THE KING OF EL LAND ROAD
No Grealish, no bother, as Dutch star shines for Villa
REVENGE was sweet for Anwar El Ghazi as he and Aston Villa exorcised the ghost of Patrick Bamford.
And as far as the win delighted Villa boss Dean Smith it was proof that it’s not all about Jack Grealish.
Bamford had been public enemy number one as far as the West Midlands club was concerned.
He had helped himself to a hattrick in a comprehensive win earlier in the season at Villa Park while two years ago his play-acting led to El Gahzi being red-carded in a tempestuous affair.
It was a madcap game in which Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa (left) ordered his side to walk in an equaliser with the Holland international seeing red after Bamford went down claiming he had been elbowed. The red card was later rescinded and Bamford (below) handed a two-game ban for simulation.
It took just four minutes for a fired-up El Ghazi to extract some retribution as Villa proved there is life without their injured talisman Grealish.
The assist should probably go to the relaid Elland Road surface which has continually caused problems, with players struggling to stay upright following any sharp change of direction.
El Ghazi’s own corner caused the home side problems and when it wasn’t cleared Ollie Watkins took aim but slipped only for his attempted shot to find the winger for a crisp close-range finish. Maybe the Villa man was fearing the worst again here because he didn’t celebrate, expecting along with the Leeds defence an offside flag, which didn’t arrive and his sixth Premier League goal of the season was swiftly confirmed by VAR. Smith said: “We made a really good start and got on the front foot early.
“Our game plan worked. I knew Anwar was up for this game.
“Having played for Marcelo Bielsa at Lille he knew what he was in for and he’s a lot happier than the last time he was here.
“It’s nice to win a game without Jack. But as I’ve said those games we lost without him were against Liverpool who were top of the league, Leicester who went second and Wolves who went seventh.
But Jack will be the first back home to be cheering this win today.”
Leeds themselves had come close to taking advantage of the suspect surface even before El Ghazi was able to leave his calling card.
Bamford went flying in the first minute, inadvertently setting up an opportunity for Raphina, the Brazilian just failing to pounce as the ball flew across the face of the goal.
Bielsa said: “We played better than the opponents. The goal came from a chance that wasn’t intentional because of the pitch.
“A draw would have been something more logical. We couldn’t translate our dominance into goals.” It might not have reached the notoriety of the last meeting here when Leeds enraged their visitors by scoring when Villa had stopped playing with a man lying injured but it had its moments.
For once Leeds lost their way with their livewire act – one operated without a safety net.
There was plenty of hustle and bustle from Bielsa’s side but without the finishing power that has made them the Premier League’s great entertainers on their first season back among the elite.
Bamford, watched by England boss Gareth Southgate, failed to add to his growing reputation and
Raphina’s Brazilian magic, which has lit up Elland Road, took an evening off.
Raphina in fact had a late chance to rescue a point when Jack Harrison came off the substitutes bench to float in a cross but he mistimed his header and it glanced harmlessly wide.
It was El Ghazi – a man on a mission – who had come close to creating more havoc, going close twice on a couple of occasions, while Illan Meslier had to save smartly following a 50-yard run from Watkins.
Tyrone Mings and company protected keeper Emiliano Martinez who was suffering with a groin problem and was handed some painkillers to leave Bielsa with the headache.
For El Ghazi job done – for Bielsa more work ahead.
We made a really good start and got on the front foot early. Our game plan worked. I knew Anwar was up for this game