Joe Gelhardt provides another strong message in Leeds United conundrum - YEP 4/4/22

A point gained or two points dropped?

By Lee Sobot

In the end, it doesn’t really matter how and when Leeds United get them, as long as they get enough.

The signs are that they will, Burnley and Watford again lending another helping hand at the weekend in the Whites’ survival bid.

But there’s not much doubt that proving more effective in the final third would greatly boost United’s cause and starting Joe Gelhardt could be a good move to making that happen.

Opinions were, by and large, divided on Saturday’s Premier League clash against the Saints in terms of whether Leeds, or Southampton for that matter, deserved more than a draw.

Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl felt his side were closer to winning the contest than Jesse Marsch’s side and the visitors served up more attempts at goal and more shots on target than the Whites - but only just.

The Saints weighed in with 14 shots at goal, six of which were on target, whilst Leeds contributed 12 attempts, just three of which were in between the frames of the goal.

Yet Whites duo Jack Harrison and Kalvin Phillips both highlighted how they felt their side had dominated at times, which is largely reflective of the fact that Marsch’s side had 56 per cent possession.

Possession, though, does not win football matches and one of the main issues for Leeds was failing to make the most of it, particularly when advancing into the final third.

Injured Whites No 9 Patrick Bamford would clearly have been a huge help in that respect but the Whites are facing at least another five weeks without their main striker.

With Bamford back out, Marsch was left with a big decision to make when it came to picking his front line against the Saints in whether to hand exciting 19-year-old forward Gelhardt his third league start.

The Leeds boss revealed, at his pre-match press conference, that he was looking at the teen as a potential starter for the clash at Wolves before the international break.

A back spasm put paid to that plan, Gelhardt instead a unused substitute in an epic 3-2 victory but the forward, known affectionately as Joffy, was then reported to have particularly excelled in a training match since, raising suspicions that he might start against the Saints, especially with Bamford out.

But, instead, Marsch opted to keep the teen on the bench as Dan James had his latest outing up front, supported by Rodrigo with Raphinha and Jack Harrison filling the flanks.

As is always the case, James offered huge amounts of pace and energy but the Wales international was the first player withdrawn as Marsch made his first change in the 59th minute at which point Gelhardt was brought on to go up front.

The teen made an instant impression, quickly drawing fouls, and Phillips felt Leeds should have had a penalty in the closing stages when the forward was sent tumbling by Ibrahima Diallo near the byline.

Gelhardt failed to produce a shot at goal but that doesn’t tell the tale of his influence, United’s 10 attempts arriving via two each from James, Raphinha, Harrison, Mateusz Klich and Adam Forshaw plus one each from Stuart Dallas and Diego Llorente.

Only Dallas, James and Harrison had efforts on target - one each - with Harrison netting United’s only goal of the game after brilliant work from Raphinha to somehow prevent a ball from going out of play on the byline before digging out a cross that Fraser Forster could only parry to Harrison.

But that proved United’s only breakthrough despite some particularly brilliant passes from Rodrigo which Leeds failed to make the most of and Rodrigo was one of the main positives for United against the Saints along with the returns of Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper from injury.

Cooper was particularly solid at centre-back and, whilst there were a few nervy moments, particularly when Illan Meslier produced a great save to deny Che Adams, United were ultimately only undone once by a trademark James Ward-Prowse free-kick.

Two goals at the other end would have been enough for victory and Leeds had the opportunities to make that happen, providing more food for thought ahead of next weekend’s return to action at Watford.

Will it be then that Joffy is finally handed a third league start?