Righto, Ben Bloom’s match report is here, which means that’s us. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and the indecent mount of sport we’ll be bringing to you. Love.
What a moment this must’ve been for Thomas Frank yesterday, to see the love his players have for him. Lovely stuff.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank was on the touchline vs. Bournemouth Saturday, only one day after his father passed away.
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) May 12, 2024
When Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring, Bees players ran across to celebrate with Frank & later dedicated their victory to the boss. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rOLTVKmu1e
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At The Hawthorns, the teams are on the pitch.
I enjoyed this interview, though it’s not a football one – and not just because Lewis managed to insert his favourite phrase, “pugilist specialist”.
Imagine being this likeable.
At Wembley, Spurs are in white suits. They’d better win, lest they become forever known as the Spice Girls.
I guess I fancy Southampton to see off West Brom in the other semi, but like Norwich and Leeds, neither side finished their league campaign in decent form. Though both sides lost three of their last four games, Saints extra class should be enough, especially given they are at home second, again with the advantage of a nighttime kickoff.
Elsewhere:
Kenny McLean notes that first legs are usually cagey and thinks Norwich can play much better, especially with the ball. He accepts that his team have missed an opportunity but also thinks they can get at Leeds come Thursday.
I said at the start that Norwich getting their home game as a lunchtime kick-off and in the heat, relative to Leeds playing a night match at Elland Road, might be key in this tie; I still think that now.
FULL TIME: Norwich City 0-0 Leeds United
Leeds will be the happier with that, the more controlled side with the greater firepower returning home needing just a win to reach Wembley. But Norwich will fancy themselves too, their attacking edge more than enough to nick a goal or two if they defend well.
90+3 min So how do these sides approach the second leg? I guess Leeds will go for it, on the basis that even if they get caught once, they’d expect to score at least twice, while Norwich sit deep and seek counters. It’s going to be a nervous night at Elland Road.
90+1 min Don Goodman declares Marcelino Núñez player of the match; personally I’d have gone for RON, re-open nominations.
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90 min We’ll have four additional minutes.
90 min James battles through Nunez, who loses control of the ball, swinging over a decent cross that none of his mates has the gas or gumption to attack.
88 min And here comes James, replacing Summerville. I’m a little surprised at that change, the new man most useful with the game stretched – which it isn’t – with the one he’s replacing more likely to conjure a winner against a narrow, disciplined defence – which is required.
86 min On the touchline, Dan James readies himself to come on while, on the pitch, the aforementioned Kamara fouls Sara … who’s free-kick drifts behind.
84 min “It’s surely only a matter of time before the football authorities introduce a reality TV element to the play-offs,” predicts Simon McMahon. “Maybe a public vote in the event of a draw, with the losing team being told, in best Chef Ramsay style, to hand in their boots and get the expletive out of the stadium. A sure-fire ratings winner, don’t you think?”
I’m pay good money to see what happened if he put slices of break on Kamara’s cheeks then advised him that he’s an idiot sandwich.
82 min Oh man, potential bad news for Norwich: Sargent is down and doesn’t look happy. I think that’ll be him done for today, and Wagner will hope it’s nothing too serious. He’s replaced by Sydney van Hooijdonk – son of Pierre.
81 min It feels like the second half has been a preview of the second leg: Leeds pushing, Norwich hoping for a counter, and when Summerville and Gray link nicely, the latter’s shot is blocked behind. Then, when the corner reaches Anthony, has has time to make an angle for a curler before sending it straight into Gunn’s midriff.
79 min Leeds have their full-backs high and wide now, Gruev switching play and Byram finding Anthony, whose cross is blocked behind for a corner. It’s a while since Norwich mustered any kind of attack, and though the get the corner away, they remain boxed until someone scythes aimlessly clear.
76 min Kamara is starting to dictate the tempo here, lending the ball out before taking it back. Leeds will be wondering if they can snaffle a win here, which might just offer opportunity to Norwich. But as I type, the visitors win a free-kick down the right, plenty of men on the edge as Gray swerves in … and Byram’s attempted scorpion kick – no that is not a misprint – sends the ball behind.
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75 min Wagner knows he has to act and does, replacing Giannoulis with McCallum.
74 min Leeds are dictating the pace of the game now, Norwich hoping to hit them on the counter. Much as they want to win this, they now they can’t afford a defeat, hence their circumspection.
