THE DAMN FINE UNITED?
It’s been quite the stomach-churning white-knuckle ride for Leeds United over the past decade. Their fans have been forced to endure more highs, lows, loops, corkscrews and rolls than a thrill-seeking visitor on Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers. There have been b@nter eras, multiple owners, near-misses, promotions, relegations and managerial churn. The Marcelo Bielsa years will always be remembered as fondly as the Thomas Christiansen months have been erased from collective memory. Under Jesse Marsch, Leeds secured dramatic final-day Premier League survival at Brentford, before dropping through the trapdoor the following season despite the best efforts of the High Performance American and Lower Performance Javi Gracia and Big Sam Allardyce.
Three years ago, they were taken over by 49ers Enterprises, a USA USA USA-based organisation pursuing the endearingly romantic notion of extending their “brand into sports, entertainment and technology, leveraging team capabilities in marketing and operations”. Ever since, Leeds have been on an upward trajectory and on Monday night they secured a statement 4-1 victory that suggested for the first time in over 10 years, a period of long overdue stability – if not total serenity, admittedly – may be about to reign over Elland Road for a couple of weeks at least.
Under what the media are now obliged to describe as the [insert pertinent day of the week here] night lights of Elland Road, Leeds didn’t so much beat Newcastle as give them a horse-whipping. Stronger, faster, hungrier and quicker to every ball, there was one sustained period of dominance after they’d already gone 2-0 up when they left their visitors quite literally chasing shadows around the floodlit pitch. Watching his team concede another two goals before nabbing a late consolation, Matthias Jaissle looked shellshocked by their poor performance in the face of such an onslaught. “We couldn’t match the intensity and you see how difficult it can be to win a game in the Premier League,” sighed the German, whose promising start as Eddie Howe’s successor could scarcely have come to a more abrupt halt.
Despite admitting he prefers to celebrate a win by enjoying a hot beverage and cake on his sofa, such was the dominance of Leeds over Newcastle that Daniel Farke might have been tempted to unleash the inner “fire beast” to which he has previously alluded and swing from the chandeliers. “It’s important we stay humble, down to earth and can’t allow ourselves to be too big-time or too carried away,” he parped, suggesting a quiet night in with a mug of tea and a couple of accompanying fat rascals lay in store. Having seen their team leapfrog fellow title contenders Hull City to go third in the table, one suspects the post-match celebrations of many fans will not have been as abstemious. A tough bunch to please and often with good reason, they are happily marching on together. Onwards, upwards and in the direction of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in just two matches’ time.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join Scott Murray from 8pm for hot Milk Cup minute-by-minute coverage of Liverpool 1-0 Tottenham, while Taha Hashim will be at the wheel for all the latest updates from Ipswich 1-3 Arsenal.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We cannot conduct a serious analysis when death threats are involved. Something suspicious is happening and it needs to be investigated. The sport has been tainted. My goalkeeper received threats against his life, his wife and his mother – he was told that if he didn’t pay a specific sum or concede three goals, they would be killed” – Guabirá head coach Leonardo Egüez claims that Juan Manuel Ferrel received death threats before their 6-0 defeat by Club Always Ready in the Bolivian top flight. “Football must not be tainted,” said Club Always Ready’s legal adviser Marcelo Ortiz. “We will ask the public prosecutor’s office to investigate so that the sport’s integrity is preserved.”
after newsletter promotion
After yet another VAR offside fiasco at the weekend (yesterday’s Football Daily), centering on whether a player diving towards the goal is active or not, can I suggest we take subjectivity out of the equation? We have this nice, already marked, box on the field which is used to decide how harshly punished a foul is. So can we not just say everyone in the penalty area is active, no matter what they’re doing, and judge offsides accordingly?” – Hugh Fordham.
Re: Arsenal demanding a meeting with Pro Ref after a penalty decision (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). It should write to Mikel Arteta and ask why he feels the need to repeatedly leave his technical area. After all, ‘it is unacceptable at this level’” – Deryck Hall.
Chris Brown’s observation that ‘Spurs’ front three right now pose about as much threat as a Muttley-SpongeBob-Sylvester the Cat trio’ (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) brought to mind the obvious conclusion that it’s not Messrs Lange and Venkatesham who are in charge of player investments, but Wile E Coyote. Spurs’ strategy seems to be just as sound as all Mr Coyote’s purchases from Acme Co in his private pursuits” – Peter Rehwaldt.
I have to take Chris to task. A front three has never worked for Spurs; they should either go with Muttley up top on his own (Clive Allen-esque), where he will bang in 49 goals per season (probably) if Spurs use the next transfer window wisely, and he gets the right service from midfield and the wings from Johnny Bravo (Hoddle) and Scooby Doo’s Shaggy (Waddle). Alternatively, Muttley could do a job in a front two, in a Klinsmann-esque pairing with Fred (Sheringham). What a dastardly duo that would be” – Dexter O’ Riordan.
If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day goes to … Peter Rehwaldt. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
The Football Weekly pod squad bods are back to pick over all the latest action around Europe and discuss who should win the men’s Ballon d’Or. And here’s the latest episode of Women’s Football Weekly on Chelsea’s five-star WSL showing and Arsenal’s home frustration.
RECOMMENDED LOOKING
It’s David Squires on … a big weekend for controversial calls in the Premier League.
Leave a Reply