Championship Play off Final 2006


It has been said many times already this week but this really is the single richest football game in world football, it could be worth upwards of 30m to the winners.


Winning this game is probably more important to us than them bearing in mind we lose our 6m parachute payment next year but that fact could affect the players either way, it could spur them on or prevent them playing, I think it will be the former.
KB has for me made the right decision in not exposing the players to all the carry on surrounding the match right until the last minute, there lot have been camped in Wales all week.


Despite all the talk about our having more fans at the game than Watford, I expect the split in fans to be fairly equal which will make for a great atmosphere which I believe the Whites players will handle better.

Teamwise I am well pissed off with Cress, I think he could have started with Hulse if he had not been so stupidly sent off against PNE, as it is I think that KB will go with the same formation that beat Preston but with a few surprises, I predict the following team:

I do not care about their team; we should not worry about what they are going to do, just concentrate on our game.


I think we will do it though my prediction earlier this season was that we would be contesting this final against Palace, I predicted than that we would win 3-0, I will stick with the Three for Leeds but they might sneak a consolation.


Prediction: Leeds 3 v Watford 1


Come on you Whites!!!!!!

If we are to have any realistic chance of getting that second automatic promotion spot, then we have to beat Luton on Saturday, it is as simple as that. The Blunts have a relatively easy game at home to QPR so we will probably need to win just to avoid falling any further behind.
Watford have a tricky home game with Cardiff and from our point of view it would probably be better if Watford won that one, bearing in mind that Cardiff are currently in 7th spot and are one of only 3 teams who can now get amongst the current top 6 for a play off place. Wolves are another one but I think they will get nothing more than a draw at Hull, we can take care of the other one by beating Luton who are currently in 9th.

The other big games which may affect where we are likely to finish are Reading at home to Preston, a home win would do us here for 2 reasons
a) we do not want The Blunts getting extra incentives to kick and and try to catch them and

b) Preston need bringing down before we may have to play them in the play offs.
The other game sees Palace at home to Norwich, this has to be a draw which would suit us.

We win and keep the pressure on everybody else including Bunts, lose and it’s a play off place at best.


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It is all back on again after last night’s victory after 60 minutes,against 9-man Watford. Even the fact that Reading missed a last minute penalty at The Blunts did not dampen the optimism for the rest of the season. We started with the same team as we had against Derby and had the better of the early part of the game with Jonathan Douglas’s shin control letting him down in front of goal when he was well positioned. Watford got back into the game but there were no clear chances for either team until Watford were awarded a free kick on 40 minutes for a foul by Sean Gregan. Ashley Young smashed it straight into the top left hand corner. That seemed to be spur we needed as we had 3 good chances one of which saw Gregan hitting the bar. But at half time and it remained 0-1


HT 0-1


Both teams had goals disallowed early in the second half and Gregan was booked on 51, not long after that it all kicked off. First Rob Hulse pounced on a defensive mistake in the Watford box and was pulled down by keeper Foster as he moved towards goal. Red Card for Foster and a penalty to us that Robbie Blake coolly knocked in, 1-1 and things were looking good.

Two minutes later and things were looking even better as Gregan’s brilliant provocation of Darius Henderson ended with the Watford man elbowing him, getting a Red Card and losing half a shirt. Watford down to 9 men and Jade Goody in the crowd was not looking happy. The Whites pushed forward and created a few half chances and on 81 Robbie Blake got his second, slotting home from 10 yards, 2-1 to Leeds and that was pretty much it.


A massive win for us, unbeaten now in 5, it leaves us 9 points behind Sheff U with a game in hand and a visit to Bramall Lane on Tuesday, 18th April.


Next up Leicester at the weekend for us blunts are away at Sheff Wed.

I seem to be saying this before every game these days but this one really is an important game for us to win and it looks like we're going to have to do it without both Richard Cresswell and Rob Hulse.
That could mean Ian Moore making a rare start up front with David Healy, other than that I think Leeds will line up as they were against Derby.


Watford as we know are flying at the moment and their front men will really cause our less than quick defenders a few problems, if we manage to come through this game with a clean sheet I will be surprised but as always we are also capable of scoring.

On the positive side somebody at Elland Road had the good sense to insert a clause into the deals taking Clarke Carlisle and Matt Spring to Watford preventing them from playing tonight, which may just disrupt Watford enough for us to get on top early.
If we can keep their front men quiet and our midfield 3 get hold of the game more than they have done of late then we can get the 3 points that will surely take us closer to Sheff U, who I cannot see getting anything at Reading.


I predict 2-2 and to be honest I would settle for that now.


Come on Leeds!!!!!

After last nights drubbing for the South Yorkshire plodders can we still get automatic promotion?


I reckon we can.


The news today is that both Steve Stone and Killa are making quicker progress than expected and although Stone is a long way off he could now be back for the season run in while Killa could be back for Palace at the beginning of March. On top of that Frazer Richardson is back in training and we should finally get clearance this week for Joel Griffiths, so providing competition down the right hand side.


I think the current top six are now nailed on barring any total collapse, all are in good form and everybody below is too inconsistent, but any one of The Whites, Watford or Sheff U could still get that second automatic promotion spot (Reading are not catchable) even though we are still 11 points behind.
The next week could be crucial: We have Derby away at the weekend and then Watford next Tuesday at Elland Road, at the same time as we are playing Watford, Sheff U is at home to Reading. Before those matches, next Tuesday, Watford is at home to Coventry and Sheff U away at Plymouth. If we do our job by beating Derby & Watford and Plymouth can get a draw with Sheff U they will be on the slippery slope before they meet Reading.


It could come down to the last day of the season - Leeds away at Preston and the blunts at home to Palace!!!


Optimistic yes, out of the question – no.