It's been a funny old close season hasn't it? You'd imagine that given the run of victories in pre-season fixtures, the signing of three quality players and a victory in Europe that everything in the garden was rosy - but, in reality, this doesn't appear to be the case.

The mood on the LUW Message Board over recent weeks has been bleak in the extreme, with supporters genuinely dismayed that Risdale's earlier promises, that two or three more quality players would be brought in, have not materialised. I guess it's all to do with expectations. A season ago, Dominic Matteo would have represented an exciting buy: now he isn't quite the high profile season fans had been hoping for.

Add to this the departure of Haaland (that few supporters agreed with), the terrible list of injuries, the prognosis that Batty might miss the whole of the season and Harry be out until Christmas - and the fact that due to an appalling display of refereeing at Elland Road, we might be out of the Champions League before it's even begun: the mood of supporters is not as high as it could be!

Still...what better to put a smile on our faces than the Kick Off to a brand new season! Starting at home to Everton on Saturday, the players have an opportunity to raise everyone's spirits and give confidence a boost before Wednesday's return European fixture against TSV 1860 Munich.

Two of our close season signings, Olivier Dacourt and Mark Viduka, look set to start but the third, Dominic Matteo is out with a knee injury until September. O'Leary is also without the injured Harry Kewell, Stephen McPhail, Jason Wilcox and Matthew Jones - whilst Michael Duberry is suspended, ironically for a red card recieved in the final home Premiership game of last season....against Everton! Fortunately, Jonathan Woodgate might be fit to play. If not, then Big Bob Molenaar might make his long awaited return.

Everton's injury problems aren't much better than ours with Walter Smith without new signing Thomas Gravesension as well as Mark Pembridge, Richard Gough and Niclas Alexandersson. Duncan Ferguson is unlikely to make his 'second' debut for the club whilst John Collins, Don Hutchinson and Nick Barmby have all left the club since May's fixture. New signings Steve Watson, Paul Gascoigne, Alex Nyarko and Alessandro Pistone are all expected to be in the starting eleven.

One very lucky omen for Leeds is that Everton haven't won at Elland Road for an unbelievable 49 years. Let's hope the lads can make it a nice round half centure by 5.45 on Saturday afternoon!

Here we go again - this year's pre-match entertainment seems to be to try to spot someone actually buying a pint of Strongbow in the SC. Score zero so far! The game kicked off late as everyone failed to notice a huge white Strongbow shirt on the pitch, and we had to wait for it to be removed. Smooth organisation as usual Leeds!

A pretty open entertaining game from the start, our only change being Woodgate back for Duberry who didn't even make the bench, so the three man attack continued with Bridges and Smith playing wide of Viduka. A bright start but the first real chance came when Hughes volleyed over the bar. We were generally on top and deserved the lead we soon got.

The first goal was appalling defending from the corner by Everton. Bridges was able to bring the ball in and hit a hard low cross that Smith headed in unmarked from about six yards out. Then another corner came after Watson's back pass trickled past the post. This time Bowyer swung it back for the on-rushing Harte to volley it, the same trick we've been trying with Kewell or 2 years, though this time Harte hit a screamer of a volley that the keeper only managed to parry into the air, and Smith beat Viduka to the rebound to nod in.

During the first half Smith headed one straight at the keeper and there were a couple of free-kicks into the crowd at both ends but we were generally comfortable and carried this into the start of the 2nd half.

Everton came back into the game after Drunken Duncan came on to mass applause from the Everton fans (well they have to make the most of his few appearances) and Smith and Radebe both had to clear off the line. Bizarrely though Ferguson seemed to drop quite deep into midfield and this meant in the last 20 minutes we took over again and Smith had a few chances to complete a hat trick he would have deserved.

A long ball from Harte, laid off first time by Bridges but keeper smothered Smith's shot, then put through by Viduka and tripped by Unsworth in the area but no penalty this week. Then Huckerby got a cross into the far post which Smith unselfishly knocked back to Bowyer who blasted over. There was also another beautiful move down the right which ended with Viduka heading over from Mills cross and another Viduka header was brilliantly saved by Gerrard.

Gazza came on to chants of "You fat bastard" from the Kop which he greeted with a cheery wave, but he was fairly anonymous until Radebe had to head over from a well-worked free-kick. He may also have been involved in the tackle that led to Bakke being stretched off. Another injured midfielder is the last thing we need.

Overall a good performance with a weakened team - lets just hope an even more weakened team can do the same in Munich on Wednesday - I'm taking my boots with me just in case.

Scores

Martyn 6 - Little to actually save, despite a lot of attacks from Everton

Kelly 8 - Excellent all game, never in trouble in defence and got up to provide width at times.

Harte 7 - Defensively OK, a couple of awesome cross-field passes to Bridges. What's the odds he doesn't score a free-kick all year?

Radebe and Woodgate 7s - Both played well, individually though at times. Everton were finding space between them.

Dacourt 7 - I think he'll become an important player - covers ground well though tackling still a bit reckless - better than Batts going forward.

Bakke 8 - Very good especially in 1st half - lets pray his injury isn't too bad.

Bowyer 7 - Looked comfortable in a more central role - wrap him in cotton wool til Wednesday.

Bridges 6 - Never really seemed with it, a couple of nice stepovers but his touch wasn't really there.

Viduka 6 - Worryingly, looked less fit than last week when he had a better game. Still a useful player to have though.

Smith 8.5 MoM - Not so much for his goals, but for an excellent skilful and hard-working performance. If he stays fit and confident it could be a huge season for him.

Subs

Huckerby 7 - Offside in seconds but a couple of good crosses nearly created goals.

Mills 7 - Did little wrong.

Ref - Gallagher actually pretty good.

Everton - More positive than I thought but lack real class, though Nyarko played well - mid-table for them again.

Reporter: Matt G

P.S - Middlesboro most have raised the allocation back to the usual amount as the Supporters Club branches seemed to have around their usual allocations.

P.P.S Quote of the weekend - "Walter Smith wants to put Gazza on Big Brother so he can keep an eye on him!" - Chris Waddle on tele this morning.