Leeds, honey, are you ok?
Leeds are in a tailspin this April. Setting unhappy records, losing three of their last four games by at least 3 goals. Notes from a 1-7 loss to Liverpool. My condolences to the crowd.
You’d tell just part of the story if you reflected on Monday’s loss to Liverpool and said: my, that crowd at Elland Road grew frustrated.
Sure, they wore the emblems of discontent: the unfettered abuse and booing, the early departures, the crowd of frowns. All that was there.
But those peaks of displeasure didn’t seem to define the night. For what Elland Road seemed to do more than boo and jeer (or at least alongside boo and jeer, or so it seemed from afar) was hope, rally, cheer them on!
Poor things.
Leeds never conceded 11 consecutive goals at home in the Premier League before this month. They’d never conceded six Premier League goals in one game at Elland Road even once.
With 11 goals scored against them in just two games, Leeds are soaring through April having allowed 16. And with seven games remaining, Leeds allowed more goals against them this season (60!) than anyone else in the league.
Encouragingly, Javi Gracia says he’s not sure what the problem is, at least not specifically, other than that they need to improve. No kidding.
On games being lost at a wider, and wider margin:
“Yeah. I don't have in this moment an explanation for that. But what I can say is the players always tried. The players always work hard during the week, trying to prepare the next game. In this case, in the last games, in this game and to be honest, in the second half in the last game, we didn't compete our level and we need to improve that because we have seven important games left and we have to be... to give our best, save our best face.”
Gracia’s initial introduction showed signs of stabilization. But April, woeful April, threw stability in the mud. Gracia’s eight matches now feature three wins, one draw, and four losses. Three of those losses came in April. And while March looked promising for Gracia, it’s worth noting their only wins have come against relegation sides, or sides barely clear of its pull: Southampton, Forest, and Wolves.
The fault is not entirely Gracia’s. Defensive personnel not up to snuff goes a long while back. It would be foolhardy to discuss April’s downturn, without circling the absence of Adams and Wöber. Meslier’s poor form seems clear. And notably, this team has conceded batches of goals already throughout the year.
Thing is, when the goals came in batches before, Leeds played with an aggressive response. They seem currently incapable of one.
Until this April, when the opposition scored three goals or more, Leeds scored at least two in response. Manchester City at home is the only exception. That includes a 5-2 loss at Brentford, a 2-3 loss home to Fulham, a 4-3 win hosting Bournemouth, a 4-3 loss at Spurs, and a 1-3 loss to Manchester City.
Before this month, in total, Leeds conceded three or more goals in a Premier League game just five total times throughout the year. They’ve now done it three more times, in just one month. And it wasn’t just 3 goals conceded. It was 4 and then 5 and then 6.
With more goals in response, Marsch-era losses also kept to smaller margins. Only three of ten Marsch-losses were lost by a margin of more than one. They lost to City and Leicester (Leicester!) by two, and Brentford by three. Everything else came down to one goal.
This week alone, it was 1-5 to Crystal Palace and then 1-6 to Liverpool. It was a relegation bound Forest providing brief respite from loss. It was a 4-1 loss at Arsenal the match before that.
Now, it’s the fear they might circle further down that drain, lest they recover not just their plan but their mindsets.
Much like Javi’s month of March- and their first half against Palace- the first bit of things looked promising Monday night.
Leeds set up defensively. They played careful, conservative, looking to punish on the odd counter. They defended in neat lines of a 4-4-2 so compact in their half, the 4-4 bit looked more like a barely staggered 8 out of possession.
Holding little if any of the ball, though, they seemed to have as many opportunities to score as Liverpool. The crowd was duly loud, encouraging them.
By my eye, Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson got their foot on the ball more than others, attempting to work it forward in quick bursts. But each time, Liverpool swarmed— more aggressive, marauding in numbers, winning the ball back with ease.
Firpo sent Sinisterra chasing opportunity down the left a few times. A Harrison free kick found Rodrigo somewhere dangerous. A handful of set pieces imposed *brief* possession into the game. Shy of minute 30, Aaronson had an opportunity in the box, set up by a Weston McKennie back heel. He was thrown off by a slight pull of the shoulder.
