With the big story of the week coming off the pitch... of course... we here at Through It All Together are looking forward to returning the focus to the game itself, where Leeds has played really well of late, even including a 1-0 loss on Tuesday. Today we get Barnsley FC, the newly promoted club from South Yorkshire, who have played well in their return to the Championship and sit in 10th place. The match will be the last at Elland Road before the Championship breaks for international play.
So will Leeds United be able to rebuild some momentum from a fantastic September? Our Ben Mallis wrote a September Review this week (yes, you woke up in October), and argued that we might have just seen our best month since Leeds returned to the Championship in 2010. That’s high praise, but the four wins were solid and much needed, especially after Monk found himself on the hotseat after Huddersfield.
We’ll also have our Player of the Month roundtable and voting next week for September, so get your Janssons ready.
Today we’ll have all the lineups and information you need here in the gamethread, and feel free to join us in the comments and on social media to discuss the game as it plays out. Oh, and don’t forget Anthony Linley’s match preview from yesterday: his previews are our must-reads before each match. Predictions and more below. Get in.
WHAT
Leeds United vs. Barnsley
EFL Championship fixture
WHERE
Elland Road, Leeds
LUTV, BBC Radio Leeds, @ThruItAllLIVE
WHEN
Saturday, October 1, 2016
7:00am PT / 10:00am ET / 3:00pm BT
WHO
Leeds United’s starting XI
Green, Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Taylor, Phillips, O’Kane, Hernandez, Dallas, Sacko, Wood
Subs: Silvestri, Coyle, Cooper, Vieira, Mowatt, Roofe, Antonsson
Barnsley FC’s starting XI
Davies, Yiadom, Roberts, MacDonald, Kpekawa, Hourihane, Scowen, Hammill, Kent, Winnall, Armstrong
Subs: Townsend, Jackson, White, Watkins, Lee, Morsy, Bradshaw
ODDS
Leeds 11/10
Draw 12/5
Barnsley 12/5
PREDICTIONS
Johnny Wakefield: 2-0 Leeds. I expected the loss on Tuesday, but I do think we’ve turned a corner. We’re playing well, and back at home, I think we hold Barnsley scoreless and put a few in ourselves. #Momentum baby.
Anthony Linley: 2-1 Leeds. Those are good odds for the draw, but I favor Leeds to just shade this one.
Sean Ryan: Mayo 1-17 Dublin 0-16. Whoops wrong sport. Leeds 2-1. We always have tough games against our neighbours and I don't see Barnsley being any different. Armstrong and Winnall are playing well and my fellow Irishman Conor Hourihane is playing out of his skin. That being said so are we. We had enough chances to beat the sh**e out of Bristol. I see a win coming today. Both for Mayo and Leeds.
And this is how you’re feeling today...
90 minutes until the first game of October and the last one before the international break. How are you feeling, #LUFC faithful?
— Through It All #LUFC (@ThruItAllLUFC) October 1, 2016
Sounds good to us. Let’s go. MOT.