Leeds United secured one of the results of the season away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night as the Whites triumphed 3-2 after going two goals down during the first half. Jesse Marsch's side sustained three injuries during the first half, which included the use of a concussion substitute for midfielder Mateusz Klich. Then, minutes after the restart, Raul Jimenez careered into Illan Meslier which prompted a fourth Leeds substitution of the night.
Jimenez was shown a second yellow for his reckless challenge, and on that decision the pendulum swung for the visitors. Three Whites goals followed, some in chaotic circumstances, capped by Luke Ayling's 91st minute clincher in the first of eight added minutes at the end of the second half.
As has become customary under Marsch, the American began his post-match press conference with a statement as opposed to answering a direct question: "Why don't I start with an injury update," he said. "Patrick Bamford we believe is not too bad. I think that with his plantar fasciitis it's just been sensitive over the last couple of weeks as he's trying to get himself back, obviously was very disappointed and then the reaction can look like it's a bad injury but I don't think it is, I think he was just really disappointed to have to come off the pitch.
"Diego Llorente had a little bit of a back spasm, which has been bothering him a little bit here and there so probably means he'll stay here for the national team break and we'll treat him and get him back to full health. Mateusz Klich had a concussion, but he seems to be okay. And then the last one was Illan, that he picked up a little bit of like a hip contusion and we'll see what that looks like in the next coming days, but I don't think it's too bad."
Jesse, you said the Norwich game you'd take to your deathbed. Where's tonight's game taking you? What's your reaction?
Yeah, I mean, I think the best part of this one was we talked at half-time, we talked a little bit about tactics, but we talked more about not feeling sorry for ourselves. And we talked about it was easy that after three injuries and a late goal in the half to be down nil-two to be thinking it's not our day, and what are we going to do now and I tried to encourage them to believe that if we had a good start to the game like we did, actually against Aston Villa, and if we could find the goal that the momentum would change. Now we get a little bit lucky that we pick up a red card but but I think it's deserved at the same time. And then you saw the quality of men I think more than anything is with no subs left after the 50th minute, four injuries, for guys to dig in and push the game and, and stay tough to have young guys come on the pitch and deliver the performances like that, I think says a lot about the character of the men that we have and they deserve all the credit. But I think it's also to do [with] I'm learning more and more what the identity of Leeds United is and it's gritty it's hard. It's it's about belief it's about never saying die. It's about giving everything you have to the match and I think these young men do that in a big way. So, yeah.What a what a result.
The worst part of the game was clearly before halftime sort of 20 minute period. Could you actually see that that performance could come after what you'd seen in that final phase in the first half?
Well that we knew Wolves was a good team. I made the decision to try to go after them because I'm still trying to get our team to work on the aggressiveness. We could have potentially been a little bit more compact and limited the space for them to play but, but if you do that in certain ways, certain moments then you're worried about the players being too passive and then Wolves being able to beat you with some of their position-play and their attacking midfielders moving around. Podence is such a good player, Moutinho is such a good player that when they have time and space they they can kill you. So, we made the match-plan the way we did. And then we tried to, you know, at halftime, even knowing that the game didn't go the way we wanted, to still find a way to believe that we could change it that we could have a good start to the half and that if we found the goal that that we could change it, so obviously they showed that and yeah, it was a big, big moment for us.
It was really intense between the benches as well Jesse, trying to calm it down but at the end of the game, just give us a flavour of what it's been like down there?
Yeah, I mean, I told them this was not just one of the best results in my career, but that I've seen in the game, really. And it's almost two games in a row that it's so. Again this is about the character and the hearts of our men. They deserve all the credit. They deserve all the credit. They're the ones who went out on the pitch and went forward and believed in themselves. And moment after moment after moment, push the game and we're going to continue to draw on that mindset. And then we're going to continue to find ways to to be clear and clear with the way we want to play football.
How close do you feel towards securing a third season in the Premier League?
I had this question from Sky as well after the game. Everton won last night and I didn't care because all I want to focus on is us. I just want us to stay true and stay calm to our process to pushing ourselves every day, to growing to getting better, to finding a way to control what we can control. And if we do that, I believe we have the quality of people and of players that we can control our own destiny and find a way to not just - and this is another thing I've challenged them to do - not just survive the situation but thrive in it, thrive in it. That's the goal.
You mentioned the identity of Leeds. Do you think that's a better fit for you than Leipzig?
Well, I won't even talk about Leipzig, I'll just talk about being here. I like being the underdog. I like having to fight for things. I like not taking anything for granted. I like having my back against the wall. I don't know why. It's easier to be the other way around I think but, that I identify with, right and I tried to say that without being condescending in my first press conference that where I'm from, I should never be here. I should never be here. I'm not afraid of it. I want to be here I believe it's the right place for me. And I'm finding that out more and more every day. So I'm really again thankful for the opportunity to be attached to this club.
What did you make of the challenge on Stuart Dallas?
