West Brom v Leeds Utd - Match Thread

[Ellandback1]

Tuesday 29th December 18:00| The Hawthorns


Leeds will be hoping they can build on their victory over Burnley on Sunday, as the Whites travel down to the Midlands to play West Brom Tuesday teatime live on Amazon Prime Video. Leeds will be without central defender Diego Llorente. The 27 year old aggravated his leg injury a day after returning to Leeds first team training. Being that Bielsa is not fond of shuffling the pack, we suspect the Argentine will select the same team that edged past Burnley. This will mean playing Ayling and Struijk playing in central defence, but with West Brom playing just one up front it could mean Kalvin Phillips steps back into the Defensive Midfield role.

West Brom will be full of confidence having held the mighty Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield on Sunday evening. This is another test for the Baggies defence, because you just know that Leeds will come at them in waves. Unfortunately for the Baggies, they have only won once this season, lying in 19th place (out of 20) with just eight points. Leeds rose to 12th place after their victory over the Clarets, with 20 points. Both Leeds and West Brom share an unwanted statistic. Both teams have conceded 30 goals, more than any other team in the top flight. Injured Baggies trio Hal Robson-Kanu, Kyle Bartley and Conor Townsend all look set to miss out.

The two sides have faced each other in the Championship in the last two seasons. West Brom 4-1 victors at The Hawthorns in November 2018 with Leeds reclaiming brgging rights with a 4-0 victory in the return fixture at Elland Road. Last season again saw Leeds the victors at Elland Road with a 1-0 victory whilst in the Midlands the teams played out a 1-1 draw back in January. In add odd piece of symmetry Leeds' first and last games of 2020 will have been against West Brom.




West Brom are without a win in their last five league matches, drawing two and losing three. They have conceded eight goals in their past two Premier League home games. The Baggies have had just six shots in their two league fixtures under Sam Allardyce; whilst Leeds have had 28 shots in the same period. Allardyce has won just one of his four home games against Leeds in all competitions, drawing one and losing two.

Leeds have won two of their last three league matches. They have scored eight goals in those three fixtures, as many as their previous seven top-flight matches. Their last five Premier League games have featured 23 goals in total. Leeds have had six shots or more in all but one of their 116 games in all competitions under Marcelo Bielsa. Patrick Bamford has scored 10 goals in 15 Premier League games for the Whites this season - the most by a player from a newly-promoted club since Kevin Phillips's 13 for Sunderland in 1999-2000.


Leeds Starting XI
Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Struijk, Alioski, Phillips, Raphinha, Rodrigo, Klich, Harrison, Bamford

Subs: Casilla, Jenkins, Casey, Davis, Shackleton, Costa, Roberts, Hernandez, Poveda

[gessa]

Allardyce will have a negative effect with the hope of a positive outcome.

[rab_rant]

Sam Allardyce is a footballing pioneer a tactical genius... someone who has perfected the long ball. Who can forget his one and only game in charge of England, or the kick backs he has received from Wrigley's spearmint chewing gum over the years.

There have been assertations that you can't chew gum and play football at the same time and in Big Sam's case this has proved to be true.

He has perfected the technique of playing anti-football and plans are afoot at the WBA stadium to convert the seating capacity into a sleeping capacity with beds, so that supporters can have a quiet snooze during the West Bromwich Albion games.

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[Velotrax]

This has a smash and grab written all over it, especially with our make shift defense, we need to get an early goal, or they will park the bus and hope to hit us on a break

[gessa]

This has a smash and grab written all over it, especially with our make shift defense, we need to get an early goal, or they will park the bus and hope to hit us on a break

Like the first half yesterday, hopefully we have better shooting boots on tomorrow evening

[Velotrax]

Like the first half yesterday, hopefully we have better shooting boots on tomorrow evening

Credit to Burnley they came out second half and played us at our own game, WBA won't do that with Fat Sam in charge

[Chilli D]

Amazing that we have had five clean sheets in fifteen games and yet have conceded 30 goals!
Thats an average of three a game in the other ten.
We are more than capable of getting our sixth clean sheet tomorrow.
I expect the side will be unchanged although I have a feeling he may rest Klich and start with Hernandez. I would also like to see Shackleton at RB and Dallas moved to LB in place of Alioski but none of that will happen.

