So, that’s about that - enjoy the rest of your weekend, and join Jacob Steinberg for Everton-Burnley. Bye!
It’s actually pretty difficult to pick out a star man for Wednesday - Kieran Lee, Ross Wallace Gary Hooper, Stephen Fletcher and Barry Bannan were all brilliant. It’s not often so many play to the top of their ability, though, so the trick for Carlos Carvalhal is to get his team to a higher bottom level, because at their best they can beat any team in this division; in the meantime, they move up to 12th while Leeds stay 4th.
Full-time: Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 Leeds United
A superb performance from Wednesday, the score reflecting the superiority in all departments.
90+5 min Palmer is late on Dallas, earning a booking.
90+4 min Wednesday are playing out time and enjoying the process ... until they go forward, Wallace again pulling out wide before crossing towards Rhodes, And the ball breaks for Hooper to complete his hat-trick! He picks across past the one man blocking his route to goal, allowing the ball across his body as the sliding challenge comes in, then laces a monster against the bar!
90+3 min Rhodes replaces Fletcher. “You won everything,” he tells him as they swap places.
90+2 min Wallace leaves a forearm on Saiz as the two meet for a challenge, and Saiz takes exception, pressing brow against brow. Nothing comes of it.
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90 min There shall be six added minutes.
90 min Danny Higginbotham reckons Leeds’ problem is trying to play on the break without the first goal, but I don’t really think that it’s that. They just haven’t played or competed as well as Wednesday - their method can work.
88 min It’s not been a good few weeks for Leeds - this will be their third defeat in four league games. Even so, they’ve shown flashes in this game - better finishing before they went behind, and things would be very different. But they’ve been far too compliant since Wednesday went in front - it looks like they came for a stroll, not a row.
87 min Bannan gets the ovation his performance has earned, replaced by Butterfield.
85 min If Wednesday play like this every week, they’ll be a tricky night for anyone. In particular, Lee and Bannan have been excellent in midfield, while the strength of Fletcher and movement of Hooper has been too much for a Leeds defence already struggling to keep up with Wallace down the right.
WHAT A GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 Leeds United (Lee 82)
O’Kane gets too wide, trying to retain possession by dinking a clearance he should’ve lamped, and the ball bounces perfectly into the path of the advancing Lee, who meets it beautifully just after the half-volley, caressing a finish into the bottom left from 25 yards. He’s had a really, really good game today.
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81 min Lovely again from Wednesday, dragging Leeds out wide, again down their right, before sending the ball into Bannan inside the box. He does really well to get it out of his feet and to aim a shot towards the near post rather than the expected far, only to cannon the woodwork.
80 min Berardi flies into a challenge with Wallace, there’s a soupcon of afters in the untangling, then some squaring up. It does, though, come to nowt.
79 min Lee, who’s been excellent, finds Wallace with a square pass, and he unloads a shot from 20 yards that Wiedwald has to beat clear.
78 min Lovely from Bannan, conjuring space outside the box and sliding a pass out to Lee, whose low, hard cross is destined for Hooper until Pennington intervenes.
76 min Wednesday get away with one! Reach gives the ball away to Dallas, who slips through to Saiz, on the left of the box again, but close to goal. He really, really should score, and in trying so to do looks to the far corner wile aiming for the near. The gap, though, is too small, and the shot sneaks just wide; it needed a left-footed thrash.
75 min Phillips returns, and this time Leeds get the ball away, Wallace fouling Sacko.
74 min Phillips walks off and Leeds will have to defend the corner with 10 men ... and the delivery from Wallace is good, Hooper stopping Wiedwald from moving and forcing Lasogga to thunk over his own bar.
73 min It never rains. Phillips is now down, and Leeds have used all their subs.
72 min Immediately, Wednesday get the ball out to Wallace, and Berardi has to block his cross behind.
71 min Dallas comes on, so Leeds go to three centre-backs with Berardi moving inside.
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70 min Oh dear. Janssen is going to be stretchered off, and he’s doesn’t look in a great way, his hand over his eyes.
