Christiansen and Radrizzani: Divine Duo
As we head into the season’s first international break, with its timely chance to pause and reflect, we can look back upon a first segment of Leeds United‘s campaign that can best be described as the stuff of which dreams are made. The Elland Road exits of Garry Monk and Chris Wood had the press pack, or at any rate that 99% of it hostile to the Whites, drooling with anticipation of United’s fall from grace. Gleefully, they speculated upon the damage that will be done by the loss of thirty-goal Wood; happily, they salivated at the jumping overboard of Garry Monk – who would actually appear to have swapped a cruise liner for a rusty tug. The reality of Leeds’ refreshing approach so far has confounded these ill-wishing souls, and they’re frankly welcome to their own purgatory. Leeds fans, by contrast, are higher than kites on Cloud Nine.
Today’s performance at Nottingham Forest surpassed even last Saturday’s demolition of Sunderland. Both were clinical displays away from home at perceived football fortresses. Both saw United make light of the loss of their erstwhile big number nine; both ended up as solid victories via a memorable goal in each half. But the high-press at Forest was even more effective than United’s stifling of the Mackems seven days ago, with the fluency of midfield passing and the incisiveness of the multi-pronged and revolving attack both even more impressive than at the Stadium of Light. It’s fair to say that today’s win at the City Ground – normally absent from United’s happy hunting ground roster – was as complete and satisfying as any away performance over recent seasons.
Count the blessings: another clean sheet, that’s four on the trot in the league; a first goal from the dazzling Gianni Alioski (and what a goal it was); the continuing development of Kemar Roofe in a central striking role, his display embellished by a neat headed finish – and last, but by no means least, a late cameo of rich promise from new signing Jay-Roy Grot. On the evidence of his short time on the pitch, this massive unit of a young striker will have much to offer over the season ahead. He showed a neat turn, the potential to dominate in the air, pace to burn – and an endearing tendency to bully opposing defenders that belies his tender years. Grot has been described admiringly by the Leeds Twitteratti as a monster, a beast, an animal. In the context of the pantheon of Elland Road heroes, these are terms of high praise indeed.
So, for the second week running, United have breezily popped the bubble of a rival’s promising start to the season. We remain unbeaten, handily placed in the league, and with the enticing prospect of further possible recruitment during the last few days of the transfer window. To say there is currently a feel-good factor around LS11 is hopelessly inadequate; a masterpiece of understatement. It really is much better than that so far – but it’s important as a serious blogger for me not to get too carried away; there’s a long way to go, after all.
So I’ll confine myself to this brief summing up of the current situation at Leeds United, as follows: Andrea Radrizzani is God; Thomas Christiansen sits divinely at his right-hand side as the New Messiah (the clue’s in his name, brethren); the assembled first team squad are the Heavenly Host, the glorious anointed representatives at pitch level of this omnipotent duo – and we, the fans, are the newly-inspired believers, a teeming multitude of the faithful, looking forward with the serene confidence of ordained destiny to our unstoppable march to the Promised Land.
There. In all modesty and discretion, I think that’s fair comment.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
Praise be to the chosen ones!!
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Wonderful to watch,such a shame the international break has to interrupt the momentum. I’ve just finished the remaining crumbs of my humble pie following doom laden comments i made a few months ago following TC,s appointment. Where’s he been all our lives? Intelligent and imaginative football put a competent Forest side to the sword and the good news is that this team are going to get a lot better too. 10/10 for all involved but In my opinion Kalvin Phillips was outstanding. He got a lot of stick undeservedly last season so it’s extra special to see one of our own blossom like this. Said was also superb but let himself down holding up an imaginary card after being brought down,but that pass to Dallas in the 84th minute? Hands up who expected him to play the short easy pass to Alioski? Brilliant,simply brilliant. Already with his few touches Grot has shown he has better control than that bloke who used to play up front for us. I think I’ll shut up now as the the battery in my phone is very low now and I’m running out of superlatives. MOT everyone.