73 min It’s hot out there and that’s beginning to tell on the pitch, the game slowing a little. Norwich are struggling to find space now as Leeds seek to close spaces, not unhappy with the status quo.
71 min It’s a double-change for Leeds, Anthony and Piroe for Rutter and Gnonto. I wondered if the latter might be left on given his ability to create out of nowt, but the same is so of Summerville so he’s left to try and make that happen, now with the help of a proper centre-forward alongside him.
69 min And he tries the wobble-ball effect, a deflection off the wall earning a corner; Leeds see it away.
68 min Nice from Sara, sensing Makara behind him and flicking around the corner, wearing the inevitable foul. Free-kick Norwich, 30 yards out, left of centre; can they put Meslier under pressure? McLean looks reads to have a shot…
67 min Farke has Piroe ready to come on; I imagine it’ll be Rutter who makes way.
66 min No, not like that. Grow up.
65 min But Norwich are surging agani, a cross grom the left just too strong for Sargent then, at the back post, Fassnacht’s poor first touch means Leeds counter. So Fassnacht hauls Gnonto back, is booked, then Stacey momentarily loses the run of himself, unimpressed with Summerville’s tackle on him.
64 min Giannoulis, who’s been a decent outlet down the left, crosses for Sargent, but the ball is at an awkward height and leaves his teammates bereft of options, so Leeds clear.
63 min Gnonto is down, by the way, having been caught by a stray book that draws blood. He’ll be fine.
63 min Also going on:
62 min “I’m with you on the Meslier thing,” says Jeremy Boyce. “He still looks as though he isn’t old enough to shave yet, but you’d have thought he’d have no nerves left to shred. He was El Loco Bielsa’s choice for the playing-it-out style that we all loved, and he really was was very young. He took it on and was great, shame to see his confidence shot for now.”
61 min Change for Norwich, Rowe – who’s returned well – replaced by Fassnacht.
59 min The corner comes to nowt but Leeds are coming, Gray sending them forward with a clever pass. Then Kamara – increasingly influential – drives into the box, a bun touch from Byram when he might’ve shot looking to end the attack. But Leeds try again, Gray cutting back for Byram, who this time misses his kick. The visitors are the better side now.
58 min Gnonto, who’s been quiet weaves into the box daring someone to challenge him, but Norwich keep patience well, then a poor header from Duffy allows Summerville to sashay into the box, his near-post shot turned behind.
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57 min Leeds make room for Firpo down the left, Kamara and Summerville patiently working the space, but the low cross is easily fielded by Gunn at his near post.
56 min I wondered when Farke might send Piroe on, but I think there could be a roll for the fit-again Daniel James too, as the game gets stretched and Norwich look for an advantage to take to Leeds.
54 min Giannoulis goes in late on Gnonto, accidentally brushing studs across torso in the process, and he’s booked.
53 min Now then! Giannoulis makes a run down the left – he’s done that a lot today – but this he’s found, controls, and cuts back for Sainz, arriving on the burst. But the pass it a little behind him and, retrieving it, he can only send his shot arcing wide of the near post.
53 min It’s been a slow start to the second half; Leeds will be happy with that, Norwich – who you feel need to win today – less so.
51 min Duffy launches in on Summerville from behind, autographing his calf and, when play stops, he’s booked,
50 min Again, Leeds keep the ball, before Meslier again inepts into touch. I feel for him, because with 50 minutes gone he’s still not settled.
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49 min Excellent from Rowe, carrying the ball through midfield then making space with a clever shop, sending Sainz in behind … but Byram, at full stretch, slides in to make a crucial challenge.
49 min Leeds really struggled to get Gray on the ball first half and I wonder if his future is a bit deeper, as a schemer rather than a creator.
47 min I don’t think it’ll be too long before Farke sends on Piroe, if his team continue struggling to build and sustain attacks. But for now, it’s as you were.
46 min We go again, learning that Leeds’ 90 points is the most – pro rata, including when it was two for a win – for a team not promoted since Hull in 1910.
Back come our teams, Norwich out first. This next 45 minutes might be the best chance they get.
In the studio, they disagree that Rutter’s chance was the best of the first half; they’ve gone for Sargent’s missed header. I’m just not sure he could get the angle he needed to head hoe, given Rodon’s positioning.
