Pupil Harris meets Master “el Loco” Bielsa
The odd thing about Millwall fans is that it’s such a point of honour with them to be hated and not to be bovvered about it – their main anthem is “No one likes us, we don’t care” – and yet, whenever anyone is slightly critical of their notorious Lions, they turn all petulant and start to bleat piteously. This behaviour probably displays a deep-seated need to be loved – but, let’s be honest, that’s never going to happen.
The fallout from today’s hard-fought 1-1 draw between United and their chip on the shoulder rivals from darkest Bermondsey will probably centre around the touchline spat between Marcelo Bielsa and Millwall manager Neil Harris. The latter showed some balls, in defiance of his medical history, to face up to el Loco, and Harris will probably be glad, on reflection, that Bielsa left his grenade back home in Yorkshire. Shortly after this isolated flashpoint, justice was served as young Jack Harrison opened his Leeds United account with a sweetly-struck equaliser for Leeds, ensuring that Yorkshire’s top club would have something to show for their dominance of possession and all-round classier play.
Millwall, as ever, had put everything into a game that pitted them against their most bitterly-hated opponents. This blogger sees an opportunity for QPR on Wednesday, as Millwall invested two matches’ worth of blood, sweat and tears in an effort to beat United. That they came so close and yet failed will rankle with them, and I’d possibly venture a moderate wager on them not being able to reproduce their gutsy performance in Shepherd’s Bush.
Leeds will take much from this game, both the deserved point and the nature of the performance against hyped-up, frenziedly motivated opponents. The same fixture last season was where the rot set in; psychologically, then, the fact that they came back and got the point by which they now lead the division will be money in the bank in terms of morale and self-belief.
So now it’s on to two consecutive home games that provide the chance for Leeds, even shorn as they are of a group of major players, to consolidate their position as Championship favourites. Neither Preston nor Birmingham will roll over, but even this undeniably weakened United side has the defensive solidity and attacking verve to deal with the challenges from Lancashire and the Midlands.
Leeds are now the only remaining unbeaten side in the Championship, and it goes without saying that this proud record is down to Marcelo Bielsa and his staff. The next few games, without the likes of Roofe, Hernandez and Berardi, will be further tests of the Bielsa Effect, of the Argentinian’s ability to get the most out of depleted resources. If he proves able to guide Leeds through these choppy waters, then the words “In Bielsa we trust” will become even more resonant.
Marching On Together.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
My surname is rhyming slang for “shite” and I’m a professional sanctimoniest.
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Well done, Nicholas. Took some balls to admit that.
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don’t know what the fuss is about and though we were better than we were in 3 previous games we played better against boro derby and Blackburn I would say fired up rather than frenzied , a bit more of a worry is that we seem to be running out of steam towards the end just like we did against the borough and Derby ,did you deserve the equaliser you would say yes we would say we just about deserved to hang on , I do know that we will be ok and it’s obviously clear that you are much better than last year and have have a serious shot at an automatic place , much more grit and steel than you had last year and probably better players .hope those that came down got home safe and odd as it might seem we don’t dislike you anywhere near as you you seem to think of us
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No doubt about it Rob, we’re stronger than last year, still too soon to get excited about promotion but I’m daring to hope.
MOT
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Me too mate. And as we know, it’s the hope that kills you. But a decent result with a severely depleted team 👍 MOT
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As a gesture of goodwill and humanity ,we the LEEDS faithful should pass tut flatcap around for a few ballboys for poor impoverished milwall.Times are hard down there and the windfall from their cup final will only stretch so far.I’ve put me tuppence in wheres that bloody cap.
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First paragraph spot on Rob and a good tip for Wednesday night as well!. A cliche I know, but in previous seasons we would have probably lost the games against , Swansea, Boro and Millwall.
Early days and all that but I cannot see anyone running away with it this year like Newcastle and Wolves previously.
Obviously I want promotion but in terms of a truly competitive league the Championship beats the over hyped Prem hands down.
Congrats to the Millers for turning over Direby today being a good example.
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I thought the last four minutes were going to be the death of me…..my poor Leeds badge on my scarf took a real wringing and I am still trying to straighten it it out. Did Zlatan play in that game for Millwall? I’m sure I heard mention of it before hand.
A good piece Rob, you’re an artist with words.
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Many thanks, I suspect though that certain troglodytes down Bermondsey way might disagree with you 😇
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Rob, please have a go at ‘EFL on Quest’ whose anchor man, the Rev. Ian Paisley sound-alike, Colin Murray pronounced: “Millwall the better side”. Jeeze! Will this FL prejudice against Leeds ever end!
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I might, at that.
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Rob, I always agree with your views about those “very nice” people at Millwall and it was great to see Leeds having the last laugh for a change in that bum hole of a stadium.
These horrible games against Millwall are as big a pain in the backside as what the Huddersfield games were to Leeds.
It was also great to see “one of their own”, “steal-a-wage Morison” getting substituted 70 minutes into “HIS” huge, huge cup final / game of the millennium. What a long steak of shot-shy rubbish he really is and he has now proved that he can only cope in playing for an underdog club like Millwall, where there is absolutely zero pressure and very small crowds, apart from when Leeds are in town.
It’s just a shame that the Leeds squad is so threadbare, but in Bielsa we trust.
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It’s not quite true though Rob is it?
Even the pundits thought you were lucky to get a point against the better team on the day.
Apart from your handy number 14, you were a bit ordinary to say the least.