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Brilliant Rob, MOT 😁
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Cheers bruv – MOT indeed 😀
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my comment don’t appear to be posted?
well,it amazing to be honest. played 3 games away from home and managed to score 7 goals winning all 3.
.3-2,2-0 and 2-0.at least we know from the Preston game,Wood scored onside but was ruled offside.
anyway,we have 11 point after 5 games,last season we only managed 1 win and lost 3 and drew 1.imagine?lost 3-0 on the first day away to a lousy QPR,( no disrespect intended,just making a point about Leeds 🙂 )
then lost 2-1 at home to an average Birmingham side.drew at home to Fulham,but won our fourth game away to Wednesday.but then lost again to,you guest it,Nottm Forest 3-1
.in between those games,we got lucky in the cup against Fleetwood Town Luton Town.managing to win on penalties if I recall
but this time around,without Wood,we demolished both Part Vale and Newport Country 5-1 and 4-1 respectively.and two players got a hat-trick.. when was the last time we managed to win our first cup ties in a row,scoring 9 goals,only conceding 2,while having two players scoring hat-tricks respectively?
and here we are,having lost two of our strikers,one gone,the other injured and having to play Roofe as a Striker.Amazing!
This bodes well for this season,of that,I have little doubt.our next three games look promising too..
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Rob, lovely hyperbole! And why not! We are looking good!
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I wanted to avoid underplaying it 😎
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I want a few more players brought into the club. I want Leeds to bully this league. A few more players and good squad rotation could practically guarantee promotion.
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We must be wary of over-egging the pudding at this stage, there’s a lot to assimilate for now. There’s always January…
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Don’t play it down Rob – say it like it is!
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Arf 😆
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Dare to dream.
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I guess we should call you Reverend Rob now, and look out for you on Songs of Praise. Talking of such songs, we are currently witnessing that far from “falling apart” Leeds are in fact “a class apart”!
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Bless you, my son 😇
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Great article Rob and I suspect there are many long suffering Leeds United supporters like us who dare not tempt fate and are nervously struggling to believe in our new “Messiah”. We have had so many false dawns in recent seasons and I suspect that many fans will be expecting “normal service to be resumed” with a flat performance following the International break.
Cooper is like a different player, Pontus has not been booked or conceded a single goal in any of the 4 league games he has played so far, and our unknown manager and new players are absolutely amazing!! We have an 80% record of clean sheets in the league despite having appointed yet another new manager, dropped Green and drafted in a dozen new players most of whom come from foreign lands and were not household names! Our Messiah has had to constantly reshuffle our back 4 from day one due to injuries and yet we just do not concede goals and manage to score plenty of goals despite having lost our top scorer to the lure of the Premier League lira.
Faith is growing with each miracle being performed by our football team and the number of followers is growing each minute. The holy grail (promotion to the Premier League), is coming into sight and with only another forty one games wandering in the wilderness to be endured we shall very soon enter the promised land. MOT
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I can honestly say that last season, when many were saying we were good enough for the play offs, I didn’t believe. More to the point? I didn’t think the players believed in a host of things. The chairman, manager or even themselves. To me? it didn’t seem like it was the right time for us. How different is it now? I believe in and have faith in our owner which after the previous two incumbents is almost like a re birth! Our manager is a breath of fresh air and seems to have quickly got his methods over to our squad which although early days? is looking like exciting football. we are finally seeing players looking like they want to play for our beloved club too. Lets hope that off field problems are a thing of the past and this crop of players continue to gel and work their socks off. Yes, this time after a long time, I truly believe we are marching on together.
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Cardiff have three difficult games coming up,while we have 3 seemingly easy ones 🙂 home to Burton and the brummies,then away to Millwall.
how much you wanna bet that we will be top of the league after Sep 16th? ( I will remind you of this around the time lol
Cardiff away to Fulham & Preston then home to Sheffield Wednesday.
the scariest part of all to our opponent is that we haven’t yet used the money we got for Wood,or Taylor’s come to that 🙂 haha
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Did you not do R.E. at school, Rob ? It’s a Trinity, not a dynamic duo – wrong comic book heroes ! Our Ascension is due in no small part to the Lord our Rad sending out his Holy Orta to speak in tongues of fire in foreign lands to inspire the Apostles Gianni and Samuel as with a rushing, mighty wind at a fraction of their true Pentecost ! The spirit of the malt is upon us – and I think it’s that that’s talking through me right now. Isn’t it great to see the sun again after fifteen years of nuclear winter – the gleaming, golden throne sitting upon the clouds, and a 46-rung golden ladder leading up to it, and LUFC carved into each one ?! The power and the glory, for ever and ever, Our men !
