Mighty Leeds Weblog

By Mark Carruthers Leeds United head into this weekend’s trip to Crystal Palace looking for a first win in five Premier League games. The Whites enjoyed a promising start to the season by following up an opening day win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and a draw at Southampton with a memorable 3-0 home triumph against Chelsea. But that remains the last three points secured by Jesse Marsch’s men after they fell to defeats at Brighton and Brentford and were held to home draws by Aston Villa and Everton. Despite that underwhelming run of form, Leeds know they can move level on points with sixth-placed Manchester United if results go their way. Preparations for the visit to Selhurst Park are in full swing - but there has been plenty of talk about events on and off the pitch at Elland Road, including speculation over Marsch’s own future. Jesse Marsch has done a fine job since he was named as successor to Marcelo Bielsa last season. The former RB Salzburg manager helped the Whites t...

Leeds United captain Liam Cooper lasted 90 minutes in the Under 21s’ 6-2 rout of Southampton, as a fellow trio of seniors came through managed appearances unscathed. By Graham Smyth Patrick Bamford and Junior Firpo came off after 75 minutes, the former having helped himself to a hat-trick, while deadline day signing Willy Gnonto was replaced on 80 minutes along with Luke Ayling. For Bamford it was his longest run-out since the opening day of the season victory over Wolves and Ayling followed up his 20-minute Brentford cameo with a solid showing at right-back. Cooper, though, was able to last the course and steered a young side through to the finish in front of a 10,639-strong crowd at Elland Road. Leeds and Bamford had already seen one goal chalked off before the striker’s fourth minute opener. Crysencio Summerville was played in on the right, cut the ball back and Bamford provided a sweet finish. It was Bamford’s run that opened up space for Summerville to dart into the ar...

SAIL AWAY Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman The unlovely quays beside Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium offer little respite on the reputed hottest day in Premier League history, which some say is how we’re measuring climate change now (‘Temperatures never experienced by the likes of David Hopkin’). The hardly tolerable weight of the blaring sunshine is only increased by the towers of a cement works between you and the open sea, bringing dust on the breeze and turning your dreams of adventure so. Southampton was the dock that RMS Titanic left in April 1912, millions of pounds of floating hubris, the largest luxury liner on the seas until a simple blow from its crystal rival in nature, ice, put it beneath the waves. The terrible hours that followed included a rush of the first-class, self-proclaimed by ticket, for the lifeboats, tipping over deck into depths their buoyant ballroom had meant to triumph above, where cash couldn’t help them any more. The disaster is an early exam...

Thriving Whites forward Rodrigo admitted Leeds United paid the price for not being 'online' for the full 95 minutes in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Southampton having done "everything" to win the game. By Lee Sobot Rodrigo's brace had Jesse Marsch's side 2-0 up by the hour mark at St Mary’s but Ralph Hasenhuttl's side rallied to secure a point via strikes from Joe Aribo and Kyle Walker-Peters inside the final 18 minutes. Leeds still remain unbeaten for the new Premier League campaign on four points following the opening weekend 2-1 win at home to Wolves but Rodrigo admits his side only have themselves to blame for not being sat on more. "Of course we are really disappointed with the result," said Rodrigo to LUTV. "We should finish the game better and I think we did everything to leave with three points. "I think the team did a great job apart from the last ten or 15 minutes when we allowed them to react and that's the leve...

Whites boss Jesse Marsch said there was no doubt that Leeds United were improving despite being left with a “terrible” feeling after Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Southampton. By Lee Sobot Leeds were 2-0 up by the hour mark as Rodrigo completed a brace but Ralph Hasenhuttl’s hosts rallied to pull a goal back through Joe Aribo in the 72nd minute before equalising through Kyle Walker-Peters with nine minutes left. The Saints comeback denied a United return of six points from a possible six after last weekend’s 2-1 win at home to Wolves and Marsch delivered a balanced assessment of events at St Mary’s and his side as a whole after two games of the new campaign. "Obviously we're disappointed," said Marsch. "It's a terrible feeling to play so well and then have the game switch and then walk away with what feels less than one point. "But that's also I think, progress for us to be so disappointed with only a point and we also have to see through the trees ...

