Cardiff City 2-2 Leeds United: Second chances
Leeds had 6,000 fans in Cardiff, just like the Championship days, booing them off at half-time, just like the Championship days.
Should have known, really! Should have known. There was a bit, a short time before kick-off, perusing Cardiff City’s team news, comparing their new stadium to the old and angry Ninian Park, thinking about the quality that exists in Leeds United’s Premier League squad, when I thought: this might be fine. This game could be simple. Leeds could calmly win 3-0. Our opponents, from the bottom of the Championship, were ill and understrength. Leeds United were also understrength. And it was them who made me sick.
There was not much to object to in United’s starting line-up, especially once Jesse Marsch reeled off the list of muscular injuries affecting absent players. But sure, give Junior Firpo a shot, bring Rasmus Kristensen back, try Darko Gyabi in midfield, give Joe Gelhardt some playing time, put Pascal Struijk to centre-back — and captain. All moves with merit. But on top of the changes, Marsch asked them to play like... like what the heck?
I’m sure those weren’t his exact instructions, but that was the result. The instructions were more along the lines of Firpo, Struijk and Diego Llorente forming a back three, while Kristensen stretched the definition of wing-back by pushing right up to the forward line. There were some moments, a Gyabi shot zipping by the post, and him dribbling into the penalty area; Wilf Gnonto was booked for diving when he could have set up a goal, a Crysencio Summerville cross lacked a head, Gnonto’s head lacked direction when he put Sam Greenwood’s corner high over the bar.
But none of this was because the tactical plan was working. The first point of failure was the lack of quality on the ball both to and from Kristensen. Passes kept going in his direction, but they either missed him, or he couldn’t control them, or if he got them, he couldn’t do anything useful. Pushing a wing-back forward as extra attacker is one of those ideas that looks great on a chalkboard, but on the pitch, it means constantly setting up dangerous positions with the ball at the feet of the least dangerous attacking player. Why put all the forward play through Kristensen, when you could be giving the ball to Gnonto or Summerville? And where had they gone, anyway? Vaguely to Kristensen’s left, along with Joe Gelhardt and Brenden Aaronson, four attackers being bypassed to feed the right-back, while they ran into each other, getting in each other’s way. Gelhardt, the deputy number nine desperate to thrive, had one touch in the penalty area.
Cardiff didn’t pose much danger because they’re not a good team and this was their second string anyway, but that’s all they needed to lead 2-0 at half-time. For the first goal, as they broke on Leeds’ left, the shuffle to a back four as Kristensen ran back to defend left Struijk marking two, one of whom he seemed to be leaving to Llorente, who had no idea this was the plan. Joel Robles stopped the first shot but Cardiff kept the ball alive and Jaden Philogene scored while Leeds scrambled. For the second, Cardiff profited from a simple tactic they tried a lot: chipping the ball just slightly over our defenders, so they weren’t sure whether to backpedal or duck and ended up spinning to face goal. Llorente got a slight touch on Andy Rinomhota’s chip to Sheyi Ojo, who controlled on his chest and shot smartly in. Leeds had 6,000 fans in Cardiff, just like the Championship days, booing them off at half-time, just like the Championship days.