Half-time entertainment: a classic from August 1980.
HALF-TIME: Norwich City 0-0 Leeds United
Norwich have pushed the pace but the best chance was the one that Rutter missed – totally – unable to even apply boot to ball as it was crossed towards him. Both sides can play better.
45 min Gnonto shoves Giannoulis off the ball, doesn’t like it when he’s penalised so applauds the ref and is booked. I was once booked for that in a Cup semi, three seconds after I was booked for talking about – not to – the ref, when he was in earshot. I then went home, didn’t bother recounting that detail to my then parents-in-law, only for the Jewish Chronicle to reveal my shame in their match report.
44 min I’m absolutely certain Leeds would take a goalless draw here; in any event they’d back themselves to win at home and probably assume that to progress, they’ll have to, but with no away goals, it’s much harder for the side away from home second to overturn a disappointing first-leg result.
42 min For all the good it does them, pumped at Giannoulis on the far edge of the box. He can do nothing with it and though Norwich sustain the attack, Giannoulis’s clipped ball towards Sainz at the far post is overhit.
41 min More passing from Leeds, who are building a base in the game. But Rowe, playing well on his return, incites Gray to upend him and Stacey will now put a ball into the box from 40 yards away.
39 min Summerville is starting to influence things, collecting a decent pass off Gray and attacking his man. This time, Stacey seems him off, but Leeds are getting him on the ball in decent areas, and if that continues, he’ll eventually punish Norwich’s largesse.
38 min Sainz shoves Gnonto, who intimates hamstring-knack, but the ref isn’t arsed so he gets on with the game.
37 min Byram robs Sainz and finds Gray, who immediately punches forward; nothing comes of the attack, though, and Leeds are back taking heat out of things.
36 min Summerville touches off to Gnonto, takes the return and attacks Duffy, getting by on the outside only to make a mess thereafter.
35 min I wonder if Leeds’ strikerless situation would work quite nicely if they were in front, because they’ve so much pace and trickery up front. They’d be nails breaking into space from deep, but the game-situation isn’t currently affording them that opportunity.
33 min Lovely from Rowe,luring Firpo in then, Chris Waddle-style, using the outside of his foot to flick the ball outside the defender, wearing the inevitable foul; Gray heads the free-kick clear.
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32 mi But back come Norwich, Stacey carrying forward and clipping towards Sainz at the back post … but putting too much on it. This is developing into a fun match now; a goal for either side would really ignite things.
29 min Leeds knock it about, looking to halt Norwich’s momentum and establish themselves in the game. And Summerville combines beautifully with Rutter a ball to feet and a clever touch-off in return before Duffy and Gunn, advancing off his line, go for the same ball and it falls nicely for Gnonto, who slides home into an empty net … only for the linesman to raise the flag. It’s the correct decision too, but in the last five minutes the visitors have had 705 possession and will feel better for it.
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28 min Better from Leeds, Summerville winning it high and moving the ball on to Gnonto … but a terrific sliding challenge from Nunez averts the danger. So far, Norwich are dominating Leeds physically.
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26 min I wonder if Farke is already wondering about how to get his attackers into this game. On the one hand, Norwich were always likely to start fast, on the other, Leeds’ inability to retain possession is allowing them to continue dictating.
24 min A quickly-taken throw allows Sargent to find Rowe who, crossing with the outside of his boot, sends a lovely ball into the corridor. But no one gambles so it whizzes across the face and Leeds clear. They’re under it though, and that lack of an out-ball is causing them problems: they can’t get it forward and build from there.
23 min Meslier then botches another kick and Norwich should be looking to test him whenever possible because he’s nervous.
22 min And here come Norwich again, Rowe carrying it well and finding Sargent who moves one more to McLean, the eventuating shot flying high and wide.
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22 min As for Daniel Farke, who looks not unlike a chamber-music-loving student, he’ll be happy Leeds have ceded few chances but unhappy with how they’ve kept the ball.
21 min This is good work from Norwich, winning a succession of set-pieces in dangerous areas. But Wagner will be frustrated their poor delivery means they’ve yielded no decent chances, and this latest one is no different.
20 min Rodon heads clear but Rutter, at right-back, looks to take Sara on, he’s caught, and forced to cede yet another free-kick, down the left and a foot in from the touchline.
