West Brom 0 Leeds United 0: Whites hold firm but wait continues with clear issue — YEP 17/8/24
By Lee Sobot
Leeds took on West Brom in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off as
they looked for a first win of the new campaign.
Leeds United’s wait for a first win of the new season
continues following a goalless draw at Saturday’s Championship hosts West Brom
where the Whites proved strong defensively but clearly lacking in an attacking
sphere.
A very poor first-half passed without a shot on target from
either side, West Brom going closest when a free-kick sailed through the area
and hit ex-Leeds man Kyle Bartley at the back post before bouncing just wide.
Leeds were booed at times by the away end upon often turning
and playing the ball back to keep possession although the Whites ended the half
with the best chance of the game yet.
Willy Gnonto was bumped to the ground by Semi Ajayi for a
free-kick which Ilia Gruev curled into the box and Pascal Struijk connected
with a solid header which deflected off Ajayi and bounced just wide.
The cleared corner was then worked to Gnonto who blazed well
over the bar as part of a half in which Joel Piroe had wastefully fired wide
when well placed.
A spectacular attempt at a Beckham-esque lob from just
inside in his own half by Whites skipper Ethan Ampadu was not a million miles
off but dropped wide and keeper Alex Palmer had it covered.
Whites full-backs Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo, meanwhile,
were both booked for clumsy challenges in addition to West Brom's John Swift
for scything down Leeds striker Mateo Joseph
But the half finished with the score it merited, goalless,
Leeds defending well and keeping last weekend's hat-trick hero Josh Maja quiet
upfront.
Both sides then had chances in a better second half, the
Baggies having the better of them but Leeds let off as Jayson Molumby fired
straight at Illan Meslier. Molumby later played in Karlan Grant who fired well
wide while Bartley sent a header over the bar following an Ajayi flick to a
free-kick.
Leeds, though, also had chances themselves, Piroe unable to
convert a Mateo Joseph cross and Struijk sending another header wide from a
corner.
West Brom then looked to be ending the game in the
ascendancy but the Whites wasted a fine opening in the 91st minute as
substitute Patrick Bamford reacted quickest to a misplaced header and found
himself free to the left of the box but the Whites no 9 pea-rolled a poor
cross/shot straight back to keeper Palmer.