Leeds boss Dennis Wise was happy that a fairly young side beat Macclesfield in the Carling Cup last night – but was quick to state that the club’s priorities lie elsewhere.
Midfielder Ian Westlake volleyed a Dave Prutton cross into the net with 11 minutes to go to give Leeds a place in Thursday’s draw. The classy strike was the 24-year-old’s first goal since moving to Elland Road last summer.
Wise told the club’s official site: “It was an opportunity give a chance to the youngsters and to keep things going. Obviously we want to win very game – but the cup is not my major concern, and I thought it was important to rest a couple of lads. Unfortunately some others had to play the full 90 minutes.
“Extra time and penalties would have been a disaster for us, but we’re through and we could have had a couple more goals. With the young players it’s a case of repetition. Sometimes they take it on board and you need to keep drilling it into them.”
Of course, it could be argued that getting knocked out of the cup would have been a better outcome for the club, as although there is more money available in the later stages, it would probably be better to ensure a still-small squad is as fit as possible for Mission 105 Points in the league.
Though, following all the summer shenanigans, it’s hard to complain about winning the first two games of the season! Hopefully the promising start will continue when Southend visit on Saturday…
Join Vital Leeds United!
It’s very easy to sign up with Vital Leeds United, simply click the link and enjoy getting involved.
The Message Board: After you’ve registered, you will be able to interact with other Leeds United supporters via our forums. To visit the Vital Leeds message board, click here.
Have your say: This website is your website and we are looking for people to help contribute to the site. Do you go to most of the games and want to share your opinions. Why not write a match report?
Do you believe you can make a better half-time pie than the clubs catering contractors? Well write in with a recipe!
We’re looking for contributors to add almost anything and everything linked with the club to Vital Leeds United. To get in touch with us, please feel free to fire an e-mail to leeds@vitalfootball.co.uk.