Leeds United fans on Plymouth Argyle clash 'rumours', Whites 'fear', score predictions and team change call
Daniel Farke’s Whites face Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth at Elland Road today.
Leeds United resume their Championship promotion quest with this afternoon’s Elland Road visit of Plymouth Argyle - but what do the club’s fans think?
Here is what our YEP Jury have had to say on this afternoon’s 3pm kick-off against Wayne Rooney’s Pilgrims.
NEIL GREWER
This is one of those Championship games where we all know who should win and by a comfortable margin – according to the stats/league position/current form etc – but reality could be different.
Add into the mix Wayne Rooney as manager of Plymouth and I am fearful of an upset, yet confident of victory. It’s the 80:20 rule – or more likely 90:10 in this case.
So, Leeds will probably face a deep defence and a team seeking to slow the game down and wait for an opportunity, possibly from a mistake.
Burnley and Bristol City have both prevented us from scoring recently, and years of history (plus Sunderland) tell us we are always capable of the odd howling error.
To avoid the nightmare scenario, Leeds must improve in front of goal. The last three games have seen points dropped which could have been avoided by a better chance conversion rate.
I would like to see Mateo Joseph start and see players taking shots earlier and from outside the penalty area. Substitutions could be key if the game is not going as desired.
Prediction: Leeds United 3 Plymouth Argyle 0.
ANDY RHODES
With only one more international break left this calendar year, we are almost into the long slog between November and March. Before that can begin, Leeds must negotiate tricky games against Plymouth Argyle, Millwall and Queens Park Rangers.
Of course, two of those are at Elland Road but, with three draws in five games, Leeds are in vital need of wins.
Sunderland are breaking clear at the top and the Whites are part of the chasing pack. They will have to catch the Black Cats without Largie Ramazani and a number of others, though, and three games in a week could take its toll on a threadbare squad.
The defensive solidity returned at Bristol City but the goals dried up. Daniel Farke’s side are showing the hallmarks of a quality side but are struggling to find the balance between them.
There’s plenty of time left in this campaign but, as we saw last season, stealing an early march on your rivals can have a big advantage. Leeds need to make sure they set the pace in the Championship.
Prediction: Leeds United 3 Plymouth Argyle 1.
DAVID WATKINS
Leeds United have been going along pretty well since the Burnley defeat. Perhaps we’ve not always got the results our performances deserved but we’ve always come away with respectable results; either beating poor teams or drawing away from home against tougher teams.
To continue that trend, there is only one result that is acceptable against Plymouth this weekend. Plymouth under Wayne Rooney had a rocky start to the season and it took until mid-September to record their first win. Mind you, when it came it was a good one, beating high-flying Sunderland 3-2!
They’ve since recorded a couple more home wins, against Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers, and even some of their away defeats have been narrow ones against decent opposition – losing 1-0 at Millwall, Burnley and West Brom for example.
They have been walloped a couple of times on the road, early in the season 4-0 at Hillsborough and more recently 5-0 at Cardiff, suggesting they might be ripe for the picking IF we can get ahead early.
Allow them to stay in a game for any length of time and they seem to gain encouragement. If we can put in another dominant error-free performance then it should be a comfortable afternoon.
Prediction: Leeds United 2 Plymouth Argyle 0.
KEITH INGHAM
Games will come thick and fast this week with another three matches in seven days starting with Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth side. Rumours are that the ex-England international is only a couple of defeats from the sack.
Many might remember that after Birmingham City were beaten at Elland Road, he was sacked. With Leeds having drawn most of their recent away games, it’s very important that they win their two home games this week. They are just shy of two (1.9) points a game at the moment.
Jayden Bogle is suspended for this game after picking up his fifth booking at Bristol City. Two more players, Willy Gnonto and Joe Rodon are on four bookings so they need to be careful or they will miss a game too.
Sam Byram will most likely deputise for Bogle and Junior Firpo can come back in at left-back. I can’t see many changes, but would like to see Mateo Joseph leading the line. Joel Piroe didn’t do much to keep his place last weekend.
You have to be confident playing a team just outside the bottom three, but this is the Championship and stranger things have happened. That said, I expect a win for Leeds, and a pretty comfortable one too.
Prediction: Leeds United 3 Plymouth Argyle 1.
MIKE GILL
This is the first of three ‘winnable’ games before yet another international break. The Pilgrims currently sit uncomfortably in 21st position, which is where they ended last season. Their away form is awful, and they are yet to win on the road this season. This is no surprise, given the distances that they have to travel to fulfil most of their away fixtures.
If they are to avoid relegation, they need to rectify this situation, but Elland Road is unlikely to be the place where this improvement occurs.
Last autumn, United took a first-half lead with Dan James and Joel Piroe the scorers. Plymouth pulled one back late in the second half to ensure a nervy ending.
After our wasteful performance against Watford and the slog at Bristol, let’s hope for a more clear-cut showing this time out.
Wayne Rooney is learning his trade as manager the hard way and must realise by now that there will be no easy route to a successful career in management. He needs results and needs them quickly in order to keep his job, so despite the statistics, Argyle will be no pushover.
Prediction: Leeds United 2 Plymouth Argyle 0.