Rocco's Round-Up (12/1/24 to 18/1/24)
Friday, 12th January 2024
The day between the presser and the match is always the quietest of the week, but there was an important game in Hull where the 7th placed Tigers lost to Norwich, presenting Leeds with the chance to establish a 10-point cushion inside the top six tomorrow. Elsewhere, Victor Orta's Sevilla came back from 2-0 down in a relegation six-pointer at home to Alaves, before conceding in injury time to lose 3-2. You love to see it.
Saturday, 13th January 2024
A fantastic performance against Cardiff brought a third straight 3-0 win for Farke’s men, sedating an increasingly jittery fanbase. Ipswich maintained their 7-point gap to Leeds by overcoming Sunderland, but they’ve only won once in six and go to Leicester next week, while Southampton won easily and are now unbeaten in 20. The Saints are looking increasingly like our main rivals and have to come to Elland Road on the last day of the season; a mouthwatering prospect.
Sunday, 14th January 2024
The calm after the storming win in Wales, so the only news I can scrape from the barrel is the return of Jack Jenkins from a disappointing loan at Scunthorpe. He managed only five starts for the National League North team (the last one oddly being a 6-1 win) and hadn’t even made the bench in the last five. The 22-year-old’s contract is up in June but he can always boast to his mates about his one appearance for Leeds United, under the great Marcelo Bielsa. He'd better hope for no follow-up questions though, because a Z-list celebrity also played that day and Leeds lost 3-0 to Crawley Town. Maybe he'd have rather stayed on the bench?
Monday, 15th January 2024
They say there’s never a dull moment at Elland Road, except in the middle of a January transfer window. Ticket details were announced for the cup tie with Plymouth today, but I won’t reduce myself to reporting on that.
Tuesday, 16th January 2024
Potentially damaging news from Italy as Jose Mourinho was sacked by Roma. If you ask me, going from a Chelsea defence that conceded 15 PL goals in 2004/05 to playing Llorente and Kristensen in a back three is akin to the Bielsa to Big Sam decline we saw at Elland Road. Sadly, the chances of seeing those two back at Leeds has surely increased (i refuse to believe Llorente to PSG links until it happens).
Wednesday, 17th January 2024
Right off the back of Blue Monday came Gray Wednesday, as the club celebrated the 76th birthday of the great Eddie Gray and a new 4-year contract for the great Archie Gray, his great nephew. In other news, the 50% hit-rate of Spurs loanees doesn't seem to have bothered United, who are apparently courting Tottenham trio Ben Davies, Japhet Tanganga, and Ryan Sessegnon. Davies plays 90 minutes every week but is currently injured, Sessegnon has played 7 minutes all season but is currently fit, and Tanganga couldn't get a game at his previous loan Augsberg. Make of that what you will.
Thursday, 18th January 2024
No presser today due to the weekend clash with Preston being pushed back to Sunday. Speculation that Willy Gnonto is going to West Ham seems to be gathering pace, but it’s looking increasingly like any incomings will be left until the last minute; as is the way when you’ve fallen down the food chain.
