by
In a season in which many of their decisions could be accused of lacking sense, Leeds had a glimpse on Saturday of what a little clear-headed practicality can bring.
Junior Firpo’s solitary second-half goal was enough to see off a stubborn Southampton and provide a vital three points that lift the Whites out of the Premier League’s bottom three.
The match itself was low on quality, frantic and frustrating, played out in front of a nervy, quick to anger crowd and by players often adversely affected by the enormity of the task at hand.
But at the centre of it was a newly installed manager in Javi Gracia, who spoke sensibly before and after and made logical, pragmatic and ultimately match-winning decisions in the middle.
The Spaniard was far from Leeds’ first choice to succeed Jesse Marsch, but the early evidence suggests he may be the level-headed man this confused club needs right now.
‘He might be the one to get the best out of the talent they have’
Gracia may have spoken calmly and positively on Friday in his first news conference as Leeds boss, but the club he inherits has got itself into an almighty mess.
Choosing Marsch as the succession candidate to build on the remarkable progress delivered by Marcelo Bielsa has been proven to be misjudged.
Remaining loyal to the American, while admirable, was misguided in the face of a horrific run of form and a tactical plan that too often seemed to rely on chaos over co-ordination.
In doing so until February, the club spent what could eventually be about £75m in the January window on players for a manager they no longer have.
It also left them looking for a successor at a time when preferred candidates would rather try to qualify for Europe in La Liga or win the title in the Netherlands.
However, almost by default they seem to have landed on a candidate with many of the qualities they need – one who has impressed in the Premier League before, helping keep Watford up and taking them to an FA Cup final in 2018-19.
“He seems a sensible appointment considering the candidates out there and the risks,” former Wales defender Ashley Williams told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Gracia has been here, is very experienced, led Watford to the FA Cup final. Out of all the names he was probably the sensible one. He might be the one to get the best out of the talent they have.”
This was in evidence on Saturday. Having had just a day to work with the side following the granting of his visa, the Spaniard was smart enough not to change too much.
His only alteration to the team that meekly surrendered at Everton last weekend was bringing in Brenden Aaronson at number 10 and the American rewarded him with a typically energetic display that gave the Saints defence little respite.
Noticeably, the Whites were more measured going forward, less willing to leave themselves vulnerable to the counter as they had been under Marsch. The kind of pragmatism that is required when points are of far more importance than performances.
“We knew in the last game that Southampton was really solid and organised and we knew today it would be a tough and very close game,” said Gracia afterwards.
“We prepared as well as we could to be solid and compact, work in the game and wait for our moment, and I think we did that. The players did their job.
“We found a good balance, to defend well to get a clean sheet and in the other way to be offensive where we could. Neither team created many chances but it was the game we wanted and the result was good for us.”
There was a little nod from the Spaniard towards evolution in the future, but also a clear understanding that the focus right now is on the needs of the present.
“I’m very optimistic,” he continued. “If with one day we play like that, next week we are going to play better.
“When I came I could feel all the people around the club really needed a good result. Today I think is good for the confidence of all of us. We know it is only one step, but for us it is an important step.”
‘You never know what is going to happen’
It is ironic that in what was the most sensible day Leeds United have enjoyed for a long while, the identity of the man who won it for them made so little sense.
Firpo had become a much-maligned figure at the club – his struggles in the side emblematic of their failure to build on the promise of their first season back in the top flight.
Thirty Premier League games prior to Saturday had barely yielded a shot on target, let alone a goal. He only returned to the side in early February because of an injury to Pascal Struijk and the need for Max Wober to remain at centre-back.
And yet, in the 77th minute of what had been arguably his best all-round display in a Leeds shirt, there was the left-back to gather Jack Harrison’s back-heel and fire low into the net.
His unchained celebration spoke volumes – one that he continued at full-time by repeatedly punching the air to cheers from the south stand at Elland Road.
“You never know what is going to happen,” added Gracia. “What I knew was today we had a chance to win and we took it.”