68 min Janssen and Phillips collide as they pursue a loose ball. Hooper, the other man on the scene, wants play to continue, but the ref is having no such thing. Janssen is down a fair old while.
67 min Hernandez, who’s making a difference, slips a pass infield for Saiz, and on the left of the box, he opens his body to curl a shot just wide.
66 min Ayling crosses into the middle, but Leeds is there to head behind. And Hernandez’s corner is a good one, met by Janssens face, eventually, but Lee bundles off the line.
63 min Bannan is on one, accepting possession and stretching towards the box, ball an extension of his foot, before one slips t’other through a gap an into the stride of Hooper, who’s made an angle for the shot. The hat-trick is on, but Wiedwald is out sharply to block, wearing a stinger on his chest.
62 min Hernandez and Sacko replace Roofe and Alioski.
61 min Ayling sends the ball down the line for Lasogga, and he forces a corner. Alioski takes is short, accepts the return, and curls past the far post and over the by-line, where the two men seeking it trip over one another. It’s quite funny.
61 min Leeds are preparing Sacko and Hernandez.
59 min Excuse me?! Are the Wedneday band playing ... Chopsticks? Stop the game, I’m getting off.
57 min Bannan is absolutely bossing this now, strutting about midfield playing one and two-touch. Leeds can’t get near him.
55 min Fletcher, Bannan, Hooper and Lee move the ball so quickly between them, before Wallace dinks a cross towards the far post. Fletcher is so much stronger than Ayling too, but can’t quite get at the ball as he’d like, so it bumps off his forehead and into the ground before Leeds clear.
55 min Leeds have quality going forward, they’re just missing fury in midfield and focus at the back. That’s the difference here.
54 min Wednesday are back in charge, Bannan and Reach swapping passes before the latter crosses towards the excellent Fletcher; Jansson is there first, but only just.
53 min Ideally, Leeds will bring on Grot, he’ll either equalise or score the winner, and GROT BAGS will be tomorrow’s headline.
51 min Fletcher drops deep and feeds Reach down the left, who shifts it quickly and bends a cross into the middle. Hooper is marginally offside, but this time the flag stays down and he leaps into a volley with his heels, diverting the ball just over the top.
50 min This is much better from Leeds, who presumably spent the interval listening to some words.
48 min Much better from Leeds, but how many chances can they afford to ruin? The ball goes out to Alioski down the left, who crosses for Lasogga at the far post, and he makes an angle to shoot back across goal, dragging it slightly - enough to force it against the post.
46 min They almost do right away, Berardi heading to no one in general and Van Aken leaving it to Wildsmith, who’s still on his way out. Roofe nips in, but can’t get good enough contact to force the ball into the empty net.
46 min Leeds set us away again. Can they find themselves?
Half-time: Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Leeds United
An excellent half from Wednesday, who take 15 minutes to get going before taking over; they’ve been fast to the ball, strong in the tackle, and have absolutely wasted Leeds down the right flank. They’re good value for their lead, and will extend it after the break if things don’t change.
45+3 min News on Hunt: he’s hurt his knee.
45+1 min Leeds win a free-kick 30 yards out on left, and Roofe curls the ball towards the far post where Lasogga is arriving; Fletcher does enough to put him off, leaning in Sheryl Sandberg-style such that the header goes wide.
45 min There shall be three added minutes.
44 min Wednesday win another free-kick down the right, this time 30 yards out. Again, Wallace curls it in, but this time Jansson heads out, only for the home side to reach the second ball first; Bannan cracks a low drive only just wide.
43 min I say it’s over, though it isn’t really; it’s just Wednesday are so dominant it’s hard to see Leeds reversing momentum.
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 Leeds United (Hooper 41)
It doesn’t matter, because Wednesday have scored anyway! They’re absolutely clattering Leeds in midfield, which is allowing them to stomp down the right, which they do again. Palmer crosses towards the back post, Fletcher wins the first header, no defender anticipates that he will, obviously Hooper does, and he nods in with ease. This is over!
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39 min Carlos Carvalhal is in a right bate, because Wallace comes inside then slips a ball down the side of the Leeds centre-backs for Hooper, who cross low. Jansson blocks, though, except as he falls, the ball flicks his hand. It would’ve been harsh.
