our midfield is very easy to play against, we need someone who can break forward. Hopefully once Sam has bought a striker he will focus on this.

[DeadlyDirk]

What formation did we play today by the way?

Yorkshire radio said at the start that Roberts was on the right wing and Diouf was upfront with Benni, I presume Diouf and Roberts were the other way around weren't they?

[Miker]

I like how people are hitting the panic button after a pre-season friendly. I hope every other team in the Premier League isn't like this or we might end up seeing every player in the league sacked and replaced by new ones based on their pre-season performances. Pretty sure every Premier team uses these pre-seasons to keep the fitness levels of the first-team players up and give the new signings, fringe players and young players a chance to show what they're capable of.

I've watched pre-season games for Arsenal, Man City, United and Liverpool and they haven't been much better (probably worse, in fact).

[philipl]

It seemed to be 4-4-2 with Roberts and McCarthy sort of up front.

Problem for me was that as the senior player in the middle, Andrews should have imposed himself in that situation.

Instead Leeds completely ran midfield and it felt like Inceball all over again with the defence being attacked at pace by opposition (3rd Division) players who were running through at them unimpeded. Pedersen was dire as well but I can confirm that Diouf was attacking at pace and carried just about Rovers' only threat until he went off.

I think it was a bit unfair on NZonzi pairing him with Keith. If he had been given Dunn as his partner then he would have had someone who could retain posession alongside him and break forwards- I guess the confidence of having a footballing partner would have helped NZonzi up his game a lot. NZonzi looks raw and promising but at the moment would be sussed by Premier clubs in no time at all and become a total liability.

[alexanders]

I have to say I am a tad optimistic after watching yesterdays pre-season game against Leeds.

Okey, we came away with a draw and we were awful in the first half.

N'Zonzi did a lot of mistakes, but as PhilipL said - he looks like he has real potential.

Andrews dissapointed me a lot today. I am one of these who are always giving Andrews my support and I have never slagged him off, but it was sad to see that we were totally overran in midfield today. I think Andrews brokeup the play very nicely sometimes and also tried some 1-2's and had some decent passes, but as David Dunn entered the pitch a big change happened. He took the leeds midfielders on and drove forward. He had a couple of very nice long passes. Especially for Van Heerden on the left.

The biggest dissapointment of the day was - my fellow Norwegian Gamst. He was bloody awful and looks totally clueless and lumps the ball forward everytime he gets the ball. When Van Heerden came on he showed us how a winger is supposed to be. Very good pace and took the players on, also had a couple of very nice deliveries.

The biggest surprise was Martin Olsson , combined very good with Hoilett on the right side and should've been given 2 penalties, but got one. Based on todays game I would start both him and Van Heerden on the left side ahead of Gamst. Gamst needs to sharpen himself.

Was also very good to see the young canadian that is David Hoilett coming on. A lot of pace and looks a good passer. Diouf also did an okey game. I don't agree with those who slag Benni off. I think he did a lot, but the pairing with Roberts didnt work. Benni and Gally fitted better, but I think it was because to lively wingers came on - creating more space and making the defenders unsure.

I am a tad optimistic because I think the depth in our squad looks better this season than last. We will have a lot more competition and I think now one in the first XI last season should be 100% sure about starting this years.

We have more pace now with Diouf, Hoilett, Van Heerden than before.

The midfield of Dunn, Grella, NZonzi, Andrews, Warnock, Emerton is okey, but if Dunn struggles with injury we are going to struggle.

Therefore I would like us to go after a very good box-box midfielder alongside grella or nzonzi, even andrews.

[roversmum]

Was not too impressed with the first half of the match although our lads gradually became more on top of the game, Leeds still gave them plenty to think about. The Leeds players were pretty fast and very physical (no surprise there then). To be fair to Morten, he did get set about by two or three Leeds players each time he got the ball. Nzonzi definitely has promise, met his dad in the stands, nice guy. In the second half, the new boys zipped about and looked good, certainly caused some trouble to Leeds. Was convinced that Gally would waste his penalty so was pleased to see him score it!

