Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Leeds United 3 – Factor of Three. The Gods may be against us winning in London, but our first away win of the season was achieved with aplomb. Three new players scored in the first half in the same game – a new Leeds record.
Wolves have led in three of last four meetings between these two teams but Leeds have won them all. The record has been kept in tact.
After the shock own goal at the end of the Fulham match Leeds had dropped towards the relegation zone. Every point matters at the beginning of the season and the draw would have been a worthy point after Leeds dominated the first half. Gudmundson’s injury time own goal header was better than any goal Fulham will have scored for a while. A freak moment in football.
Leeds’ Performances have been mostly strong, the positivity against Everton, the grinding out of the point against Newcastle (who went on to play Barcelona in the Champions League) show a team that a strong in defence and midfield, but clearly lacking in creating goals.
A clinical first half saw Leeds prove they can score goals and restore themselves to mid table. But they had to do it after leaving their defence wide open. Wovles defended deep whilst Leeds looked short on ideas hoofing the ball to Calvert-Lewin. After a lot of patient possession and physical press they broke the deadlock.
Bogle sent a long looping cross into the box which Calvert-Lewin lept between two Wolves players and sent a teasing header into the far corner of the net. Finally Leeds fans have seen his value to Leeds. There followed ten minutes of Leeds in control.
After Calvert-Lewin was shoved to the ground in front of the penalty box Leeds won a free kick. After an age Stach finally stepped up sent a rocket into the right hand side of the net that Sa could not reach. Amapdu moved out of the way as the ball bent round the wall.
Just before half time a poor pass out by Wolves was easily picked up by Stach (with a call for handball) who passed toOkafor who saw off his man and then a left footed kick just managed to drift pass Sa and nestled in the right hand side of goal.
Half time boos from Wolves fans rained down on the ground. Wolves responded with three half time substitutions including their marquee striker Strand Larsson. Darlow made two fine saves in the first ten minutes. It was a much more open second half as Wolves chase that second goal. Wolves turned the game around in to their favour peppering the Leeds penalty box with cross after cross.
Apart from one ball trickling across the Wolves goal line Leeds were never in it in the second half. It was backs against the wall in the last fifteen minutes as they could not get possession of the ball. Leeds just keep hoofing the ball out of their box rather than pass it out. But with Ampadu and Rodon stopping the crosses Wolves managed to really test Darlow just twice.
Stach and Longstaff gave Leeds physicality in the first half to win the duels. Gudmudson bounced back from his own goal last week to give Leeds pace on the left hand side up to Okafor whose dribbling shows promise.
Leeds had a sense of confidence that shows they are here to stay. All three players celebrated their goals with cool aplomb, like we do this every day. Wolves are in trouble and this was three points we had to win to stay in the game.
Man of the match: Stach – after a below par performance againts Fulham Stach was in his prime. And we discovered he is our new free-kick taker.