39 min Bad news for Wednesday - Hunt limps off and Palmer comes on. Will he be able to replicate the attacking threat?
37 min Hunt is down, so the away support try to rouse their team. They need it.
36 min Roofe’s control lets him down and Lee marches through him before finding Wallace again - Berardi is in all sorts against him and Hunt. This time the cross is cleared, but if Leeds can’t find a solution to the threat down their left, it won’t be long before they concede again.
35 min Leeds have barely mustered a kick these last 15 minutes.
33 min WHAT A MISS! Wallace is having a brilliant half, and again he comes inside on his left foot then curls towards the far post, where Fletcher has easily escaped Pennington; perhaps he told him to look over there. Anyhow, all he needs to do it guide the ball home, and he confidently caresses towards the far corner ... but he’s been too deliberate, and it bounces just wide.
32 min Wednesday are going to score again if things don’t change. Again, Janssen is drawn out of the middle, and when Wallace swivels into a low cross, Pennington does brilliantly to block Hooper’s low sweep. That was headed towards the far corner, so the intervention pretty much kept Leeds in the game.
30 min And there’s Bannan again, sliding a lovely disguised ball into the box for Lee after Hooper comes short and he fills the space. Lee’s finish is a confident one, too, but the flag goes up for offisde, which is most definitely was not. Still, great football from Wednesday.
28 min Wallace curls in a flaming, spitting cross, which has just too much on it for Van Aken, alone at the back post. Leeds needs Phillips and O’Kane to get hold of things, because at the moment, Bannan and Jones are dominating, getting the ball out wide where overloads are making things difficult.
27 min Suddenly Wednesday are flying, Bannan driving forward and finding Lee. He can’t get the ball into the box, but the attack is kept alive and eventually Wallace finds Hunt with a ball inside Berardi, who chops his man down when Alioski doesn’t follow the run.
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Leeds United (Hooper 25)
This is a strange-looking goal. The free-kick is drilled toards the far side of the box, where Lees outjumps Ayling, heading down into the space behind the two lines - there’s loads of it. And only Hooper looks to fill it, following in to poke home the opener like the predator his is.
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24 min Hunt glides down the right, so Roofe steps across him; naturally, he then protests the free-kick...
24 min This is a fine photo.
📸 When you can't keep up with @Samusaiz... pic.twitter.com/Y6KOWaVPcc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) October 1, 2017
22 min Wednesday have been much better these last few minutes.
20 min Wednesday win a free-kick down the right which Wallace curls in. The ball flashes across the face of goal, flicking a Loiner of some description on its way, resulting in a corner. That goes to Lees on the edge of the box, and he shoots low, a deflection off O’Kane making things harder to Wiedwald. All the same, he should do better than beat out straight down the middle of the box, and is fortunate no one is on-hand to punish him.
20 min “An MBM report for a Leeds match!” emails Ravi Raman. “And not just part of the Championship coverage! Surest sign that the club is re entering the Premier League.”
Yes, that is precisely how it works. You’re welcome. Oh, and we take requests.
18 min Bannan cracks a shot into Pennington and doesn’t get whatever decision he was expecting, and as such imparts some homsepun widsom to the grateful referee.
16 min Saiz looks a class above everyone else on the park, and he wriggles space outside the D, then curves a pass over the top with the outside of his right foot. It takes a while to come down for Alioski, but when it does, he lifts into Roofe, in front of goal, only for the linesman to detect offside where there was none. Leeds are coming.
15 min Leeds burst forward on the break and Saiz does superbly, taunting Van Aken as he sidewinds forward at inside-right before nipping outside and chipping a cross for Alioski at the back post ... only for him to stoop and head wide of the near post. That is bad behaviour.
14 min Hooper holds the ball up before feeding Wallace; again he cuts inside onto his left, driving low into the nearest shins.
13 min Leeds are knocking it about nicely not, and the movement of their front three is a problem for Wednesday. Phillips takes possession in midfield and clips a clever reverse-pass into space for Lasogga, who swivels to cross ... Wildsmith is up well to claim, one-handed.
