Sam Allardyce had waited two years to manage a competitive match and the wait will arguably go on for another week, after he witnessed his new Leeds side suffer at the hands of Manchester City. But there were, in the end, positives to cling to.
The 68-year-old had been given three days on the training ground to impart his methods. It would appear those sessions were attack v defence to prepare them for facing an inevitable afternoon of City domination but Leeds exerted maximum effort, Allardyce’s minimum requirement.
He believes artificial intelligence will play a key role in professional football in the future but it may take a few centuries to invent a concept that will make Leeds competitive against opponents such as City. The new manager opted for a 4-5-1 formation, whereas Javi Gracia used 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-3 in his brief spell. Allardyce put 10 men behind the ball for 90 minutes in some desperate hope the onslaught would not result in Joel Robles being beaten repeatedly.
When City moved possession out wide the back four would turn into a five, but still a blue shirt would be able to receive a pass and Leeds twice allowed Riyad Mahrez to find Ilkay Gündogan in space for goals, something unforgivable within Allardyce’s structure.
Experience is what Leeds are hoping could give them an edge in the final stages of the campaign as they look to avoid the drop. Robles was drafted in for his first Premier League appearance in almost six years, replacing Illan Meslier, a sign Allardyce is happy to make difficult decisions. Adam Forshaw became one third of the central midfield trio, his first start of 2023. Forshaw’s role was a simple one: to ruffle feathers and bring stability. He would welcome the teenager Rico Lewis to the match with a forceful foul, not that the Bury-born defender cared, but while City showed they were happy to deal with the physicality on offer it was an indication of intent from Leeds after some passive displays.
Rather than patrol the technical area Allardyce offered a statue‑like pose for much of the match. With his hands deep in his suit trouser pockets, he watched City control everything about proceedings. He would be joined at junctures by either Karl Robinson or Robbie Keane, who offered advice on how things could be changed, although none of it stopped City.
It looked as if there were two options to stop the waves of attacks; Allardyce could have brought Patrick Bamford back from his thankless task as a No 9 to become an 11th man behind the ball or find new ways of wasting time. Robles earned the ire of the City fans within the opening 10 minutes for his attempt to delay goal-kicks. The cynicism was bold but ultimately, ineffectual.
Allardyce has always found set pieces important, especially when not seeing the ball for much of the match. He gesticulated for Weston McKennie to power up his long throw with desperate optimism that chaos could be created in the box. Whenever a free-kick or corner went awry, the manager’s frustration was clear for all to see.
Mitigating factors abound for Allardyce. The timeframe to prepare a side in his style was undoubtedly insufficient and the squad is not designed to play in such a defensive fashion, not to mention the fact Manchester City are arguably the best team in Europe.
Allardyce will be searching for the positives in what was a tough and energy-sapping afternoon in east Manchester. He can hold on to the fact the players kept their shape and were disciplined. Preparations had clearly focused on themselves rather than the opposition. Erling Haaland could have had five goals but a mixture of luck, Robles and poor finishing kept things respectable in a match that saw City enjoy 82% possession.
Allardyce will require different formulas in the final three games and this level of defensive play is unlikely to be replicated against Newcastle, West Ham or Tottenham.
He desperately wanted to boost confidence within the ranks and only losing by a solitary goal will help with that aim. Trying to enact a team-building away day at the Etihad is not the ideal way to boost the mood. Allardyce might have preferred paintball as an activity.
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Once Leeds surprisingly pulled one back, Allardyce became more animated on the touchline. He knows that Rodrigo’s coolly taken goal was not meaningless, it is a platform to build on. The fans had a much-needed moment to celebrate and a potential catalyst for survival.
At full-time Allardyce brought the squad together in a huddle to offer some words of positivity before taking them over to the away end to salute the fans. They marched on together towards the corner, before the majority threw their sweat‑soaked shirts to the supporters. The lucky recipients deserved their prize: they have put their blood, sweat and tears into the club. Allardyce is making sure the players do the same.
