Leeds Utd v Aston Villa, Elland rd, saturday 3rd December, 17.30 kick off. Build up and matchday thread

[De Kuip]

Right then, hardly any need to say it, but I will anyway - I'm still unbeaten as a thread starter, so I'll continue to bring the luck!

The 5.30 kick off on Saturday sees the latest installment of the Villa recovery roadshow visit Elland Road, home of a team that has set the standard for basket-case-ness, a standard that Villa seemed to be trying hard to emulate.

Under the wayward stewardship of Cellino, Leeds have spun the merry go round of managerial hirings and firings even faster than the one in B6.

Now it seems, with rumours of them being bought out, improved performances on the pitch and a managerial appointment that finally looks to be a good fit for the club (sound familiar fellow Villa fans?), the sleeping Yorkshire giant is starting to wake.

Having said that - and Leeds fans would flame me for this - their current 5th place in the Championship, I believe, flatters to deceive as it comes after a run of games against teams who are struggling to find form. Their last six games have yielded 13 points out of a possible 18, but closer examination shows that the teams they beat were: Rotherham/Norwich/Burton & Wolves - all teams who are either below average or are struggling for form. They drew with Wigan, and lost at home to Newcastle. We should have nothing to fear from them, looking at the evidence.

What will bolster them though is the fact that they had a really good go at Liverpool in the EFL cup, and were unlucky not to score, when last season's £3m purchase from Oxford United - Kemar Roofe - curled a shot from distance, only to see it smash against the post and out. Elland Road will have a raucous atmosphere and plenty of vocal support for the whites, and they will be up for this game, no doubt. Villa have sold out the away end again, so the atmosphere should be great.

Villa have virtually all the players that they've relied on thus far available - except for Baker who is still a concern regarding a slight groin strain - he will be assessed on Friday. Chester looks to have recovered from the broken nose he received at Brighton, having played all the Cardiff game in a mask. it remains to be seen whether McCormack will play any part against another of his ex-clubs, but the noises Bruce is making regarding him "coming good for the second half of the season" whilst the lads are away in the African Nations Cup may mean he starts to get some game time in December.

Their danger man: Kemar Roofe. Our danger man, November's PFA "Fan's Player of the Month" winner, Jonathan Kodjia.

My prediction - heart says 1-2 win for the Villa, head says 1-1 as it's on bloody Sky and we always draw!

[NARLA24]

Going for a Villa win again seeing as you started the thread DK. 2 nil Villa and dreams of the sweetest kind.

[achilles]

Have to go for a win and keep the momentum going!

[AstonThriller]

A win here would be absolutely brilliant and would set us up nicely for a decent month when you look at some of the fixtures we have ahead. We've got to start turning some of these away games into wins now. We've taken the lead in our last two away games so if we do the same thing again hopefully we'll see it through.

[VillaBill]

Leeds v Villa has a traditional "big game" feel about it, but both our clubs have been through the mill recently, Leeds are a prime example of how the mighty can fall.
Bruce needs an average of 2pts per game for the rest of the season for us to get into playoffs, I can see a draw to give him 16pts from 8 games.
If there was one PL game I didn't look forward to, it was the Swansea fixture & if Monk has Leeds playing like them, I predict a bore fest , 0-0

[deadbuzzardalive]

Hopefully get the win, I think we're well capable, and whilst a draw wouldn't be disastrous, I'd be quite disappointed with that outcome. Need to start closing that gap now.

[Cha Ching]

We've had a seasons worth of draws already. We need wins to get momentum really going. That said, Leeds are in a bit of form so it will be a tough game.

[Saunders82]

Hard fought 1-0 to us methinks.

[Trotters]

This will either be our 6-steps-forward-1-step back game or it will be the game that totally ignites our season and we'll go on to absolutely tonk everyone.

So it'll either be a narrow 2-1 loss or a belting 3-1 win. Given that DK is behind our run of form, I'll go for the 3-1 option.

[Villa_Dan]

I fucking hate Leeds. Almost on a par with the Blouse.  

I'll go with a win but I'm more realistically expecting a draw

[AstonThriller]

The bottom line is if we play like we did at Brighton then Leeds will have a hard time coping with us I think.

[Saunders82]

The bottom line is if we play like we did at Brighton then Leeds will have a hard time coping with us I think.

Especially if its like the last 25 minutes at Brighton, they were rocking on their heels.

[VTID85]

2-1 Villa, goal conceded through a Hutton or Westwood error but not enough to dampen the Villa spirits.

[deadbuzzardalive]

A win today would close the gap on the play-offs to 2 points, such a good opportunity. But a draw wouldn't be the end of the world, just to keep the good run going.

Such a big month for us, with some tough fixtures that could make or break our season.

[achilles]

[De Kuip]

Westwood and Gardner starting - roll on the January window.

[De Kuip]

Another bunch of sugarbag officials. Jedi yellow wasn't, then an obvious shirt pull in the box on Jedi totally ignored.
We are giving away too many free kicks mind and we are likely to get punished.

[De Kuip]

Gardner you couldn't shoot straight to save your fucking life and you have the touch of a rapist. Twice in great positions and twice embarrassing.

[De Kuip]

We've done OK so far but I'd like to see Grealish and ayew on

[smetro]

Got a bad feeling about this - not threatening enough IMO

[Cha Ching]

We are doing ok but not carrying a lot of threat. Gardner Gestede and Kodjia not playing too well and Adomah has gone quiet since getting the kick on the back of the leg which was somehow a foul. Ayew and Gabby would stretch them a bit but it would be a brace move away from home.

[VTID85]

Slow and steady, keeping it tidy mostly, Leeds making it a scrappy affair though.

[De Kuip]

I know this will be the kiss of death but I'll say it anyway. Leeds are nothing special at all. If we really have pretensions of promotion we have to be beating teams like this. I can accept drawing away against top 2 or 3 but we should be beating everyone else home or away. I really do think anyone in this league is there for the taking.

[smetro]

Don't see us scoring when you miss 2 chances like that - a point a best imo

[De Kuip]

Grealish for Gardner please

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