12 min Roofe wins a corner down the right which Alioski takes to the near post - Lee sees it away, but Alioski picks the ball back up, advances, and whams a shot into the nearest defender. That’s a waste of a decent situation.
11 min Nice from Ross Wallace, drawing Jansson out of the middle and teasing him inside and out before bringing the ball onto his left foot and curling a dangerous-seeming cross just past the back post.
10 min Alioski is staying on the line this afternoon, where usually he cuts in, and in so doing he takes a throw and feeds Saiz, who thrashes a shot well over. But Leeds’ plan to stretch Wednesday is working well so far.
8 min Is there a more likeable player anywhere than Barry Bannan? Everyone should have his liberal attitude to tackling and general scheming manner.
6 min Leeds look the far more confident outfit, but far more importantly, both managers are dressed in peculiar rigs. Carvalhal is in syoot with grey-cardy-puffa-thing underneath; Christiansen is in grey-cardy-puffa-thing. Euro-style, or something.
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4 min But here come Leeds, Berardi finding Saiz down the right, and with Roofe taking Lees away, his cross picks out Phillips on the burst ... he can’t quite get his head around the ball though, powering just wide.
3 min The ball is mainly bumping about in midfield, but it’s Wednesday looking to make what running there is.
2 min Lasogga missed his daughter’s birth to play for Leeds in midweek. I can see both sides, what a thing to miss and what a thing to miss, and also that it’s none of my business.
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2 min Why do Wednesday now dress up as Ipswich?
1 min Away we go! Hi, ho!
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Leeds huddle. All the difference.
The players are with us.
In lieu of a snap of Wednesday’s kit from 1985-86, its stripes quite the most luscious shade of violet blue, here’s the Serg.
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Thomas Christiansen is expecting a reaction from his players after defeat at Cardiff. He makes three changes, bringing Pierre-Michel Lasogga back, saying that he can knock defences about, more or less. But that is not to underestimate the importance of the returning O’Kane, whose midfield diligence is so crucial, nor the absence of defence lynchpin, Liam Cooper.
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Carlos Carvalhal explains that he’s playing the same team that lost the derby - keeper aside, Wildsmith replacing Westwood due to injury - because it’s a big opportunity for his players.
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This is a great shot. And Sheffield is a great sight from the M1, perhaps the best cityview from any major UK road.
MATCHDAY! #swfc pic.twitter.com/xhU04eh2Hj
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) October 1, 2017
For those of a certain age - above 35, more or less - this fixture means one thing and one thing only.
“So glad to be playing Leeds in our current state,” tweets jami3rez, his irony palpable. Yes, it’s not easy to see a way for Wednesday here.
BREAKING:
👀 The players arrive at Hillsborough, and head straight out to inspect the pitch... pic.twitter.com/dWIXNzeRwu
— Leeds United (@LUFC) October 1, 2017
Munchkins and Oompah-loompahs
Sheffield Wednesday (the height of 4-4-2): Wildsmith; Hunt, Lees, Van Aken, Reach; Wallace, Jones, Bannan, Lee; Fletcher, Hooper. Subs: Dawson, Rhodes, Butterfield, Palmer, Nuhiu, Jaoo, Pudil.
Leeds United (a Monkian 4-2-3-1): Wiedwald; Ayling, Pennington, Jansson, Berardi; Phillips, O’Kane; Alioski, Saiz, Roofe; Lasogga. Subs: Lonergan, Shaughnessy, Dallas, Vieira, Sacko, Hernandez, Grot.
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Preamble
Muddy pitches, violent tackles, lively crowds and magical hairdos – some clubs just stench of Football League Division 1, and these are indisputably those. And, while promotion must be earned, few Premier League fans would complain if trips to Hillsborough and Elland Road returned to the calendar: proper atmospheric grounds in proper atmospheric cities, offering plenty of potential for mischief.
This looks unlikely to happen in time for next season. Leeds have a decent manager and a decent chance, but Wednesday are struggling, even contriving defeat at Birmingham in midweek – after losing a home derby. It’ll take a significant improvement today for them to stop the rot.
Kick-off: 12.15pmBST
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