Diouf taunting the Leeds fans was funny, and the incident involving Gally and the Asst. Ref when a Leeds player pushed Gally into him and they fell in a heap with the flag waving for the foul made me laugh. Nice sunny afternoon, enjoyed the trip and hope lessons will have been learned from it.

[Ossydave]

Left at half time along with many others after they made the genius decision to stop serving ale.

Absolute shambles.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Left at half time along with many others after they made the genius decision to stop serving ale.

Absolute shambles.

Could understand if you'd left because of the quality of the football but not being able to have half time drink, whats that all about? I thought we were there to watch a football match and support the team

Were you also the one arguing with a steward that you should be allowed to smoke because the sun was shining despite there being a smoking ban in the ground?

[Ossydave]

Could understand if you'd left because of the quality of the football but not being able to have half time drink, whats that all about? I thought we were there to watch a football match and support the team

Were you also the one arguing with a steward that you should be allowed to smoke because the sun was shining despite there being a smoking ban in the ground?

The quality of football on show also played a part.

No, why would I want to argue with a steward about smoking?

[roversmum]

Not very impressed with the stewarding at all. At lease most of us in the disabled area had a reasonable view and there was some rather inventive and messy use of scaffolding to get us up there!!! But just two toilet cubicles for the ladies in the whole stand????

A Leeds fan I know reckons they are going to build a hotel around the front stand - still delusions of grandeur obviously.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

The quality of football on show also played a part.

No, why would I want to argue with a steward about smoking?

Sorry Ossy but there were one or two trying to have quick drag behind the bicycle sheds and when confronted by the stewards demanded that the law about smoking in public places should be rewritten. IMO the Leeds stewards were being entirely reasonable about it despite being abused particularly by one guy and his young son.

[Ossydave]

Sorry Ossy but there were one or two trying to have quick drag behind the bicycle sheds and when confronted by the stewards demanded that the law about smoking in public places should be rewritten. IMO the Leeds stewards were being entirely reasonable about it despite being abused particularly by one guy and his young son.

I do smoke but I'm not one of these people that can't go 90 minutes without having one.

The stewarding was awful. I basically got told off that overweight woman that me and my 'group' would be ejected if we dared to stand up again (we hadn't really been standing anyway apart from the odd song, the lads behind us where all stood up in any case).

[AggyBlue]

IMO the Leeds stewards were being entirely reasonable about it despite being abused particularly by one guy and his young son.

IMO the Leeds stewards were being complete arseholes the entire game. No different from stewards at most other grounds we visit though.

[Mattyblue]

Left at half time along with many others after they made the genius decision to stop serving ale.

Absolute shambles.

I like a beer as much as the next guy, but can you not go an hour without sampling an overpriced pint of pi$$ in a plastic glass??

[Ossydave]

I like a beer as much as the next guy, but can you not go an hour without sampling an overpriced pint of pi$$ in a plastic glass??

Well yes we could do if we wanted to, but it's part and parcel of what me and my pals like to do on football away days. As stated previously the awful football being served up also played a part.

[The Gull]

It was my first visit to Elland Road yesterday and I thought the facilities were pathetic. Apart from the main stand which is relatively new it was on a par with the old Nuttall Street stand at Ewood which was replaced more than 15 years ago.

I thought Leeds kept the ball well and if they play like that next season they should have no problem in getting out of that league.

We were poor before some second half changes, especially the introduction of David Dunn who looked fit and sharp even at this early stage.

It is vital that he is wrapped in cotton wool as he is by far the most creative midfielder we have on our books at the minute. I think the midfield would be fine with Dunn and Emerton in there.

Diouf looked lively yesterday, he struggled at the beginning of last season with injuries at Sunderland so maybe with a good pre season under his belt he will be sharper than we witnessed last season, and he was one of the better performers in the latter part of the season so that is good news for rovers.

