Mighty Leeds Weblog

There was no sign of Leeds United's incoming striker, Georginio Rutter, on Friday so Patrick Bamford getting off the team bus at Villa Park had to suffice as a sight for sore eyes. By Graham Smyth A second successive season of injury struggle has deprived the Whites of their 17-goal 2020/21 campaign frontman for nine of 20 top flight games. In previous weeks his return would have been quite the story. The excitement over 20-year-old Rutter's arrival - his Thursday flight was tracked online all the way from Frankfurt to Yeadon by thousands of supporters before the trail went cold as he underwent a medical - took the spotlight off Bamford, however, and the man going deepest under the radar – Rodrigo. The man having the season no one saw coming. Rodrigo wears 19 but his 11 goals, 10 of which have come in Premier League games, have made him Leeds number 9 and vital to their keeping heads above water in the bottom half of the table. A record signing in 2020, the Spain internat...

Jesse Marsch says getting Brenden Aaronson believing in himself is a priority as the Leeds United playmaker struggles to regain his form after the World Cup. By Stuart Rayner In the run-up to Christmas, Marsch's assistant Rene Maric spoke of how impressed he was with Aaronson's work ethic on his return from Qatar, where he was a substitute in all four USA matches on their run to the last 16. But in Leeds’ three games since the Premier League resumed, that is yet to translate into performances, with Aaronson unable to replicate his early-season influence. Marsch pointed to a lack of "fearlessness" in the 22-year-old’s game, which had greater significance because he says the team as a whole need to find more of it when playing against opponents they are expected to compete with. Aaronson inadvertently set up Gianluca Scamacca's goal in Wednesday's 2-2 Premier League draw with West Ham United before being substituted. "I hugged him when he came o...

NOT HISTORY Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman For half an hour I thought, through a prism of the past, I was seeing the future of Leeds United, at least for the rest of this season. Brenden Aaronson’s 22 years of talent, stretched by the Premier League and the World Cup, snapped, giving a goal to West Ham. Crysencio Summerville, also cracking in his youth, was subbed off instead of being sent off for leaving immature retributive stud marks just below Vladimír Coufal’s knee. In their place came Jackie Harrison, who from deep in midfield fed Rodrigo with irresistible passes straight and through West Ham’s defence, that had to and did find at least an equaliser. And, setting the tone for the comeback with desperately necessary drive from midfield, was Mateusz Klich. These were two of the players who have delighted us since 2018. Frustrated us, too. Klich had yet another impressive night from the bench, and still managed to miskick a shot sending the ball so high, and so far aw...

Just shy of midnight Mateusz Klich signed his last autograph, posed for one final selfie and jogged to his car. By Graham Smyth It was parked in the players' section of Elland Road's West Stand car park, where it once sat for a full week in the wake of promotion celebrations that rendered him unfit to drive. It's no slight on Klich or what could be a bright future in the MLS to suggest that those were the best days of his career. In his own words, it was Marcelo Bielsa who made him a Premier League player, but in order for that to happen the player had to give the coach everything that he had. Playing all of the football, all of the time - as he did barring that one post-title visit to Derby County when the injury written in brackets after his name in dispatches should have read '(hangover)' - left him tired all of the time and undoubtedly questioning the sanity of it all at times, but the juice was worth the squeeze. Play-off semi-final heartache was exor...

"What have I done?" was written all over Brenden Aaronson's face after gifting West Ham United a goal at Elland Road. By Stuart Rayner At least it was not a winner- Rodrigo saw to that – and it took a brilliant Lukasz Fabianski save to stop the Spaniard snatching victory with the last act, but drawing 2-2 with the Hammers was not a good night's work for Leeds United. They did not just fail to take a golden opportunity, they donated one too. Keeping a clean sheet at Newcastle United, winning at Liverpool, hammering Chelsea, this is what Jesse Marsch's Whites are capable of. When the onus is on them, they are not so good. Like their passionate fanbase, they tend to produce their best when the odds are against them. They specialise in defiance but need to be better at taking what ought to be theirs. Once Gianluca Scamacca accepted Aaronson's charity to put West Ham 2-1 up, the crowd roared their team on and Marsch's histrionics towards "the c...

