Leeds United got their second push for promotion from The Championship to the Premier League off to a shaky start on Saturday, and Daniel Farke says one player was trying too hard.
Despite a brilliant start to the opening game of the season in which Leeds hit the bar three times and then Pascal Struijk scored a penalty, leeds failed to hold onto three points and drew 3-3 at Elland Road.
Portsmouth took the lead against the run of play twice, leading 2-1 and 3-2. Brenden Aaronson made it 3-3, after coming off the bench to score only his second Leeds goal and should have scored a brace.
But the USA star went from zero to hero, back to zero again. His last-gasp effort sent wide when it was easier to score. Farke was asked about the substitutions he made after the game in his press conference.
Had it not been for Mateo Joseph’s stunning pre-season, Joel Piroe would have been expecting to start. The £16m signing himself scored twice in the off-season, both goals coming in friendlies in Germany.
But he was limited to a 72nd-minute sub alongside Aaronson. Piroe laid on an assist for Aaronson’s goal, though the American’s effort was largely the former Salzburg playmaker’s doing rather than Piroe’s vision.
“Our game was not great after the changes. Over-motivated maybe to show in this 25 minutes every player wanted to show their worth. Mistakes across the whole squad,” Farke said, talking to Leeds Live.
“Quite normal at 2-2 after 75 and you have missed chances, perhaps some lads get tired. Natural feeling you get that nervous. Brenden had mistakes. Joel trying to prove his worth too much. Difficult to say.”
Speaking after the 3-3 draw, John Mousinho said he expects some Leeds players to leave before the August deadline. He says if he was a Premier League manager, he’d be snapping them up this summer.
One player that has been linked with an exit is striker Piroe. It is claimed there is foreign interest in the striker, just a year after Leeds signed him from Swansea as he struggles to start under manager Farke.
If he continues to sit on the sidelines as cover for Joseph, and possibly even third choice behind Patrick Bamford given he lost his place in the side to Bamford last term, perhaps he may look for an exit.
Leeds are expected to get busy in the next few weeks as The Whites look to bolster their squad ahead of a second promotion push. The opening day saw Leeds only secure a point at home against Portsmouth.
So far, Joe Rodon, Joe Rothwell, Alex Cairns and Jayden Bogle have been added. Gilchrist joined Sheffield United on loan for the campaign and can play either on the right or in the middle of the defence.
Leeds look well-stocked in defence largely thanks to the additions of Bogle and Rodon, as well as James Debayo being promoted to the senior side after a strong pre-season in which he played in all four games.
Fabrizio Romano reported on Saturday evening that Leeds and Burnley were keen on signing Chelsea’s 21-year-old centre-back Bashir Humphreys. The England U21 man spent last season on loan at Swansea.
The defender was described as “outstanding” by Swansea boss Michael Duff, playing the majority of his 27 appearances during the first half of the season before an injury saw him lose his place in the side.
The Mail now claim (11/08, p86) that both Leeds and Burnley have tabled offers to sign Humphreys. It is expected that the bids in question will be loan offers, with three years left on his Stamford Bridge deal.
While Leeds do need another full-back given there are only three options covering two positions, the need for a central defender is small. Debayo has proven his worth as a replacement for Charlie Cresswell.
Austria international Wober is back at the club. But a move to sign Humphreys would not only be harsh on Debayo given it would see him drop down the pecking order – but may hint at a Wober departure.
Gladbach’s sporting director Roland Virkus says his side could make a late move for Wober this window. Whether or not Leeds do end up making a move for Humphreys remains to be seen this month.
That is according to BBC Radio Leeds pundit and former Elland Road star Aidy White, who was on co-commentary duties on Saturday. Leeds failed to pick up all three points as Portsmouth held The Whites.
That is despite an early barrage from Daniel Farke’s side. The crossbar was rattled three times by Leeds before Pascal Struijk slotted a penalty on 10 minutes, early dominance matching pre-game expectation.
However, Portsmouth lead 2-1 at the break. Two shots, two goals as John Mousinho’s side came from behind and capitalised on defensive mistakes. Gnonto immediately restored parity after the break.
But Portsmouth were not done, scoring a 92nd-minute goal to go 3-2 up. Brenden Aaronson equalised, only his second goal for Leeds, before missing a glorious chance to win the game 4-3 at Elland Road.
