Leeds United chiefs' standing ovation, Farke's frustration, ex-coach reunion, Gelhardt ribbing and off-camera moments — YEP 14/2/24
Leeds United are flying after a seventh-straight Championship victory and a 4-0 beating of Swansea City on the road.
By Graham Smyth
It's a good time to be a Peacock and even if Daniel Farke
will not speak about the league table, Leeds sitting second is a sight for sore
eyes after the turmoil of the last few years.
Here's the YEP take on the latest win for the in-form
Whites.
Good day: Willy Gnonto
Daniel James is back in the squad, fit and well again after
injury, so Gnonto knows he has to up his game, again, to stay in the team. What
he did at Swansea was exactly that. Daniel Farke is a demanding manager, but
even he could ask for little more than two goals and an assist from the
Italian. That's four goals in four games for Gnonto. Adding end product in such
volume tells James that there's no rush. He can ease himself back in. Take your
time, boyo, I've got this, Gnonto might say.
Good day: Daniel Farke
He spoke openly about the difficulty that Swansea would
represent, with their possession-based style and how good they can be on the
ball, and obviously drilled it sufficiently into the heads of his players.
Leeds knew that if they got the press right then they could nick the ball and
counter dangerously, which is exactly what they did. Farke is not one for
getting carried away, but the little wink to the camera as he went down the
tunnel said it all about how pleasing a night this was for the boss.
Bad day: Patrick Bamford
There's never a good time to get injured, but to pull up in
the very final minutes before a game kicks off is pretty rancid luck. Bamford
has been playing well, so well in fact that his removal from the starting
line-up was almost unthinkable. He and everyone at Leeds will hope and pray
that whatever ails him is not serious and he can quickly return to the team.
Bad day: Luke Williams
Having watched his team get dismantled by Leeds United in a
pretty ruthless way and having heard some boos from the home crowd during the
game, it was clear the last thing Williams wanted was to discuss it all at
length. He gave off the impression of a man who was doing a good job to hold
his frustration in, especially when his post-game press conference was
interrupted first by the unfortunately timed entry to the room of a group of
journalists who had been speaking to Joe Rodon, and then by a phone ringing on
the desk in front of him. The sonic boom of Leeds United's dressing room stereo
will have done little to perk up his mood.
Off-camera moments
Jesse Marsch's former assistant Cameron Toshack catching up
with ex-Leeds colleagues in the press room prior to the game. Toshack was once
Under 21s boss at Swansea.
Archie Gray coming to the bench to ask of Eddie Riemer who
should stay back to defend for the first corner of the game, with Swansea
leaving their wingers high and wide.
Farke's annoyance as Gnonto spurned a chance to make it 3-0
inside the opening 20 minutes. When it was 3-0, thanks to Gnonto, the German
then clapped his hands angrily after another missed opportunity. He wanted
more, all night.
Gnonto sportingly staying in the right-back position as
Leeds attacked to check on the welfare of Swansea man Tymon, who had taken a
clearance straight to the chest. Eventually Gnonto realised he would have to
play on, as the game continued downfield.
Rutter looking in discomfort as he came off at the break,
indicating some source of his pain to performance coach Chris Domogalla before
the pair headed down the tunnel.
Connor Roberts grinning as Dani van den Heuvel's wayward
pass caused a pair of ballgirls to take urgent evasive action. The ex-Swansea
full-back then gave a thumbs up to a well wisher from the home stand.
The conditions, which worsened all night due to the
incessant rainfall, were not just treacherous on the pitch, as Gnonto's slip as
he took his seat on the bench proved.
Rutter wearing his unhappiness at being substituted all over
his face as he came off, prompting Farke to stop him in the technical area for
a little chat.
Farke screaming 'Jaidon' as the substitute misplaced a pass
with Leeds attempting to break in search of a fifth.
Joe Gelhardt waiting patiently in the technical area as
Leeds stroked the ball around for a period of minutes, Charlie Cresswell
ribbing the striker about it. Farke saw the funny side as well. On and on went
the phase of play before the ball was finally put out into touch and Gelhardt
could come on.
Leeds officials Angus Kinnear, Gretar Steinsson and Adam
Underwood giving Joel Piroe a standing ovation as he came off late in the game.
Farke doing the wave with Ampadu and Gray in front of a
delighted away end, then giving a cheery wave to Kinnear, Steinsson and
Underwood as he went off the pitch.