Leeds United had led Southampton through two Rodrigo goals, before a late rally from Ralph Hasenhüttl's side Arindam Rej Ralph Hasenhüttl shook his fists on the pitch after his Southampton side fought back here and eased some of the early-season pressure on him. Soon afterwards in the press room, having watched his men fight back to draw from 2-0 down, he could make a jibe at the newspapers for ruining their headlines and argued that his team had given an answer to their critics, using an expletive to describe what he thought of the negative stories surrounding his management of Southampton. Hasenhüttl said: “I’m sorry that we destroyed a few headlines. They were written. The team gave the answer.” On his team’s fightback, he said: “They were flying in the end and trying to win this game.” Regarding losing the dressing room, he also made clear what he thought about how serious it is “to spread something like that” and added: “Everybody can say something. It’s up to you ...

Kyle Walker-Peters struck a late equaliser as Southampton came back from two goals behind to secure their first point of the season in a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Leeds United. Rodrigo had struck twice at the start of the second half to put the visitors in a dominant position but Jesse Marsch’s side were unable to hold out for a second successive Premier League win. Instead it was Southampton – who bounced back from their 4-1 defeat to Tottenham on the opening day – who fought their way back into the match. Joe Aribo tapped home to halve the deficit in the 72nd minute before Walker-Peters curled in the equaliser in the 81st minute. Neither side had any significant chances in the opening exchanges, with Leeds coming closest when Patrick Bamford had a shot blocked in the 13th minute. Despite Leeds’ bright opening, there was a moment of concern when VAR checked a possible red card for a last-ditch challenge by Diego Llorente on Stuart Armstrong. Southampton almost had a for...

Leeds United will discover their opening-day opponents next week as part of Thursday’s new Premier League season fixture’s release. By Lee Sobot Based on the betting markets, the Whites are expected to finish 15th in their third season back in the top flight. Twenty one years ago, David O’Leary’s side were predicted to end the 2001-02 campaign in fourth having filled the same position the previous season – in addition to reaching the Champion League semi-finals. After watching Leeds beat opening-day opponents Southampton in August 2001, Terry Venables felt United might finish even higher than fourth – yet O’Leary’s side dropped to fifth as the first signs of the slide appeared. Venables, who would end up being a Leeds manager the following year, cast his view as part ITV’s coverage of the opening day of the season. United’s first test came against a Saints side who had finished the previous term in 10th place under boss Stuart Gray, Glenn Hoddle having left for the Tottenha...

COME BACK SEAN Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman I could tolerate our involvement at the bottom of the Premier League for as long as it only meant doing a thing I like doing anyway: watching my faves Leeds United play football games. But now it’s April and there aren’t many games left, perversely I have to watch more games, most of which I really do not want to watch. So Thursday night I watched Burnley vs Southampton. Did my noble sacrifice not deserve reward? Southampton apparently thought not. They let Connor Roberts take the lead early, and Burnley could have added approximately 100 goals in the first half if only their striker Wout Weghorst was better and Southampton’s goalie Fraser Forster was worse. Or didn’t need a new contract, which amounts to the same thing. Instead at half-time it was only 2-0, Nathan Collins heading in a corner just before the break. The second half was even harder to watch, a 45 minute death march as Southampton were kicked out of the changi...