[gessa]

Credit to Burnley they came out second half and played us at our own game, WBA won't do that with Fat Sam in charge

Didn't see the game last night but apparently they were worth their point at Liverpool. My WB supporting mate, text to say he thought they were magnificent second half

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Big Sam does the necessary with whats available, nobody remember Bolton with Jay Jay ,Campo, Hiero etc they actually played some very entertaining stuff.
Can't see WBA doing the same at the moment with the current players.
Expect a tough to beat side from here on in.

[The Subhuman]

Hopefully we push Kalvin back into DMF, there is no one to replace Klich right now but I'd expect a similar performance from him if he plays as the 4

Team selection is really tough right now and it seems we're almost playing a 5-1-4 (if Kalvin plays sweeper) with Rodrigo as the false 9

[Scoobychief]

very nervous about this game as west brom have been playing well lately and i can a defeat on the cards here if we fail to score, wasted far too many chances against burnley, we need to be more clinical, hernandez is a must in that midfield. we need to get at them right from the start and keep up the level to 90+ minute to come away with a result

[1964white]

Amazing that we have had five clean sheets in fifteen games and yet have conceded 30 goals!
Thats an average of three a game in the other ten.
We are more than capable of getting our sixth clean sheet tomorrow.
I expect the side will be unchanged although I have a feeling he may rest Klich and start with Hernandez. I would also like to see Shackleton at RB and Dallas moved to LB in place of Alioski but none of that will happen.

I would love to see those changes Chilli

Won't happen though

[1964white]

Like the first half yesterday, hopefully we have better shooting boots on tomorrow evening

Liverpool missed a hatful of chances in the first-half & then allowed the baggies back in the game as their midfield went AWOL

A replica of some Leeds displays

[andrewjohnsmith]

Probably see Phillips move back into midfield. I wonder if Bielsa will try to pack the midfield more - add Dallas or Shackleton alongside KP and Klich. We've got a few options is he wants fresh legs. If it were me, I'd give Costa a game and rest Harrison, and Shackleton for Rodrigo. But Bielsa being Bielsa will probably send out the same starting 11.

[gessa]

Probably see Phillips move back into midfield. I wonder if Bielsa will try to pack the midfield more - add Dallas or Shackleton alongside KP and Klich. We've got a few options is he wants fresh legs. If it were me, I'd give Costa a game and rest Harrison, and Shackleton for Rodrigo. But Bielsa being Bielsa will probably send out the same starting 11.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Klich given a rest, Dallas in midfield and Shackleton moving to RB.

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Obviously 2 or 3 central defenders depends on the WBA formation .

[Ron Swanson]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Klich given a rest, Dallas in midfield and Shackleton moving to RB.

Yes. Dallas has the engine to play that role better than Klich can, with how leggy he’s looked the last couple of games.

West Brom will see this as a fixture they need to win in order to stay up, but Allardyce isn’t so daft as to set them up in a way he would be to our advantage.

They’ll look to stay in the game as long as they can, it’ll be all about set plays - free kicks, corners & long throws.

[gessa]

Yes. Dallas has the engine to play that role better than Klich can, with how leggy he’s looked the last couple of games.

West Brom will see this as a fixture they need to win in order to stay up, but Allardyce isn’t so daft as to set them up in a way he would be to our advantage.

They’ll look to stay in the game as long as they can, it’ll be all about set plays - free kicks, corners & long throws.

Yes, an early goal for us would be of a great advantage, even though he wouldn't change it until the last half hour, to try and get something

[Ron Swanson]

Yes, an early goal for us would be of a great advantage, even though he wouldn't change it until the last half hour, to try and get something

Yes, I agree.

The next few fixtures are for us a big opportunity to get further up the league and towards the magic 40.

I never thought we’d struggle to stay up this season but it’ll still be a relief when we get there.

West Brom
Spurs
Brighton
Southampton
Newcastle

Not sure about the other, but I’d hope we’d win at least 8 points, hopefully 10.

I’d love us to have a crack at the cup as well, but I think the match against Crawley will be used to give a few lads a breather.

Though I’d expect a half & half side to be capable of turning them over.

[gessa]

Yes, I agree.

The next few fixtures are for us a big opportunity to get further up the league and towards the magic 40.

I never thought we’d struggle to stay up this season but it’ll still be a relief when we get there.

West Brom
Spurs
Brighton
Southampton
Newcastle

Not sure about the other, but I’d hope we’d win at least 8 points, hopefully 10.

I’d love us to have a crack at the cup as well, but I think the match against Crawley will be used to give a few lads a breather.

Though I’d expect a half & half side to be capable of turning them over.

You would hope so, if the youngsters are to make the step up they need to be able to be part of a team that can beat league 2 opposition