The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 31st March) - Are Leeds Falling Apart Again?
Good Morning. It's 31st March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Leeds are falling apart again
A familiar unease culminated around Elland Road upon the final whistle, with more than a smattering of boo's from the Elland Road faithful, as Swansea came back twice to grab a share of the spoils. It was nothing more than they deserved, bossing the midfield for large periods of the game, and never giving up.
The afternoon began so well for the hosts. After a series of poor results, Brenden Aaronson provided the shot in the arm that Daniel Farke's squad desperately needed, after capitalising on a mix up in the Swansea defence. He stabbed the ball home from close range after just 50 seconds, settling the nerves among his team-mates, after what has been a turbulent month for the Whites.
However, what was soon to transpire was far from convincing. Leeds lived a charmed life in the opening 45 minutes. Meslier brilliant denied Tymon's spot kick from twelve yards, after Rodon was adjudged to have bought down O'Brien on the edge of the box. The Frenchman was equally appreciative minutes later when Cabango got on the end of Tymon's free kick, only for his effort to hit the inside of the post and roll precariously across the goal line, and into his grateful hands.
Despite Swansea equalising on 64 minutes when Meslier fumbled, Leeds seemed to have found their groove after the interval. Despite being outworked in midfield, the Whites created the better opportunities. Wilfried Gnonto, introduced from the bench, injected instant energy and precision. Elland Road erupted with four minutes remaining when the plucky Italian smashed the ball through a crowd of players after Vigouroux could only palm away Struijk's headed effort.
Relief and elation momentarily washed over Elland Road, as the pressure cauldron exploded, but football, as it so often does, had another twist in store. With nothing to lose, Swansea surged forward. A loose touch from Mateo Joseph gifted possession back to the visitors. Vipotnik's low, angled shot squirmed agonizingly under Meslier and into the net.
Leeds now find themselves two points adrift of the top spot and only clinging to second place on goal difference from Burnley. The momentum has undeniably shifted, but not in Leeds favour. One win in five represents a significant downturn at the most critical juncture of the season, but can Farke turn it around?
The Blame Game: More Than Just Meslier at Fault
Meslier has undoubtedly cost Leeds points this season, but to lay blame solely at his door is to ignore a much broader, more systemic issue plaguing the team. Because make no mistake, as a collective, Leeds were simply awful.
Look beyond the goals conceded, and you see a team riddled with individual errors and questionable decisions. In his present condition, Ethan Ampadu should be nowhere near the team sheet. Surgery has been replaced by platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections (to try and manage his cartilage damage) between now and the rest of the season - It reeks of desperation from a club now regretting the opportunity to strengthen when given the chance!
Defensively, even usually reliable figures faltered. Joe Rodon, typically composed and assured, was uncharacteristically sloppy in possession. Squandered possession 15 times in a single game? That level of wastefulness is criminal at this level. Add to that 14 misplaced passes, and you start to see a picture of a team unraveling, player by player.
Further up the field, the issues persist. Rothwell, brought in as a squad player, looks exactly that – distinctly average. He doesn't possess the quality to consistently impact games at the sharp end of the Championship. And then there’s the worrying state of Messrs. Solomon and James. These are players seemingly running on fumes, victims of mismanaged game time. They look leggy, their spark extinguished, while on the other side of the coin, players like Ramazani and Mateo Joseph are clearly lacking match sharpness, starved of the minutes needed to find their rhythm.
For Leeds fans, all of this smacks of a painful familiarity. This isn't just a bad patch of form; it's a creeping sense of déjà vu. The ghosts of promotions past haunt Elland Road – the near misses, the spectacular collapses, the agonising play-off heartbreaks. WHY DON'T WE LEARN BY OUR MISTAKES?