Leeds Banter

06 May 2024 09:48:43
Happy Monday people. Well tis true our form has been bi polar this year and yet again Leeds snatch defeat from the Jaws of victory. What are the reasons, who knows, probably a combination of factors, I think the Blackburn game was pivotal. To go from the best form in Europe over 14 games to being abject is eye watering. But, say your son excells in his studies then flunks his exams, you do not berate, criticise or belittle him. You try to find out why, support and urge him to try again. This theme runs through life, the son now has the opportunity to resit the test. We are Leeds and we go again, this is and always has been our mantra. UTWDTP and enjoy the Bank Holiday siblings 😁.

06 May 2024 12:24:21
I do think Rutter is part of the problem at the moment. He has def lost form in recent weeks. He seems a lovely lad so confidence is probably part of it. He gets a lot of attention on the pitch due to his skill ability but he was dispossessed an awful lot on Saturday - and in recent games - and they then just charge up the pitch. Fine margins etc. I don’t want him dropped but the group and manager have got to huddle round him and get him back ‘on it’. If he plays well we will win.

06 May 2024 13:29:32
One of they keys to our resurgence was Rutter playing the no10 role well as we don't have a natural no.10 so that was certainly a feature. I do think chasing down the massive gap wore the players out though and we just ran out of steam. Since the break we have looked lethargic which for me is a clear symptom of the almighty effort it took to go on that unbelievable run. That coupled with inexperience and its all become a bit much. Looking forward to next season with a more balanced squad, Farkes own players and a proper preseason.

06 May 2024 13:59:33
I think Summerville has become far too greedy.

06 May 2024 14:04:43
Buying a number 10 CAM last summer was imperative. Huge mistake.

06 May 2024 14:12:11
I think we all waited for our players to click in most of the first half the season. So many games should have been dead and buried in the first half.
Then after the new year an amazing run but always felt we were over reliant on one or two players.
It feels this year we have relied on good players producing rather than a good team or system of play.
Alf is right next season we will see a farke team rather than the team he cobbled together the start of this.

05 May 2024 22:21:09
Just a thought, is Luke Ayling available to play for us in the playoffs? I don't see any reason why not, and he will do better than the other options we have played all season, we might even have already been promoted if he had not been sent out on loan.

05 May 2024 23:38:15
Think he won't be eligible for playoffs

In form 8 assists Ayling at RB for Leeds in 2024 badly missed.

06 May 2024 06:16:12
I miss his character on the pitch but not his football.
Don’t get me wrong, great servant to the club and player in his day but more recently was not quick enough and gave the ball away too often.
Is he better than what we have is debatable?
Thought Archie did an amazing job in the RB position but was picked off by the occasional opposition winger like Liam Millar of Preston, more down to a lack of experience in his very young age.
Conner Roberts should be that player at RB, started well but then got injured in Internationals and that was that at the most crucial moment that he was needed.
Byram is a chronically crocked player

But for Roberts, fingers crossed could be fit for the play offs.

06 May 2024 07:07:12
Heads are falling off some of you lot, man 🤣 Ayling's legs have gone. He can't track back at all, so once he's beat he's absolutely f*cked and his ability to retain possession is almost laughable. Like OP said, he's been a great servant, but he's washed as a player Roberts is a much better player and Gray has played better at RB, too this season.

Get a grip will ya. His defensive contributions are and would have been a liability that would've more than nullified any offensive contributions. He's been getting sent to the shops on a regular basis for a few seasons now.

06 May 2024 07:07:24
Archie Gray 1 assist no goals whoopy doo

Yep just forget about those 8 Ayling assists for Boro

And forget about those 18 assists for EPL bound Ipswich as well

Jeez.

06 May 2024 07:58:01
Ayling was absolutely dire for us before he went out on loan 🤣 You're a fickle lot who love to put hindsight into play when things don't go as planned. If we'd have kept playing Ayling I can't see how we would have gone on that unbeaten run, considering he was getting spun week in week out when he played for us prior to that. Pretty much everyone was vocal about moving him on or at the very least not playing him again.

He's averaged about 3 assists a season for Leeds so how on earth people expect Farke to have the foresight to think he will get 8 assists for a mid-table team is beyond me.

Long story short, he's been woeful for us for a while now and it was the right decision to move him on when we did.

06 May 2024 08:15:19
Now we are onto slating Archie too, for a fantastic season. Wonders never cease. The site has regressed to 20% extremist nonsense now. Dull, unrealistic, pessimism and negativity. Yep, stats is stats, but it ain’t the only way to judge a players performance.

