With this win, Fulham completed a league double over Leeds United for the first time since 1960. And the worry for Leeds fans is that it was a year they were relegated from the top flight. 63 years on, history appears to be repeating itself.
Sure, at least in this setback they didn’t concede five or six as has been their recent loss and results elsewhere may still keep them out of the bottom three. But this defeat was no misrepresentation. After winning three and drawing one of his first six games in charge, Javier Gracia’s new manager bounce has turned into a damp squib.
“I’m worried about everything,” said a forlorn sounding Leeds boss after the game. “It is our third defeat in a row and we have to improve in every area.”
He is right there. He might start with his keeper. Illan Meslier was directly responsible for both Fulham goals, padding crosses into the path of Harry Wilson, then Andreas Pereira, who finished with aplomb. These were wretched mistakes: the first he could have pushed over the bar, the second he diverted straight to an unmarked opponent. He might have pulled off a superb save in the first half to keep out Tosin Adarabioyo’s header from a free kick, but even that proved irrelevant: the Fulham defender was offside. The truth is in a game of few chances, Meslier was the man who made the difference.
“I prefer that I don’t speak individually about players,” Gracia said when asked about his keeper’s mistakes. “They are trying their best, all the players make mistakes, I prefer to keep the strength of the team, of the squad.”
In truth, Fulham spared Gracia’s side greater humiliation by spending much of the game merely buffing up the reputation of Aleksandar Mitrovic, still absent after his Old Trafford meltdown. They huffed and puffed, but conjured up barely a sniff at the goal, despite the promptings of the excellent Willian. But then who needs a striker when you are facing a keeper bearing gifts?
After such gut-wrenching setbacks, nobody could deny Leeds’s effort in response. Eager and committed, they worked tirelessly. But their only reward was a scrambled consolation from the substitute Patrick Bamford. And after he had offered hope, for all their honest toil, they failed, even in the eight minutes of added time, to create another chance. Their lack of threat was summed up in the last seconds when they won a corner. Meslier came up, the ball was cleared to the substitute Luis Sinisterra, who mishit a shot haplessly well wide.
“We have to believe,” said Gracia. “It is time to do it. We cannot have doubts. We did it four games ago, five games ago, we did it really well. We can do it again.”
The difficulty is knowing how. Because this is a team that offers so little creativity. Jack Harrison was easily corralled by Kenny Tete, while Weston McKennie and Marc Roca did little more than run around in their midfield opponents’ wash. Moreover, much to the vocal annoyance of the visiting supporters, Wilfried Gnonto was restricted to no more than a ten-minute cameo.
“All the players deserve to start,” said Gracia of why his most explosive forward was not trusted to start the game. “I have to decide what I believe is the best option for the team.”
The Leeds legions also have an idea on that. As the players left the pitch their chant of “Marcelo Bielsa” was a pointed verbal reminder of less fraught times. They know things are not looking good for their side.