Leeds United man takes responsibility, winger bangs on the door and off-camera Southampton moments - YEP 2/10/23

Leeds United staged a second half fight-back of sorts at St Mary’s and were left to rue missed chances but Saturday’s outing at Southampton will ultimately go down as a bad day at the office.

By Graham Smyth

Few if any predicted the Saints storming back to form against a flying Whites side and no one saw such a poor start coming for Daniel Farke’s men. It was shoddy defending that left Leeds with a mountain to climb and they never fully recovered, going down 3-1 against their fellow relegated outfit.

Here’s the YEP take.

Good day

Pascal Struijk

With Farke facing a decision at centre-back now that Joe Rodon is back, Struijk at least did himself justice in the second half with some physical play, good reading of situations to snuff out possible counters and a goal. It felt like he was taking responsibility.

Jaidon Anthony

Another cameo that held promise. He's got to be banging on the door of the starting XI now because little in his performances has suggested he's not ready. Uses the ball well, provides a threat and delivers with quality.

Bad day

Liam Cooper

The captain was unable to bring to St Mary's the defensive organisation and solidity that was so impressive in the Watford game. Farke backing him and Struijk over Rodon was always going to put the spotlight on the centre-backs and Cooper was unable to shine.

Joel Piroe

There have been games this season in which Piroe has not been able to make an impact in the 10 position and this was one of them. He did have chances though and fluffed his lines. Leeds needed much more from him in what was a big, important game.

Crysencio Summerville

He might have posed problems with his dribbling and drawn fouls in good areas but his lack of urgency when running back trailing Will Smallbone was not a good look.

Daniel Farke

Going unchanged came as a surprise to some and if it had worked out then no one could have argued, but the performance in the first half was not good enough and left Leeds with too much to do. Farke batted away suggestions that Saints were more aggressive in their pressing early on, that centre-back was a big issue, that it was a worrying performance or that his central midfield struggled, and he categorised the second goal as unlucky due to Summerville's late return to the pitch - despite replays showing the winger's lack of urgency in tracking back. Farke has plenty of credit in the bank, though, and this can be regarded as no more than a blip if they return to form in midweek.

Off-camera moments

Leeds United getting off the bus to the strains of American Idiot by Green Day, courtesy of a brass band outside St Mary's. A welcome far friendlier than the one recently received at The Den.

Georginio Rutter's cheeky nutmeg of Ethan Ampadu as the team went through the final moments of their warm up.

A big hug between Struijk and Cooper after helping each other finalise their warm-up.

The young Leeds mascot getting a fantastic ovation from the away end as he dished out the salutes.

Thumbs up from Farke for Kamara as the Leeds press finally started to take effect.

Farke unhappy about the length of time it took to get Summerville back onto the pitch after treatment. Still having a go at the fourth official in the immediate aftermath of the second goal.

Ayling consoling Summerville as the winger came off in the second half to take a place on the bench.

French youth international team-mates Rutter and Sékou Mara catching up at full-time. By the time Rutter went to wave to the visiting fans most were gone, so quickly did the away end empty.