06 May 2024 08:31:45
Plenty here were happy for Ayling to go and got their wish. Ayling offers more on the right than anyone else we have had in that this season (remain open minded on Robert’s as he hasn’t had a sustained opportunity) . Ayling has his issues for sure, but he is a leader on the pitch and more dynamic going forward. Our right side has been utterly inert for months now; that wouldn’t have been the case had Ayling been playing. He wouldn’t have tolerated some of our ponderous play.

06 May 2024 08:50:27
Yes that’s right Baz, eight assists for Boro, who are Boro?
Can’t argue about Leif Davis, huge decision for him to drop down two divisions when he did leave, he has been a sensation for Ipswich.
A very bad move by Victor Orta and i'm certain Marsch had his meddling fingers involved in it, I’m not so sure if Farke or Bielsa had been at the club, they would not of sanctioned his departure. Bielsa although didn’t utilize him often would have seen his potential .

Never mind we’ve still got junior Firpo!

06 May 2024 08:56:02
Ayling is "washed up" guff Dill? give over

Ayling 8 assists playing virtually EVERY match for Boro since his move 19 matches .

Playing . the full 90 plus mins each time

and sincw Ayling has been playing Boro have been keeping plenty of clean sheets! ,

scoring loads of goals!

and winning loads of matches! ( something Leeds have failed to do much of in past 8 matches )

QPR 0 vs Boro 2

Compared to QPR 4 Leeds 0

Most recently

Boro 3 Watford 1
Cardiff 1 Boro 4
Ipswich 1 Boro 1
Boro 2 Wendies 0
Boro 2 Swansea 0
Hull 2 Boro 2
Boro 3 Norwich 1
Southampton 1v Boro 1
Birmingham 0 vs Boro 1 etc etc

Ayling has been a REVELATION for Boro. they win loads and haven't lost a game.

06 May 2024 08:57:33
What Ani said.100% spot on.

06 May 2024 09:01:21
Real is Leeds missing out on top 2 Bright .

06 May 2024 11:10:55
Brighty is right, this site is turning shite! Half contributing to debate and opinions, the other simply not accepting others opinions if they differ from their own, and saying it’s ‘Guff’ is out of order. Recently it’s become as dull as dishwater.
Did anyone really think Ayling should be first choice RB this season, I don’t believe so, he’s been a great servant to the club and I love him to bits for his commitment and attitude (and contribution) , but his performances were getting worse and was at fault for conceding goals, getting turned every week.
Did anyone criticise Archie when we had the best defence in the football league and on an unbeaten run, and say, we should have kept Ayling and played him? I don’t believe so.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, Lief Davis has been amazing for Ipswich, but did many of us think at the time he was a first choice LB for the Premier League? I don’t believe so. He may have been the one pushing to leave.
Before anyone (and you know who you are) jump up and down and say I’m wrong, it’s my opinion and cannot be wrong, it just may simply differ from your own.

06 May 2024 11:13:08
Baz, if we had made the automatic promotion would you still have wanted Bill back?
Hmm too conviennent and fitting your hindsight agenda to be saying this now.

06 May 2024 12:34:01
AYLING A REVELATION! Lol. Come off it, he's been sh! te for us for a long time. He may have played well elsewhere after, but FOR US, he's been very poor for a while. Why on earth would we miss a player that was playing badly then couldn't even get into the squad before he moved on?

You can't start playing the hindsight card on this one.

Both Gray and Roberts are better players than Ayling.

06 May 2024 13:31:00
Yes Dill Ayling has been very good FOR Boro ,

OP IF Leeds had gone up then no LA would not of ofc be good enough for EPL. Facts are Leeds haven't gone up and Ani is 100% correct about our RB issues.

05 May 2024 18:11:35
Just seen that kal has won the West ham player of the year vote.

With the help of the leeds fans!

Well done kalvin!

05 May 2024 18:28:44
He received over 60% of the votes 🤣🤣.

05 May 2024 18:31:59
Thoroughly deserved 👏 😆.

05 May 2024 18:51:18
That’s actually taking the piss out of the lad.

05 May 2024 20:02:52
He's done more to win that than his treble last season.

05 May 2024 20:14:46
I think Leeds fans should vote for Luke Ayling at Boro too

Played 19 games
EIGHT assists . eight!

Give Ayling a new contract . his loan move by DF looking foolish 😒.

05 May 2024 20:26:44
You could look at it like that Cork or you could say that all those Leeds fans took time to vote and he still means something to them.
He is still one of our own!

