Final nail in Leeds United argument, Willy Gnonto antics and off-camera Valencia moments — YEP 4/8/24

By Graham Smyth

Willy Gnonto featured prominently among the ‘off-camera’ moments from the Valencia friendly.

Leeds United have completed their pre-season schedule and emerged with a near-perfect record after an impressive showing against Valencia.

The La Liga side were outclassed and dominated for the most part, and could consider themselves fortunate to be just the two goals down at one stage.

A late consolation took no shine off Leeds' display, with Georginio Rutter and Mateo Joseph in particular putting in eye-catching performances. Here's the YEP take as we enter the final week before the Championship opener against Portsmouth at Elland Road.

Good day

Georginio Rutter

Opened his eyes, yawned, stretched in his favourite manga pyjamas and planted both feet firmly on the right side of the bed. He was on one in the first half. The dribbling was good but the goal and assist were what really mattered. His ball for Joseph was excellent. His finish for the second was absolutely exquisite. He continued to plague defenders in the second half. Throughout he was going past them like they weren't there or making nice passes into good areas. A sublime display.

Mateo Joseph

Most felt that the youngster had done enough already in pre-season so the question really was whether or not he could hammer home the final nail in the argument's coffin against Valencia. He did so 16 minutes in with a predatory bit of centre-forward finishing to open the scoring. But he was good outside the box too, holding the ball up well under pressure, linking up and pressing effectively enough to cause errors. He has to start, really, doesn't he?

Bad day

Yellow naysayers

Whoever proffered the theory that yellow doesn't sell. This yellow does and it was everywhere. There might even have been more away shirts on display in the stands than white ones.

Joe Rodon

By his standards, anyway. There was nothing wrong with his defending, his trademark recovery runs, his physicality or the threat he posed from set-pieces. But for whatever reason he couldn't get his passing going at all in the first half, misplacing a few that prevented the right flank from clicking as it can.

Raf Mir and Hugo Duro

Complete and total headloss. In a pre-season friendly. Mir should have gone for the petulant push to the face and throat of Ethan Ampadu, who had clearly got under his skin, but there was no escaping a red card later in the game. Duro, meanwhile, took such umbrage to the refereeing that he was heading for a red card of his own before Valencia took him off. His sarcastic clapping of the ref and the baying crowd was pure pantomime stuff.

Off-camera

The stadium's internet going down, preventing card payments and making life difficult in the retail shops and anywhere WiFi was required.

Alex Cairns with a smile as wide as the West Stand as he walked in with the squad to make his return, saying hello to anyone in his general direction.

Gnonto coming off the bus last without his best mate Crysencio Summerville, whose move to West Ham United was being completed. A penny for the Italian international's thoughts as he contemplates the opportunity to be a main man for Leeds and follow in Summerville's footsteps via an outstanding season, or the possibility of moving straight away.

Ethan Ampadu geeing up the starting players as they settled into a possession game at the tail end of the warm-up.

Edmund Riemer laughing and joking with Gnonto, who then chuckled at Dan James' nutmeg attempt. Riemer giving Rutter some last minute wisdom as they walked off towards the tunnel.

Cairns and Chris Domogalla laughing and joking as they came off.

Farke's frustration getting the better of him as a corner routine was spoiled by Ilia Gruev not moving quickly enough to avoid the offside trap.

Rutter waving an imaginary flag at the assistant referee who failed to spot a foul on Dan James right down by the touchline.

Ampadu and Firpo recognising the closing down work of Joseph, who couldn't stop the centre-back from running out of defence but tracked him all the way to the edge of the Leeds box and did enough to force an error.

Riemer giving Bogle some tactical advice as the team came off for the break as Struijk and Gnonto talked about the events of the first half.

A Valencia sub having some fun with some West Stand youngsters wanting a touch of the ball during the half-time break.

A grinning Gnonto having words with Dimitri Foulquier and the fourth official during a break in play in the second half. The pair had come together a little while earlier, leaving the Italian seemingly winded. As Jayden Bogle went down needing treatment minutes after a late challenge, Gnonto was demonstrating to the fourth official exactly how Valencia had been kicking Leeds.

Ampadu with a big high five for Sam Chambers when the teenager was called back to the bench to get a few minutes.

Gnonto joking with Meslier at full-time and getting a gloved cuff round the ear for his troubles.

Rutter giving an Elland Road security staff member a playful shove.

Farke staying on halfway as the team went round the pitch on their lap after the victory and waiting for them to pass by the Kop before approaching the fans to applaud. No big wave for friendly wins, it seemed, until he was evidently persuaded by those behind the goal.