Leeds United: Baffled pundit brands club ‘really strange’ amid Willy Gnonto and Patrick Bamford situations
Tony Cascarino is baffled by Leeds United and cannot call their chances of escaping relegation under Javi Gracia, branding them “really strange”.
The Whites picked up a creditable point in the 2-2 with Brighton at Elland Road on Saturday (11 March), yet results elsewhere saw them slip to 19th.
And with the manager again opting to leave star Italian international Willy Gnonto on the bench, and Patrick Bamford still being short of his best after so many injury issues, the pundit doesn’t know what to expect except for the fact that the home crowd at Elland Road will be an asset.
Speaking on The Game Football Podcast from The Times (14 March, 41m 55s) Cascarino attempted to asses the Whites’ relegation chances relative to the teams around them, saying: “The 12th man effect of say West Ham, they can be just as bad if they’re not getting results, but Leeds certainly tick that box [and] Everton do.
“You’d normally think that West Ham, with a 60,000 stadium would be really lively, which it can be. Then the likes of Bournemouth and Southampton who are down there, it isn’t quite the same.
“So yes it helps, but [Leeds] are quite a young team.
“But the interesting thing I would say is Gnonto being left out, coming on as a sub. He looked like he was going to be one to make a difference towards the end of the season, him and [Crysencio] Summerville.
“Bamford didn’t look fit. [But] he looks like he’s fitter and in a better place than he was, obviously with more time on the pitch.
“Leeds are still a really strange side to call.”
Kept guessing
The Leeds United fans will be giving it everything at every home game until top flight safety is won or lost, but for every positive step right now there remains a lot of danger.
Finally getting the new manager in brought a crucial first win in months against Southampton on 25 February, but upturns in form elsewhere in the relegation battle have seen the club remain firmly in the bottom three.
Bamford found the net for the first time in seven Premier League games against the Seagulls, but is still not at 100% and is arguing with his teammates amid a breakdown in communication.
Top scorer Rodrigo is finally back in action, but the demotion of Gnonto continues to confound as the underwhelming Brenden Aaronson, who managed to enrage his Spanish teammate, and Jack Harrison are backed instead.
Even the English winger popped up with an excellent goal and assist to secure the point against Roberto De Zerbi’s men, but his performance otherwise was disjointed and he also managed to needlessly skew a clearance into his own net.
So it is little wonder that Cascarino doesn’t know which way things are headed, and likely nor do most fans at this point.
Four points from three games against Southampton, Chelsea and Brighton is not a bad return for Gracia, but that form is going to need to be maintained if not improved if the Whites are going to scrape out of this mess again.
In other Leeds United news, a standout first-team player is reportedly “very happy” to leave as an audacious transfer offer is lined up from abroad.
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