Leeds United and Premier League prime time serving up grim repeats — Graham Smyth's Brentford Verdict — YEP 22/3/26

By Graham Smyth

The Verdict on Leeds United's 0-0 Premier League draw at home to Brentford.

Entertainment has left the building and into its place has stepped grim necessity.

Saturday night, 8pm to 10pm. Prime time. Think Noel's House Party. Casualty. Ant and Dec, even. Big hitters, big laughs, big drama. Entertainment. The Premier League has become so much about physicality and set-pieces and is so full of very solid, sensible operators that games can be crying out for a maverick. For a Mr Blobby even. Something, anything to add a bit of colour, flair or drama. Something to spark the chaos that was so abundant in Leeds' charge to the title last season or even back in December.

Brentford starting with a back five for the first time in months was perhaps the first note of warning that Leeds could be facing similar frustration to that experienced in the recent defeat by Sunderland.

And with Leeds' misfiring in possession in the opening minutes - Anton Stach, Ethan Ampadu, James Justin and Jayden Bogle were all off cue with passes - the first half never really got a chance to be anything other than ordinary.

Brentford seized the early momentum. All of the initial pressure came through set-pieces and though the Bees swarmed around Karl Darlow he was well protected by his backline. It took Leeds a little while before they could really say they'd started, but they did eventually get the ball moving forward to earn a corner of their own. That in itself seemed to settle the hosts, who went direct for the first half chance of the game, Ampadu's ball finding the run of Bogle who was challenged in the box before he could shoot.

It was really scrappy stuff but this is largely what the Premier League is right now. Teams fighting to impose their will, hammering away with set-pieces and balls into the box. By the midway point of the half neither goalkeeper had made a proper save. Igor Thiago had shot well wide for the visitors and Justin was even more wayward with his effort for Leeds.

Leeds were struggling to get Dominic Calvert-Lewin into the game in a meaningful way, their long throws were creating little in the way of danger and the absence of Gabriel Gudmundsson meant the left side was lacking some of its usual dynamism and a left foot. James Justin had to try and carve something out with his right foot, body turned awkwardly. The final product was lumpy rather than sculptured. Leeds were, at least, largely on top of proceedings and rarely in any discomfort let alone danger.

When, in the 35th minute, Lukas Nmecha took it upon himself to have a pop from distance it marked the first time either goalkeeper had really been tested. Caoimhin Kelleher got down well to gather and any chance of Leeds building a head of steam was quashed by a delay for Jordan Henderson to receive treatment.

Little change in the second half for Leeds United

Four minutes were added on to the first half in news that was welcomed by precisely no one and the challenge for both managers at the break was to try and spark their team's offensive game to life. Though Leeds had the better of it in the early stages of the second half, there was still a lack of spark. Too many visiting players in the way, too many safe passes and too few players willing to do something brave or even just different. A Brenden Aaronson shot trundled wide from distance because, again, Leeds were unable to penetrate the defence to create something closer to goal.

With just over 20 minutes remaining Farke tried something different, or rather someone different. Ao Tanaka replaced Aaronson and Noah Okafor came on for Nmecha. Brentford's immediate response, before play could even begin, was a tactical timeout. Down went Kelleher with an apparent injury, on came the physios and down rained the boos from Elland Road. This is also what the Premier League is right now and no one can do a thing about it.

Leeds did crank up the pressure with a series of corners, yet beyond Pascal Struijk's flick to the back post that his team-mates failed to anticipate, the apparently injured goalkeeper remained untested. Farke then did try something different, taking off Struijk, sending on Dan James and going 4-2-3-1. But nothing the substitute did and nothing his manager tried ever cut Brentford open. There was huffing and puffing and time spent in the final third, but no joy. No entertainment. No goal. Instead, the Premier League's prime time offering almost ended with a nasty twist, Brentford countering to win a dangerously-placed free-kick that, fittingly given the events of the 90 minutes, hit the wall.

After the game, in his press conference, Farke pointed three times to the lack of individual quality Leeds can rely on but insisted the necessary goals and points are there within his team's capabilities. Fans can now switch off from what has become a slow slog towards safety and change the channel to something more international, before the FA Cup quarter-final in two weeks' time. Quite how the Premier League takes action to improve its offering is anyone's guess, unless the current trend burns out like others before it. But the onus is on Farke to tune his attack and get it firing again, especially now that wins are becoming king and chances are becoming more scarce. The last thing anyone wants, after the attrition of Sunderland, Palace and Brentford, is to look at the upcoming league schedule and see any more repeats.