Inside Elland Road: Are Leeds Utd physically able to compete in the Premier League?
Leeds United’s fans are in complete disagreement on Sunday’s huge clash at Nottingham Forest.
NEIL GREWER
In last week’s defeat, Leeds were poor and never really competed and Brighton were by far the better team, selected from a stronger Premier League quality squad.
At Forest, Leeds will face a struggling team but one with top-flight credentials and a new manager.
Whilst maybe not as strong as Brighton, Forest will present a formidable challenge, and Leeds will need to be competitive to stand any chance of getting a result.
We have to accept Leeds will lose more games than they will win but take any chances to win games when the opposition have off days.
So the game at Forest presents an opportunity. Whilst Sean Dyche will need time to work his magic at Forest, Leeds must seize the opportunity and ensure they do not lose this game and allow Forest to get closer to Leeds in the table.
To this end, following a defeat, I expect team changes.
Maybe Jack Harrison could start the game to add defensive solidity and then be replaced by Noah Okafor?
Perhaps Anton Stach should replace Ao Tanaka.
Hopefully, Leeds can bounce back from last week’s horror show.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1 Leeds United 1.
ANDY RHODES
After last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Brighton, we all know the Premier League honeymoon period is over.
The scoreline doesn’t look good on paper but the manner of the defeat was also disappointing. Daniel Farke’s side barely worried the Brighton defence, and that will give Leeds’ next opponents confidence.
Nottingham Forest are still searching for their first league win under Sean Dyche but you have to expect that he will make them tougher to beat.
That’s not what Leeds need. Farke needs to find a way of getting Dominic Calvert-Lewin firing because he hasn’t had the service an out-and-out centre-forward needs so far, and goals throughout the team are drying up.
With another international break coming and a tough run of games soon afterwards, Farke will need to pick up some points or the existing scrutiny will only intensify.
It doesn’t matter if it’s not the greatest performance; everyone would be happy winning ugly. Winning is the most important thing, and points on the board would improve a worsening picture.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2 Leeds United 0.
“Feels like a watershed moment”
DAVID WATKINS
This feels like a watershed moment for Leeds. With another international break imminent, it would be a long time to ponder another defeat, a defeat against a bottom-three side.
We managed to beat the other two, so beating Forest would give weight to the argument made by optimistic Leeds fans that “there are at least three teams worse than us!”
Forest are now under Sean Dyche, and he appears to have made his Reds harder to beat. His first game was a win, in the Europa League against Porto, handing the Portuguese their first defeat of the season.
Defeat at Bournemouth was no disgrace, and then, last weekend, Forest managed a 2-2 draw with improving Manchester United. This preview was written before Forest’s Thursday night European game in Austria, and so I can but hope they had a tough game and some travel delays!
Our record at the City Ground isn’t great – one victory in nine visits since that sombre night in November 2011 when we won 4-0, two days after the death of Gary Speed.
As we approach the 14th anniversary of his passing, it would be fitting to emulate the same spirit and style that Speedo embodied.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1 Leeds United 2.
KEITH INGHAM
There are important games, then there are games that have quite a lot riding on them. Last weekend’s abysmal defeat at Brighton has made Sunday’s visit to Forest very important.
If you asked a cross section of Leeds fans you’d probably get a mixed reaction if you asked them about Daniel Farke.
He retains quite a lot of respect and support for what he has done in the past two seasons but the patience of some is running short with 10 games played.
Maybe a change in formation with two up top and four in the middle might bring something different, but I doubt it’s something he’s happy doing.
I like the man, but as West Ham, Forest and Wolves have already shown, patience is short in the Premier League.
He has options, Willy Gnonto, if fit, and Dan James could go wide with either Noah Okafor or last season’s top scorer Joel Piroe alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Lukas Nmecha. I’d go with Ethan Ampadu and Sean Longstaff in the midfield.
Forest have already had two managers this season and are on their third in Sean Dyche. He will be keen to put one over Leeds on Sunday. A win is definitely needed but a much better performance from all will also be necessary if they are to get it.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2 Leeds United 1.
“Needs to be seen in the context”
The avoidance of relegation is our only objective and the disappointing result against Brighton needs to be seen in the context.
Week after week we will meet clubs with more expensive squads than us.
Even West Ham beat Newcastle on Sunday after an early setback. And of course, Sunday’s opponents, Nottingham Forest have an abundance of fine players.
Forest’s problem has been their megalomaniacal owner who is on his third coach this season.
Nuno Espirito Santo guided Forest to seventh position in the Premier League and qualification for Europe last season but owner Evangelos Marinakis felt that Ange Postecoglu could take them further. Ange did, but it was in the opposite direction!
Now Sean Dyche is holding the reins and his job is to achieve Premier League survival for the East Midlands club.
Forest won their first game this season against Brentford but have not won since.
They are performing quite well in Europe but this now looks like a big distraction.
You can be sure that United will see this as another tough challenge especially at the City Ground. They need to pick up points wherever they can and this is such an opportunity.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1 Leeds United 1.
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