What a season it has been so far, but seven cup finals will determine the Whites' fate

By @ImoLeeds

Well then, seven games remain of the 2018/19 Sky Bet Championship Season and Leeds United find themselves in the automatic promotion places. If you had told me at the beginning of the season that come the first of April we would be battling for promotion, I would have simply bitten your hand off.

To take a club which last season saw two different managers, a hostile atmosphere and a team which fluttered in and out of the play off places until January but ultimately, fell to a 13th place finish, into a promotion push is simply outstanding.

Wherever the team goes from here, and I think as fans we must accept it could potentially be playoffs, this season has been one to remember and without a shadow of a doubt our best season in the Championship since our return in 2010/11.

The only recent seasons that I can recall that pose any resemblance to this campaign are the 2010/11 and 2016/17 seasons. The former under Simon Grayson and a newly promoted squad from League 1 were the underdogs but it looked like it could have been back to back promotions, as on the 18th December 2010 Leeds beat top of the table QPR at Elland Road and headed into 2nd place. However, a lack of consistency towards the run-in saw Leeds finish 7th.

Similarities from that can be seen in the 2016/17 season when Gary Monk took a down and flat club and regrouped and gathered the fans back and this seemed to be the time when a sense of community and belief was instilled back at the club. Cellino stepped down and Radrizzani took over the reigns which was another positive in that campaign. But, Leeds (after spending the majority of the season in the playoffs) fell at the final hurdle and again finished just one place off the play offs.

That was the worry for me about this season. Could we maintain this form and intensity? And would we slip up at some point? We all know and have heard about Bielsa’s sides and how it is uncommon for them to potentially tail off and wear out.

But not this Leeds team.

Even with the countless injuries, which increased today as Barry Douglas will be side-lined until the end

of the season, we remain in and around the promotion places.

One thing which has particularly impressed me this season is our bounce back ability. Our first real crushing defeat of the season came at the Hawthorns where West Brom defeated us 4-1.

The international break followed this game and then Leeds went on a 7 game winning run; which included beating promotion rivals Sheffield United 1-0 at Bramall Lane along the way and two thrilling 3-2 wins against Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers.

Another noticeably poor performance was away at QPR where the Whites fell short and lost by one goal to nil. A lot of fans’ heads had gone and following this was a must win game against West Brom (who demolished us earlier on in the season) and this looked an impossible task. But within 16 seconds, the wizard Pablo Hernandez fired us in front, and we ran out 4-0 winners.

The final seven games are back in Leeds’ hands now and the next few fixtures are defining. Norwich City look to be out of sight being seven points clear of 3rd place Blades so the Whites will be looking at Sheffield United’s results after every match.

This Saturday sees us travel to Birmingham who have recently been hit with a points deduction and have dropped towards the relegation places. This fixture will not be easy at all as the Blues are the only side in the league who can do the double over Leeds now and Gary Monk will look to seek victory as his time at the club ended sourly.

But it is the reverse in fixtures which is key. When Leeds are playing at St. Andrews, Sheffield United will be playing away at Preston. The mid-week fixture the following Tuesday will see Leeds go to Preston and the Blades go to Birmingham. If either side can pick up maximum points in these two fixtures, then that could be a huge step towards automatic promotion.

I feel that there are a couple of potential banana skins in the run in for Leeds. As difficult as the trips to Birmingham and Preston are, Brentford away has never been a happy hunting ground for Leeds. Since Brentford were promoted in 2014, Leeds have visited Griffin Park four times, losing three times and drawing once.

Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road will also be difficult tests as both sides have had late surges and are gunning for play of places.

The final game of the season is away to Ipswich and they could already be relegated by then, so with the Tractor Boys potentially having nothing to play for, this could pose a threat to Leeds. However, out of Norwich, Leeds and Sheffield United, Leeds have the easiest last game of the season. The Canaries travel to Aston Villa and the Blades go to Stoke.

Whatever the outcome, Bielsa has given Leeds fans the belief to dream again and this season has more than surpassed expectations.

And even if Leeds aren’t to make the automatic places, who doesn’t love a tense playoff game…?