The Scratching Shed

It’s been more than five years since the last time Liverpool visited Elland Road and they’ll be welcomed back by a full house for our third round League Cup tie. Few will be unaware of the history between the two clubs. Once upon a time we competed as arguably the two best sides in Europe, but whilst we plummeted to the depths of third division football, Liverpool continued to take the continent by storm picking up their fifth European Cup in 2005 and reaching a seventh final in 2007.

Team news
It’s doubtful Liverpool will risk too many key players for a League Cup clash. The club will be competing on four fronts this season as they look to add to their impressive collection of silverware, so you shouldn’t expect to see the likes of Steven Gerrard or Fernando Torres. That doesn’t mean Rafa Benitez isn’t taking the competition seriously. He’s already admitted he would like to reach the final again and right the wrongs of 2005, when a Steven Gerrard own goal cost them their eighth League Cup title.

Leeds meanwhile are unlikely to change too many faces from the side that beat Gillingham 4-1 on Saturday. If there are any changes, they’ll likely be in defence where Richard Naylor could make a welcomed return. Liverpool fan, Andy Robinson has told how he’d love to get on the pitch for the tie, but is unlikely to get anything more than a place on the subs bench.

Head to head
The last time Liverpool played at Elland Road was in our relegation season of 2003-04. The scoring was opened by Harry Kewell, who had now moved to Anfield. Eirik Bakke equalised a few minutes later though, before Mark Viduka fired us infront. Baros equalised for Liverpool just before halftime and the match finished 2-2.

In a season where we were struggling and the squad was being sold off to the highest bidder, the reverse fixture saw us slump to a 3-1 defeat. Infact, you have to go back all the way to the 2000/01 season to find the last time we beat Liverpool. That season, we beat them both home and away as Mark Viduka fired four past them at Elland Road, in what remains one of my favourite matches, and Rio Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer scored to give us a 2-1 victory at Anfield.

Overall, our record against Liverpool isn’t great. Of the 113 fixtures between the two sides, Leeds have won 27, drawing 30 and losing 56.

The League Cup
Liverpool have won the League Cup seven times, which is more than any other team. The last time they won it was at The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, when they beat Manchester United 2-0 with goals from Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen.

Leeds have won the competition just once in 1968. Terry Cooper’s goal was enough to see Arsenal off and give Don Revie his first major trophy. Howard Wilkinson guided us to the final once more in 1996, but Leeds were beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa.

The managers
Simon Grayson banned the team from talking about the fixture right until the final whistle went at Gillingham. He admits that gaining promotion from League One is the priority, but has now turned his attention to Liverpool looking for a Premiership scalp to add to his impressive record at Elland Road. Speaking after the Saturday’s win he said;

“Being top of the league gives us a boost going into Tuesday’s game and a platform for the rest of the season. We will be judged on where we finish,

“They had to focus on beating Gillingham because the league is their bread and butter and they showed the right attitude.

“We are playing one of the best teams in the world on Tuesday but we will approach the game with a lot of confidence and belief.”

Meanwhile, Rafa Benitez told Sky Sports that he’s been watching DVD’s of Leeds and knows the fans will be right behind us.

“I believe the game will be a sell-out, and it is a surprise to me that Leeds find themselves in League One these days,

“Leeds will be difficult, we know they are a big club and we respect their history.

“I have been watching DVDs of their games and it is clear that their supporters are very important to them. They back their team all the time and make it tough for their opponents.

“Those fans are amazing, such loyalty and support, and that has been very apparent to me in watching tapes from last season.”

Rafa also added that ”We know it will be tough. It is a massive club despite the division they are in.

 ”I have no doubts that this will be a very difficult match. They have quality and they are a big club with great traditions.

“They will want to win this one because of the situation they find themselves in.”

Nice to know we haven’t been forgotten!

Can we win?
Whilst the realist in me isn’t convinced, the Leeds fan says ‘of course we can.’ Elland Road is a tough place to play for any team because of the crowd. Even with 7,000 Scousers cheering Liverpool on, they’ll still have to contend with 33,000 Leeds fans, which isn’t going to be easy for an inexperienced side (assuming that’s what they play). I guess the other thing in our favour is that we have nothing to lose. Win, lose or draw, the game will be a good money spinner for us and none of us expect to win the League Cup so being knocked out of it isn’t the end of the world.

Whatever happens, it should be a good night with an electric atmosphere. On and on…

I found it a little amusing that some fans were referring to the game in Colchester as our first “six-pointer” of the season despite the fact both teams had so far played just four games. Looking at the League One fixtures before the game it was indeed the stand out fixture with Colchester winning three of their opening four and Leeds 100% so far, but to call any fixture a six-pointer this early on seemed a little ludicrous.

Still nursing an hangover from a late night at the hotel bar (much of which I’d spent explaining to a Scum fan why Lucas was better than Rio Ferdinand), we set out to find the first pub of the day with the logic that “what makes you bad, makes you better!” Whether that was the case, or we simply ended up drunk three times faster than usual is debatable, but we quickly found ourselves in the mix of both sets of fans. A few pints, several songs and a League Cup draw later, it was time for game.

The Leeds fans were in good spirits. The 100% start to the season and the 3-0 battering of Tranmere had given us a confidence I’d not felt in a long time. Whether Beckford would stay or go remained a talking point, but a lot were starting to believe we could still win this league without him.