05 May 2024 20:30:46
Hasn't Luke won the same at Boro?
:-)

05 May 2024 21:12:46
You wait until it's Citeh's turn. Kal will win that too. 🤣.

05 May 2024 21:20:05
Hasn't he just Sheds?

05 May 2024 17:24:52
The Southampton fans started taunting the Leeds fans yesterday when Ipswich started winning, which at first I found a little odd because Ipswich have done us both over this season. But then I remembered that resentment can be driven by being made to look a fool - and then I remembered that famous Barry Davies line - 'to say that Leeds are playing with Southampton is an understatement'. 7 v 0 etc. We've made enemies over the last 60 years and a lot of it is to do with resentment. And yet we haven't won close to the number of trophies we should have won. What a story the history of our football club tells. True romance. Maybe that's what attracts the likes of Russell Crowe and Will Ferrell. They're not in it for the money. Life is about winning and losing. We've done our fair share of the latter. But when your friend is down - you stick with him. I f****** love Leeds.

05 May 2024 17:59:05
Good post Manston . and yes older Saints fans are salty over that 7 nil men against boys embarrassment,

Personally I dislike Southampton as I am still a bit salty of the fab Tony Currie inspired Leeds United being beaten unjustly by thuggish clodders Southampton in League Cup semi 1979.

05 May 2024 18:08:54
I always had a soft spot for Southampton baz. Firstly because of a close friend being a big saints fan and secondly le ti's and his brilliance.
Thirdly they had a good run of beating man u.

05 May 2024 18:30:45
Very good post Manston and how true it is of our history and legacy.
We have indeed soared with the eagles with not a lot to show for it, then wallowed with the pigs, which sometimes feels like an eternity.
It’s a very unique and special club, certainly to us it is anyhow.

05 May 2024 18:32:45
Le Tiss what a supremely talented player 👏 Ben.

05 May 2024 18:53:58
Baz - I was at a youth club in Whitkirk the night Southampton beat us in the League Cup semi final - and the DJ stopped the music to announce and rejoice in the result. Turned out he was a Southampton fan! Knob.

05 May 2024 18:54:10
Anyone remember a goal Leeds scored against Southampton which actually went wide but was given as a goal?
I think it was Strachan? Or has my mind totally gone?

05 May 2024 19:48:38
Manston ugh. You should have short circuited his DJ stuff

You weren't following match on Radio 2 the great Peter Jones commentary.

05 May 2024 20:05:09
Unlikely Manston - there is only Baz old enough to remember that.

05 May 2024 20:44:32
I’m afraid not Alf. I was def there.

05 May 2024 21:21:22
My commiserations Manston. However I think the majority of Saints fans these days would not remember that or give two hoots about it.

05 May 2024 21:24:16
BTW the resentment towards Leeds is due to the entitlement of a large portion of the fan base. People saying things like 'we have the best squad in the league', ' we deserve to be promoted', 'Ipswich were league 1 last season we should be embarrassed to lose out to them' are all classic examples.

05 May 2024 22:06:05
Cuppa you do contradict yourself.

06 May 2024 07:00:09
Explain oh master of contradictions.

06 May 2024 07:01:22
Corkster don't recall that.

googled and was reminded that Mark Hughes for Saints once scored a " goal" vs Leeds that hit the advertising board and bounced put of goal.

never given 😆.

06 May 2024 07:09:05
I seem to remember a goal at The Dell that was not given. The advertising hoarding were so close behind the goal line, that when the ball bounced out after crossing the goal line, everyone thought it had hit the post; they just played on.

06 May 2024 08:17:10
A valid assessment that Alf!

05 May 2024 17:02:54
Baz Try watching the latest edition of DF and I don't mean Farke. 🤣.

05 May 2024 18:02:47
Oh my giddy aunt 😍 lmao 🤣 😆 😂 🤪 😅 😜 🤣 😆 😂 🤪 😅 😜 🤣 😆 😂 🤪 😅 😜 🤣 😆

Best Farking most hilarious Darren Farley TV ever The German Bielsa, the Delia part was outstanding 👏 👌 😄

Good news too Georgey that King Tony Yeboah is coming to play for Leeds in playoffs.

05 May 2024 14:37:48
Hey Guys, I need some help with something I'm trying to do.

My 22 yr. old daughter is graduating from the University of Sussex in Brighton with her masters degree in July 2025. She is a HUGE leeds fan like me and we watch every game together while talking on the phone. Instead of getting a gift for her achievements my wife and I want to surprise her by taking her on a tour of Elland Road.