DOUBLE ACT Written by: Rob Conlon It’s not just Leeds United’s players trying to get used to Jesse Marsch’s football, but everyone watching inside Elland Road. Against Southampton, Leeds looked like a team used to playing one way, still learning how to play another. The crowd was caught somewhere in between. While Leeds’ outfielders were reminding themselves Marsch wants to go “from 100 to 70”, the fans still see moments to go from “100 to 150”. That meant everybody was shouting at Illan Meslier, all asking for different things. If goal-kicks were passed short to Diego Llorente, we wanted them hoofed up the pitch away from him. When Meslier kicked long, fans in the Kop were bemoaning a ‘nothing ball’ the moment it left his foot — even if Luke Ayling won the subsequent header. The uncertainty is spreading to the gantry. Bryn Law was commentating for LUTV, spotting a chance for Leeds to counter-attack after Meslier caught a Southampton cross. “Well, Leeds won’t hang around now, w...

By Mark Smith We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett to the MOT Leeds News team. Each week, Hackett will discuss the big moments from the latest Leeds United games and deliver his verdict on whether his successors got their calls right or wrong… Keith Hackett has insisted that Leeds United should have had a penalty in their 1-1 draw against Southampton. The ex-FIFA official shared that Joe Gelhardt was bodychecked in the final few minutes, and it was a clear foul. Hackett admitted that is why VAR is in use in the Premier League, although it wasn’t checked at Elland Road for whatever reason. “That’s a penalty,” he exclusively told MOT Leeds News. “Player has bodychecked him, it’s a foul, so it’s a penalty kick. That’s a bodycheck by the player, great angle and that’s a penalty kick. “He’s gone across him, it’s a penalty, definite. At the end of the day, that is why we have VAR.” At a stage where points are so important in the Premier Leagu...

A point gained or two points dropped? By Lee Sobot In the end, it doesn’t really matter how and when Leeds United get them, as long as they get enough. The signs are that they will, Burnley and Watford again lending another helping hand at the weekend in the Whites’ survival bid. But there’s not much doubt that proving more effective in the final third would greatly boost United’s cause and starting Joe Gelhardt could be a good move to making that happen. Opinions were, by and large, divided on Saturday’s Premier League clash against the Saints in terms of whether Leeds, or Southampton for that matter, deserved more than a draw. Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl felt his side were closer to winning the contest than Jesse Marsch’s side and the visitors served up more attempts at goal and more shots on target than the Whites - but only just. The Saints weighed in with 14 shots at goal, six of which were on target, whilst Leeds contributed 12 attempts, just three of which were in...

88 KEY SMILE Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman Leeds manager Jesse Marsch was getting wound up by the end of this game, berating his own bench for substituting the wrong player, berating the referee over a foul and getting a yellow card. The situations would have enraged anybody. Subs are simple and important. The ref, Anthony Taylor, was so inconsistent I swear at one point I saw him with a full head of hair. At the final whistle Marsch uncoiled, the stress leaving his body in a rush. He embraced his Southampton counterpart, Ralph Hasenhüttl, with warm smiles and laughter, coming back to him a few minutes later for more joviality before they walked down the tunnel. Leeds fans, not getting any explosive last minute winners this time, were choosing their emotions between underwhelmed by the football, disappointed to only draw and relieved to gain a point, but Jesse seemed just glad to share the points and a handshake with Ralph. “Nice to see him,” Marsch said, “and also his ...

Jack Harrison felt Leeds United probably warranted all three points against Southampton - but said his Whites must be grateful for every point they get in the Premier League run-in. By Lee Sobot Fifth-bottom Leeds were seeking a third consecutive league win in Saturday's home clash against the 11th-placed Saints and Harrison fired Jesse Marsch's side into a 29th-minute lead. Southampton, though, ensured they left Elland Road with a point after England international James Ward-Prowse fired home a trademark free-kick into the top left corner four minutes after the break. The draw put United eight points clear of the drop zone with seven games left although the four teams below the Whites all have games in hand. "At this point we have to be grateful for any points," said Harrison to LUTV. "I think we were definitely hoping for three and I think maybe we deserved three. "We created some chances in the second half, and the first half as well and I f...