Both teams started brightly but it was Beckford who struck first blood. Twice! Only for the linesman to rule both attempts out for offside. Although I’ve not had time to watch the replays yet. the first one looked a good enough call but Becks looked well onside for the second and the linesmans delay suggested he wasn’t sure himself. There were few appeals from the defence or the home fans either, so this was probably the first of many poor decisions made on the day.

Following Becks’ two disallowed goals, the Colchester defence decided they had to kick lumps out of him to stop him scoring. How Colchester’s centre-back remained on the park is anyone’s guess but the whistle-happy referee continued to let him get away with it.

It was hard to distinguish whether the referee was blowing for half time or just for the fun of it, such had been the quality of his performance so far but when the teams started walking off the pitch I was almost certain it was indeed half time. Colchester had threatened in the first half, but Shane Higgs had few problems. Leeds had looked the better team and will have been disappointed to go in level.

The refereeing decisions in the second half failed to improve. It wasn’t any kind of injustice to either team as the calls he made went for and against us both. 90% of the time it was baffling trying to figure out what he’d blown for and which way he’d given it, but one things for sure, he certainly wanted to be the star of the show.

Not much change in style of play from both teams. Colchester continued to give a good account of themselves, although their defence wasn’t brilliant and they seemed to rush things infront of goal. Whether that’s a credit to Leeds or a lack of ideas in the final third for them is anyones guess. I was too busy trying to figure out what it was the referee was doing to get any in depth read on the game itself.

Leeds deservedly took the lead shortly after the hour mark when Bradley Johnson continued his impressive run of form to send us 1-0 up. The change in him so far this season has been nothing less than remarkable. The goal came from a Robert Snodgrass free-kick (which in itself was another questionable decision from the legend in black) and Johnson rose to head home.

The lead was short lived though as the ref continued to enjoy the attention and awarded Colchester a penalty. Rui Marques got beaten by a player and stumbled him in the chase. The Colchester player jumped to the floor like he’d been shot and the attention seeking ref got another chance to blow his whistle. Well, it had been at least 30 seconds since his last opportunity, Colchester converted and the scores were level again. 1-1.

Colchester had the bit between their teeth now and pushed for a winner. It seemed inevitable that we’d lose after being the better team all day, but Leeds kept their composure and found a winner courtesy of Jermaine Beckford. Some laughable defending by Colchester was punished by the frontman and the scoreline once again reflected the game.

Leeds were worthy winners. A tough game where the woeful referee and linesman looked set to be our downfall, but we kept our composure and were good value for the three points. I lost count of how many yellow cards he handed out over the 90 minutes, but most of the Colchester side must have had one by the time he blew the final whistle. Beckford got himself another too, although I still aren’t sure what for! I know it sounds like I’m rattling on a bit, but I’m really struggling to explain how inept the officials were.

After the match, it was back to the hotel to watch the Manu v Arsenal match (which produced another classic display of refereeing). The lad from the night before was in the bar watching it on the big screen. I couldn’t resist asking him why he wasn’t at the game. He told me that living down south made it inconvenient for him. I suggested that Manu should move their stadium to London in jest, but he failed to see the joke and seemed to be in agreement. By this point he’d discovered we’d drawn Liverpool in the League Cup and told me he wanted us to beat them and he’d be supporting Leeds that day. I think I want us to lose!

TSS man of the match
As impressive as the referee was it has to be Patrick Kisnorbo for me. He was solid at the back throughout and weighed in with some important challenges. He’s brought a lot of strength to the defence and I’m eager to see him paired up with Richard Naylor.

Leeds have drawn Liverpool for the third round of the League Cup in what is being touted by many as the pick of the draw.

We haven’t played the scousers since our relegation in 2004 when we held them to a 2-2 draw at Elland Road when Harry “Judas” Kewell scored their opener, before Bakke and Viduka fired Leeds into the lead. In a season where Leeds were struggling though, Liverpool equalised and the game ended 2-2.

Overall, our record against Liverpool isn’t great. We’ve met a total of 113 times with Liverpool winning just short of half them meetings with 56 wins. Leeds have beaten the reds 27 times and drawn with them 30.

The last time we actually beat Livepool was at Anfield in the 2000/01 season when we led 2-0 with first half goals from Rio “Plug” Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer. Liverpool did pull one back after half time with the ever inspiring Steven Gerrard making it 2-1, but Leeds held out to record an impressive victory at Anfield. The reverse fixture at Elland Road that season was a seven goal thriller that Leeds eventually won 4-3 with all four goals coming from Mark Viduka.

So far this season things aren’t going to plan for Liverpool. They’ve lost two of their opening four games already at the hands of Tottenham and Aston Villa. They have managed a win today away to Bolton who led 2-1 before they were reduced to ten men. Liverpool eventually ran out 3-2 winners with goals from Torres and a late winner from Steven Gerrard. Things at Elland Road meanwhile couldn’t be better. The 100% start to the season continued today as Beckford secured all three points against Colchester United.

Whether Liverpool field their strongest XI or opt for the reserves (as I suspect they will) it should be a good game at Elland Road. Being stuck in the third tier of English football doesn’t provide too many big matches, so the visit of Liverpool will be a welcomed one for the suffering Whites fans. I also expect it’ll be a welcome draw for Ken Bates as the club are sure to profit nicely from the game.