1. What is the best way to get to Leeds From Brighton? Train? fly?

2. Who do I contact at Leeds to book a tour of Elland Road?

3.My BIGGEST surprise to her that I'm trying to pull off is for her to meet Archie Gray at the stadium.
She is a BIG fan of Archie and would probably Cherish this visit for the rest of her life as will myself.

Would appreciate if anyone could help guide me in the right direction. MOT.

05 May 2024 15:30:57
John Wayne is best way getting up from Hove, Contact stadium/ website directly for tour info

And I would suggest contacting Archie through social media to ask on your request for a meet, maybe easier to achieve that if you went out to Thorp Arch if you had the the spare time, Match day may be awkward to meet up


If your in UK for a few days, may I suggest you visit the National Football Museum in Manchester, it's fantastic, every football fan will love it, not a 3 minute walk from Manchester Victoria station

Well worth the effort.

05 May 2024 18:04:04
Perhaps MG can help ( re AG ) as he is neighbours with King Eddie.

05 May 2024 19:28:47
Thanks for the advice, Guys.

05 May 2024 19:54:47
Bermuda - a Thameslink train will get you straight to St. Pancras from Brighton, then a 2 minute walk over to KX from where you get your train direct to Leeds centre. No need to book Thameslink but book your train from KX direct with LNER. If you do it in advance you’ll get better rates - incl. on 1st class if you want to treat yourself.

If you’re not a member, book one of the hospitality packages at ER. I’ve done it a couple of times with non member mates. You can do that well in advance and that also helps with train bookings. The hospitality grub is good and the booze is complementary (the one I did anyway) . You’ll also meet Leeds fans from all over - Norwegians, Irish and Aussies on my table last time. Plus ex players hosting. If you do hospitality for a 3pm kick off, you need to be at ER by 12.30pm to make it worth it - so factor that into your travel time from the south coast. Go up Friday night maybe. Plenty reasonable Hotels near Leeds station.

05 May 2024 21:06:12
Thanks a million Manston. Really appreciate it! This sounds like the easy part. Trying to keep it a secret from my daughter may be my biggest challenge.

05 May 2024 12:16:06
All the optimists out there call the opposition defeatists but somewhere in the middle stand the realists who currently must lean towards the defeatist camp for, no matter how much you excuse the last game, tell yourself it was a blip and then drag out the "we can turn it around" Your eyes don't deceive you and the final score is the only thing that counts.
Everyone knows the symptoms. Everyone knows when it started but not one of us knows the cure that works. We all have our own prognosis. Even the ones with radical surgery as an option dare not perform it in case it goes wrong at this critical stage.
So let's just wrap it in bandages (for now) and pray for the best.
If the patient pulls through then the future is always brighter with the supporters constant companion - Hope.

05 May 2024 13:26:42
Let’s hope the patient pulls through cause he has a whole lot of beatings coming up.

05 May 2024 09:21:47
Went to pick my two sons up from the train station and as one was running late went for a cheeky pint in town. Not great joining the Tractor Boys party. One guy said "cheer up we are promoted" I rolled my shirt sleeve up to show him my Leeds tattoo, he then understood!

05 May 2024 13:29:28
Poor you Phil.
The only saviour being its their century moment.
They are about to get mauled and ridiculed.
Us. Never.
As much as we may well be beaten. Teams will always be wary of playing us. To the end of time.

05 May 2024 15:58:37
Thanks Aus, I only hold a glimmer of hope for the play offs.

05 May 2024 07:47:15
Will Ferrell is a new stakeholder in the club.

05 May 2024 08:49:05
That’s good news right?
Heard his a mate of Jesse. Maybe give him another go with all his yankers us of a footballers.

05 May 2024 09:11:54
Shake n Bake! Good to have him as one of our Brothers.

05 May 2024 09:28:30
Burgundy away kit next season?

05 May 2024 10:00:01
Yes bright I read that. He showed up a couple of times in the Wrexham doc. Seemed to like being involved and going to the pub.

05 May 2024 10:26:14
Welcome Frank the Tank.

05 May 2024 16:22:08
Fitting because we're a bunch of Barbies.

05 May 2024 19:55:48
Side before Elf?

05 May 2024 21:13:57
Alf Perhaps it's a sign that when the transfer window opens, Everything Must Go!

05 May 2024 07:39:38
{Ed's Note - BlueNose1878! has posted a new article entitled, Sean Dyche is doing his job at Everton