Jesse Marsch could tell Leeds United are making good progress by how little he shouted at his players during their 1-1 draw with Southampton. By Stuart Rayner Although the Whites were unable to turn consecutive victories into three straight wins despite taking the lead through Jack Harrison, new coach Marsch is trying to focus on the bigger picture, and was pleased with what he saw from his side in a game that was at times extremely frantic. Harrison's goal was cancelled out by a second-half free-kick by James Ward-Prowse and despite a number of chances, Leeds were unable to find a winner. Their coach, though, was pleased with the performance. "There was a clarity of what we want the game to look like tactically, we were balanced, we didn’t give much away," he reflected. "We are trying to turn advantages into real chances, real chances into goals. "I’m not worried about that - we have quality, with this style we will always be able to create chances. I...

Leeds United tried their hardest, but they just could not ram home victory in the end. By Stuart Rayner Under Jesse Marsch, Leeds try to score goals as much through force of personality as finesse and for a good period of the match it looked like they would but they gave James Ward-Prowse one opportunity to show off his incredible skills at free-kicks and had to settle for a 1-1 draw as a result. It was tough on Leeds but a reminder that although they are heading in the right direction under the American, there is further to go. They simply must be more ruthless, not that the failing is unique to this iteration of the Whites. For a good 35 minutes the game had been the one they wanted and they got their reward with a goal for Jack Harrison. But only one goal. And in the Premier League, the opposition will always have chances to score themselves. For a period in the second half, left-back Kyle Walker-Peters, fresh from his first two England caps, was electric, and he won a fre...

Leeds United were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton at a sun-soaked Elland Road on Saturday afternoon. By Flora Snelson Jack Harrison gave a deserved lead with a scrappy close-range goal as, boosted by the return of several key players, the Whites put in a dominant first-half display. Southampton bit back, though, through a delicious free-kick by set piece magician James Ward-Prowse just after half-time. Neither side could find a winner so the points were shared at Elland Road. With relegation rivals Watford and Burnley both suffering 2-0 defeats, United inch a little closer to safety by pulling eight points clear of the drop zone. With Patrick Bamford sidelined for six weeks with a plantar fascia rupture, Jesse Marsch opted to put winger Dan James up front as Raphinha returned from a COVID infection to replace the Welshman on the flanks, while Liam Cooper made his first start since December after recovering from a hamstring injury. As a makeshift attack, James and Rodrigo ...

Leeds 1-1 Southampton: Jack Harrison had given the hosts a first-half lead at Elland Road Mark Walker James Ward-Prowse produced more free-kick magic to earn Southampton a 1-1 draw at Leeds and halt their four-game losing run. The England midfielder curled home a trademark free-kick early in the second half after Jack Harrison had given Leeds an interval lead. Southampton had lost their previous three Premier League games before a thumping home FA Cup defeat by Manchester City and will be happier than Leeds with a point. The home side, chasing a third straight win in their relegation fight, deserved their half-time advantage, but lost their way after the break before being roared on by their fans for another grandstand finish. Leeds, who edged a point further away from the bottom three, had won their last two games with stoppage-time winners, but it was not to be against the Saints, who were good value for a share of the spoils. Leeds made their accustomed breakneck start...

Leeds United captain Liam Cooper has expressed his delight at his return to fitness and backed team mate Patrick Bamford to return an even stronger player. By Lee Sobot Cooper has not featured for Leeds since injuring his hamstring in the 2-2 draw at home to Brentford on December 5 but the skipper was an unused substitute in the epic 3-2 win at Wolves before the international break. Whites boss Jesse Marsch has since revealed that both Cooper and also Kalvin Phillips are close to being 90-minutes fit ahead of today's return to Premier League action against Southampton but Cooper has also shared some words on newly inured striker Patrick Bamford ahead of his own return. Bamford had been playing with a plantar fascia injury for the last 12 months but returned to the side following a three-month lay off as a second-half substitute in last month's 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa. The Whites no 9 then played the first half of the 2-1 victory at home to Norwich City and a...