Leeds United: What to expect from Leeds vs. Southampton

National World - LocalTV

Transcript

00:00As you say there, Southampton is the final game of Leeds United's championship season.

00:06If Leeds were to go into the playoffs, there's every chance that they could end up playing

00:09them again just a couple of weeks later in what would be a playoff final, given the fact

00:14that the teams are likely to finish third and fourth.

00:19If we look at this game against Southampton to come in the league first, obviously Leeds

00:25have to go and win that game to give themselves any chance in terms of going up automatically.

00:30Showdips, which slip up against Coventry to come, and then slip up against, I forget who

00:35they play on the last day.

00:36Huddersfield at home on the last day, which is probably not going to help Leeds' cause.

00:40Probably not.

00:41But as you say, if they were to, Leeds would have to win this game against Southampton.

00:46It's a game we probably thought a little while ago could have been a promotion decider.

00:51Not so much likely to be this time, now that we've got round to it because of the way things

00:56have panned out, but all the matter, Leeds still want to win that game and if they are

01:02to be in the playoffs, show that they can beat Southampton and give themselves something

01:06of a psychological edge if they were to come up against them at Wembley.

01:09Yeah, definitely.

01:10Yeah.

01:11I mean, I don't think it would surprise anybody if this ended up being the playoff final.

01:14I mean, obviously, let's hope that's not the case and that there's a late twist and Leeds

01:17still go up automatically, but it wouldn't surprise anybody, I don't think, if this did

01:20end up being the playoff final.

01:21And that's despite a wretched little run for Southampton of late.

01:24I mean, they're absolutely incredible on the club record.

01:26I think it was a 25-game unbeaten run, wasn't it, which obviously propelled them at the

01:29table and when they're on that sort of run, everybody looked for all the world like they

01:32were going to go up top too, but obviously had a bit of a dip, then they sort of bounced

01:35back and they've had another dip again of late, obviously hammered at Leicester and

01:38that's three defeats in a row now after the weekend defeat at home to Stoke City.

01:42Russell Martin's not held back in his criticism of the players, calling it sort of rubbish

01:47and pathetic at times and stuff.

01:48He says it as it is.

01:49And I think he does quote from him saying that he's constantly getting texts from his

01:53mum asking him if he's all right because he's looking tired and whatever.

01:55So it's definitely taken its toll, but it does look like a good time to be playing them

02:00when they're in that sort of form.

02:02And obviously they've got injuries as well because Gavin Bizzuno, the first-choice keeper

02:05is out and Stuart Armstrong's got a hat full of goals and assists, he's out as well.

02:10I think Ross Stewart's going to be back.

02:11He's a big player for them this weekend, but he's been out for ages and he'll probably

02:15only be on the bench.

02:16Obviously Leeds have got injuries too and we'll wait and see.

02:18But obviously, you know, in terms of their run, you would think it's probably a good

02:21time to play them.

02:22But yeah, again, you know, they've got very, very good players, Southampton.

02:26And if they can hit the reset button, as has been said in their camp sort of in this week

02:30and start clicking, then they're going to definitely be a threat in the playoffs.

02:33There's no doubt about that whatsoever.

02:35So it's a very hard game to finish with.

02:38You can just imagine the sort of like the atmosphere and the pressure at Ellen Road.

02:41So very, very hard one to predict really.

02:43You're right.

02:44A lot of people looked at that, you know, maybe being a promotion decider towards, you

02:48know, earlier on in the season.

02:49I've got to say when Leeds were absolutely flying and on their run, a lot of us looked

02:53at that game and said, you know what, it might be over by then, as in Leeds might be up by

02:56then.

02:57And obviously that's certainly not going to be the case.

02:59So the only thing you do know, again, we're saying this before the midweek game with Ipswich

03:03at Coventry, is that because of that draw against Hull, they will definitely have some

03:06sort of chance going into the final day.

03:08I mean, it was looking like obviously it could be done, you know, in terms of Ipswich up

03:11by then.

03:12So there's a chance of them getting an automatic promotion on the final day, but I think to

03:16all extents and purposes, the only way that's going to happen, I don't know the maths because

03:20we haven't had the midweek game yet, is they're going to have to beat Southampton and they're

03:23going to have to hope, I think, that Ipswich slip up against Huddersfield and, you know,

03:28you can get funny results in the championship, but I mean, Huddersfield are basically down

03:32because of their goal difference and Ipswich are like one to three on to win that one.

03:36And it's a stretch to imagine Ipswich not winning that one really.

03:40I mean, you never know.

03:41It might be a draw and even a draw would be all right if that's a draw and Leeds can get

03:44the win against Southampton.

03:45So, but very hard to call in terms of will Leeds even get the job done, really.

03:49I think my gut instinct would be I'd suspect Ipswich will beat Huddersfield and then that

03:53would probably be it.

03:54But I mean, you know, you never know.

03:55You can get surprises and you've got to hope there's a surprise in this one.

03:58Adam Armstrong is going to be key to them.

04:0020 goals and 13 assists, staggering tally.

04:03Che Adams, a player that Leeds have looked at before as well.

04:05I'm sure he'll be dangerous.

04:07So, yeah, I mean, but all you can do is just cross your fingers that, you know, Leeds get

04:10the job done and that, you know, the gods are kind to them and there's a sort of favour

04:14from elsewhere.

04:15I mean, of all teams, it's Huddersfield.

04:16Obviously, the Yorkshire sort of neighbours, if you like, that might end up doing them

04:19a favour.

04:20But I think you look at the last game of the season, that's not where you want to see Ipswich

04:22playing them at home.

04:23I mean, obviously, they've shown a bit of fight, but with that goal difference, it looks

04:26like they're going to go down.

04:27And yeah, it's come to this, really.

04:29But as you say, you know, if it is the playoffs, then you definitely want to be going into them

04:33in good form.

04:34And Leeds, you know, obviously aren't on the back of that 4-0 defeat at QPR.

04:38So whatever happens, like, just try and finish off the season in style and, you know, whatever

04:43it is, you know, go into the playoffs in good form and with a spring in your step.

04:47But you never know.

04:48You never know.

04:49There's been some big surprises so far in this season.

04:51So you never know.

04:52There might be one on the final day.

04:53Let's keep our fingers crossed.

04:54Stranger things have happened, Lee, in football, as we all know, obviously, if Ipswich were

04:59to lose against Coventry on Tuesday night, that would certainly open the door.

05:05That's definitely true.

05:06I mean, that's the one thing.

05:07I mean, obviously, we're saying this beforehand.

05:08And, you know, I mean, obviously, by the time people see this, that game will have been

05:12and gone.

05:13But I mean, there's every chance that Coventry could win that game, you know, but the way

05:17it is, is that if they go there and even get a point, you know, which is, you know, I think

05:20with the bookies, I think it's 1-4 that they get either a draw or a victory there.

05:25And even one point just literally puts it in their hands, because the bottom line is,

05:30even if Leeds beat Southampton, if people check in the scores and Ipswich are 2-0 up

05:33against Huddersfield, then it's game over.

05:35And I suspect that's probably the way it will happen.

05:37But you never know.

05:38We've had surprises.

05:39So we'll definitely welcome another one if there is one.

Category

Transcript

Recommended