Daniel Wales and Lee Sobot discuss Leeds’ exit in the FA Cup, before turning attention to the Championship with an upcoming fixture against promotion rivals Sunderland.
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00:00Hello and welcome back to the Marching On Together Leeds United podcast. Well, the Leeds
00:17FA Cup journey for this season has come to an end, although perhaps it's not too disappointing
00:23for a lot of supporters given the fact that, you know, the league is by far and away the
00:26main priority this season. It was disappointing though, a 2-0 home loss against Millwall.
00:32Lots of changes, 10 changes in fact, were made in it. So you tell me Lee, is it not
00:39too, is it not the end of the world that they've gone out or is it still a little bit disappointing?
00:43If you're being brutally honest, I don't think it's the end of the world whatsoever. I'm
00:46not saying it's like, you know, a bonus or a boost or a good thing or anything, because
00:50obviously everybody, you know, you want to see your team win, don't you, basically. And
00:53it was a really weird atmosphere at Ellenrode because once it went 2-0, it just felt like,
00:57I mean, obviously there was Pascal's missed penalty, but once that was saved, I think
01:00nobody, you know, it almost felt like there was no way back really and stuff. But, you
01:05know, it's just one of those things, you know, there's no point beating around the bush.
01:07Everybody knows that this season is all about promotion. And the thing is with it, if you
01:11can have a cup run as well and get quite far in it and it doesn't harm your league form,
01:16etc., then great, all well and good and stuff. But to be honest, the conclusion of that game
01:21really was the fact that it may be just sort of the disappointment was that the players
01:25who came in, most of them, you know, obviously 10 changes and that was a big chance for players
01:29to come in and really, really impress. And it has to be said that nobody really stepped
01:33up to the plate and really excelled. Youngsound Chambers did very, very well on his debut
01:38at 17 and Isaac Schmidt was quite good in flashes, but nobody really stood out. And
01:43I think that was probably the disappointing thing. I think people can probably definitely
01:47stomach going out of the FA Cup if you sort of go out of a bang or something like that,
01:51you know, but or out to sort of like a Premier League team, maybe. But obviously that was
01:54a game Leeds were expected to win. But we did say beforehand that it wouldn't be a massive
01:58shock. You know, we thought Millwall might make less changes than Leeds and that was
02:01definitely the case. And it was, you know, obviously it's a massively disjointed Leeds
02:04team when you make 10 changes. There were other factors as well. Liam Roberts, the Millwall
02:09keeper, had an absolute blinder, you know, made lots and lots of good saves. Obviously,
02:13you have a penalty save and things like that. You know, Leeds had chances and stuff. But
02:18yeah, it was disappointing when you look at the afternoon as a whole and the performance
02:21and everything like that. But look, you know, it's one of them things where I think you
02:23just kind of like, you just sort of shrug it off, you know, and you move on basically
02:26because it is all about promotion. And to be honest, I sort of said beforehand, the
02:30biggest game of the day really wasn't Leeds against Millwall. It was probably Sheffield
02:33United against Mortsmith because, you know, which was obviously at three o'clock and,
02:36you know, that was the one that matters most because that's going to have the biggest impacts
02:39on the promotion race. And obviously the Blades got a victory as well. I think Chris Wilder
02:43was exactly thrilled with their performance, but they got the win anyway. So yeah, not
02:48a great day, obviously, a defeat and Sheffield United winning as well. But on the flip side,
02:52you could look at it and say, well, if Daniel Farker went full strength and played all of
02:55his big guns and he picked up two or three injuries to massive, massive players, then
02:59obviously you'd be sat there thinking, well, what did he do that for, you know? So I don't
03:02think you can lay any blame on Daniel Farker. I think he did the right thing. People might
03:05say 10 changes was a bit too many, but to be quite honest, I quite agree with him really.
03:09I think that was the right thing to do. Roman and James had knocks as well. So that's why
03:12they missed out. So, you know, basically it is what it is, isn't it now? And now you
03:16just move on. The only one thing is, is like, you just hope it doesn't sort of like affect
03:21kind of like momentum and, you know, that sort of like, you know, that winning form
03:24and mentality and stuff. But it's a different team basically. And hopefully it'll be a completely
03:29different scenario and atmosphere and conclusion when we return to Ellen Road for the visit
03:33of Sunderland on next Monday night. But we've got obviously another big game before that
03:37as well.
03:38You do mention before Sunderland, they do have another game. We'll get to that in a
03:41moment. But just firstly, we wanted to mention a 17-year-old kid who of course played in
03:46the game against Millwall, Sam Chambers. As I said, they're very young, playing his trades
03:51in the youth teams, but was given his chance against Millwall. How did he do?
