The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 7th September) Whites squander chances to soar above Seagulls

Ellandback1 · Post by **Ellandback1** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 6:19 am

Good Morning. It's Monday 7th September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...

Whites squander chances to soar above Seagulls

Leeds’ unbeaten start to the season continued, but they left the Amex wondering how they had not claimed a first win on the south coast since 2009. Daniel Farke’s side dominated the first hour and went ahead after 15 minutes when Jayden Bogle became the first Leeds player to score at the Amex since 2012. The Whites created enough chances to have been two, three or even four goals up by half-time. They were not magnificent; Brighton were that poor. Replicate that first-half display over a full Premier League campaign and the Seagulls would be playing Championship football next season.

Leeds looked blunt in the final third and failed to convert relatively simple openings. When they did put the ball in the net after the break, the flag went up. They should have doubled the lead three minutes into the second half when Brighton made a mess of clearing an Ethan Ampadu long throw. The ball ran loose to Anton Stach, but Bart Verbruggen stuck out a leg to divert it away. Seconds later Ao Tanaka finished from a free-kick, only to be ruled offside by the narrowest of margins. Verbruggen then saved from James Justin as Leeds continued to control the game.

Brighton improved in the last half-hour and had more of the shots, without troubling James Trafford until the equaliser. Farke made his move just after the hour, sending on Jaka Bijol for the influential Bogle and Brenden Aaronson for Okafor, before turning to Harry Wilson and Lukas Nmecha for Tanaka and Calvert-Lewin soon after. It was a curious moment to lose Bogle and Tanaka in particular, both among Leeds' most effective performers on the day, and none of the four introductions did enough to arrest the change in momentum. With 19 minutes remaining, Maxim De Cuyper floated a corner to the far post and Luka Vuskovic rose unchallenged to head in from point blank range, his first goal for the club. The bench never really got a foothold after that, offering little in the way of a fresh spark when Leeds needed someone to see the game out or go and win it. Brighton almost stole it late on, but Pascal Gross scooped a gilt-edged chance over the bar after the ball came off Nico Elvedi.

A point away at Brighton is useful. It should have been three.

Slow start for Wilson

Harry Wilson has had a slow start to his Elland Road career. The 29-year-old was seen as a marquee arrival by many Leeds fans after joining on a free transfer this summer following a career-best season at Fulham. Three Premier League games in, the early numbers are thin enough to raise questions about his impact so far.

Appearances: 3
xG: 0.01
Shots on target: 0
Goals: 0
Big chances created: 0
xA: 0.07
Assists: 0
Successful dribbles per game: 0.7

Those figures, 0.01 expected goals and 0.07 expected assists, show how little he has imposed himself so far. The sample is small: one start and two substitute appearances, around two hours of football. Even so, for a player signed to create and finish, it is a muted beginning. The fit under Daniel Farke looks awkward. Wilson is at his best receiving the ball to feet in the final third and using his left foot around the box. Leeds’ 3-4-2-1 and 3-5-2 shapes ask attackers to carry the ball up the pitch, attack space at speed and produce explosive moments in transition. He does not have the pace or physicality to do that consistently.

Too often already he has received the ball with room to run into, then either played backwards or eaten up the space before running into traffic. That is not a technical failing so much as a stylistic mismatch: Leeds need ball-carriers; Wilson wants the game to come to him. As a free agent after 10 goals and seven assists last season, the deal still looks low-risk on paper. On the pitch, three games is too soon for a verdict, but the early evidence is that Farke may have to change how he uses him, or accept that this version of Leeds does not play to Wilson’s strengths.

Brighton, Jayden Bogle, Harry Wilson

Jammy 07 · Post by **Jammy 07** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 8:19 am

Shame we didn't have our shooting boots on against Brighton as we could have easily won that game. Even the goal we did score took us 3 attempts from close range to get it over the line and the miss by Tanaka would have been embarrassing if Bogle wasn't following up.

DCL should have scored after shifting it round the keeper but played it too safe towards the centre of the goal. Likewise Stach with our other must score chance as he should have just passed it towards the corner rather than putting his foot through it.

The other concern for me was that even if we had gone 2 goals up I'm not convinced we'd have been able to see out the game because similar to last season we just don't finish the games strongly enough away from home.

On a positive note though how great is it to have a proper goalkeeper who instills confidence that he'll save just about everything and makes the art of keeping goal look easy.

Chilli D · Post by **Chilli D** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 8:33 am

Slow start by Wilson and DF has recognised that by starting him on the bench on Saturday but he's still getting used to a new team, style of play etc.
He'll come good, he just needs a goal and he'll be fine.

Definitely two points dropped considering the good chances we created but in the end we almost lost. Thankfully Gross skied it.
Still unbeaten, that's the key stat.

Ratscoot · Post by **Ratscoot** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 8:40 am

Morning EB et all,

I would have taken the draw before the game, as over the last few years its been a tough place for us to get anything but we deserved the win.

It also pisses me off that all the punters go on about how poor Brighton were, not how dominant we were, we controlled over two 3rds of the game!

