The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 8th January) Cruel end to seven goal thriller
Good Morning. It's Thursday 8th January, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Cruel end to seven goal thriller
Leeds United’s remarkable seven‐match unbeaten run finally met its match at St James’ Park last night, but there was nothing meek about their exit. Thrust into their fourth fixture in just ten days, Daniel Farke's side stood toe to toe with a Champions League bound Newcastle outfit that had only lost once at home (to Arsenal) in ten games. In a roller-coaster of an encounter, Leeds led three separate times, coming from behind to seize a 3-2 advantage well past the 90th minute. Those valiant strikes of character only made the eventual 4-3 defeat, sealed by two injury-time goals, including a controversial penalty all the more brutal to swallow.
From the opening whistle, the Whites refused to be overawed by the Toon army. Their high-octane pressing disrupted Eddie Howe’s fluid build-up on the flanks. In midfield, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach and Brenden Aaronson combined tenacity with poise, recycling possession quickly and launching incisive counters whenever opportunities arose. Yet Leeds also showed vulnerabilities at the back, something the Leeds Utd faithful have not seen since transitioning into a back three, perhaps indicating that lynchpin Joe Rodon was bought back to the fold too soon, proved by his 5.9 Whoscored rating, the lowest rated outfield player on the night.
While the loss stings, it cannot erase the confidence Leeds have built since November. During his post match presser, Farke was quick to highlight the positives. "It's football, it was a great advertisement for the Premier League. A game full of class. Of course there were mistakes otherwise there wouldn't be goals. But more or less football how we want to see it - emotional, offensive, great from us here at Newcastle. It was always clear the not-losing streak would come to an end and I would prefer to do it like this, a top performance from the lads.
Of course it’s heart-breaking to concede a penalty in the 91st minute and then concede again in the 12th minute of added time. We should have been a bit smarter in the final stages in terms of game management because it was like a basketball game and a point for us would have been a bit more valuable. We were a bit naïve.
On conceding a late penalty...
If this is a penalty in this situation then I've got no clue about football. It is not in the sense of the game to give away such a decisive penalty. Of course it's heart-breaking for the lads. It was more like on the line, but not one intention to play the ball so in this sense of the game, it should never be a penalty but we have to accept it. There was a lot of pressure on the referees with the whole home crowd looking for a penalty.
Leeds top unwanted late goal trend
Newcastle United’s 102nd minute winner at St James Park was the latest in trend of late goals conceded by Leeds United this season. With eight goals shipped in injury time this season, more than any other club. With late goals against Fulham, Bournemouth, Manchester City and now Newcastle all costing us points, Daniel Farke’s side finds itself at the unwanted summit of this unwanted statistic.
To put it into perspective, teams like Everton, Sunderland and Aston Villa haven’t conceded a single goal after the 90th minute, while Nottingham Forest have let in just one. Even established outfits such as Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Manchester City and Fulham have conceded only twice in injury time. So why do the Whites keep leaking goals when it matters most?
First, the shape of Leeds’ goals-against graph over the 90-plus minutes is revealing. They have conceded four goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches, which ranks ninth in the division, not brilliant, but hardly catastrophic. Between the 16th and 30th minutes, they’ve let in five (fifth-worst), and from the 31st to 45th they’ve only conceded two (second to top). In first-half injury time the picture steadies further with just one goal conceded (12th).
The alarm bells really start ringing early in the second half with eight goals against. from 46 to 60 minutes places them second-worst; only Fulham, on ten, have been more porous during that spell. That vulnerability washes into the 61st–75th minute zone too, where Leeds have conceded seven times, third highest behind West Ham and Wolves. Curiously, they then become the tightest defence from the 76th to 90th minute, shipping just two goals, before unravelling again in added time.
At the heart of the issue sits squad depth, or rather the lack of it. Unlike the Premier League’s elite, Leeds cannot call upon a clutch of game-changing subs to freshen legs or switch a match’s momentum in the closing stages. Managers often rely on experienced campaigners with proven calmness under pressure; Farke’s bench is thinner, and less experienced than most. When fatigue starts to set in Farke’s tendency is to hold back and leave subs until later in the game. Consequently, as legs tire and concentration wavers, opponents find extra space and exploit defensive gaps with greater ease.
Leeds play with a full-throttle intensity that places huge physical demands on their players. Over the course of a long season, especially one recently disrupted by injuries and four fixtures in a short period of time, maintaining peak match sharpness and physical resilience becomes an uphill task. The demands seemed to catch up with the players last night, leaving the back line exposed to slick counter-attacks and set-piece traffic.
Questions may be raised about Farke’s subs and changes to formation late on, but many of the goals conceded late on have come from moments of misplaced marking or delayed reactions, hallmarks of fading legs rather than tactical naivety!
Remembering Terry Yorath
Leeds United are mourning the loss of former midfielder and academy graduate Terry Yorath, who has passed away aged 75. Yorath’s journey into football was an unlikely one, having initially excelled at rugby before a chance appearance for his brother’s school side set him on the path to Elland Road. Joining Leeds as a teenager in 1967, he spent years battling for a place in Don Revie’s star‑studded midfield, learning his trade behind legends such as Bremner, Giles, Madeley and Gray. His patience was eventually rewarded. By the 1972–73 season injuries opened the door, and Yorath seized his opportunity, going on to play a key role in the club’s 1974 First Division title triumph and featuring in major European and domestic finals along the way.
Though often under‑appreciated for his graft compared to more glamorous teammates, Yorath epitomised the grit and discipline of Revie’s great Leeds sides. He made nearly 200 appearances before moving to Coventry City in 1976, captaining them and later representing Spurs, Vancouver Whitecaps and Bradford City. A proud Welshman, he earned 59 caps (42 as captain) and went on to manage his country, famously taking Wales agonisingly close to the 1994 World Cup. Yorath’s managerial career also included spells at Swansea, Bradford, Cardiff, Sheffield Wednesday and Margate. His legacy is one of resilience, leadership, and quiet professionalism, qualities that endeared him to teammates. Elland Road will remember him as one of its most dedicated servants.