Leeds’ performances are on an upward trajectory, as Jesse Marsch loves to remind everybody, however sadly they’ve no longer received of their previous seven fits and feature put the pinnacle trainer below drive. They ruled at Nottingham Forest however succumbed to Brennan Johnson’s first-half strike and an impressed Keylor Navas debut.
For the entire certain phrases from the Leeds head trainer in fresh weeks, they lack the ruthlessness this is required within the Premier League and that explains why they’re outdoor the relegation zone handiest on objective distinction. Everton and Wolves have observed the certain affect of managerial alternate and Marsch shall be left questioning how sustainable his place is, with chants for him to depart coming from the away finish, a point of view Marsch “understands”.
“I take full responsibility, I have to find a way of turning good performances more into winning because that’s exactly where we are and have been for a little while. That is the last step to the potential of where we need to be at,” Marsch said. “When I sit on the touchline at the end of the match I am almost in disbelief that we found a way to lose this match because for me we were better in almost every phase and moment.”
The visitors started brighter, playing slick short passing in the Forest half, while the home side struggled to get hold of the ball. This is the way Marsch wants Leeds to play but it is not providing the results required. Luis Sinisterra could have opened the scoring within three minutes but Navas showed why he has been signed on loan by coming out quickly to block a shot from close range.
Despite their slow start, Forest showed what Leeds have missed for most of the season: an ability to take chances. Morgan Gibbs-White whipped in a free-kick from the right that deflected its way to a waiting Johnson who thrashed the looping ball into the bottom corner to instigate bedlam in the stands.
The goal did not change the flow of the game, with Leeds impressing when in possession between the halfway and edge of the box but struggling to make an impact where it matters most. Willy Gnonto got in behind the Forest defense and calmly laid the ball into the path of Sinisterra, only for the winger to fire over from six yards. It is the story of Leeds’ season that other than the injured Rodrigo, they have struggled to convert chances.
Forest have been conserving on, suffering to deal with Gnonto at the left, a winger fearless when dribbling at Neco Williams, who proficient a possibility to the Italian via a deficient header however Navas located himself to dam a fiercely struck volley. Navas was once integral to Forest keeping up the lead however there was once fear when he required remedy after being stuck at the head via the studs of teammate Willy Boly, despite the fact that he was once superb to proceed. “He [Navas] was brilliant in the first half,” Steve Cooper stated. “I loved his composure and game management and decision making. I really enjoyed that part of his performance.”
Cooper made vital changes at half-time, bringing on Serge Aurier and Jack Colback for Orel Mangala and Danilo. Holding on to the lead was the main concern for Forest, allowing Leeds to continue their possession-based play in front of 10 or 11 red shirts. There were infrequent counterattacks which generally ran out of steam before reaching the Leeds area.
After a busy first half, Navas was allowed time to take in his surroundings because Leeds lost discipline and lacked their early rhythm. Forest worked extremely hard to limit the opportunities after the break, looking more solid after the changes by Cooper, to move six points clear of the relegation zone.
“I’m learning to enjoy wins when you don’t play well,” Cooper stated. “Even regardless that that’s the first time we have received a recreation and no longer performed nice this 12 months – and perhaps we deserve that – on the identical time, we want to play higher than that within the first 1/2 within the Premier League to check out and pick out up wins.
Marsch referred to as for Leeds’ report signing, Georginio Rutter, from the bench to make his league debut within the hope he may well be the striker to take a possibility however he regarded precisely like a person who had scored two times in 18 appearances this season. Leeds ended the sport with 70% ownership and two times as many pictures on course as Forest however, crucially, no issues. Where Leeds in finding their innovative is unknown however they want to in finding one quickly or face an extended 2d 1/2 of the season.