The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 12th February) - Leeds smash four past Hornets to go five points clear
Good Morning. It's Wednesday 12th February, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Leeds smash four past Hornets
Leeds took a significant stride towards automatic promotion with a commanding 4-0 victory over Watford, establishing a five-point cushion ahead of closest rivals Sheffield United and eight point gap with Burnley in third, both of whom play tonight. The Whites are now unbeaten in 14 league games, and haven't conceded since the 3-3 draw at Hull on January 4th. In that time (six games ago), they've scored an impressive 18 goals. They went on a fourteen match unbeaten run at this very time last season, only to fall apart towards the end.
Daniel James notched a remarkable nine minutes first half brace, his fifth goal in just seven league games, showcasing his remarkable recent form. He put the Whites ahead on 20 minutes with a calamitous error from Kayembe, who unwittingly set up the Welshman for the opening goal with a blind pass. It didn’t take long for Leeds to capitalize again, with Piroe turning provider for James to slam home from the edge of the area after slicing their defence wide open. The match continued to unfold in Leeds' favour: a deflected effort from Solomon on 35 minutes put any kind of come-back out of Watford's reach.
Moments earlier, James came close to scoring his hattrick with an audacious effort from the half-way line, but went narrowly wide. Piroe saved the best to last, capping off a brilliant night for Farke's team. He danced his way through the Watford back-line, before prodding the ball past Selvik after great work from Tanaka.
Solomon/James partnership flourishing
Dan James and Manor Solomon have emerged as a dynamic duo this season, showcasing their remarkable synergy on the field. With a combined tally of 17 goals and 13 assists, their partnership is proving to be Leeds strongest assets this season. Their ability to link up seamlessly creates constant threats for opposing defenses, as they exploit spaces and use their pace and technical skills to carve out scoring opportunities. James’s direct running complements Solomon’s crafty dribbling and vision, making them a nightmare for any backline.
It also deflects pressure from Joel Piroe and Brenden Aaronson who are very much confidence players! With less burden applied on the duo, they too have flourished. Leeds have scored 66 goals and been credited with 46 assists in just 32 league games, and have a +47 goal difference, the highest by far in the division.