David Hoilett had a little cameo and it is hard to judge him just on that but from what I saw yesterday we could have a little gem on his hands. In the little time he had the ball he was quick, positive, had a very good touch and played one particularly very good through ball which shows he has vision as well. I am trying not to hype him up as it would not be fair after such little evidence but I think he will be quite exciting over the next couple of years.

Nzonzi looks like an athlete but is some way off being a starter in my opinion. He seems to have all the tools physically but needs to get smarter and learn from playing at a higher level over the next year.

Olson was bright when he came on and didn't seem too worried about playing on the right hand side rather than his natural left hand side.

A few positives from what was a pre season friendly that really shouldn't shape how the teams plays next season. I think Sam probably knows that Dunn will start with another in the middle, so the midfield should be different for starters. Warnock and Emerton are both options for us in there.

Defence looked pretty solid with Nelsen and Givet and we still have Samba to come in there. Robbo was also looking very trim and sharp.

[brfcs5359]

Leeds 1-1 Rovers

1st half - Evenly matched. Leeds looked very spritely and odds on to win that division on this perfomance. Rovers lacked pace and cutting edge with no guile in midfield.

2nd half - Mostly Rovers and the gulf was evident if not as big as it should be.

Steven N'Zonzi could be a great signing but on this evidence, one for the reserves for the first part of the season. Diouf was rubbish AGAIN. For all his workrate he looked a Leeds player. Lars Jacobsen looked a poor right back and Andrews was a championship player. Elrio van Heerden (of he was No.19) was sharpish and with some adjustment will add the squad.

The 2nd half subs of the two wide men, Elrio van Heerden, David Hoilett, Dunn and Paul Gallagher made a big difference. We had edge and pace. Dunn was two notches above every single player on the pitch. An international amongst also rans. His first pass a raking 50 yard went straight to feet. He then went on to boss the game and run at Leeds players (and past them) with ease pretty much every time in between picking out sharp passes and clever one two's. Hoilet was distinctly average at best and had far less quality than Villeneuva.

Gallagher is £250k striker and a £5m midfielder. His first pass dropping deep was pin point to Jason Roberts I think who was unable to take advantage. When will Sam learn?? We could never afford to a midfielder of Gallagher's class so why are we messing around with such a talent? After that Gallagher felt uncomfortable up front, lacking pace when given a chance.

Givet went off and his replacement(?) did very well.

With Grella to come back, Reid and Emerton plus Judge. the squad is okish. It something strange that we have lived for 5 years with Souness'es midfield (bar Bentley). Emerton, Reid, Dunn, Pederson and Tugay (retired 2009).

Robinson was excellent as was Ollson when he came on

FIRST CHOICE

----------------------Robbo---

Jackobson ---- Nelson ---- Samba ----- Givet

Emerton ------ Dunn ------ Grella --- Warnock

New Striker ---- New Striker

RESERVES

-------------Brown-------------

Emerton ----- New Signing? -------- Givet ------- Ollson

van Heerden ----- Gallagher ------ Reid -------- Pederson

---------Roberts -------- McCarthy -----------

2nd RESERVES

---------------Bunn/Frank Fielding---------

YOUTH--------YOUTH-----------YOUTH--------YOUTH

El Hadji Diouf/Alan Judge-----------Keith Andrews/------------N'Zonzi----------David Hoilett/Aaron Doran

-----RITGERS/Andy Haworth---------Marcus Marshall/Julio Santa Cruz

[brfcshabba]

Givet went off and his replacement(?) did very well.

That was Zurab

Hoilet was distinctly average at best and had far less quality than Villeneuva.

Bit hard to judge after one half were he hardly got the ball.

[bob fleming]

YOUTH--------YOUTH-----------YOUTH--------YOUTH

Blimey, it's like the 1980's all over again!

[philipl]

Elrio didn't appear until the 2nd half quite late Graham.

Apart from that factual error, I would say Leeds were well on top first half and the second was more even. Diouf played well.