Having had a hand in 24 goals and assists in 51 games last season, Rutter has become a targeted man. Not just on the pitch, but off it too after Brighton had a bid of £30m rejected for the French attacker.
Of those 24 involvements, 16 were assists and on Saturday he laid on Gnonto’s effort. But on the whole, it was a largely frustrating afternoon for Rutter and White thinks other teams now know how to stop him.
“Hit and miss. He draws a lot of fouls. Everybody knows what it is about now and opposition are looking at it and thinking, well, you can’t let him turn, so they are holding onto him, if he does turn, they foul him.
“So he has just got to adapt his game maybe slightly, don’t hold onto the ball as much and don’t create as much tension around him, draw in those fouls if he can release it quicker,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.
The attacker was the heartbeat of Leeds’ play in the final third last season and if Farke’s men are to do anything this time around, he must be the main man once again. Against Portsmouth, he did very little.
White is right in saying that while opponents have found a way to stop Rutter in fouling him, he needs to create ways of getting round that. Winning free-kicks is fine, but it stops flow and a quick transition.
Something which Leeds prided themselves on last season. The Whites thrive on a quick counter and exploring spaces and gaps in behind, so getting the best out of Rutter is absolutely pivotal for Leeds.
Pascal Struijk, Wilfried Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson got their names on the score sheet on Saturday as Leeds went in front, before coming from behind twice to secure a point in the opener at Elland Road.
But it should have been all three. Leeds hit the bar three times inside the first 10 minutes, and only a leaky back door prevented Daniel Farke’s side from picking up three points against John Mousinho’s side.
Aaronson of course, missed a golden chance moments after equalising on 95 minutes. Somehow lashing a shot wide with the goal gaping, having just put Leeds on level terms – only his second goal for Leeds.
Mateo Joseph started up top for Leeds after a wonderful pre-season, while Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford came off the bench to try and find an equaliser and then a winner as Farke pushed for all three points.
But despite that, pundit Kris Boyd told Sky Sports News (10/08, 2.45PM) that he thinks Leeds should go and sign Szmodics from Blackburn, who scored one and laid on another in Blackburn’s win over Derby.
“Go and get a striker like Sammie Szmodics. Can you get him maybe? Go and get someone because they created loads of opportunities, but I will be honest with you, they never really looked like scoring.”
Reports emerged while in Germany that said Leeds were battling Ipswich for Szmodics, after the Ireland international won last season’s Championship golden boot. But those reports have since been dismissed.
The chances of Leeds signing a striker when Joseph, Bamford, Piroe and of course Joe Gelhardt remain on the books seems unlikely. But Boyd is right – Leeds had chances, but did not look particularly clinical.
Perhaps, just a bit of early-season rustiness in front of goal that will improve when the likes of Joseph and Piroe get their first goals of the season. “Incredible” striker Szmodics has been rated at a fee of £20m.
Goals from Pascal Struijk, Wilfried Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson saw Leeds draw 3-3 with Portsmouth, in what was their first game back in The Championship. Defensively, Leeds failed to keep Pompey at bay.
Goals from Pascal Struijk, Wilfried Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson saw Leeds draw 3-3 with Portsmouth, in what was their first game back in The Championship. Defensively, Leeds failed to keep Pompey at bay.
So far this summer, Leeds have sold seven players. Three of which were key for The Whites last season in the form of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Glen Kamara, the trio raking in more than a £70m fee.
Others have been linked with the exit door, most notably Gnonto and Junior Firpo. As per Leeds Live, the Portsmouth manager reckons some players will leave and join a Premier League club before the deadline.
“If I’m a Premier League manager I’m snapping up some of their players. Multi-million-pound players. I don’t know if many will go over the next three weeks, but I know I would be snapping them up,” he said.
He would be foolish to say anything otherwise, but the Pompey manager was magnanimous having stolen a point from Elland Road. Mousinho said Leeds deserved to win, when giving his thoughts.
“Difficult to sum up. Brilliant point. Poor week after the friendlies. Lads gave everything. Leed know they have been in a game. Gutted not to win. Good point. Leeds deserved to win the game, outstanding side.”
Leeds have an immediate chance to put things right when they face Luke Ayling’s Middlesbrough on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup, before going to Carlos Corberan’s West Brom next Saturday.
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