Smacks in the face all around
Jesse Marsch had warned the Premier League would be on hand to smack Leeds United back down to Earth after the delirium of that Chelsea demolition last month. Jack Harrison’s Elland Road winner in the sunshine feels like an eternity ago already.
The Whites have not won since they left Thomas Tuchel sulking in the bowels of Elland Road and, all of a sudden, the top flight has United’s strong start at risk of stalling. One point from nine casts the Everton result in a darker light rather than the losses on the road across the past two weekends.
Beating the abject Toffees would have at least kept the scoreboard ticking over, but instead, we are looking at a virtually must-win match versus newly-promoted Nottingham Forest. Steve Cooper’s side visit Leeds a week on Monday under the lights and anything other than a home win will surely kill any notion of a honeymoon period in 22/23.
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The most alarming aspect of the loss in Hounslow was the speed with which it fell apart. Ivan Toney’s penalty and free-kick could be excused in some way, but goals three, four and five were far too easy for the hosts to score.
Leeds did at least cause the hosts some problems. They found footholds, they had open goals, they had chances, they scored goals, but every time they threatened to push on, they conceded.
Five goals shipped in the first five games was more than respectable for a side which finished fourth-bottom last season, but five in one game on Saturday was something we remember from the lowest points of 21/22.
Llorente’s nadir
About those goals. Diego Llorente has not had the smoothest two years with Leeds, but Saturday’s display in Hounslow was arguably his most troubling in United colours.
The Spain international has had ups and downs in the Premier League, with some truly outstanding outings among the horror shows, but the end has to be nigh for this block of starts he has had. Llorente played his part in the strong start to the season for the team, but the writing has seemed on the wall in the last few games.
Some were even calling for Marsch to get ahead of a shocker like Saturday and reinstate Liam Cooper at Gtech Community Stadium. With the captain waiting in the wings, there cannot be an easier decision for Marsch to make this season than the switch of number 14 for number six.
Llorente has reverted to overcomplicating simple tasks in recent matches. The defender cannot seem to shake the habit of Cruyff turns on the edge of his own box or trying a drag-back when his team’s 4-2 down and there’s an attacker three yards away.
The 29-year-old misread a simple through-ball in the lead-up to the third goal which forced Illan Meslier off his line, failed to react to Bryan Mbeumo’s run for the fourth strike and then gave up the fifth with that aforementioned drag-back. Llorente’s at the point where he needs to be taken out of the firing line now, for his own good.
The right-back fight catches light
When Luke Ayling was ruled out for the start of the season, when Rasmus Kristensen was recruited and when Cody Drameh resolved to stay at Leeds to fight for his place, a fascinating battle was set up in one corner of Marsch’s side. Brentford proved to be the first real battleground.
Kristensen was with the squad, but would watch from the stands, excluded from the matchday unit with a knock picked up in a training session at the end of the week. That opened the door for Drameh to make the second Premier League start of his career and finally prove his worth on the big stage under Marsch.
The subplot was the timely return of Ayling at the same time. Kristensen is still adapting to the Premier League and is yet to demonstrate the kind of form which makes him undroppable, which can only encourage his current understudies.
Drameh did perfectly fine in the circumstances. None of the calamitous errors were his and as he settled into the game he put in some strong, decisive tackles that helped Leeds in some tight spots.
However, Ayling, playing his first competitive football in nearly four months, slotted back in like he had never been away. Granted, this was a match in which Leeds were throwing caution to the wind as they chased the hosts, but the vice-captain was superb.
The 31-year-old seemed to time his overlaps perfectly. Every time the team needed someone in support down that flank, he was there, first to the ball, but then delivering fantastic crosses too.
Ayling may only have these 20 minutes to his name since that May 8 dismissal at Arsenal, but with another nine days to prepare for Forest, Marsch has to give serious consideration to starting his most experienced right-back a week on Monday.
The red card we all saw coming
Marsch’s honesty, which is most welcome for those of us in his press conferences, has put the explanations of his touchline behaviour front and centre in the public domain. Referees can read.
The American has repeatedly talked about getting a reaction from the man in the middle, whether it be good or bad, if it feels as though his side is not getting their fair share of decisions. If Marsch is telling the world he feels wildly gesticulating and complaining from the touchline will get a favourable response from the officials, they are going to be tempted to prove him wrong.
“I’m witnessing that straight away, that's why I need to have some more conversations,” Marsch said on the topic afterwards. “I don't know how the avenues work of who to talk to and what to say.
“I know our club has reached out a couple of times, but maybe it's time for me to have some discussions and try to figure out why some of these things are happening and how to have dialogue.
“I've tried to publicly be positive about things, but on match day I've been a bit frustrated, specifically the last three matches. My strategy was speaking with the fourth official, trying to be as respectful as I possibly could, even when a penalty was given I probably didn't think was a penalty, but when you don't see it reciprocated, the respect, that's what I would call it, just that lack of VAR visit, in the end for me is a lack of respect.”
Ever since Marsch’s touchline behaviour became a talking point it felt like we were heading for the red card he was given today. He cannot keep reacting the way he has and expect to bend the referees to his will.
Sinisterra’s ascension continues
Luis Sinisterra made it three goals in four games across all competitions at Brentford with what proved to be the first of two consolation strikes for the Whites. The 23-year-old looks more and more like the Raphinha replacement Leeds need him to be.
The big question for the Colombian now is minutes and how long until he’s actually ready to start stringing 90-minute outings together. Since his cameos against Southampton and Chelsea, Sinisterra’s seen an hour against Barnsley, half that at Brighton, another hour on Tuesday night vs Everton and then barely another hour yesterday.
Had Leeds not been on the end of a three-game week, Sinisterra might have finally lasted 90 yesterday, but the midweek match is bound to have taken its toll on his legs. His goal was fantastic, for what it’s worth.
The smoothness of his movement to dink the ball over Rico Henry’s head before seamlessly steering the ball into the far corner was outstanding. While the strikers are figuring out who’s playing, the three attacking midfielders are all now able to play as a talisman in this Marsch system.
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