Leeds United 4 Bournemouth 3: Crysencio Summerville provides an encore in madcap game - Yorkshire Post 5/11/22
YOU can never ever predict Leeds United.
By Leon Wobschall
If ever a game summed up their helter-skelter past few
decades, this was it. Forget the fireworks outside.
Booed off at half-time and at 3-1 down early in the second
half, Jesse Marsch was hot under the collar again.
Days like these are made for United’s fanatical support and
they provided the fuel and in their final home game for 53 days, they had their
unforgettable victory.
After an early Rodrigo penalty, Leeds were ripped apart.
Goals from Marcus Tavernier, Philip Billing and Dominic Solanke gave
Bournemouth a lead that was not unflattering.
The introduction of Sam Greenwood proved a masterstroke. He
pulled one back superbly on the hour and set up Liam Cooper’s leveller.
After his thrilling heroics at Anfield, Crysencio
Summerville provided the winner with a glorious encore from a pass from good
mate Wilfried Gnonto. Football, eh.
Bournemouth came into the game with thoroughly lamentable
defensive statistics. They had the joint-worst numbers with Nottingham Forest,
28 conceded with 20 arriving in just six games on their travels.
Their buffet defending was in evidence early on. Leeds then
got in on the act, before Bournemouth imploded when it mattered.
A panicking challenge by Marcos Senesi on Summerville got
the ball rolling, with Rodrigo netting from the spot.
The Cherries defence gradually found a semblance of order,
initially. At the other end, Leeds were simply appalling in their defensive
work.
It yielded two Bournemouth goals before the break and it
should have been more. Fortunately, the game was not put to bed.
Marsch had spoken about Bournemouth’s lethal counter-attacking
and despite the warning, his players looked spooked when the visitors broke.
The communication and decision-making was dreadful and the
lack of leadership alarming.
After Rodrigo’s third-minute opener, the stage looked set,
only for Bournemouth to blow the doors off.
On seven minutes, the Cherries were level. Billing’s cross
on the right was flicked on by Koch and Leeds were asleep at the side door.
Leeds-born Tavernier nipped in and his low volley beat Illan Meslier.
Leeds were again undressed down their right soon after, with
Meslier keeping Solanke’s chip. From the resultant corner, Pascal Struijk
cleared after Jefferson Lerma’s header floated towards the net.
The fitful defending continued.
Senesi made amends with his fine diagonal catching Rasmus
Kristensen napping.
Tavernier was away. Meslier beat away his fierce strike, but
he had the presence to find Billing with the loose ball and he leathered the
ball into the top corner.
A measure of Leeds’ failings saw then undressed on the
counter from their own corner. Meslier saved the day to block Lerma and Keiffer
Moore then failed to convert another fine chance.
It was more of the same initially in the second half.
Tavernier was again unattended on the break. The player who
pursued him was Marc Roca, when it should have been one of their quick players.
He surged away and his low cross was flicked in impressively by Solanke.
It looked all over bar the shouting. But this is Leeds.
Greenwood was called for and it bore fruit, with his
brilliant curler getting United back in it. Eight minutes later, it was 3-3.
Greenwood’s corner was then headed in by Cooper who shunned the celebrations. More was to come.