Leeds United’s first game of the new year ended in a 2-2 draw against Wednesday night’s Premier League visitors West Ham United after a pulsating and end-to-end contest at Elland Road. Lee Sobot Leeds went ahead in the 27th minute through a clinical finish from Willy Gnonto after a lovely move and one-two with Crysencio Summerville who laid on a perfect through ball. At 19 years and 60 days old, Gnonto became the third youngest Italian scorer in Premier League history and also the youngest Leeds top-flight scorer since James Milner in April 2004. West Ham, though, equalised in the 45th minute after the intervention of VAR led to an Irons penalty for Pascal Struijk's foul on Jarrod Bowen and Paqueta coolly converted the spot kick. The Hammers then went ahead less than one minute into the second half as a misplaced pass from Brenden Aaronson was cut out by Gianluca Scamacca who punished Aaronson with a perfect first time finish from the edge of the box that went in off the post...

Leeds United 2-2 West Ham United: David Moyes seemed to be heading for a crucial victory thanks to goals by Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca but it was not to be Richard Jolly If David Moyes’s losing run is over, it will need more than one draw to ensure he does not lose his job. When Wilfried Gnonto put Leeds ahead, West Ham were headed for a sixth successive defeat and the relegation zone; their most successful manager since Harry Redknapp may have been destined for the sack. Yet when Rodrigo scored Leeds’ classy equaliser, Moyes was denied the victory that would have solidified his position, taken his side above their hosts and lent the impression a new year would bring a shift in fortunes. Instead, West Ham have to console themselves with a first point since October and the sense a huge outlay may not have all been in vain. If Moyes’s signings put his job at risk, perhaps they have now bought him a little more time. Such respite as he got came from players who formed part ...

Whites chairman Andrea Radrizzani quickly issued a message after seeing two of Leeds United’s players reach the Qatar World Cup last 16. Lee Sobot Leeds duo Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson are through to the competition’s knockout stages with the USA who sealed a 1-0 victory in Tuesday night’s must-win game against Group B opponents Iran. Adams made his third consecutive World Cup start as US captain whilst Aaronson was brought on at half-time to replace the injured Christian Pulisic who hurt himself after netting what proved the game’s winning goal eight minutes before the break. Adams played a part in the build-up to the winner and both he and Aaronson impressed as Gregg Berhalter’s side jumped above Iran into the group’s second qualification place to go through to the last 16 along with group winners England. However, one late goal for Iran and a draw would have knocked the States out and Berhalter’s outfit had to withstand some anxious late moments, particularly two late Iran ...

Leeds United men Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson helped keep the US Men’s National Team World Cup dream alive with a 0-0 draw against England. By Graham Smyth The Group B game ended in a stalemate, despite a number of chances for both sides, and Adams played a starring role again for the Americans. Gregg Barhalter’s captain produced his second impressive performance of the tournament, disrupting England possession and keeping the ball reliably in the centre of midfield. Adams won all of his tackles and aerial duels, passed the ball with an 87 per cent rate of accuracy and made two clearances as he protected Matt Turner's goal and the clean sheet. His pre-game prediction that the American’s pressing style would be important rang true as the underdogs made life difficult for England, yet in possession Adams and his team-mates looked sufficiently fluid and creative, enjoying more of the ball than was perhaps expected. Gareth Southgate was unable to inspire the kind of free-...

Leeds United did a lot right against Tottenham Hotspur, as they have throughout part one of their Premier League season. The problem is, the things they are getting wrong are the really big ones. By Stuart Rayner It is why they beat Chelsea and triumphed at Anfield, why they ought to have defeated Arsenal and should have taken something from Spurs, yet will spend Christmas 15th in the Premier League after a thrilling but soul-destroying 4-3 loss. "We've encapsulated our 16-game season in one match," said their coach Jesse Marsch, who walked off with a face like thunder after seeing his players perform very well against one of Europe’s best teams. Poor finishing has often been their undoing but pepped-up by the attacking youth of Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto – who struggled after an early knock on Saturday's full debut and was sacrificed at half-time – they scored four against Bournemouth, three at Spurs. Rodrigo has five goals in four league matches,...

TWO NUMBER NINES AND A MICROPHONE Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman Okay. What’s going on? It’s not only Marvin Gaye who wants an answer. As season 2022/23 breaks for its mundial interruptus, a month after our previous unplanned pause, Leeds United fans are reeling from weekend to weekend, 4-3 to 3-4, late winners to late losers, blindfolded trying to pin a tail on this donkey of a season. Are Leeds good? Are they bad? Is Jesse Marsch good? Is he bad? It won’t stop anybody asking, but there isn’t an answer. It’s a football fan’s failing to treat games like cups of tea to be slurped down hot, taking no time to find a flavour beneath the burning taste on our tongues, hurrying to read the tea leaves and find out our fate. A match ain’t just a match, it’s a plot device with implications not only for our futures but our pasts. Will we be happy, 24 games from now? Or will we be cursing the people who brought us pleasure three years ago, for the sins we could never then foresee? O...

