Leeds United had swept sides before them imperiously in their three-game unbeaten start to the season under Marcelo Bielsa. Tonight it was a taste of their own medicine for the Whites.
For the bulk of the first half it was a case of Leeds United chasing shadows as Swansea played them at their own game. Leeds were dragged hither and thither until they were both ragged and out of shape.
It was a pattern that their fans had seen unfold over the previous three games the Whites had played, only then it was their side that was in the ascendency. That wasn’t the case in the first-half at the Liberty Stadium as the home side took a distinct stranglehold on the game.
It was the home side that took the lead (24′) when former Leeds United summer target Oliver McBurnie swept in from a low cut-back rom the impressive Bersant Celina.
📸 | Get in there, @oli_mcburnie! 👏
💻 Match Centre LIVE! 👉 https://t.co/o9llG1zX0x
⚪️ 1 – 0 🔵 pic.twitter.com/KGOQkuoykJ
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) August 21, 2018
In truth Leeds United were all over the place and way off kilter. Disarray seemed to replace that steady and methodical building that fans had seen in previous games. However they continued to plug away, probing at a very resolute Swansea side. Their industry paid dividends (40′) and it was that man Kemar Roofe who tucked away his fourth of the season after good work by youngster Jamie Shackleton.
40’ Shackleton got to the byline, played a great ball across the goal and Kemar Roofe tapped home
1-1 | #SWALEEpic.twitter.com/IXahkxic75
— Leeds United (@LUFC) August 21, 2018
Leeds went into half-time on level terms, luckily in one respect after taking an absolute shellacking at times from a very good Swansea side. They came out for the second-half with Manchester City loanee Jack Harrison coming on to replace he largely ineffective Gjanni Alioski down the left. It was Marcelo Bielsa’s second tactical substitution of the game, having replaced Kalvin Phillips just after McBurnie’s opener.
Leeds had found a foothold in a game they’d been harried out of, only for them to lose it in the early moments of the second-half. It was that man McBurnie (51′) who again punished lax play by Leeds, rising unchallenged to loop an excellent header over Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
📸 | Take a bow, @oli_mcburnie – what a header! 👏
💻 Match Centre LIVE! 👉 https://t.co/o9llG1zX0x
⚪️ 2 – 1 🔵 pic.twitter.com/38Pk9B1UUk
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) August 21, 2018
The intensity from Swansea seemed to drop after they scored, being less prepared to press and more ready to attempt to play Premier League football as Leeds looked for a way back into the game. After a couple of half-chances from Swansea, it was a moment of sublime genius from recently introduced substitute Patrick Bamford (80′) that brought Leeds right back into it.
A shimmy down the left flank by Bamford saw Swansea defender Mike van der Hoorn clutching at thin air and the £7million striker was away. His perfectly weighted ball was deftly met by Pablo Hernandez who steered the shot sweetly past Erwin Mulder.
PABLO #LUFC pic.twitter.com/NI0mj2nV8M
— Adam Floyd Thomas (@adzng5) August 21, 2018
Both sides looked for a winner in the closing moments of the game and both sides came close to achieving that, but the game ended 2-2 after an entertaining 90 minutes of football. It was a game where Leeds United displayed a resolute approach, and it was a match that sees them top the table after a four-game unbeaten start to their 2018/19 campaign. Here’s what some fans said about the game on Twitter:
Last season, we’d have lost that by plenty. Swansea were very good, we were decidedly out of sorts – yet we got a point and could even have won. #LUFC #BielsaEffect
— Rob LUFC Blogger (@RobofLeeds) August 21, 2018
Very impressed with Leeds’ character in that game though. Limited chances and took the opportunities presented to them. To come away from that with a point can only be seen as a positive. Cooper and Jansson will be a huge boost when they’re back. #LUFC
— Tom Carnduff (@TomC_22) August 21, 2018
Any season, any manager in the last decade we fold at 2-1 and go on to get hammered. First real questions of the season answered positively for me. #lufc
— Andy P (@ArcticReviews) August 21, 2018
Good point that LUFC,did not give up,could not get our passing game going and pressing not as intense, Swansea were good and made it hard for us.
A real test for us,Beradi was MOM, Baker decent.
Cannot be too critical but need to strengthen, couple of decent signings reqd— Jason Dexter (@decthehead) August 21, 2018
Genuinely happy with that point, it’s gone some way to answering some questions about how we’ll handle a big, well organised team on the road. #lufc
— Tommy (@tommy_lufc) August 21, 2018
Not at our best, but a good point for #LUFC tonight. Main observation was that it’s going to take some fans a while to get used to our patient, build-from-the-back style. Cries of “get rid” and the sense of panic when playing out of trouble prominent, particularly in first 30. pic.twitter.com/N7p3QwMRuu
— Martyn Evans (@mgjevans) August 21, 2018
Wasn’t even a bad performance tonight, not gonna dominate every minute of the season especially away against a solid swansea side that have been hard to break down. Heads didn’t drop and that is more important than the result imo #lufc
— Alex Brady (@Bazzbawls) August 21, 2018