And all those old cliches about anthems etc etc are a bit boring & unoriginal in 2018 .
So the managers got excited, big deal.
You ain’t that great , long way to go but if your number 14 gets injured you’ll be fucked.
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You see, I do publish the odd Millwall comment, deluded though it is. At least it’s inoffensive. The ratio of sick twisted comments from the Millwall lot is about 10:1 over anything that’s fit to be read.
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Leeds pass and move looked quality, Millwall huff and puff looked handy! Great to see a bit of passion on the bench! Lack of ball boys a bit strange? Comment about Harris a bit below the belt? Otherwise not a dirty game. Outcome Leeds have what it takes to mount a serious challenge, Millwall to survive in the Championship.
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Below the belt. Arf. See what you did there.
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I have got used to your obsessive, and often libellous, comments about Millwall and our fans and have treated them with the contempt they deserve – by ignoring them. But I didn’t think that even you could stoop so low as to make fun of Neil Harris’s testicular cancer. It shows what a despicable little man you really are. If you have any decency you will apologise for the comment which you see as simply funny. You should hope that you are never affected by this awful disease.
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I’m getting more than a little tired of you hypocritical and deluded Millwall morons. My reference to Harris was more of a backhanded compliment to his survival than anything else, and the fact that you and your fellow troglodytes choose to try making it appear as sinister as – just to pluck an example out of the air – making fun of two football fans murdered abroad and wearing the colours of the club associated with those murders, speaks volumes for the depths of depravity of your average Millwall fan, who walks about in a stinking miasma of self-righteous cant and hypocrisy. It’ll be a cold day in hell before you get any apology out of me; now may I suggest that you wind your neck in and belt up.
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Wow, when they get a monk on they really get a monk on don’t they. Some of the hardest clubs in the country have the grace to acknowledge a good game in one way or another but Millwall just cannot stomach giving out any kind of fair comment, it’s beyond them.We have tasted glory, lifted trophies, we have been described as the greateat team and played in a fortress as dominant as the walls of Rome. We are hungry to get back because that’s where we belong and even the Premiere elite desire our presence. Millwall will always be Millwall, as big as their trophy room and as inspiring as their honours list. Look forward to seeing you at ER when we can show you what a capacity crowd looks and sounds like. AND if you give us a decent game we will have the decency and the balls to acknowledge your efforts.
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Spot on, mate. The most hypocritical and deluded fans I know. They’re all over social media like a nasty rash, proclaiming about how they dominated the game with 37% possession and two shots on target. In reality, we should have won 3-1.
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No matter what happens you can never top us turning you over at Elland Road and keeping you down in league one for another season.
I know it still hurts, I suppose it would being the “former” champions of Europe!
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Yeah bat ven you went an lost ter fackin Scanfawp in the final, innit 😆
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Well looking at some of this mornings news (Monday) the Millwall fans are now complaining to the EFL because a Leeds United player ran up the pitch to celebrate his teams goal and Neil Harris is mot happy with the Leeds United bench celebrating their teams goal.
Of course when Millwall scored their goal the team very meekly walked back to the centre spot ready to kick off the game again and most importantly the Millwall fans celebrated by merely clapping with the odd HOORAH being voiced. Also, although it is not shown, the Millwall bench probably shook hands with each other and said well done old chap.
I do not want to sink to the level of Millwall FC and fans and say what I really think but for those of them that read this…YOU REALLY ARE NOT A VERY SPORTING BUNCH ARE YOU and tell Zlatan well played for 70 minutes.
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Rob, I know two Leeds fans , they live very close to me , one in Peckham, my next door neighbour & travels to most games & another that lives in New Cross. Both live like myself, less than a mile from the ground, are good blokes, just like you. You can talk football with them, even if you’re a Millwall fan wearing those scummy Galatasaray colours.
Obviously, I’m an attention seeking idiot & most Wall fans couldn’t give a flying fuck what I think cos I talk football with Leeds fans instead of trying to give it the big’un all the time.
But I don’t give a fuck.
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Well done, Mr. Jetpack. Most commendable.
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Hi Rob great article as usual it must have really hurt the Millwall animals when we equalised. GOOD!
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In case you hadn’t already realised this, most comments from Millwall fans are being binned. This is not mass censorship, it is a refusal to publish comments that reek of self-righteous hypocrisy. In short, if you wish to throw your hands up in horror at my hideous cruelty towards Neil Harris, you must acknowledge that, as a breed, Millwall fans are not averse to a spot of hideous cruelty themselves, viz: continual mocking references over many years to the brutal murder of two Leeds fans in Istanbul. The fact that so many Millwall fans delight in this, to the extent of wearing the colours of the club linked with these murders, and making throat-slitting gestures in the stands when our two clubs meet, in my view denies such idiots any access to the moral high ground, and so their sanctimonious bleats, outpourings of rage and impotent threats will not be heard here. Any Millwall fan who is prepared to debate, whilst acknowledging and not condoning the actions of so many of his or her colleagues, will find that their views will see light of day on this blog. For whatever it’s worth, I can’t say fairer than that.
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Millwall fans think murder is funny.
Think about that and while you’re doing that think about this, I don’t know a single Leeds fan or anyone else on this planet who thinks murder is an opportunity to have a laugh. If you think it is then you’re obviously just another troglodyte Millwall fan.
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Well said, Mr Garbage. From your name, I’m guessing you’re from Bermondsey, so that’s admirably frank of you.
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