. . . Gracia’s softly-softly style has Leeds looking up
On first evidence, Javi Gracia is going to use a lighter touch to try to guide Leeds United out of trouble, rather than the super-intensity of Jesse Marsch.
The placid Spaniard bantered with match officials at Elland Road instead of hammering them as his predecessor sometimes did. His policy of calmly praising players was also a contrast to Marsch, who often preferred stress as his fuel.
One win against a poor Southampton team does not confirm Leeds have turned the corner completely, but Gracia’sas manner on the touchline givess them hope, as does their first league victory since nce Bonfire night.
Whereas Marsch had d been fined £10,000 and given a touchline ban for his antics during a loss to Brentford, Gracia treated the Saints’ frustrating spoiling tactics like water off a duck’s back. .
‘ In my opinion, we e should have played more ore than one minute of added dded time in the first half because ecause there were three or four stoppages,’ he said. ‘At the end of the game, when we were winning, I spoke with the assistant and told him “now, put only one minute”. But he didn’t do it — he put five!
‘I trust and believe in all my players, but can only choose 11. It is hard because all of them are working really well and deserve to play.’
Encouragingly, the three substitutions Gracia made all worked. Wilfred Gnonto’s withdrawal was a surprise but his replacement,
CrysencioCryse Summerville,merville did enough in half an hour to be considered man-of-the-match. Record signing Georginio Rutter was introduced after 75 minutes and two minutes later, Leeds scored.
Summerville fed Jack Harrison, whose backheel allowed left back Junior Firpo to register his first Premier League goal.
‘I was always thinking what the team needed in certain moments,’ explained Gracia, who took Watford to an FA Cup final in his previous spell in England. ‘For the first one, I was thinking about the wide positions. With Georginio, it was to be stronger in the middle and more offensive, because we were looking for a goal.’
Simple stuff maybe, but after the frenzy of Marcelo Bielsa and Marsch, simple probably suits Leeds, even if Gracia was only appointed after they failed to land other targets.
For now, they are out of the bottom three and Firpo thinks it is about time given that performances have been better than results.
‘We didn’t deserve to be there,’ he insisted. ‘We were worried this would be another game where we’d have chances and the other team scores.
‘It’s been one of the toughest times of my career, but I said to the new coaches this is one of the best dressing rooms I’ve ever known and we deserve to be in the Premier League.’
Firpo’s day was completed by having family and friends over from Spain to see him score. ‘When they come, I always have an amazing game, so I will have to invite them again!’ he smiled.
Smiles were in short supply at Southampton, whose delaying attempts backfired. At one point Gavin Bazunu waited an age for Romain Perraud to tie up his bootlaces before taking a goal-kick.
Their win against Chelsea had persuaded the board to give interim manager Ruben Selles the job until the end of the season. It has not taken long for the feelgood factor to wear off and Mohamed Elyounoussi acknowledged they cannot be passive in a relegation scrap.
‘Leeds looked more aggressive than us, which is disappointing,’ he admitted. ‘It’s a hard one to answer. We are going to analyse every bit of the game and see what we can do better. Consistency and confidence are everything. We need to find it.’
Selles’ selection in goal for Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Grimsby will be interesting. Firpo’s shot lacked power in beating Bazunu and while the manager defended his keeper, he has other options in Willy Caballero and Alex McCarthy.
LEEDS (4-4-2): Meslier 6; Ayling 7, Wober 6, Koch 6, Firpo 7; Harrison 7, Adams 7, McKennie 7, Gnonto 7 (SUMMERVILLE 60, 7.5); Bamford 6 (Roca 86), Aaronson 6 (Rutter 75). Scorer: Firpo 77. Booked: Gnonto, Bamford. Manager: Javi Gracia 7.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-2-2-2): Bazunu 5.5; Maitland-Niles 5.5, Bednarek 6, Bella-Kotchap 6, Perraud 6 (Walker-Peters 71, 6);
S Armstrong 6 (Walcott 63 6), Ward-Prowse 6; Lavia 5.5, Elyounoussi 6 (A Armstrong 82); Sulemana 6.5 (Diallo 63, 5.5), Onuachu 6 (Mara 63, 6). Booked: S Armstrong, Lavia, Diallo, Bella-Kotchap.
Manager: Ruben Selles 5.
Referee: Peter Bankes 6.
Attendance: 36,641.