Jesse Marsch describes Ralph Hasenhüttl as a gentleman, a mentor, a gifted pianist and a good friend.Given that Southampton’s manager is similarly complimentary about his Leeds counterpart it was perhaps appropriate that no one lost an intense and entertaining game that left an improving Leeds eight points clear of the bottom three.
They have gained renewed cohesion and confidence in the month since the American succeeded Marcelo Bielsa but they have not yet quite banished lingering relegation fears and could do with winning at Watford next Saturday.
Marsch bonded with Hasenhüttl in the winter of 2016-17 when the former managed MLS’s New York Red Bulls and took advantage of the North American close season to travel to Germany and spend several weeks shadowing the Austrian, then in charge of RB Leipzig. Along the way Marsch gained plenty of tactical insights, not to mention an enjoyment of his friend’s piano playing.
He seemed happy enough with the point resulting from their latest meeting. “I feel we were balanced and didn’t give too much away,” said the Leeds manager. “We’re trying to play with a little more poise and control. If we could just slow ourselves down and find a way to make the last pass a lot crisper, but I feel it was a step in the right direction.”
Whereas Leeds had won their previous two games, Southampton were aiming to arrest a run of four defeats and Hasenhüttl appeared satisfied with his side’s handling of their hosts’ attacking aggression before James Ward-Prowse’s latest stellar free-kick equalised Jack Harrison’s opener.
“To go away with a point is OK,” he said. “We had chances to win but the Leeds pressing was intense and it was such an intense atmosphere. It was a tough game; we had to defend well.”
Initially, Leeds dominated without causing goalkeeper Fraser Forster excessive danger. Rodrigo seems reborn under the new regime but although his movement and link play, not to mention Dan James’s searing change of pace, gave Southampton a few frights Forster remained largely well protected by the impressive Mohammed Salisu and his defenders until the 29th minute.
With the visiting backline confounded by Raphinha’s right-wing cross, the visiting goalkeeper could merely parry that delivery, the ball travelling only as far as Harrison whose half‑volley sent the decibel level soaring.
That explosion of noise possibly woke Southampton up as, almost immediately, they improved appreciably, forcing Illan Meslier into an excellent save with the Frenchman diving low to his left to deny Che Adams from 10 yards.
Leeds had lost a little of their early momentum and it was no real shock when, four minutes into the second half, Southampton equalised, courtesy of Ward-Prowse’s party trick after Luke Ayling fouled the sporadically excellent England full-back Kyle Walker-Peters.
Ward-Prowse’s 25-yard dead-ball delivery arced imperiously over the wall before exhibiting fiendish swerve en route to the top corner. Although Meslier got his fingertips in the way the quality of the execution ensured he could not secure any real purchase on the ball.
“I call Southampton’s goal a penalty,” said Marsch. “Ward-Prowse is just so good from these situations. We’d talked about how important it was for us to not give fouls away in those areas and it took just one.”
With the game slipping from his team’s grasp, Marsch introduced Joe Gelhardt in attack and then, to the most raucous of ovations, Kalvin Phillips into midfield. The England midfielder has been sidelined by hamstring trouble since early December and his arrival reassured those home fans earlier unnerved by the sight of Armando Broja spurning an excellent chance to put Southampton in front by steering Valentino Livramento’s cross narrowly wide.
Southampton’s subsequent indulgence in time-wasting tactics confirmed Phillips’s success in re-adjusting the power balance but Leeds had to settle for the draw.
“It was too tense to be enjoyable and I would have liked to have beaten him but it was really nice to see Ralph again,” said Marsch. “He’s one of the good people in football.”