With a bit of luck and some slightly better decision making, we'd have won, just shows how much the squad has improved and how good some of the recruitment has been. We are 9th, with a positive goal difference for a change and 2 more goals (that we probably should have got at Brighton) we'd be 5th!!! So it all bodes well for the rest of the season.

Wilson is settling in, he did the same when he arrived at Fulham, he needs game time and a bit of patience and he'll come good

Sean_Nile · Post by **Sean_Nile** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 9:19 am

South coast Amex stadium hoodoo broken.
May it be the unshackling of the many jinxes that we have laboured and lived under. Never expecting success, always fearful that history will repeat itself. It's a new dawn and a new day.

Tom the Cat · Post by **Tom the Cat** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 9:30 am

We played well for 75 minutes and should have been home and dry by then but for some awful missed chances. Unless we can start taking these chances we will be struggling, especially as the top teams don't miss many. Wednesday will be a good test against Chelsea unless it becomes a match where both sides play weakened teams.

ruttermania · Post by **ruttermania** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 9:39 am

Before the match bearing in mind the abject performance last year and our history at the Amex I think any Leeds fan would have been happy with a point . The positive was that we created so many chances when we created nothing last season and I think our finishing will improve when the attack properly clicks. In 2 of the three games so far we have bettered our return from last year and we are also playing better football and refining the flexibility and adaptability shown during games. It would seem that many of the same people who were howling about the failure to sign Wilson previously now wish to write him off after a couple of quiet games at the start of his Leeds career which makes no sense to me. As he showed in his team selection for the Brighton game DF is now getting to the stage where he has full confidence in his squad and therefore there will be games where both the formation and the personnel will give Wilson his best opportunity to shine. Once he gets going in a Leeds shirt I think he will be a major success and a few of those who have jumped to judgement will look a bit foolish .

weasel · Post by **weasel** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 10:57 am

Ratscoot wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 8:40 am Morning EB et all,

I would have taken the draw before the game, as over the last few years its been a tough place for us to get anything but we deserved the win.

It also pisses me off that all the punters go on about how poor Brighton were, not how dominant we were, we controlled over two 3rds of the game!

With a bit of luck and some slightly better decision making, we'd have won, just shows how much the squad has improved and how good some of the recruitment has been. We are 9th, with a positive goal difference for a change and 2 more goals (that we probably should have got at Brighton) we'd be 5th!!! So it all bodes well for the rest of the season.

Wilson is settling in, he did the same when he arrived at Fulham, he needs game time and a bit of patience and he'll come good

Well said. The reason Brighton looked poor was because of how we played. I don't think they were particularly poor just that Farke had picked a line-up to exploit their weaknesses.

I was critical of his starting line-up but it worked really well, especially:

The choice to play JJ instead of Bijol really gave us the license to overload and get at them and stretch them.

The decision to start Tanaka who had probably his best premier league game for us. Tanaka has struggled in some matches and looked good in others so it is probably now a case of Farke working out which matches suit him best.

The decision to start Okafor. I would have been tempted to have been a bit more conservative with us being the away team, try to be solid for 60+ minutes and then try to nick it. Farke flipped the script and went at them - perhaps leaving the tank a bit empty when we did have to make changes - although the game could, and probably should, have been over by then.

weasel · Post by **weasel** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 11:00 am

Sean_Nile wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 9:19 am South coast Amex stadium hoodoo broken.
May it be the unshackling of the many jinxes that we have laboured and lived under. Never expecting success, always fearful that history will repeat itself. It's a new dawn and a new day.

We do seem to be breaking lots of hoodoos with Mr Farke.

weasel · Post by **weasel** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 11:06 am

ruttermania wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 9:39 am Before the match bearing in mind the abject performance last year and our history at the Amex I think any Leeds fan would have been happy with a point . The positive was that we created so many chances when we created nothing last season and I think our finishing will improve when the attack properly clicks. In 2 of the three games so far we have bettered our return from last year and we are also playing better football and refining the flexibility and adaptability shown during games. It would seem that many of the same people who were howling about the failure to sign Wilson previously now wish to write him off after a couple of quiet games at the start of his Leeds career which makes no sense to me. As he showed in his team selection for the Brighton game DF is now getting to the stage where he has full confidence in his squad and therefore there will be games where both the formation and the personnel will give Wilson his best opportunity to shine. Once he gets going in a Leeds shirt I think he will be a major success and a few of those who have jumped to judgement will look a bit foolish .

It will take time. A different system and perhaps more of a structured way of playing, routines etc, than at Fulham where maybe he was allowed to be more of a maverick. They were well established so could afford to almost play with 10 at times with him given the freedom to do as much or as little as he wanted because he had the capability to win matches for them. I do think as well he is desperate to impress, I saw it in his body language prior to his penalty miss v Man U - he was so desperate to score that I was sure he would miss. I think once he gets a goal we will see the best of him.

