Leeds United 1-0 Everton: Still the Champions again, olé olé
These three precious points are one more gift from the 2025 Champions to themselves and the players getting ready to join in.
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.
Going up and staying up are two different things; proposing and building are two different things; 1st and 2nd are two different things; football and everything else are two different things. From everything over the last week, I'll take the football.
The Premier League? What might be next are a lot of things we won't like. Gradually, then suddenly, Leeds United could change. But for two weeks we have a club with no stress and a team that, when there is no stress, wins 6-0 and makes us happy. It only becomes a moment when it's over.
We could have kept all the clean sheets we liked, won all the games we wanted, but never without feeling that hot breath on our necks, stale grease and rancid butter. Until this weekend.
There's still plenty of time for Leeds to throw this season away, but this is also the time for them to gather their resources, review what and who works under pressure, and just bang it long to Bamford when required.