03:56They thought he did really, really well. I mean, we're all sort of speculating about
03:58the team beforehand. I know that there were a lot of changes that were obvious, you know,
04:02that you just knew would happen. I.e. Matteo Joseph started up front, like Ramazzani coming
04:06in non-so, people like that. Byron. But I mean, you know, people like Sam Chambers,
04:10I mean, you know, I kind of like thought he might be on the bench and maybe come on
04:13with a little, you know, sort of like towards the end of this game. But no, straight into
04:17the starting lineup for his sort of full debut. He'd only played 16 minutes before, I think
04:21he was, in the game against Plymouth. So, you know, massive occasion for him and did
04:25very, very well. And in a way, I'm not sort of surprised because when he's been involved
04:28in squads before and he watched like the warm-ups and stuff like that, he really puts himself
04:32about, you know, he's a really energetic player. You can tell that he's enthusiastic, wants
04:36to get the ball, like, you know, whether it's in the game, as I say, or in the warm-ups,
04:39he wants to make an impression on things. And that's what he did in the game. And I
04:42don't know about man of the match. I mean, maybe, I mean, nobody else really stood out
04:46particularly. So, I mean, not bad at all at 17 years old, you know, to come on and make
04:49a big impression like that. There were moments, as Daniel Farkas said afterwards, that he
04:53could have done better. But I mean, that's obviously going to be the case when you come
04:55on into the team at 17 years of age. I mean, he probably should have scored, really had
04:59a great chance to create what would have been a massive moment for him when he put one over
05:02the bar from the edge of the box. It was interesting that Daniel Farkas said afterwards that normally
05:07those sort of chances, 10 times out of 10, he puts them away in training. So that's pretty
05:11big praise from Daniel Farkas. And he obviously thinks a lot of him. You know, look, it's
05:15very, very early steps, isn't it? Quite literally baby steps, you know, the lad's still a kid
05:19and stuff at 17. And he's sort of one that, like, obviously, given the abundance of wingers
05:23that Leeds have got, quite how many more minutes he'll get, you know, between now and the end
05:27of the season. But there's no doubt that he's a talented young player, made things happen,
05:30looks pacey, looks skilful. So, you know, they've definitely got a good one coming through
05:34the ranks there. And obviously, you never know these young players, how quickly they
05:38develop, you know, what the ceiling is, how they can move on. But all you do is, all you
05:41can do is look at that performance and sort of say to him, you know, well done on a very
05:45good, you know, full debut for Leeds. And hopefully we'll see more of him soon because
05:48they've definitely got, you know, a decent young player on their hands there. And hopefully
05:52the future is bright for him.
05:54Moving swiftly on, Watford, of course, is next for Leeds United in the Championship,
05:58returning to Championship action. Of course, we are recording this before that game has
06:02happened, but by the time this goes out, it probably will have already happened. Watford
06:06are an interesting side. They got a good result away at Sunderland at the weekend, of course,
06:11which also affected Leeds' promotion ambitions. They did actually go ahead in that game just
06:15by being behind at one stage. Watford, though, before that, had been on a bit of a nosedive
06:20of form. So that result probably gives them a bit of confidence, but it's one you'd expect
06:25Leeds to come away with the win in.
06:26Probably, yeah, but I do think it'd be quite a difficult game. I think in Leeds' favour,
06:31as we're speaking ahead of the game here, obviously, you know, and by the time it goes
06:34out, it'll probably be done. But, you know, they've got quite a few injuries, Watford,
06:37and a bit of illness in camp, which probably helps them. But that's the sort of game where
06:41you would probably expect Leeds to go there and win and sort of let the class to shine
06:44through and stuff and, you know, the quality and whatnot. But equally, it wouldn't be a
06:47massive surprise to me if it was, you know, if they only left with a point or, heaven
06:50forbid, if they even got beat in that one. So it's a difficult game. And I think, you
06:54know, to summarise, it's not just that Watford game. It's like, I almost, you look at this
06:59next batch of games as like a, you know, like a sort of like huge, huge part of Leeds United
07:04season, starting off with that Watford game. Obviously, Leeds v Sunderland after that is
07:08massive. Sheffield United away, and Leeds v West Brom. I mean, that block of four in
07:12particular, really, really big games. And even after that, because they've got this
07:15horrible kick-off time at Portsmouth, you've got that followed by Leeds v Millwall in midweek,
07:19and then obviously, and then the QPR game away after that all within a week. So, and
07:25that's before the international break. And this feels like a key part of the season now,
07:28really, starting off with that Watford game. And I think if they can come through this
07:31sort of period, you know, like relatively unscathed, i.e. both in terms of injuries
07:35and with a similar sort of, you know, points advantage as they've got at the moment,
07:39maybe something, obviously, if they can get it, if they can extend it and get even better
07:42and pull away even more, then brilliant. But I don't think anybody's, I mean, obviously,
07:45it's going to be key what happens in the Sheffield United v Sunderland game from that
07:49perspective, because they're direct rivals, obviously. But, you know, it's, that does
07:53look a difficult game. And as I say, it's a difficult run of fixtures coming up. So,
07:57yeah. I mean, also, to be honest, just as important as the Watford away game,
08:01obviously, it's in Leeds' hands, obviously, now, between now and the end of the season,
08:04is also what happens on Wednesday night when you've got all three of the promotion contenders
08:07playing as well. So, it's a massive midweek, you know, a lot of spotlight always on Leeds'
08:12away form, but that has been improving as late. Watford haven't been that bad at home.
