Javi Gracia's mixed Brighton feelings as he explains decision that riled fans - YEP 11/3/23

Leeds United boss Javi Gracia valued the point his side gained against Brighton because they twice came from behind but he wasn’t happy with his attack.

By Graham Smyth

Brighton dominated possession in the first half and took the lead through Mac Allister, before the returning Patrick Bamford rattled one in off the crossbar, via a slight deflection.

The second half was the Jack Harrison show. Having registered an assist for Bamford’s goal prior to the break, he managed to find both nets after it. He cancelled out his own own-goal with a beautiful curling strike and although both sides created danger in the final stages, neither found a winner.

Gracia had mixed feelings after the game, appearing content with a point against a difficult and in-form opponent, even if Leeds dropped to 19th due to results elsewhere, but adding that it wasn’t what he set out to get, particularly with Bamford, Rodrigo and Luis Sinisterra returning to the matchday squad following injuries.

"If you asked me before the game I would tell you we were looking for the three points but after the game we have to give value to the point,” he said.

"Every point counts. After the game where we were twice behind, it's good for us to take one point. They follow edthe plan, they were twice behind and it's not easy playing at home, to follow the plan and wait for our moments. They did many, many things well. They deserve their reward, at least, of one point.

"At the same time we are really disappointed as well. To be honest I'd tell you that to have more players is good for us because we have more chances, this way we will be stronger. If we speak about today I'm not happy with the way we've attacked, we need to improve the way we started playing from the goal kick, we need to improve.”

The Elland Road atmosphere fluctuated throughout the afternoon, Brighton managing to keep things flat and edgy with their start. Leeds’ plan to press only once the visiting keeper or centre-backs had made their pass forward or taken a heavy touch led to frustration in the stands and there were boos during a period of Brighton dominance. The second half brought the stadium back to its best, however, even before Harrison’s screamer.

Gracia explained that his side did take risks in the way they set up to defend against Brighton but highlighted the danger that exists when you press keeper Jason Steele and his centre-backs aggressively.

“I know what happens when you go to press the keeper, when you press this team, I've seen many games, I know what happens,” he said.

"We prefer to wait in a high press, wait for the right moment, to be compact in the middle, knowing we had two v two in a high position because McAllister and [Evan] Ferguson drop some metres and make Robin [Koch] and Max [Wober] go with them. We had two players open in the midfield, one v one against March and Mitoma. We took risks. We decided don't press him from the goal kick.”

Asked if it was difficult for his players to stick to the plan, when the crowd were calling for them to engage Brighton’s back line, Gracia responded: “When you are losing, even worse, it is not easy but pressing this way we were able to recover good balls. If we were being more clinical we could have created some good chances as well. I decided it was the best way to do it, the players believed, we worked on it all this week. Of course I would like to be more aggressive, but pressing this way we took a high risk, putting our centre-backs in the opposite half and staying one v one with Mitoma and March and all the time pressing this way. It was the best way to do it and we did it.”