I thought it was too high. And then I asked the fourth official and they said they reviewed it and they didn't think it was a read. So in those situations then from what our bench was saying they thought it was a red, but I haven't seen it again but at the moment it looked bad and certainly Stuart is suffering a little bit from it.
What's your general plan for the next two weeks? Get bodies available?
Yeah, in the euphoria after the game I gave them tomorrow off and then about 10 minutes later, I was like, 'Why did I do that?' But I think they deserved it. You know, and even with the COVID situation with Raphinha it might be best for us not to be around each other for a few days and hopefully we won't pick up any more cases. And certainly I think mentally and physically, the men, it's not just in my time here it's for the last three-four months, it's been a grind for our group, so I think they've earned the chance to enjoy a little free time in their families.
Jesse, when you're looking at the substitutions you'd like to make in the first half, Joe Gelhardt was someone you might have expected instead of Sam [Greenwood], Kalvin, might have come into the picture. What was your thoughts on the subject?
Kalvin was never gonna play. He's not ready yet to be in the match. Liam Cooper could have played he's like I said, maybe 10 or 15 minutes fit. And then Joffy didn't train all week. The plan was to actually have him play against Man U with the 23s but then he picked up a back spasm and he didn't train all week and we just put him through a little training session this morning to hopefully get him ready to go. And so that made him available on the bench but when Patrick went out in the 25th minute, there's no way Joffy could have gone the whole game. So that was behind some of the decision making then we ran out of subs, we ran out of subs in the 50th minute.
Will Raphinha stick around or go away with Brazil still?
Well, I mean, he has to right, you're not allowed to travel with the restrictions so yeah, well have to evaluate the situation with him. I know he's really eager to go with the national team as he should be. He's establishing himself with the Brazilian national team which I think is amazing. And he's such a good player. He's such a good player. So let's see what happens. We just got to go a little bit day by day with him.
Going back to the red card. Do you feel that the decisions swung the momentum your way?
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I think we had a really good start to the half and I think we push the half, but certainly the red card helped massively. I think again, I think it's definitely a double yellow. It's deserved. No question for me.
You're learning the identity of Leeds, obviously a massive motto around Leeds is 'side before self every time'. Did you see that from your team?
Yeah. Yeah. I heard from Victor and from Angus before I came about how good the young men are and not just that how incredibly selfless the workers around the team are in the training centre and inside the club and from the first day, I could feel that I can feel the positive energy. And I'm just really thankful to be here. And the mentality of the group is really strong, really strong with everything that they've been through this year, it's amazing. So we have more work to do. We have to enjoy moments like this. I learned this in football if you're only focused on every on every result, you have to enjoy moments. So we tried to enjoy also the last result we'll enjoy this one, but then we'll get back to work and we'll try to get better so that we can continue to control our own destiny.
Mentioned a minute ago, you liked being the underdog, it was a really impressive comeback. I don't know if you're aware of this but this is the first time Wolves have conceded three goals in a game this season and the first time Leeds have had back-to-back wins as well. What impressed you most out of those stats?
I told our team before the match that when Wolves score first [they] are almost unbeatable and when they concede first that they have a hard time winning the match. So again, we could have felt sorry for ourselves but we tried to push the game and I have by the way massive respect for watching the video and trying to prepare a match plan for what they present you with and without the ball, was very difficult. I think it's a really well coached team. I think it's a team full of really good players. I'm not surprised at where they are in the table because of that. Yeah, and I knew coming here was also going to be very tough. So yeah, I mean it says that we're up for the fight men, that we're we're believing in ourselves that we're going to change the wind in our sails that we're going to control our own situation again, we want to thrive. We want to thrive right now.
Wind in your sails, players despite being 2-0 down seemed up for it in the second half. Did that surprise you?
No, and again, even Jacko will tell me stories and show me photos of the history of Leeds and the some of the famous players and I love it, you know, I mean, e, and I've really been in really great places and worked with great people, but again, I feel lucky to be here and I feel like it fits who I am.
Jesse, you can coach many things but probably not character. Does the spirit you've got in the squad give you confidence that you can get the best out of these players?
Yeah, absolutely. From day one, they accepted me - none of them have made fun of my accent, like some of you, they have accepted me and I couldn't ask more from how they work every day, how they tried to apply themselves to our style of play and to the transformation we're making as a team. They had a coach that worked really well with them. They could have been questioning things, they could have had a lot of issues with with what's happened over the last three weeks, but all they've tried to do is commit themselves fully to every single day. And I'm thankful for that and we've challenged each other to do that. And I've come every day and tried to be my best and help them to be their best.
Given the situation Leeds are in or were in, it's quite brave to send your team out to go for it and attack - was there any doubt in your mind that that was the right strategy?
No. It's part of the process of learning how to play this way. They have to be aggressive. They have to play intensive, they have to they have to be brave. If you don't want to play brave football, then I'm not your right manager. I said before, after the Villa match, I think that I wasn't afraid of the situation. And I'll reiterate that: I am focused everyday, laser-focused on trying to help these guys be their best and I'm very thankful for the quality of men.
