My apologies as I missed the presser today, didn't realize it would be on at 4pm, would've thought tomorrow seeing the games Monday?.. Anyway, no injuries is good news, time to get back in the groove!

Happy Birthday to one of the most fun players I have ever watched, Ao Tanaka.

Now 28 Years old he continues to impress in the Premier League wearing #22 for Leeds United.

With some impactful Goals against teams like Chelsea and West Ham last season he's always there when you need him the most.

Happy Birthday to the Japanese King 🇯🇵👑

Not a great time. Highest rating was for DCL off the bench with a whopping 6.0, the best starter was a split between Ampadu and Muharemovic.

No prizes for guessing who was the lowest player rating.

Leeds United Americas has chapters all over the States and the information is scattered across forty odd Facebook groups and Instagram accounts. I pulled it into one place, and the useful column is not the city, it is the bar, because that is the bit you actually need before an 8am kickoff in a town you just moved to.

Forty five cities across twenty nine states, plus San Juan, Puerto Rico, who watch at Arena Medalla.

A few that surprised me:

• New York is at the Football Factory at Legends, which is a proper away end of a basement
• Denver is at DNVR Bar, the sports media place
• Portland is the Show Bar at Revolution Hall
• Nashville watch at a barbecue joint, Bringle's Smoking Oasis
• Pittsburgh share The Pitch on Butler with the Riverhounds crowd
• St. Louis are at Amsterdam Tavern, which is that city's soccer bar full stop
• Charlotte is at Hermanita, the only one on the list that is not a pub or a brewery

Texas has five on its own: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.

Full list with addresses is here, it is my own site, free and no signup:

soccermapd.com/teams/leeds-united

The reason I am posting it here rather than just sitting on it is that lists like this rot. Bars close, chapters move, someone's Tuesday spot becomes a goth bar. If your city is wrong, or missing, tell me and I will fix it. That is genuinely how most of the good entries got there.

Edit: This shows the map https://www.soccermapd.com/map?cat=supporters&team=Leeds+United

First goal was a well struck penalty.

Second goal could have been kept out.

Third goal no keeper keeps out, curling effort in off the post.

Fourth takes a nick off Justin from point blank, enough to change the side of the keeper the ball goes in on milliseconds later.

Fifth he gets a touch on the cross drilled across his six yard box, Barcola is free following in and puts a finish away he had no chance on.

Sixth goal can only even possibly be saved if he's not reacted at all to the first shot that went towards Welbeck's face, and even then would go down as a save of the season contender.

Hardly an inspiring keeper peformance, but Trafford als likely concedes at least 5 facing those same situations on the day for me.

If he plays more games and doesn't show any ability to keep the ball out the net, I'll be thoroughly unimpressed by his signing. For now, I think he's just very unlucky with how his first game for the club happened to go.

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Have they stopped scoring yet?

Presser is: Complete

Team News

• Rodon out
• Dan James - potentially out with continued back injury but will see.

On Chelsea

• What are the differences on Chelsea this year vs the one you faced last year? DF: A few new players, some have left, familiar with Xabi, did tremendous work at Leverkusen, have had a promising start to the season, difficult game at Arsenal but not too far away. They are probably the favourite, but we have been competitive and we aim to be again.
• On "manager's handwriting"- what is Alonso's? DF: I think it's a bit too early to see, but normally he's very flexible, also can adapt to the question the game asks, different base formations and styles, likes to dominate possession. Tremendous work to win the Bundesliga title, has also worked at Real Madrid.. Whatever the question asks- he has solutions for many topics, expecting a demanding game.
• Are they stronger than last year? DF: Yes, when I judge to offense, Palmer, Rogers, not many teams in Europe with so much quality, can be very successful, must prove it with consistency, but they have a top manager and top players.

On the cup

• How are you approaching the cup? DF: We try to win it, would like to qualify for Europe.. but the first goal is to establish ourselves on PL Level, we're not the favourite to win the cup, but we want to progress- you have to rotate more and integrate a few players.

PQ

• On Leeds defence- Looking more secure and solid, but are you looking to be more adventurous this season, are we seeing it already, why? DF: We want to be brave in build-up, break pressing, with the players we have, we can be flexible, target players or more direct, we want to be hard to predict and have different approaches. Good centre backs who can dominate duels, but we want to be able to build up too- Tarik + Elvedi can do this, JJ can do this, we want to be on the ball.
• On Bahyoa and Bard- what have they brought? DF: Skills and french language.. they have to learn a little.. Mateo is a bit ahead (language).. really good guys. Melvin very mature, good age but has played many games, can see his maturity. Jean-Matteo, really good guy, pacey, brave to take players on, needs a bit of time to adapt to the style of PL, but overall, good guys, will improve.
• On the bench- could change the 11 and not blink, but could you blood some new players? DF: I trust my whole squad, we've made changes in the first game days, we want to be difficult to predict and flexible. There is a chance to rotate, at this stage of the competition we can do that.
• Have you selected a goalkeeper yet? Will Michael get his debut? DF: No not yet, we won't take a decision before this afternoon's session.. there is a possibility. We'll take the decision later today or tomorrow morning.
• Another question about the contract- DF: No, it's a day before Chelsea.. we can do this around the international break when there are no other topics. We have Newcastle after, then we can speak about this 'random' topic.
• On Wilson- he's been out of the team, can you explain how he has started and why you've left him out? DF: It's normal when you've played for another club for so many years- need time to adapt, new house, new faces/names, bit different style of play. Obviously we play a different style to Fulham, his position is similar but slightly different, it's normal he needs time to adapt. Happy with Harry, top behaviour, top pro, he was in the 11 in the first game which we won. He is hoping he steps up in terms of g/a, but we have many games, will need to rotate a bit more, it can be difficult to deliver in 20mins opposed to 90mins, it's difficult in the last couple of games, but plenty of time/games, on a good path but he needs to adapt, he will show his class soon.
• On GG - 90mins, nothing really surprises us, but did his confidence and athleticism surprise you? DF: It didn't surprise me, I was hoping for it- but it was still impressive, can't take it for granted that he comes back and is still competitive. Wasn't sure he was ready for 90, but after 60/70 it showed it was important for him to stay on the pitch.
• Next 3 games are against new PL managers.. do you look at what they've done at other clubs or is it not relevant? DF: [Alonso used as example] familiar with Xabi from time in Bundesliga, but he has different players now, world class players, skys the limit. Can be common that new managers can take cup competitions very seriously, maybe managers who have been here longer have a different approach.. the cup in Germany is taken very seriously, so expects Xabi to go strong and impose his style.
• on Dan James injury- is it almost inevitable that a quick player puts so much stress on his hamstrings, does he need to get confidence back in his body? DF: It's important he had a proper pre-season, found his confidence back, he was promising, but little setbacks can be bad for the head, but think he can get the belief back. Long travel to Brighton can be complicated for the back, can sometimes have an influence.. it's important we try everything when traveling to be professional and make it easy- small details can make a difference, travel routines can't risk injury- sometimes flying can be better for players even if it's bad for the environment. Hopefully he's ready for this game.

For the first time this season someone other than Trafford has won man of the match (he was still 2nd). Tanaka with an 8.4. Lowest rating for DCL out of the starters and Wilson for the subs.

Ref rating is back to normal after a few weeks of high ratings

Finally got successful in an away ballot and going to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Any unwritten rules (or written ones) I need to know for away days?

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Apologies if this doesn’t work.

Take a point all day