Javi Gracia unable to explain why Leeds United went 'soft' against Crystal Palace - Yorkshire Post 9/4/23

Like most people inside Eland Road on Sunday afternoon, Leeds United coach Javi Gracia was at a loss to explain how his side conspired to lose 5-1 to Crystal Palace, but he urged his players to learn from it.

Stuart Rayner

The Whites dominated the first half, scoring through former Palace loanee Patrick Bamford, and only looking in danger on the rare occasions the visitors won set pieces.

But when Palace scored from one in first-half stoppage time, having earlier hit a post through Jeffrey Schlupp, Leeds's confidence deserted them. Gracia said a team which had been playing well became "soft".

Palace scored twice in the first 10 minutes after half-time and when Odsonne Edouard added a fourth and Jordan Ayew scored his second of the game, what had looked like being a routine victory turned into a painful hammering.

"I cannot explain it because I think we played a very good first half," said Gracia, who had won all three of his matches against relegation rivals.

"Conceding the goal before half-time changed the game a little bit but at half-time we tried to improve the things that we didn't do well in the first half – trying to defend better at set-pieces and be more solid in those actions – and to keep doing the things we did really well.

"We were solid defending, we kept good distances, we were compact and creating chances, many shots on target, the feeling was good.

"It was the moment we could kill the game.

"The second half was very tough for us. We conceded goals, we were not so aggressive, we were soft in many actions and it was difficult to defend against the players Palace have. Given space (to work in) they are very good.

"That (equaliser) was the key in my opinion. We didn't defend well but before that we hadn't defended two corners well.

"I tried to explain we needed to improve in the second half but after that everything was worse."

The manner of the defeat was out of keeping with how Leeds have been under Gracia, having taken 10 points from his first six Premier League games.

"I think the team has competed really well in all the (previous) games," said the Spaniard. "For the most part we deserved the result we got or maybe even better.

"We have to learn when we are playing together and at 100 per cent we are able to beat anyone. If we don't do it, you know what can happen."

Asked what he said to his team at the interval, Palace manager Hodgson revealed: "The major thing said at half-time, and the players were very quick to agree, was that Leeds were being aggressive in their challenges, they won a lot of second balls, they were very strong and determined in all areas and we made it clear to the players we had to match that or we couldn't establish the platform we wanted to play the football we wanted and to punish them when we won the ball back.

"We knew if we could defend strongly, keep the ball and get into the areas we eventually did, with the quality of players we have, we could ask a lot of questions of them."

With everyone bar West Ham United having eight games to play, Leeds are two points above the relegation zone, Palace six.