Post by Taxigirl on May 1, 2006 9:50:17 GMT
www.leedsunited.com
United boss Kevin Blackwell made no apologies for keeping his powder dry against Preston ahead of Friday's night's play-off first leg at Elland Road.
A vastly understrength Leeds team went down 2-0 in the final game of the regular season to Preston, a result that means they come up against Billy Davies men in the play-offs.
Blackwell took the opportunity to rest a number of players and with no less than eight chances to his side, it was clear that he was not after a dress rehearsal for the next week ahead at Deepdale.
"I could not dare risk picking up any injuries because I know who will be in my team for Friday," he said.
"But I wanted to have a look at one or two players who haven't played for a while and for long spells there was not much in it.
"The team I fielded on Sunday looked really competitive and that was a strong Preston side out there. I think we might have learnt more about them than they did about us, they certainly showed their hand more than us.
"We now know what we are looking at and we come back here to Preston a week on Monday."
Going into the final game on Sunday the permutations were such that Leeds could have ended up playing any one of Watford, Preston or Crystal Palace, and Blackwell revealed that facing Preston was the outcome he wanted.
"It makes it for me a bit more special being two northern sides in a semi-final and two southern sides in a semi-final, that would make it a north v south final.
"We were dreading travelling down there because we have had a lot of problems going to Palace before and so with very little travelling we can concentrate on our preparations and not lose days travelling to get to a venue."
The defeat itself meant the Whites had to make do with finishing 5th in the table, but it didn't matter either way to Blackwell.
"There's no disappointment in not finishing third, we have been in third or fourth since October 7th, so we've still had a strong season.
"Everything else that went before counts for nothing, this is what it's all about from here on."
United boss Kevin Blackwell made no apologies for keeping his powder dry against Preston ahead of Friday's night's play-off first leg at Elland Road.
A vastly understrength Leeds team went down 2-0 in the final game of the regular season to Preston, a result that means they come up against Billy Davies men in the play-offs.
Blackwell took the opportunity to rest a number of players and with no less than eight chances to his side, it was clear that he was not after a dress rehearsal for the next week ahead at Deepdale.
"I could not dare risk picking up any injuries because I know who will be in my team for Friday," he said.
"But I wanted to have a look at one or two players who haven't played for a while and for long spells there was not much in it.
"The team I fielded on Sunday looked really competitive and that was a strong Preston side out there. I think we might have learnt more about them than they did about us, they certainly showed their hand more than us.
"We now know what we are looking at and we come back here to Preston a week on Monday."
Going into the final game on Sunday the permutations were such that Leeds could have ended up playing any one of Watford, Preston or Crystal Palace, and Blackwell revealed that facing Preston was the outcome he wanted.
"It makes it for me a bit more special being two northern sides in a semi-final and two southern sides in a semi-final, that would make it a north v south final.
"We were dreading travelling down there because we have had a lot of problems going to Palace before and so with very little travelling we can concentrate on our preparations and not lose days travelling to get to a venue."
The defeat itself meant the Whites had to make do with finishing 5th in the table, but it didn't matter either way to Blackwell.
"There's no disappointment in not finishing third, we have been in third or fourth since October 7th, so we've still had a strong season.
"Everything else that went before counts for nothing, this is what it's all about from here on."