Leeds United legend tends pitch, Farke breaks up bromance and Firpo slips in off-camera moments — YEP 23/10/24
By Graham Smyth
Leeds United's midfield has given Daniel Farke two
consecutive Man of the Match displays rather than the headache he must have
feared.
In Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka Leeds have a pair of players
who have excelled in the last two games. Rothwell was the clear standout
performer against Sheffield United while Tanaka, who had a very good game
against the Blades, was the undisputed star man in the win over Watford.
Here's the YEP take on that 2-1 victory.
Good day - Ao Tanaka. There is a danger of getting carried
away and hanging single performances around a player's neck like a millstone,
but this was special. Tanaka had the look of a man playing a level below the
standard of which he's capable, so easy did he make it look. The way he dealt
with the ball, regardless of who was around him, the misdirection in his body
movements, his desire and ability to win the ball back and his passing were all
exceptional. It was a joy to behold.
Good day - Daniel James. It was almost as if he sniffed
opportunity in the wake of Largie Ramazani's injury and Manor Solomon's rusty
performance. The Welshman flew out of the traps, into the game and right at the
Watford defence. How he didn't get an assist for that sublime
outside-of-the-boot cross to Mateo Joseph is almost beyond comprehension. He
could have had two assists and came close to a goal in a blistering cameo.
Having him back is good news for Leeds, especially if Ramazani is to miss any
action.
Bad day - Daniel Bachmann. The goalkeeper had an absolute
stinker. He dropped one over his line, then he palmed a cross straight into the
path of Aaronson. Gifting Leeds a 2-0 lead essentially cost his side any real
chance of points and their rancid run of away form continued. To add to his
woes, manager Tom Cleverley refused to make excuses for Bachmann and even
pointed out how his side refused to let the keeper's mistakes stop them from
playing how they wanted to. Goalkeeping is a lonely life at times. Bachmann did
have the South Stand for company in that first half, but they were not in an
especially charitable mood.
Bad day - Largie Ramazani. The last thing a winger wants is
to come off inside the first 15 minutes when he's already on the scoresheet and
there is clearly more joy to be had out there. But injury forced the Belgian
into an early withdrawal. Even if Leeds are blessed with four wingers who would
start in almost any other Championship team, they will not want to lose
Ramazani at a time when he is really starting to find his feet.
Bad day - Tom Cleverley. He was right to praise the overall
performance because Watford stuck to their guns and made life difficult for
Leeds, but he was wrong to suggest they were dominant. And his protestations
that he was simply applauding his player when he got a yellow card for
sarcastic clapping, felt a little on the insincere side.
Off-camera moments
Junior Firpo pulling a nifty move to go past Joe Rodon in
the warm-up possession game before promptly losing his footing and stacking it
completely on the Elland Road turf. The left-back took stick from Mateo Joseph
who intimated Firpo had dived, much to the amusement of Willy Gnonto.
Ed Wootten pinging a beautiful low drive into his keeper's
bottom right-hand corner, which must bring mixed emotions for a goalkeeping
coach.
Farke unhappy with the space in the middle, even at 2-0 up
early in the first half, remonstrating with Gnonto as he failed to get close
enough to a second ball.
Birthday boy Paul Reaney celebrating his 80th with a
half-time appearance on the pitch. The Revie boy then went and took a pitchfork
off a groundsman and had a go at tending to the surface before going to take
the appreciation of all four sides of Elland Road. Club CEO Angus Kinnear
presented Reaney with a framed shirt as a birthday gift.
Tom Cleverley furiously remonstrating with the officials for
stopping the game with Gnonto going down off the ball. The Watford boss and
Farke then exchanged words but it looked friendly enough.
James was devastated not to get an assist for his
outside-of-the-boot cross for Joseph. His hands went to his head in disbelief.
But he was quick to go and console the striker in a break in play shortly
after. Joseph was soon screaming in anger as James went for goal instead of
squaring the ball. The young forward punched the air in fury and added a few
words that presumably were not fit for publication in a family news title.
Joseph was soon laughing again after Mattie Pollock went
through him to clear the ball in a fair but hard challenge. Pollock had
something to say to the striker and Leeds fans around them erupted but both
players saw the funny side.
Former Fortuna team-mates Ao Tanaka and Kwadwo Baah having
an animated catch up at full-time. Farke came across and playfully broke up the
bromance but Baah shooed the Leeds boss away to carry on carrying on with his
old pal. Farke then went for a lengthy debrief with Struijk in the centre
circle before sending the skipper on a lap of honour.