Javi Gracia was at a loss to provide reasons to explain how his Leeds United side fell apart in such a manner against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon. Leeds had started so brightly in the contest, taking the lead through a Patrick Bamford glancing header and looking for all the world like they would be the ones to give their survival hopes an almighty boost.
The Whites were in control in the first half, playing through Palace with ease and if it wasn’t for the string of saves Sam Johnstone made in the Eagles’ net, they could have been out of sight, such was their dominance. However, the Londoners managed to level the scores on the stroke of half-time and that proved to be a body blow, changing the complexion of the contest entirely.
Crystal Palace entered the pitch in the second half with a spring in their step and managed to build up a 3-1 lead before Leeds could regather themselves. They were shell-shocked and they could only watch on as goal number four and five flew past them.
Read more: Every word Javi Gracia said on Leeds United's defeat, Ayling, dressing room words, his challenge
The confidence Leeds had enjoyed in the first half had been replaced by fragility and as Leeds struggled to catch their breath, Palace put them to the sword. Of course, as they came to the end of a three-game week, United were always going to be tested physically in the second half against the Eagles.
But it was psychologically where fell shortest on Sunday afternoon, crumbling to the point where they were simply unrecognisable. The mistakes in and out of possession were glaring as Palace built up their lead and while the head coach did make changes, he could do little to pull them out of their rut and stem the flow of the contest.
The collapse leaves Gracia facing his biggest challenge yet since arriving in West Yorkshire a month and a half ago. United have just eight Premier League games still to play and they cannot allow their capitulation against the Eagles to shape them.
The Spaniard, then, will be doing all he can to pick his side up over the coming days at Thorp Arch. It’s necessary that Leeds learn their lessons from that second half showing, but they must draw a line under it and move on quickly.
There’s no time to dwell on negativity in this relegation battle and with Liverpool set to arrive at Elland Road a week from today, it’s absolutely vital that Leeds recover to a point where they are able to deal with adversity in the right way. Striking the right balance in training over the coming days will be tricky, but Gracia will no doubt be calling on all the experience and knowledge he has built up throughout his 19-year managerial career.
“Today we have to be really disappointed, all of us,” Gracia said after the game. “It's something we have to feel.
“After today, tomorrow we try to learn something from today, to train, to work, to prepare the next game and after that, the same way we forgot our win against Forest, we do it in the next week.”
Asked about the size of the psychological challenge, he added: “This is the situation. We have to be strong, we have to keep our mentality strong and try to be confident in the work we are doing.
“That's the most important for me, be confident in the hard work and this way I am sure we are going to compete all the games the same way we've done before and today in the first half.”
It’s inevitable that Leeds’ mettle will be put to the test again in the coming weeks as they battle to pull themselves away from the relegation zone and secure their spot in the top flight for another campaign. It’s absolutely vital, then, that they learn from Sunday’s experience, regather themselves and respond positively when that time comes.
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