Blackburn v Leeds - team news

By Andy Baggott
April 8 2004

Leeds have no fresh injury worries, so Eddie Gray is likely to name an unchanged starting 11. Bakke is struggling to be fit for the game, and may not be risked. .

If Bakke does shake off his thigh injury, he could be recalled to the midfield, with Matteo dropping back to centre half, and replacing either Caldwell or Duberry. A win against Rovers would take Leeds level on points with the men from Ewood, and drag them further into the relegation battle. Blackburn are a good side, but the losses of Dunn and Duff were always going to affect the team at some point. Neither have been effectively replaced, and that is coming back to haunt them. There is also the loss of Matt Jansen, a player I regarded as one destined for the very top. A serious motor accident set him back though, and he hasn’t been the same player since. Jon Stead looks a good player up front, but is still learning the game, whilst old campaigners Yorke and Cole are nearing the end of their careers, and are nowhere near as effective as they were in days gone by. Both have had bust ups with Souness in recent weeks as the pressure is starting to tell. If Leeds can get amongst them early on, I believe an increasingly nervous crowd will get even edgier, and this can only help the Elland Road boys. A win, is once again a must for us, a defeat would undo a lot of the good work achieved after Monday nights win against Leicester.