Fulham 1-0 Leeds United: Slow boat versus showboat
Players like Kevin come at a cost: of money, soul, time and boredom. The good news is, it can be done. That's not necessarily good news.
Players like Kevin come at a cost: of money, soul, time and boredom. The good news is, it can be done. That's not necessarily good news.
The two games at Elland Road this season have been invitations to make and feel the difference in the place where it matters, where at its best it can be felt far beyond Beeston.
Most of the 591 passes went side to side and side to side and side to side then side to side. The whole thing was a collective failure to engage brains, summed up at what's supposedly United's new superpower, set-pieces.
At least Sean Longstaff has experience of handling this sort of defeat: he's lost 4-0 and 4-1 at the Emirates for Newcastle. You can either view that as the record of a loser or assume it has instilled resilience, and that might go to the heart of the argument.
These three precious points are one more gift from the 2025 Champions to themselves and the players getting ready to join in.
Every part of this match was untraditional, bordering on blasphemic. A lot of this feels like what a lot of people absolutely do not want football to be like, but then when football is like this, it starts to feel quite fun.
That solid outfield nine with their lone striker and their height for set-pieces could be just the thing for survival. But what if it's not fun?
As football develops its technical side, one thing becomes clearer: it's really better watched there, with a beer.
This game was important for the players to build up their fitness, and then fans are encouraged to treat it that way, watching carefully to see if the players are getting their sprints in. Never mind expected goals, give me the expected Body Mass Index and a trophy to go along with it.
The game is better this way, trust me. And trust yourself, and how you felt when Solomon scored the winner. And trust the incomprehensible history of Leeds United Football Club.