Leicester’s Harvey Barnes punishes Leeds to hand Jesse Marsch losing start - Guardian 5/3/22
Ben Fisher at the King Power Stadium
Life after Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds does not look dull but
for all the promise, fun and trademark buccaneering style, there was a
painfully familiar outcome as Jesse Marsch’s first game in charge ended in a
slender defeat.
It was all change on the sidelines – for the first time in
three-and-a-half years the Leeds technical area was clear of an enigmatic
figure perched on a blue club-branded bucket – but they piled forward with
their typical gusto and despite creating countless chances departed with
nothing to show for an encouraging performance after Harvey Barnes’s cool
second-half finish earned back-to-back wins for Leicester.
Leeds have not kept a clean sheet since November and while
suffering another pounding never appeared likely, improving the Premier
League’s leakiest defence must be high on Marsch’s to-do list.
But, make no mistake, Marsch was delighted with what he saw.
At full-time he gathered his squad together in the centre circle to give his
players an animated instant debrief before heading over to the away fans and
beating his chest.
“It was a real simple message: just that this was very
positive and a big step in the right direction,” he said. “I want them to know
how strong that was, how good that was. We’ve got to relieve the stress a
little bit. I told them: ‘If we keep playing like this, we’re going to get all
the points we need.’ The only negative is the result. What a great first step.”
Brendan Rodgers paid tribute to Bielsa in his programme
notes, saying he believes “the Premier League will be a poorer place without
his values”. The Leeds fanbase arrived still in mourning after the sacking of
Bielsa, who shook hands with supporters after saying his goodbyes on Monday and
whose face adorns murals in Hyde Park in Leeds and Wortley, the latter
depicting him as Christ the Redeemer. It was a thrilling ride Leeds fans did
not want to get off but this first glimpse of the post-Bielsa era made for
exciting viewing, despite extending their winless run to seven matches.
The first half was played at a frenetic pace, Dan James
whistling a shot wide inside the opening couple of minutes and Leeds did not
relent. Marsch, who became the first American to manage in the Champions League
with RB Leipzig in 2019, conceded he was not in pursuit of perfection after
only four sessions at training but there were plenty of positives for him to
scribble on a notepad he stowed into his overcoat.
Junior Firpo found joy marauding from left-back and Rodrigo,
one of two changes, blasted over after a move he started. But the killer blow
eluded them.
Leeds kept Kasper Schmeichel busy in the Leicester goal.
Raphinha would have converted Firpo’s cross at the front post had the
goalkeeper not somehow diverted the ball clear via his shins and Daniel
Amartey, again operating at centre-back, prevented Jack Harrison from blasting
goalwards, blocking his shot after the winger wound up on the edge of the box.
Joe Gelhardt also went close within seconds of coming on
after Leeds stitched together a slick move. Stuart Dallas played a cute pass
into Mateusz Klich, who slipped in Raphinha down the right and he centred the
ball. Gelhardt gathered the pass with his first touch and skewered a shot at
goal, but it was deflected wide.
Rodgers was again forced to name a makeshift defence owing
to the injury sustained to Ricardo Pereira in victory over Burnley in midweek
but Jamie Vardy lasted an hour, as planned, on his first start since December
and relished the battle with Luke Ayling. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was graceful in
midfield and Barnes’s goal on 67 minutes was equally neat.
He played a crisp one-two with the substitute Kelechi
Iheanacho, controlling the ball on his left foot and sweeping a classy
right-foot shot into the far corner beyond Illan Meslier. It was just the lift
Leicester required in a match that jumped from end to end.
“It was a game Marcelo would have been proud of,” Rodgers
said.
