Leicester City 1-0 Leeds United - Jesse Marsch touchline antics and Andrea Radrizzani statement - YEP 6/3/22

Jesse Marsch's positivity struck a chord with some Leeds United fans this week and there were positives for everyone to take from the defeat at Leicester City.

By Graham Smyth

The Whites didn't deserve to lose, could perhaps have had a penalty and should have hit the Foxes' net, but maybe most important of all was the improved defensive performance. A back four and two deep-lying midfielders gave Leeds' attackers a base to play from and hinted at a more pragmatic approach to time spent without the ball.

Here's the YEP take on an eventful day at the King Power Stadium.

Good day

Luke Ayling - Oddly his performance didn't meet with universal approval but he was good on the ball, driving up the pitch from centre-half. He might feel he wasn't tight enough to Kelechi Iheanacho to prevent the return pass into Harvey Barnes but by the time the ball was passed into the Nigerian's feet, Barnes was in behind and Ayling had to react to the imminent danger. In the end he was caught between two men. Otherwise he defended stoutly and led the team.

Bad day

Raphinha - Still stuck in this rut of poor performances. At least, in this game, there were a couple of bright moments and he threatened to come to life after coming so close to scoring. It amounted to little though. Marsch has to get him firing, as soon as humanly possible.

Tyler Roberts - Chosen after Joe Gelhardt, but before Patrick Bamford, and then picked up an injury almost instantly. It was painful watching him hobble around the pitch, helpless to contribute. Has taken a lot of flak this season, much of it over the top but some of it warranted, yet on this occasion he was entirely blameless. It's clear that Gelhardt is threatening Roberts' place, though, and Bamford when fit will be the go-to striker leaving the Welsh international in an unenviable position if he himself is healthy and available.

Turning point

Raphinha's chance - When that didn't go in it felt like nothing would and, of course, Leicester went and scored one of their own. A very familiar feeling this season.

Number of the day

2.14 - Leeds' expected goals, compared with Leicester City's 0.35xG, said much about the way this game went. They did enough to give themselves a real chance of coming away with three points, but lacked the final, most decisive bit. Bamford cannot return soon enough.

Off-camera moments

Andrea Radrizzani was a very visible presence at the King Power Stadium. Leeds United's majority owner was there in the tunnel to welcome the players and Jesse Marsch to the ground, then walked out to the technical area to have a long chat with his new head coach. After the pair embraced and Marsch went to prepare for the match, Radrizzani stuck around and was an obvious target for the cameras. He took full responsibility for the managerial change and clearly wanted to make a statement, to Marsch, the players and maybe even the fans, as the new man took charge of his first game. The Italian has come under fire for Bielsa's treatment, as much as the sacking, and must know the heat will not subside until he can definitively say his change has worked.

When the players came out to warm-up they began with their usual passing routines, in their now traditional pairs or trios, but with no Benoit Delaval, it was Ruben Crespo and Tom Robinson handling the fitness side of the pre-game preparations. Cameron Toshack, Franky Schiemer and Mark Jackson were on hand for the more football-specific drills, with Marcos Abad in place as per usual to prepare the goalkeepers.

SC Freiburg alumni Robin Koch and Çağlar Söyüncü shared an embrace in the tunnel before the teams emerged, side by side as was once tradition before a pandemic did away with so many matchday traditions.

Brendan Rodgers gave his opposite number a warm welcome on the touchline. Rodgers has long been a fan of Marcelo Bielsa and gave a fine tribute to the Argentine before the game, but he's a class act and was sure to greet Marsch with just as much warmth. Bielsa's name rang out from the away end before kick-off and at various points in the game, but Marsch too heard his own name, to the tune of Boney M.'s Daddy Cool.

Marsch cut an animated figure on the touchline, pacing up and down throughout, turning to express all his emotions in the direction of his staff and substitutes. At one point he was explaining to players on the bench what it was he wanted to see in a certain in-game scenario, then he was celebrating Jack Harrison's pressing as Leicester were forced to play the ball out for a throw. He was exasperated when Junior Firpo sent a throw-in deep into his own half and later spent a good few moments in deep conversation with the left-back. When another throw went backwards Marsch let his defender know he accepted that decision because it looked the only real option. Firpo came in for a lot of coaching during the first half, as the man closest to the head coach, and was evidently being told to get much narrower at times.

The American was right in the thick of it throughout, living every moment and letting his players know all about it when there was praise to be given. Robin Koch received a high five after fouling Youri Tielemans, before the head coach added another note to those he had already taken down during the game.

Deep in the second half when he sent Tyler Roberts on and Patrick Bamford abandoned an unnecessary warm-up, there was an embrace waiting in the technical area for the striker, whose time will surely soon come.

Late in the game with Raphinha trailing behind the play Marsch was clapping and encouraging his winger back into the fight, before reaching out to try and physically propel Stuart Dallas on his way towards his own goal as Leicester broke on the touchline. For that he appeared to apologise to the fourth official.

At full-time he was clear in what he wanted to happen, gathering all the players including the totally unaware Dallas, for an immediate team talk in a centre circle huddle. His body language betrayed the message - positivity, positivity, positivity. His final act, before his media duties, was to send the entire team and staff members to applaud the away fans. That unity will be needed in the next week.