Fear and Loathing in the Championship
Fear was the word going round this week after Brentford boss Thomas Frank boldly saying Leeds “will fear” his side and that a trip to Griffin Park would be the last place Leeds United would want to visit on the back of a damaging defeat to Nottingham Forest last week.
It is very rare for a manager to speak so openly and defiantly as it can be often come back to bite you and also be counter-prouductive creating unnessacary pressure for yourselves and can galvanise the opposition. The old saying of ‘pinning the words on the dressing room wall come to mind”. Taking banter from Forest like their petty posting of a picture of Brian Clough looking smug on their official account on Saturday is one thing...Getting told that Leeds will fear going to little Brentford was belittling and patronising.
This was an exact case with Frank’s words galvanising Leeds in West London on Tuesday night. Okay Leeds didn’t get the win but it was a shoulders back and gritty performance which also saw them dominate their hosts all over the pitch. Except for the obvious catastrophe for the goal, Leeds looked somewhat back to their best and it earnt them a point at a ground that has been fruitless since 1950 and will be glad that they never have to visit again.
I was standing in the Ealing Road end, incognito with the home supporters, (as i sometimes do) and it was refreshing to hear and feel that the ‘fear’ was’nt coming from Yorkshire accents but from the Brentford fans, knowing how capable Leeds are on their day and collectively knew they were second best on the field. Brentford’s players felt too. Fear is something Leeds United have had to deal with and have often thrived upon for years.
Leeds United is a big game on the fixture list of any team, any season but the occasion can be built up massively by opposing teams in circumstances as promotion showdowns. Nottingham Forest’s fans and players and fans showed up big time on Saturday and Leeds were well beaten. But on Tuesday night at home to lowly Charlton Athletic they couldn’t generate more of the same and were beaten. It’s a fact that all 10 teams to of beaten Leeds this season have failed to win their next match. Could be a coincidence but can also be an indicator that those teams have but so much into beating Leeds they can’t reproduce it straight after? Forest in midweek certainly seems to be a case of Saturday was their cup final and they thought they could make 5 changes and simply roll over Charlton.
The season is approaching its final quarter and things couldn’t be tighter. But again the word fear could play a part in the final 14 games. Leeds may of opened the door to the likes of Forest, Brentford and Fulham but having wrestled their way back into the reckoning it’s also on to those teams to keep their nerve. Leeds, although bitten last season have maintained a place at the sharp end of the Championship for 18 months now and somehow, still have their fate in their own hands.
Saturday at home to Bristol City is the first of what is now a 14 game season and the performance at Griffin Park on Tuesday needs to be a catalyst to push on.
Leeds United have been loathed and feared since the days of Don Revie. (If theres anyone to fear its Leeds United themselves).It’s a situation this team has to thrive upon to get over the finish line.
By Lawrence O’Sullivan