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You’re right, you know. Forgive me, brother, for I have sinned by omission. Sorry, Vic…
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No he did divinity because I was there!
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Div with the Rev, obviously I learned nowt!
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Well said Rob in your last paragragh.
Brilliant start to the season, chuffed with that performance today & long may it continue…
Super Leeds MOT. 👏👏🤗😉
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Need not to be complacent – we have signed some fantastic players already in particular Alioski and Saiz also OKane and Cooper are like new players – Jansson and Sylimg are as good as ever and our (in my opinion) best player Viera hasn’t even got started yet – but we have just got 15 million for Wood and Monk is sniffing round Jota – we must go all out for this player – to the left of Saiz he would be sensentional !!! – also sign Marti or De Tomas as an alternative up front
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great article Rob …. Well it’s time to eat my hat as I did not think this would ever happen after the loss of our last coach and support staff. Having just watched the goals on You tube and listened to the SKY experts I had a lump in my throat as TC said I was very proud indeed. Our fans were even taking the Mick by singing Leeds are falling apart a gain. Let’s now hope we can all march on together to the promised land with our owner that believes in the Elland road family and a coach and players that all want to get this club back to where even our haters think we should be….. MOT
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Wary of over egging the pudding and then your last para. Luv it.
Some of our one touch passing out of tight situations is a joy to behold and the signing of players with great technique seems to have raised the skill levels of players already at the club.
Final point, think Orta deserves a place at the top table. Underwhelmed by his appointment I’m now overwhelmed by the cheap talent he keeps unearthing. May it long continue.
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I was gilding the lily, not over egging the pudding 😆 Totally agree though, Orta’s recruitment ability and TC’s coaching and tactics seem to have raised us to a whole new technical level.
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Amen to that Rob 😇
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Somehow get the impression you are quite happy. Funny enough, I feel exactly the same, just like when the sun comes out.MOT
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And isn’t it a LOVELY day?? ☀️ MOT
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Just one more, while basking in yesterday, Rob:
A month ago, I was an agnostic; I’m no longer a doubting Thomas !
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It’s never too late to find the light, brother!
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They certainly do look the part Rob but we are told – ‘don’t count your chickens’ etc and George Grahame, before he was stuck sideways where the sun don’t shine, said he never looks at the league table until 10 games in. Sunderland last week was fantastic and Forest was much better. Saiz and Alioski making a huge difference – we are now worried about losing them in the January window or even before Thursday! Unthinkable, but that is how good they are. Grot as you say looks the part, some nice skills and confidence for 19. Another Antonsson might be signing this week, hopefully this one will have a bit more quality and he is from Pontus’s old club. Quality is what Leeds were lacking last season. The quality of Saiz and Alioski is rubbing off on the other players – they look so much more composed and in control. And Tommy – he is fantastic. I love his interviews and his personality is beginning to shine. We have proved we can win regularly away from home with performances like yesterday but as Tommy said the test will come in the next two matches – both at home. If we can pass that test playoffs at least looks very likely. Rock on Tommy you CAN take us to the Promised Land!
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Just listened to the West Yorkshire Sport interview with Eunan O’Kane following yesterday’s game and was very impressed by the lad who is not only articulate, but gave a real insight into why Leeds are playing such effective & entertaining football. Whilst it’s been said before, you do wonder if we under utilised him towards the end of last season in a midfield that never appeared to be settled. I certainly hope there is forgiveness for my less than appreciative views on Messrs Cooper, Phillips & yes O’Kane last season and I will be in joining the queue for the Leeds confessional forthwith!
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And the penance?
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