Cjay · Post by **Cjay** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 11:54 am

Jammy 07 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 8:19 am Shame we didn't have our shooting boots on against Brighton as we could have easily won that game. Even the goal we did score took us 3 attempts from close range to get it over the line and the miss by Tanaka would have been embarrassing if Bogle wasn't following up.

DCL should have scored after shifting it round the keeper but played it too safe towards the centre of the goal. Likewise Stach with our other must score chance as he should have just passed it towards the corner rather than putting his foot through it.

The other concern for me was that even if we had gone 2 goals up I'm not convinced we'd have been able to see out the game because similar to last season we just don't finish the games strongly enough away from home.

On a positive note though how great is it to have a proper goalkeeper who instills confidence that he'll save just about everything and makes the art of keeping goal look easy.

This basically

We did a lot better than I expected (1st half anyway).

But never looked like holding out.

And whilst very happy with how Tarik and Trafford have started seeing far too much of them for my liking.

Haven't they been top 2 or 3 every motm?

Ellandback1 · Post by **Ellandback1** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 1:20 pm

Jammy 07 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 8:19 am Shame we didn't have our shooting boots on against Brighton as we could have easily won that game. Even the goal we did score took us 3 attempts from close range to get it over the line and the miss by Tanaka would have been embarrassing if Bogle wasn't following up.

DCL should have scored after shifting it round the keeper but played it too safe towards the centre of the goal. Likewise Stach with our other must score chance as he should have just passed it towards the corner rather than putting his foot through it.

The other concern for me was that even if we had gone 2 goals up I'm not convinced we'd have been able to see out the game because similar to last season we just don't finish the games strongly enough away from home.

On a positive note though how great is it to have a proper goalkeeper who instills confidence that he'll save just about everything and makes the art of keeping goal look easy.

Stach has been disappointing (compared to last season) thus far.

ruttermania · Post by **ruttermania** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 1:52 pm

It took Stach a couple of competitive games to get up to speed last season having looked good in some friendlies. I also think particularly against Brentford he played a bit further back and that his defensive stats were good in that game including 'that tackle' which was almost Rodonesque. His free kick for the offside goal was also superb which seems to be discounted by everyone. Once he has a few games under his belt I think he will match or improve on his form from last season particularly if he settles into a more forward midfield role .

The Subhuman · Post by **The Subhuman** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 3:13 pm

Stach has been fine for the most part, quieter game v Brighton but when you look at Ampadu's heat map you can see he's not playing defensive mid atm for some reason and Stach has had to sit deeper

Tyzy · Post by **Tyzy** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 3:13 pm

We spend the big bucks on defence hoping to rely on draws,thats how it seems to me anyway.

AcrossThePondAsh · Post by **AcrossThePondAsh** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 4:31 pm

ruttermania wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 9:39 am Before the match bearing in mind the abject performance last year and our history at the Amex I think any Leeds fan would have been happy with a point . The positive was that we created so many chances when we created nothing last season and I think our finishing will improve when the attack properly clicks. In 2 of the three games so far we have bettered our return from last year and we are also playing better football and refining the flexibility and adaptability shown during games. It would seem that many of the same people who were howling about the failure to sign Wilson previously now wish to write him off after a couple of quiet games at the start of his Leeds career which makes no sense to me. As he showed in his team selection for the Brighton game DF is now getting to the stage where he has full confidence in his squad and therefore there will be games where both the formation and the personnel will give Wilson his best opportunity to shine. Once he gets going in a Leeds shirt I think he will be a major success and a few of those who have jumped to judgement will look a bit foolish .

What encourages me most is the quality rather than just the number of chances. We only had 10 shots and about a third of the ball, but still generated around 2.5 xG with five efforts on target. If we can keep creating that kind of opportunity without needing to dominate possession, you’d expect the goals to eventually catch up.

BlackHillsPaul · Post by **BlackHillsPaul** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 4:59 pm

Some good positive takes here this morning! I think we are finding our footing a bit. And still unbeaten during this process. We probably should have taken all 3 points at Brighton. But I'm happy to bring home a positive result. It will be interesting to see how we compete against Chelsea in the cup tie. But with our next two league games at Elland Road, we could have an excellent start to the season prior to the first International break.

Ellandback1 · Post by **Ellandback1** » Mon Sep 07, 2026 5:51 pm

weasel wrote: ↑Mon Sep 07, 2026 10:57 am Well said. The reason Brighton looked poor was because of how we played. I don't think they were particularly poor just that Farke had picked a line-up to exploit their weaknesses.

I was critical of his starting line-up but it worked really well, especially:

The choice to play JJ instead of Bijol really gave us the license to overload and get at them and stretch them.

The decision to start Tanaka who had probably his best premier league game for us. Tanaka has struggled in some matches and looked good in others so it is probably now a case of Farke working out which matches suit him best.

The decision to start Okafor. I would have been tempted to have been a bit more conservative with us being the away team, try to be solid for 60+ minutes and then try to nick it. Farke flipped the script and went at them - perhaps leaving the tank a bit empty when we did have to make changes - although the game could, and probably should, have been over by then.

I think Tanaka had his best game for Leeds against Brighton