Thankfully, Andrea Radrizzani got in there before the rest of us on Sunday night. Leeds United had the reprieve everyone craved, but this was not a season to be celebrated.
The madness of Sunday came to define the chaos of this entire campaign. It began with a cruelly predictable Patrick Bamford setback and ended with an injury-time winner engulfed by relieved Leeds support.
It is never easy, never straightforward and never boring when it comes to Leeds. A simple relegation, a simple stroll to survival, no chance.
READ MORE: Jesse Marsch's first words on Leeds United's survival, fans' celebrations and Burnley distraction
There had to be news of a Newcastle United penalty as Joe Gelhardt fired for the roof of the net, there had to be the offside call, it had to be Raphinha, it had to be the best and the worst of Sergi Canos, it had to be a nine-man opposition pushing Leeds to the wall and it had to be another late winner.
Few of us were giving the Whites a chance as they rolled into Hounslow on Sunday afternoon. Newcastle had every reason to believe they would get the job done in Lancashire, but Brentford’s form, quality and motivation were supposed to overwhelm a Leeds side out of form and struggling to score goals.
Bamford was the hope fans were clinging to, the man who could inject life into the blunt performances of recent weeks. The x-factor. And yet they were denied even that hope, that reason to believe.
That news was delivered at the same time as Sam Greenwood's full Premier League debut. The decision to play an England under-21 striker alongside Kalvin Phillips in defensive midfield would later be dismissed as a big call by Jesse Marsch.
As it was, Greenwood played his part in what was a very promising first half. All of the score-settling Brentford seemed to be intent on led to little.
Leeds contained, turned the ball over and, at last, found forwards in good positions. Jack Harrison stepped up his game, while Greenwood proved a revelation, sticking his foot in defensively and then probing with passes into the final third.
The ever-dependable figures of Raphinha and Phillips, in what may prove to be their final Leeds appearances, showed up to the party too. The latter was far closer to the dominant force we have come to expect in the middle, while the former played like it was his last football match full-stop.
News from Burnley was never far from the narrative. After all, events in West London were redundant without knowing of the Clarets’ fate. The Leeds support proved quicker than Twitter with their goal alerts.
If their cheers weren’t clear enough, Liam Cooper would ask the question during virtually every break in play through the second period. Things felt at their tightest as Brentford drew level and Burnley hauled one back in Lancashire. One more goal up there would have sent Leeds down.
Or so it felt. Brentford maxed out their substitutes, saw a man limp off, another sent off and yet, through the haze of scorching sun and shifting live tables, looked just as dangerous with nine men.
Leeds could not afford to pass up this opportunity handed to them and though a draw would have ultimately been enough, they had to press for that second goal to rip Burnley’s heart out. Harrison, somehow, hit his 10th goal, in all competitions, in a season which has consistently written him off.
Life is too short to be critical of the full-time celebrations. No, 17th place is no aim for a club of United’s standing, but after all of the hard work, long hours and worrying since, roughly that Everton loss, this is relief and joy deserved from the top to the bottom of the club.
For fans too, don’t forget. It’s been a rough ride for them and though they didn’t want a nail-biter for fourth-bottom they still had to cherish those precious moments with the players and staff at full-time.
As Radrizzani said in that statement, two hours after full-time, this season was not a success and improvements are needed. However you felt about his 12 matches in charge, Jesse Marsch has to be the head coach everyone now gets behind.
It has not been attractive for the mast majority of his spell, it has tried to be pragmatic and as he said in his post-match press conference, it has been a bandaid strategy in the main. He has kept the club in the division and he must now be given the time he needs to build and prepare this squad for August in his image.
Victor Orta’s reputation has taken a battering this season with the performance of the signings he has made. Injuries blighted rhythm and the tactics employed at times did not help get the best out of those new faces, but he must know the transfer budget must be better spent this summer.
Perhaps alongside Marsch there will be a bigger impact next season from those recruited, providing they get the pitch time they deserve. The injuries crippled the club this season. Cooper, Adam Forshaw, Phillips, Robin Koch and Bamford all missed long periods of the campaign.
If the club has faith in Marsch to deliver the tactics and preparation, Orta to deliver the signings and some more injury luck, with a more sympathetic training regime, they can hope 22/23 does not have to be the horrible slog of 21/22.
