Leeds United's plan comes together as Whites rediscover lost magic just in time for Wembley — Yorkshire Post 18/5/24

By Stuart Rayner

Just when they needed it the most, it was like Leeds United flicked a switch at Elland Road, and rediscovered what they were all about.

The end to the regular Championship season had been a miserable one for the Whites, suffering injuries in the March international break which previously they would have shrugged off but now seemed to weigh heavily on them.

Georginio Rutter was technically not one, not missing any games with the hernia operation he had when club football went on hold, but he did not come back the same effervescent player.

The results were demoralising – eight points from the final eight games of the regular season, defeats in the last two home matches having been undefeated at Elland Road in the league until then. Their defensive poise evaporated, their forwards started to look tired and devoid of inspiration. Rutter had not managed an assist, never mind a goal.

Automatic promotion was lost and Leeds headed into the play-offs. Leeds hate the play-offs. They have never won promotion that way.

But over two games with Norwich, Farke rediscovered the magic formula.

The first leg did half a job, stiffening the midfield by asking Archie Gray to play in "the hole" and coming away with a first clean sheet since April 9, but there was none of the lost attacking pizzazz.

So there were nerves before the second leg. History hung heavily. The last time Leeds had won a play-off game at Elland Road was 1987.

But the fans were having none of it, belting out the noise long before the players emerged, manically twirling the free scarves the club left on every seat. Eventually they stopped, their arms probably ready to drop off, and you worried if they had gone off too soon.

But when the players did walk out it looked as if every man, woman and child had their scarf above their head, belting out Marching on Together as if their life depended on it.

It was some sight. And some noise.

Would the players be inspired or cowed by the thought of how much this meant, just what was at stake?

Inside four minutes we had our answer.

Rutter, lost as a No 9 on Sunday, had been moved back into a more familiar, more comfortable deeper position, and when he flicked the ball down the line for Crysencio Summerville, it was clear he was back to his old self. Summerville blasted over but it was still what Elland Road needed to see.

"I was a bit careful before the game because two or three times in the last weeks I felt his confidence was back and his performance was not at the top level," admitted Farke, when asked if he sensed beforehand the bubbly Frenchman's mojo was back.

David Wagner, who unlike Farke has been the play-off course and distance before, taking Huddersfield Town into the Premier League via a series of three draws featuring two penalty shoot-outs had talked about every minute Leeds went without scoring at home being another minute where the pressure was ramped up and the underdogs would grow.

There were fewer than seven.

Joe Rodon underlined Leeds' mixture of confidence and aggression by stepping up from centre-back to win the ball, and winning a foul.

Angus Gunn set up a two-man wall but left his near-post under-protected. Ilia Gruev, lining up to deliver a free-kick for the big men up from the back, curled the ball inside it instead for his first goal as a Leeds player.

Soon the lead doubled, Willy Gnonto's deep cross picking out Joel Piroe, Gunn not assertive enough in coming from it, to head in.

Farke, himself a former striker, called it "quite an important goal," adding, "and it should have been more, normally he puts two more to bed."

It was like watching the Leeds of so much of the season, assured at the back, willing to take on players out wide, imaginative in the middle. Not perfect, but thrilling.

"It was important to win the confidence and the momentum back and this is definitely the basement situation but it's not a guarantee because you can't plan success, you can just deliver performances," reflected Farke.

By the time Rutter had made it three, smashing in off the crossbar after Piroe – another whipping boy when times have been bad – turned and accelerated down the line and Sumerville scrambled his delivery across whilst sat on his backside.

From 3-0 at half-time and with Norwich such a shadow of themselves, it was hard to see this plotline taking a detour – doubly so when Leeds returned for the second half with their foot down.

Summerville's goal, driving forward, picking out Willy Gnonto and pouncing when Junior Firpo leapt on the save from the Italian and pulled the ball back, may as well have brought the final whistle.

Farke subbed off his entire forward line and, to the glee of Leeds fans who had spent the last few minutes telling him how rubbish he was, Wagner withdrew Ashley Barnes.

Liam Cooper was rewarded with a late cameo in what might turn out to be his Elland Road swansong.

It was just about everything Leeds could have hoped for, a game-changer for Wembley next weekend.