It seemed Leeds could nick something. But as they lurched forward to grab it, they were punished for the attempt.
In the 34th minute, Firpo was dispossessed of two poor touches. Liverpool redirected. Numbers flew toward Meslier, Gakpo ran in for the cross, Rasmus trailed behind him. Goal.
It works until it doesn’t. And once it doesn’t, it falls apart.
Leeds looked to recover. Moving haphazardly forward, Sinisterra sent a pass to McKennie that was easily picked off him in the 38th minute. Again, killed on the counter. It was three on three from there. The three Leeds’ defenders were no match for three Liverpool forwards. Mo Salah turned around Struijk and took his first goal of the night. 0-2.
At the half, they were booed off, loud and unmistakable.
Javi would later say that yes, they could have made substitutions at the half. Ultimately they decided not to, personnel didn’t seem the problem. The game was still recoverable from there.
And it was.
As they came out, they came out swinging. Sinisterra pulled one back. Pressing forward, he stripped Konate- wavering with it at the back- making the scoreline 1-2 at the 47th.
The crowd surged with approval- renewed and invigorated- relieved to have a sliver of potential, even just a sliver, doled out in their long deprived direction.
Liverpool’s third goal came just five minutes beyond. Off a throw: Struijk overplayed and got beat, Firpo overplayed and got beat. A beautiful pass in for Jota snuck behind a flailing Rasmus: goal.
Still, after brief moments of aghast response, the crowd seemed to rally somehow. A mix of emotion evident, but hope and encouragement were alive and in the count.
Javi urged the players on as well. You could see from the broadcast as he motioned them forward. 1-3 down, they had to go for it now.
In brief spurts, they looked capable. Aaronson had another close chance, firing off a shot that found the top corner of the crossbar, inches off. Minutes later, the ball found Rasmus at the top of the box. He was knocked over in his attempt. He seemed unhurried to stand back up.
Another counter punished the foray. With Rasmus unrecovered, nobody else recovered either. Somehow, they seemed to be jogging as Liverpool took the ball sailing down the left flank. The cross came in for Gakpo, then on to Mo Salah, goal. 1-4.
If there was desire left at Elland Road, it didn’t exist with the players. Somehow, again, somehow, the crowd seemed to sing on.
Nine minutes later Liverpool had a pass about as Leeds sat watching. Harrison, McKennie, and Rasmus formed a triangle of confused bystanders around Jota, who then received the ball at the top of the box, and scored it with his shin. 1-5.
Fans could be seen leaving then. Gracia, and every member of the board watching, held their hand over their mouths, leaning to the side, observing the capitulation. And a capitulation it was. I imagine they felt it themselves.
Somehow, the valley of song continued. Those that stayed sang among the spectators, clapped their way into the 6th goal– Darwin Nunez- and then kept singing valiantly beyond.
Sure, perhaps a few fights broke out among them! Maybe a lot of them left! But a few heroic hopers were singing audibly as Darwin Nunez made it 6.
As the loss settled, Aaronson walked around with his hands up, taking responsibility. A few members of the backline could be seen arguing, shaking their head. Jack Harrison walked round with the look of a guy that might cry instead of keep walking.
And as the ground cleared out, sprinkled everywhere across the stands, were intermittent fans just stuck to their seats, looking absolutely devastated. Fan after fan after fan: shell shocked, alone, solitary, staring solemnly into this lot of players playing against relegation like they’d already given up.
Poor things.
It would be convenient to have a culprit. In the ensuing days, it seems that’s what people want.
It’s Meslier! It’s the board! It’s Marsch(still)! It’s the yanks, will they fuck off already, and bring the damn twitter brigade too?!
What’s harder to digest is there’s no clear problem. And there’s no clear answer. Hard to single out one person, when the whole squad’s looking off.
It’s hard to believe Leeds look this terrible, yet sit above the relegation zone. It’s true!
And with seven games left, they’re just five points short of 34, a number attached to 75% chance of avoiding relegation. Snag eight points and you’re almost certainly safe.
Somehow, it still seems Leeds could survive this.
But in what state?