08:16You know, they're among the better teams in the division. I think it's six best home records.
08:19So, that won't be, it won't be easy. And speaking ahead of time, I wouldn't be surprised,
08:23you know, none of the three results would particularly surprise me, but obviously,
08:27the massive hope is that Leeds go there and win. And realistically, they should have the class to
08:30get it done, but difficult game, definitely. Yeah. You'd imagine, so you imagine they would
08:35have the quality, as you say, that should be the quality that Leeds have in depth as well,
08:39that should help them shine through in such an encounter. But then, of course, after Watford,
08:44it's back to Elland Road and it is one of the biggest matches that Leeds probably have left
08:48this season in terms of being tied around them in the table. It is Sunderland at home, of course,
08:53in the reverse fixture, Leeds seconds away from winning at the Stadium of Light until
08:59an Elan Mellier howler let Sunderland get a point from the fixture.
09:04To be honest, it's months on from it now, and I still really don't know what happened.
09:07No, don't remind me, yeah. Regardless of that, though,
09:12you think, though, depending on how Sunderland do against Luton in midweek, if they weren't
09:17perhaps to pick up all three points and then Leeds were to then win against Sunderland,
09:22if they'd done all right against Watford as well, you could probably say that might
09:26knock Sunderland a little bit just further back, mightn't it? At least from Leeds,
09:29maybe not from Burnley or Sheffield United, but certainly from Leeds.
09:32Yeah, it feels a bit like that Burnley, not quite as big, obviously, because Sunderland
09:37aren't second, but it does feel quite similar to that Burnley game, you know, in the sense of like,
09:40the six-point swing either way, basically, could have a massive impact and stuff.
09:44Look, I think everybody is sort of, generally speaking, thinking it'll be two from three out
09:48of Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley, but I don't think anybody's writing Sunderland off.
09:52They're not far away, and obviously we're speaking before the midweek games here,
09:55but there's no doubt they're a good side, some very, very good players.
10:00And you're dead right, that is like, I mean, you'd probably look at it and say that's the
10:04second biggest game of the season in terms of the ones coming up, obviously,
10:07Sheffield United were on top of the bill, but they're all big in their own right,
10:10but with it obviously being a direct rival.
10:12Yeah, the Sunderland away game is, you know, still sort of great now, what happened there,
10:16because obviously, you know, they recovered from an early setback and played very,
10:19very well and looked like they were going to get all three points and obviously
10:22Melies Haller at the end.
10:23But, you know, he's recovered from that, obviously, since then and stuff.
10:26And, you know, he'll be very, very keen to sort of like, put the record right,
10:28record straight against Sunderland, as will Leeds, in terms of like, putting the record
10:32straight in terms of like, you know, getting the win they probably felt they should have got
10:35at the Stadium of Light.
10:36But very, very difficult game.
10:37Main thing there is obviously, just don't get beat and allow Sunderland to claw three
10:40points back on you.
10:41But look, you don't go out at Ellen Road and say, don't get beat.
10:43You know, this is about going out there, showing what Leeds can do, showing that they are the
10:47best team in the division and putting Sunderland away.
10:49And that will definitely be the aim.
10:50It'll be interesting, obviously, first time back at Ellen Road since the Cup defeat,
10:53but hopefully it'll be a completely different atmosphere.
10:56You know, and obviously the dynamic could change because obviously Leeds and Sunderland
11:00play on Monday, when obviously the other two teams, Sheffield United and Burnley both play
11:04at the weekend.
11:05So the gap could be a lot, lot tighter.
11:06So lots of ifs, buts and maybes, but not about the magnitude of the game.
11:10Huge, huge fixture.
11:12We all know the players they've got, like Isidore is a fantastic player.
11:15Chris Rigg, really good young talent, obviously, you know, Bellingham, Mayenda.
11:18They've got some fantastic players, but obviously so have Leeds.
11:20And that's why they're top of the division, you know.
11:21So yeah, a massive, massive game.
11:24Dead right, one of the biggest games left towards the end of the season now.
11:28It's all coming towards the home straight.
11:29And just one that I think everybody were really looking forward to, you know, should be an
11:32amazing atmosphere.
11:34But I think it goes without saying, if Leeds can get three points in that one and continue
11:36the fantastic home record, then that hopefully will be a massive, massive step towards our
11:40promotion.
11:40So fingers crossed.
11:41Great game to look forward to.
11:43It certainly is, yes.
11:44It'll be certainly a great atmosphere at Elland Road.
11:46And I'm sure the Sunderland supporters will bring their side of it as well.
11:49But we'll come to all that at a later date.
11:51But until then, thank you all very much for watching and for listening.
11:54And we'll be back after Sunderland to see exactly how Leeds have done in the next two
11:58games.
11:59See you then.