Graham Smyth's 2-word verdict on what Leeds United must do at Portsmouth after West Brom draw — YEP 4/3/25
By Kyle Newbould
Leeds United head to Fratton Park on Sunday with another
tough game to tick off.
Graham Smyth expects Leeds United to keep it sensible for
their Championship promotion run-in with the goal at Portsmouth on Sunday
simply to ‘stay unbeaten’.
Leeds will be top of the Championship when they make that
long journey south, but it could be by goal difference only as Sheffield
United, currently three points behind, host Preston North End 24 hours prior.
Daniel Farke’s side dropped points for the first time in over a month following
Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to West Brom, throwing away an early lead as
Darnell Furlong cancelled out Junior Firpo’s early header.
A trip to 17th-placed Portsmouth, who will be without four
of their five senior centre-backs, might be seen by many as the chance to make
a statement but August’s 3-3 draw at Elland Road suggests it is not that
simple. There is also the early kick-off factor that has so often been
problematic, and YEP chief football writer Smyth expects Farke’s more pragmatic
handwriting to shine through.
Leeds v Portsmouth verdict
“I think just stay unbeaten,” he told The Square Ball’s West
Stand show when asked what he wants to see from Sunday's trip. “Honestly, I
know what you're saying about a statement, but I remember the opening game of
the season. And I think Portsmouth will probably remember that as well and
think ‘oh, this is the team that we scored quite a few goals against, let's go
and do that again’.
“It was [weird], but early kick-offs can quite often for
this Leeds team be a bit weird and random and away games for this Leeds team
can quite often be a bit weird and a bit random. And this is both an early
kick-off and a very long away trip. But I don't know, I'd maybe just caution
against being too gung-ho.
“I think just go through their processes, just make them
really tired mentally and physically by playing the football that they play.
They'll have today's (Saturday) warning from Farke ringing in their ears saying
‘don't go for Hollywood passes, even if you're 1-0 up early on, just do what we
know we do best’. That's the key for Leeds. I think it should just all be very
sensible from here on in.”
Leeds promotion key
Leeds are in a position of strength going into Sunday and
beyond, with breathing space over Sheffield United and Burnley who still have
to play each other. Farke’s side can also boast a vastly superior goal
difference to both, with a gap of at least 16 goals unlikely to be made up come
May.
While Leeds will be favourites to win every game up until
that point - overwhelmingly so in some cases - points will be dropped and, as
with Saturday, performance levels might ebb and flow. But Farke has championed
his side’s consistency all season and that is what can get them over the line.
“I think the only thing Leeds need to do is be consistent,”
Smyth added. “I think consistency in their performances is the only thing now
that they really need to do. You've got Burnley, who have got questions like,
‘what if we start conceding goals? Can we score enough goals to win the games
we need?’ And they've got to make up a gap.
“Leeds have just got to concentrate on doing what they've
been doing. And it just seems like a very simple task. Just be consistent.”