Chance for Leeds to bounce back and ‘show what a good team we are’, says boss Monk
A STUTTERING first month of the season apart, Leeds United under Garry Monk have proved remarkably adept at bouncing back from defeat.
Since leaving the relegation zone in mid-September, the Elland Road club have won four and drawn one of the five games that immediately followed a loss in either league or cup. Even that stalemate only came courtesy of a stoppage-time equaliser for Wigan Athletic.
Tonight, that impressive record will have another test as United look to banish the memory of last weekend’s derby defeat at Barnsley as Nottingham Forest make the trip up the M1.
Monk, for his part, is expecting his side to once again display their character.
“We had a disappointment at the weekend and that doesn’t sit well with us,” said the Leeds head coach. “We spoke about it in pre-season. One of the things we discussed was bouncing back from defeat or a negative result.
“We have managed to do that already this season, apart from once which was very early on. Any time since then when we have lost a game, we have bounced back in the next performance.
“That is vitally important and it is something we wanted to put in place. This is one of those situations where we have to show what a good team we are.”
Hadi Sacko is back along with Pontus Jansson, the Swede having served his two-game ban for collecting 10 bookings.
His return is timely with Liam Cooper still out as is Charlie Taylor for the visit of a Forest side under the caretaker charge of Gary Brazil following Philippe Montanier’s dismissal.
Leeds’s defeat at Oakwell was costly in terms of hopes Monk’s men have of overhauling the top two due to both Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion winning over the weekend.
Huddersfield Town also leapfrogged their West Yorkshire neighbours, while Derby County narrowed the gap between United and seventh place to five points.
Victory tonight, therefore, in a fixture brought forward from next weekend to avoid a clash with the FA Cup fourth round would be timely due to no other Championship games taking place.
“Football doesn’t always allow you to have it your own way,” said Monk, who continues to try to strengthen his squad in the transfer window.
“Negatives (like Barnsley) do come along. We have been doing very well and been improving all the time. These situations are where you get a test of character and a test of mentality. We have been very strong with that.
“I just think because we have been performing at such a high level, anything below it seems indifferent or people think, ‘Is there something wrong what happened there?’
“That is just because of the level of performance we have been getting. When it doesn’t happen there can be frustration and disappointment, but no one feels that more than the players, myself and my staff.”
Leeds United WDWWWL Nottingham Forest LLLLDW T Harrington (Cleveland). Leeds United 0 Nottingham Forest 1; February 6, 2016; Championship.