Making sense of Leeds United's game at Tottenham Hotspur was an exercise in futility even before they threw it away. By Graham Smyth The same could be said for their season. Goals are flying in at the right end, despite the struggles and absences of Patrick Bamford, and at the wrong end too. They've been impressively competitive against big six sides but not against a number of teams they count as natural competition. And for a team coached by a man whose watchword has been 'clarity' it's alarming how unclear the picture is after 14 games. Are they, as Jesse Marsch believes, a good side with a plan that will work, or were the Liverpool and Bournemouth wins simply a detour en route to a destination that looked inevitable prior to those games? That's not the question that will occupy Marsch as he heads off to a friend's wedding in Peru during the World Cup break, but he has plenty of others to keep his mind going ten to the dozen. How to maintain...

Leeds United were beaten 4-3 by Tottenham Hotspur despite taking the lead three times during the match in North London By Joe Donnohue Leeds United's tendency to cause problems for the Premier League's 'Big Six' this season is as baffling as it has been entertaining. Victories over Liverpool and Chelsea, as well as a narrow, undeserved defeat to Arsenal at Elland Road, preceded the Whites' arrival in north London to face Spurs before the World Cup break. Within ten minutes, Crysencio Summerville had scored for the fourth time in four matches sending the vocal away support at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into raptures. The Dutchman's left-footed finish, set up by the electric Brenden Aaronson, set the theme for the game: Leeds going ahead and Tottenham pegging them back. Harry Kane's equaliser required a check by the Video Assistant Referee as it appeared Illan Meslier had been impeded by not one, but two Spurs players at a corner. Leeds' protest...

Leeds United finished part one of the Premier League season with a defeat, but not one which needs stewing on in the six weeks before they return to action. By Stuart Rayner The timing of Rodrigo Bentancur's two goals – after 82 and 83 minutes – made defeat hard to take in a game Leeds's Rodrigo had put them ahead twice in and Crysencio Summerville once, and the Whites will certainly not be happy with some of the goals they conceded, but in possession, it was a very good performance to follow up league wins over Liverpool and Bournemouth. They contributed to a hugely entertaining game but that will be of no comfort to coach Jesse Marsch, who looked very unhappy at the full-time whistle. The lack of a VAR intervention for Tottenham's opener and a red card for Tyler Adams probably helped to darken his mood. Just to walk around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was a reminder of how far ahead the Champions League club are ahead of a club still establishing itself in the ...

Leeds United ended a horrible run of eight games without a win by sealing a brilliant 2-1 victory at Saturday evening's Premier League hosts Liverpool as Crysencio Summerville bagged an 89th-minute winner. By Lee Sobot Jesse Marsch’s side went ahead in just the fourth minute after a gift from the Reds left Rodrigo with a tap-in. Defender Joe Gomez looked to play a simple back pass to keeper Alisson from the right flank but Alisson lost his footing trying to collect the wayward effort and Rodrigo could not miss from close range. Liverpool drew level just ten minutes later as Leeds failed to deal with two crosses, the second of which from Andy Robertson looped towards the back post before being prodded home by Mo Salah. Both teams then had chances to bag the game's third goal and Brenden Aaronson’s volley from close range smashed back off the crossbar. Leeds bossed the start of the second half as Patrick Bamford was brought on to replace Rodrigo but Illan Meslier saved th...

Liverpool 1-2 Leeds: Summerville 89th-minute winner lifted the pressure on Jesse Marsch as the Reds lost back-to-back games against teams in the bottom three Richard Jolly There are reasons why Crysencio Summerville has no memories of Leeds’ previous win at Anfield. For starters, he was not born. Some 21 years after Rio Ferdinand and Lee Bowyer delivered a triumph for David O’Leary’s team, the 20-year-old conjured a victory that did not just make history. It made his manager’s position more secure and Liverpool’s stuttering, spluttering start to the season still worse. Both Jesse Marsch and Leeds had said he retained the board’s backing in a troubled time, but it is easier for their powerbrokers to endorse the American after a run of four successive defeats was halted with a stirring, stunning win. The supporters who had barracked Marsch at Leicester backed his side and a hugely committed display came with an unexpected reward: Summerville reacted quickest when the ball bounced o...