18 min Good work from Sainz, running at the Leeds defence and beating one man then leaving another; Gruev fouls him and it’s another free-kick to Norwich, 3o yards out, Nunez to take. He goes short and wide, Giannoulis crossing in, and Gray heads behind; pressure is building…
16 min Meslier has made a mess of a couple of kicks already and when he plays a teammate into trouble going short, Norwich win a free-kick 25 yards out and form a second wall in front of Leeds’; Sara looks to be cute, going low around its near side, and the save is easy for the keeper.
15 min Stacey finds a lane down the right, Rowe flicking him in, and the cross is a decent one, stood up towards the penalty spot and Sargent is there! But Rodon does just enough to get in the road and he can’t make proper contact, looking to glance into the far corner and sending the ball wide.
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13 min Rodon almost makes first contact but the ball’s cleared to Gnonto on the edge and he makes a decent connection, leathering low. But a defender – I don’t see which – blocks the shot and a Norwich counter comes to nowt.
13 min It’s Summerville who takes it, Stacey heading behind, so here come the corner.
12 min Sargent nips in front of Rodon and takes the ball to the side of him, but the defender recovers well to slide in – more desperately that he’d have liked to. Leeds then break and win a free-kick down the left, just outside the box; Sumerville and Gruev are behind the ball.
10 min Leeds have calmed things down a little, and then we see a replay of a sixth-minute event during which my SkyGo must’ve crashed, Gnonto dipping inside Giannoulis, who pulled him down. It was just outside the right edge of the box, I think, so the ref was right not to award a penalty – but I’d like another look, and to know why it was no foul.
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9 min Byram into space for Gnonto, who catches up with the ball on the by-line, swivels into a pull-back … and can’t find Rutter.
8 min “Good evening from Brisbane,” offers Phil Withall. “I’m stuck in the awkward position of feeling defeat for Norwich will be a disappointment, after the run of bad form earlier this season. However, the thought of nine months of purgatory in the Premier league may well be worse. The joy of being Norwich supporter....”
A Leeds-supporting mate of mine says the same. He wants his team to go up. but for what?
6 min First, Giannoulis reads Byram’s intentions, blocks him off, and Meslier has to clear, then Gnonto incurs down the left, crosses low … and Rutter’s there! But under pressure, he absolutely laces fresh air into the top corner, as the ball passes through his legs.
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5 min This, though, was the daddy of the genre – and it’s lead’s dad, Steve Kember, played for Palace in the 70s.
5 min Anyone else see Gruev’s name and find themselves humming this theme tune?
3 min Leeds get the corner away but Rowe returns to have a go at Firpo, winning a throw. Norwich can’t make anything of it, Nunez eventually shanking wide, but this is good from the home side.
2 min McLean barges Gray out of possession and finds Sainz down the left, who wins a corner off Byram. This is exactly the kind of start Norwich would’ve been hoping for, a physical contest of second-balls.
1 min Immediately, Gray finds himself on the ball in an advanced role, but he’s quickly eased off it and Norwich look to counter. And Sargent makes space with clever movement too, but the pass to him is poor.
1 min Leeds get us going, the ground a raucous pit of noise and nerves.
i should’ve said, Shane Duffy plays despite being charged with drink-driving earlier in the week.
AND HERE THEY COME! Carrow Road is full of yellow, flags waving.
I imagine, though, that Farke reckons between them, Gnonto, Summerville and Rutter will find the goals Leeds need to move on. I think that’s probably accurate, and my sense is that if they come away from Carrow Road with a win, Norwich don’t have the power to do likewise at Elland Road. But they might find it hard to build the play without a centre-forward comfortable with his back to goal; we shall see, because our teams are tunnelled!
Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon will be crucial today because Josh Sargeant will be looking to assert himself. If Leeds can keep him quiet over the two legs, it’s hard to see how they lose, but if they don’t, their own lack of a striker might be an issue.
“Fully agree with you on listing players in positional order!” says Doug French. “Maltese Shanghai Kopite here … and I started a petition against numerical ordering. This issue has been ignored for too long!”
Heroic work.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how Archie Gray does today. OK, part of that is surname-based, but I like what I’ve seen of him this season and if he can adapt to a more attacking role, he could be the key man here.
