Street-smart Leeds United deploy dark arts Arsenal tactic in response to red card controversy – YEP 5/10/23

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Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford was chastised by those of a Queens Park Rangers persuasion on Wednesday evening after Asmir Begovic’s sending off for a lunging tackle on the Whites man.

By Joe Donnohue

The 30-year-old went to ground having been played through one-on-one with the Bosnian ‘keeper, despite there appearing to be minimal contact between the two.

Referee David Webb interpreted Begovic’s leg-first lunge just outside the penalty area to have endangered the Leeds forward and showed a straight red card in the third minute of stoppage time at the end of the second half.

Following Leeds’ 1-0 win at Elland Road, manager Daniel Farke deployed a press conference tactic synonymous with Arsenal icon Arsene Wenger, whose stock response to contentious decisions involving his players during the club’s early-2000s heyday was to declare he had not seen the incident.

“I was too far away to judge it,” Farke told reporters. “The question is, I think, if it’s a foul or not. If it’s the foul, it’s probably a sending off because you have the goalkeeper, comes out and takes his risk otherwise Patrick is through and can score a goal.”

Webb’s officiating went in Leeds’ favour with the brandishing of Begovic’s red card, resulting in striker Lyndon Dykes donning the gloves for the remainder of the match as Gareth Ainsworth had made all available substitutions.

Bamford’s part in the incident was derided by QPR supporters on social media, as well as the London club’s in-house commentary team.

“I’m too far away in order to be able to judge if it was a foul or not. I have to trust the referee,” Farke added.

Leeds, as with every other team, can use the officiating to their advantage in the Championship this season, where there is no VAR in operation. Last season, it is possible Begovic’s red could have been overturned following a Stockley Park review, but on Wednesday night at Elland Road, the referee’s decision was final.

Farke’s neutral response to the incident will draw little flak, while Bamford’s single-mindedness to win the foul is the sort of thing Leeds have perhaps fallen victim to, rather than exploit themselves, in recent seasons.

The question of sporting integrity is a delicate and valid one, but in a game of such fine margins, with so much at stake, there will be few ardent Whites supporters reprimanding the No. 9 on this occasion.

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