Leeds United 1-1 Villarreal: Quick to the grind
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?
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.
Few footballers combine the skills of Wilf Gnonto with the body of John Pearson. You pays your money and takes your shortarses, and wager that you'll meet few enough shithouse teams and get enough points off them.
Football is ninety minutes of striving for joy and, given the odds, winning is so rare that to demand it of the participants would be foolish of me and unfair on them.