“Underdogs can be dangerous and intense,” David Wagner tells Sky; Daniel Farke, meanwhile, says Leeds’ two wins over Norwich this season won’t make any difference to what happens today. It’s revealing stuff, I can tell you.
“Not upset with Bamford’s absence,” writes David Wood. “He is one of the reasons Leeds are in the playoffs.”
Perhaps – his finishing isn’t reliable, it’s fair to say. But as a focal point, I wonder if they’ll miss someone off whom they can play, especially away from home when they’re under pressure.
Midday is no time for a football match – especially when it’s hot. I don’t know whether it’ll make any difference, but I’m almost certain that the atmosphere at Elland Road on Thursday night will give Leeds a fillip Norwich won’t get from a lunchtime kick-off.
In the Sky studio, Troy Deeney reckons Norwich might sit back, let Leeds have the ball and look to counter. We shall see, but I’m not certain David Wagner will want to let this opportunity drift; I think he’ll want his side to be protagonists, especially early on.
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Question that has nothing to do with anything: is it possible to run a sub-20 minute 5k without proper athletic ability? Asking for my only friend.
So how is this going to go? My sense is that Norwich try to make this a physical tussle, looking to get about Leeds early and put them under pressure before they can settle. Leeds, meanwhile – especially with Rutter up front – will look to play through midfield, keeping the ball to give their extra class the scope it needs to tell.
And here he is…
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Email! “Gordon James Ramsay was born in Johnstone, Scotland,” offers Andrew Bartlett, which is indeed the case; he was on Rangers’ books as a yout. However he still likes to to talk about good, honest, old-fashioned English food, so.
Leeds, meanwhile, are shy of a striker, Patrick Bamford having jiggered his knee. As such, Georgino Rutter plays centre-forward – he replaces Joël Piroe, who started there last time out – with Archie Gray replacing him in the attacking midfield role.
Otherwise, Norwich make two changes from the side that lost at St Andrews. At left-back, Dimitris Giannoulis replaces Sam McCallum; in midfield, Jacob Sørensen drops to the bench with Marcelino Núñez dropping back from number 10; and in his stead, Jonathan rowe comes in for his first start since January.
First things first: each of these sides will be welcome in the Premier League for their courtesy of giving their XIs in positional not numerical order. Proper good, honest, old-fashioned English football clubs.
Teams!
Norwich City (4-2-3-1): Gunn; Stacey, Duffy, Gibson, Giannoulis; Núñnez, McLean; Rowe, Sara, Sainz; Sargent. Subs: Long, Hanley, Batth, McCallum, Fisher, Sørensen, Welch, Fassnacht, Van Hooijdonk.
Leeds United (4-3-3): Meslier; Byram, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara, Gray; Summerville, Rutter, Gnonto. Subs: Darlow, Roberts, Cooper, Cresswell, Shackleton, Anthony, James, Piroe, Joseph.
Preamble
Charlie Brooker once wrote that, though he didn’t like football, he could find pleasure in it “because all human suffering amuses me”. So we can only assume that, like the rest of us, he takes manic pleasure in the playoff system, specifically instituted to make people ill.
Leeds must wonder how it came to this. Just a few weeks ago, they were confident of automatic promotion, boasting a stable of varied attacking talents good enough for the Premier League. However to their chagrin – and that of the rest of the division, eager to see them gone at the earliest possible opportunity – they contrived four defeats and a draw from their final six games with even the sole win a struggle. As such , though they might now gather themselves and blow away the opposition … they also look primed to endure devastating heartbreak for our entertainment.
Except, the playoffs being the playoffs, Norwich – who finished sixth, closer to Millwall in 13th than to Leeds, 17 points in front – finished the season in similarly sketchy form, two draws and a defeat completing their league programme. The side that beat Ipswich a month ago might show … but likewise so might the one that just lost to relegated Birmingham. No one knows anything.
What we do know, though, is that this will be a lot of extremely intense fun. Norwich know they’ve to go for it and, as the fifth-highest scorers in the division have the wherewithal to force the issue. Leeds, though, have the second-best defence and are themselves the fourth-highest scorers, which is to say getting after them is a dangerous business. So stick with us because, either today or when the teams reconvene on Thursday night, all-consuming misery is imminent.
Kick-off: 12pm BST
