Leeds United new hero steps forward to avoid 'bad things' repeat — Graham Smyth's Watford Verdict — YEP 23/10/24
By Graham Smyth
Leeds United had set themselves up perfectly in the build-up
to the game against Watford, but for what?
Coming off the back of a hugely comfortable win against a
promotion rival, playing a side who travel terribly and boasting two birthday
boys in the starting line-up. What, Leeds United, could possibly go wrong here
then?
Leeds have been here before. Not in these exact
circumstances perhaps but ones that felt very similar. Situations where
expectation levels had been given a shot in the arm. Momentum had been
gathered. Good feelings had been stoked. Leeds have been here before and bad
things have happened. Even if most were expecting a Leeds win, no one would
have been surprised by something different. Daniel Farke himself said on Friday
that Watford could surprise anyone in this league.
Against a Watford side showing six changes, Farke did not
tinker like he hinted he might in his pre-game press conference. Anyone who
witnessed that battering of the Blades knew it was mere kidology. Why tinker at
all when your well-oiled machine is threatening to start rolling. Of course a
14th minute injury meant he was forced into a change, but by that point Leeds
had been two goals up for seven whole minutes. They were rolling towards three
points by then and away from the so-easily-imagined bad things.
The theme of opposition goalkeepers turning up and turning
it on is sadly familiar one in these parts but Daniel Bachmann turned up and
turned the ball into his own net to start Watford's downfall on four minutes.
Pascal Struijk's beauty of a floated ball sent Junior Firpo away, he sent it
back to Largie Ramazani and the winger's shot was well-struck but should not
have troubled Bachmann. Instead, he dropped it over his line and the referee's
watch buzzed to say goal.
Three minutes later Joe Rodon made a vital challenge in his
area, Leeds broke at pace and when Willy Gnonto's deflected cross came in
Bachmann parried it straight to the feet of Brenden Aaronson. Elland Road
buzzed to say goal.
Leeds were rolling, Watford were rocking and a rout was very
much in the offing. Gnonto had earlier whistled a shot just past the post, he
and Ramazani looked hungry and nothing could surely go wrong.
Except, it did. Ramazani skinned Moussa Sissoko but was
caught by Festy Ebosele and even if the challenge was perfectly legal, it left
a mark. Off limped the Belgian winger and on came Manor Solomon. Replacing an
exciting former LaLiga player with a Premier League and Champions League
veteran is considered a luxury at this level but the change did not lend itself
entirely to the flow Leeds had enjoyed.
In Solomon's defence, he is rusty after an injury ravaged
2023/24 campaign and a niggly start to this season. During his absence Ramazani
has begun to flourish and develop an understanding with Gnonto and Aaronson.
Solomon needs to be afforded that time, too, even if he is a more experienced
player. His performance held glimpses of his quality but it was a slightly
awkward one at times, like he wasn't altogether on exactly the same page as his
team-mates in every moment. He later admitted he is not there yet in terms of
his sharpness but believes it will come.
Generally, Leeds stopped looking like a steam roller because
Watford took the steam out of the home side's attacking rhythm. It became a
more even affair. Illan Meslier was tested at full stretch by Giorgi
Chakvetadze and Mattie Pollock threatened from consecutive corners. Maybe it
was the early arrival of the goals and the comfort level they brought, or maybe
it was Watford ruining the fun by stemming the tide, but the game went a little
flat and so too did the atmosphere before the break. And then, after it,
Watford scored a goal.
Pascal Struijk has been solid so far this season but Kwadwo
Baah vapourised the centre-back with pace and strength, going past Leeds'
skipper like he wasn't there and playing an unintended, unfortunate one-two
with Joe Rodon before beating an already-seated Meslier.
The second half was but 90 seconds old and bad things looked
possible. Leeds suddenly looked sluggish, unable to build possession with the
same poise or control. Junior Firpo was baited into a booking and Tom Ince went
for the near post with the free-kick, Meslier just about beating it out. The
strength of Watford's big men gave Leeds some problems and Leeds were in danger
of being sucked into a game they did not want to play.
Step forward Ao Tanaka with ice in his veins, silk in his
touch and steel in his defending. Taking the ball under pressure he would
drift, glide or skip past players in order to play Leeds forward. He covered
ground, got stuck in and made the game look simple again. There was one
particular instance that had Elland Road purring for its new Japanese hero. He
slid in to halt a Watford attack in his own area, got up and ran with the ball
across the box and then unleashed a ball down the middle that gave Leeds a
chance to breathe and Piroe a chance to try and make something happen. He
helped give Leeds control and forward impetus and took the sting out of the
Hornets.
Leeds came close to a third when Jayden Bogle shaped to
cross in order to disguise an effort at goal and struck the far post. Joel
Piroe was unable to slam home the rebound.
Farke sent on Daniel James and he added some missing urgency
up top. Mateo Joseph gave the centre-backs more to think about. The pair linked
up a few times and it should have brought a goal but when James' incredible
outside-of-the-boot cross came in the young striker fluffed his lines.
All the while, Tanaka was the man keeping Leeds ticking as
they played on the front foot to allay their manager's fears. Farke admitted
later that the early 2-0 lead had worried him. Conceding a goal worried him.
The idea of dropping deeper and deeper and inviting pressure worried him.
Taking the game to Watford and creating the better chances for the next goal
delighted him.
Yes, it was harder work than it should have been after that
electric start but on a night when bad things so easily could have come to
pass, Leeds United won a game of association football, picked up three points
and rolled on. Six unbeaten, level on points with league leaders Sunderland and
able to properly mark the birthdays of Aaronson and Rodon. Good things are
happening at Elland Road.