Leeds United endure heartache again, but also provide hope ahead of the key late autumn and winter grind — final word — Yorkshire Post 28/9/25
By Leon Wobschall
IT’S a heartache, nothing but a heartache, hits when you
when it’s too late..
The opening lines of Bonnie Tyler’s famous track have held
particular resonance for Leeds United on two occasions now in the first six
league games of 2025-26.
After a crushing concession in the fourth minute of stoppage
time at the Cottage a fortnight earlier, Saturday’s events were again hard to
take. ‘Heartbreaking’, Daniel Farke lamented once more.
That’s where the similarities should end, in truth and not
just because Leeds got nothing at Fulham and still drew against Bournemouth,
who pilfered a point on 93 minutes.
Against the side who boasted the third highest shots per
game total in the top-flight, Leeds registered 19 shots with eight on target.
For a few minutes, most of Elland Road was stupefied
following substitute Eli Kroupi’s late intervention. Shortly after the final
whistle, Leeds players, still stunned, walked off the field with their chins
collectively on the floor.
When they needed a lift, they got it. Home supporters cast
aside their hurt to salute the efforts of those in white who emptied the tank.
It felt important.
A performance in time-honoured Elland Road traditions
showcased energy, physicality and intensity.
Part of a celebrated Basque brigade of top head coaches who
are viewed as being up there with the world’s best at the moment - and are very
much in vogue - Andoni Iraola bore a relieved look afterwards and didn't have
too many on-pitch answers on the day.
A game Leeds should have won, for sure. Yet it still augured
well for the late autumn/winter grind when tables take shape.
A new-look team, Leeds possess a strong spine. Joe Rodon and
Sean Longstaff contributed goals alongside their considerable presence. There
were others too.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin spurned three good first-half chances
- and should have scored at least one - but the way he led the line and took
responsibility was reassuring. Despite those misses, he came off to warm
applause.
Others put their hand up and Leeds, in a pretty short space
of time, have become a decent fighting unit.
More’s the pity that one moment of careless inattention to
detail cost them two valuable and deserved points.
After winning at Tottenham and giving champions Liverpool
one heck of a fright at Anfield, Bournemouth scored first at Elland Road and
for a newly-promoted team, going behind on home soil can be seriously
disconcerting.
That Leeds reacted pretty quickly to level said everything
about not just their performance on the day, but their pack mentality.
Despite the pre kick-off fillip of jumping above Manchester
United in the table, things didn’t go for Leeds early.
Calvert-Lewin surged clear inside the first 20 seconds and
telegraphed his shot straight at Djordje Petrovic. The Cherries keeper then
showed splendid reactions to keep out an effort from Leeds’ number nine, who
stuck out a leg to Longstaff’s miscued shot.
When Calvert-Lewin headed another good chance meekly at
Petrovic, you weren’t overly surprised when Leeds were punished for their
profligacy.
A softly-awarded free-kick award for the Cherries goal after
Anton Stach’s slight lean against the body of Ryan Christie - converted
clinically by Antoine Semenyo could have derailed the hosts, but didn’t.
Semenyo’s fiercely struck low drive flew under the jumping
four-man wall and past Brenden Aaronson, the draft excluder behind the quartet.
Rodon’s meaty header from Longstaff’s corner, which took a
slight deflection off Semenyo showed that Leeds weren’t in the business of
feeling sorry from themselves.
Byline tenacity from Gabriel Gudmundsson started the move
which led to Leeds taking the lead and was indicative of the hosts' intensity.
The half-volleyed finish with the outside of his boot from Longstaff
represented a delightful way to score your first goal for a club.
Substitute Jack Harrison went close to a third. Leeds were
managing events well, only for one error to prove fatal.
David Brooks' free-kick was headed on by Marcos Senesi, who
won the ball too easily.
Leeds compounded things by not being defensively ‘set’ on
the right and there was no tracking radar to halt Kroupi. His hooked finish was
deadly.
Leeds would may have taken a point before kick-off.
Ultimately, it should have been more. Play like this regularly at home and they
will be fine.
