Leeds United's new hero becomes QPR pet hate as Whites learn fresh lesson - Graham Smyth's Verdict - YEP 5/10/23
The work that goes into becoming a Leeds United Elland Road hero is anything but easy yet the ultimate equation is a relatively straightforward one.
By Graham Smyth
Score goals, create goals or prevent them and as long as the
necessary effort is being applied while you do one of those things, then your
name will ring out from the stands at some point.
Ethan Ampadu is a fine example. He prevents goals, he works
hard and 'Ampadu du du' fills the air to the tune of Black Lace's Agadoo.
Georginio Rutter is another. The young Frenchman has
overcome a pretty torrid start to life at Elland Road to burrow deep into the
collective Leeds United affection. His work to hold up the ball ticks a box and
so too does the skill he displays on the ball, but scoring or creating goals is
a clincher. Fans love flicks and tricks. They adore end product.
Rutter's last seven games have produced two goals and three
assists, which is a fine return for a 21-year-old player still getting to grips
with the English game in a team full of players still getting to know one
another.
Against Queens Park Rangers Rutter looked up for it from the
start. His somewhat ungainly movement makes him an unpredictable problem for
midfielders and defenders alike. No one enjoys marking an unpredictable
problem. Rutter’s mobility allows him to be a problem in any number of areas, be
it in his own half or close to the byline. His big frame is what helps him to
hold the ball up before linking up with team-mates and helping Leeds to advance
up the pitch or find space.
QPR defender Osman Kakay was once asked in an interview for
his pet hate and replied that he didn't have a pet. But if he did have one, a
pet hate that is, it might be the sight of Rutter, or any of the white shirted
players on that left flank on Wednesday evening.
Within 10 minutes of the start Leeds were ahead, Sam Byram
forcing a mistake and quickly abandoning his claims for a throw-in as a Leeds
attack developed. Kakay had jumped up to cover full debutant Jaidon Anthony and
Rutter was off into space. A few step overs and a shot felt likely but the
beautifully weighted pass into the run of Crysencio Summerville felt perfect
and the Dutchman's first touch was as good as the finish that followed.
Anthony was one of four largely predictable changes as
Daniel Farke left out the injured Jamie Shackleton and dropped Liam Cooper,
Glen Kamara and Daniel James to the bench.
In came Anthony, Luke Ayling, Archie Gray and Joe Rodon, who
is quickly developing popularity at Elland Road for preventing goals and should
have scored his first for the club three minutes after Summerville's opener.
Somehow the loanee defender headed wide of the back post from a Summerville
corner and QPR were still just about in it.
Another Rutter-Summerville combination threatened a second
goal. QPR had to abandon their defensive shell, leaving space for the hosts to
attack and when the ball was moved left Rutter cut it back from the byline and
Summerville saw his goalbound shot blocked right in front of goal by Jack
Clarke-Salter.
Farke spoke before the game of the need to shift QPR, to
exhaust them mentally and physically, and his team were doing their best to
oblige in the first half, moving the ball from left to right and back again to
keep the visitors running.
Out of possession Ampadu, Pascal Struijk and Rodon kept the
game in a vice-like grip, allowing very little to develop in their half.
Leeds were vastly superior in every way, bar the scoreline
and herein lay the problem.
As long as it remained 1-0, QPR had a chance and Gareth
Ainsworth's men drew encouragement from that at the break, coming out with a
little more intent in the second half.
The Whites in response were not as fluent, struggling to
settle back into the same rhythm or level of control and on 66 minutes QPR
actually mustered a shot, Ilias Chair testing Illan Meslier from long range.
On came Patrick Bamford for the struggling Joel Piroe, as
James replaced Anthony and Farke shuffled the front line - Rutter going right
and Summerville going to 10.
It was Bamford who made a difference, becoming a target for
through balls even from deep in the Leeds half. That's where Rutter was when he
spotted the centre-forward's run and sent a beautiful pass over the top for Bamford
to chase, fetch and shoot low at Asmir Begovic's goal.
Bamford was involved again from the corner that resulted
from Begovic's save, nipping in ahead of the keeper after Rodon headed down, so
that Struijk could hook towards but over the goal.
With the giant James Dunne now on the pitch QPR had a target
of their own and looked to hit him from set-pieces situated almost anywhere on
the pitch. That very nearly brought an equaliser, Dunne flicking on to create
chaos from which Lyndon Dykes almost profited, Meslier blocking the shot.
Leeds could launch it too though and Struijk sent Bamford
away with a long ball that forced Begovic out of his area and into a challenge
that resulted in a red card. There was no contact but down went Bamford, out
came the red and off went Begovic. Ainsworth was generous to Bamford in his
post-match treatment of the controversy, insisting the striker jumped out of
the way and indeed had he not taken evasive action the collision could well
have taken him out of Farke’s equation again for some time. QPR fans and the
club’s iFollow commentator did not share that view as Bamford became the
villain of the piece.
Dykes took over in goal for the 10 men and they threw the
ball forward a couple more times only to have their advances rebuffed by
Farke's men.
It was far nervier than it ever needed to be and Leeds made
heavy weather of a game that had earlier looked light on adversity. All's well
that ends well, though, and Leeds avoided a QPR smash and grab.