14th August, 2024. Carabao Cup Round One
It was only our second game of the season but a dire performance, albeit with 8 changes from the team that started against Pompey, has got many fans reaching for the worry beads.
Conceding three goals on home territory for the second time in four days is not a good look and although Daniel Farke in his post-match interview seemed to be blaming himself for rotating those 8 positions, claiming that upset our balance, surely he needs to remember that Middlesbrough made almost the same number of changes! I think the more important take from the game is that whereas many of us looked at the bench on Saturday thinking it was strong, having now seen it in action on the pitch, both on Saturday for half an hour and for an hour last night, I think we could all probably agree that it is far from strong.
Yes, it was clearly an unbalanced XI we started with – using Aaronson and Joffy G. as wide players was probably never going to reap rewards. But then we have the likes of Wober, Bamford and Joel Piroe, none of whom gave any indication that they are going to be of more than occasional use in the thick of the Championship
We played well on Saturday for the majority of the game, let’s not forget that, but we know that the failings that prevented us winning that game were all present last season – notably a defence that goes to sleep every now and again by failing to track runners, and a propensity to spurn really good chances in front of goal. Those issues were a problem at the start of last season until we settled down but, more significantly, they became a problem again as we stumbled our way through the final nine games of the campaign. We have now won just two games from our last 11 competitive matches and one of those wins was an unconvincing 4 – 3 at Middlesbrough. A win at West Brom on Saturday would no doubt quell all our fears but these first two games have given us little optimism that will be the case.
The game last night turned on a period of twenty minutes at the start of the second half when, quite simply, we became a shambles. Until that point there seemed little between the two sides, neither of which looked particularly likely to break what looked to be heading for a stalemate nil-nil draw. Chances were at a premium and it looked pretty much what it was, a game between two groups of players not used to playing with their comrades. Then, defensively, Leeds just crumbled with some basic failures that are just unacceptable from first team Championship players. First, Anfernee Dijksteel collected the ball wide on the Boro right and then drifted infield along the edge of the area going easily past Aaronson and then continuing as neither Rodon, Firpo or Wober thought it necessary to try to tackle him! He simply stroked the ball inside the left post from 18 yards. It was far too easy. Then a poor attempted pass infield by Wober and an equally lacklustre attempt by Bamford to rescue it saw Boro come away with the ball on halfway. A simple ball through the then very thin Leeds backline splitting Ampadu and Rodon found Burgzorg and he skipped inside the retreating Rodon and fired past Darlow. Boro were set up for the counter attack being a goal to the good already and Leeds fell into their trap by losing possession high up the pitch.
That was the moment that I think we saw the first indication of the pressure starting to tell on Farke as he made an unprecedented five substitutions in one go. On came Struijk, Bogle, Gruev, Rutter and Willy Gnonto – first team stalwarts all – to try to get something back and show that, actually, our big boys, when all together, are a decent team. It failed miserably as, with the initial chaos of settling into a new formation with so many new faces, we conceded again within seconds. A Leeds goal kick was met unchallenged by a Boro head on their right that knocked the ball forward. Gilbert ran onto it and completely fooled both Struijk and Rodon with a first time touch inside and between them to Jones, another untracked runner who was able to get his shot away. Another late Ampadu lunge took the sting off that one but it fell perfectly to Coburn who prodded it home. Three dire goals to concede yet again.
With the news coming this morning that Georginio may well be off to Brighton for another £40m, Leeds look to be in big trouble and likely to fall well behind the Championship pacesetters before we can put things right. With defensive issues, a lack of a clinical finisher in form up front and now likely to lose our most creative talent… it doesn’t auger well. The only solution will be if we can use the money we have generated from the Gray, Summerville and Rutter transfers to bring in some real top quality players who can slot straight in and transform what increasingly looks a very average Championship squad. Worrying times and time for whoever turns up at West Brom to, well, to turn up!
Carabao Cup Round One
Leeds United 0
Middlesbrough 3 (Dijksteel 50’, Burgzorg 60’, Coburn 67’)
Leeds: Darlow (GK), Firpo (Bogle 63’), Ampadu (C), Rodon, Rothwell, Bamford, Piroe, Aaronson (Georginio 63’), Byram (Gruev 63’), Gelhardt (Gnonto 63’) Wober (Struijk 63’). Subs not used: Meslier (GK), James, Joseph, Crew.
Boro: Brynn (GK), Dijksteel, Howson (C) (Ayling 56’), Clarke, Engel (McCormick 70’), Barlaser, Morris, Jones (Hamilton 81’), Gilbert, Burgzorg (Azaz 70’), Coburn (Latte Lath 81’). Subs not used: Glover (GK), Hackney, Glover, Cartwright, Hunt.
Venue: Elland Road
Attendance: 35,150
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
Booked: Byram, Firpo (Leeds) Howson, Ayling (Boro)