NafisaAnton Stach’s late free-kick gave Leeds United the perfect start to their return to Premier League football, but the manner of the victory has done little to convince Paul Merson that Daniel Farke’s side are destined for anything more than a battle in the bottom half.
Leeds produced a disciplined and hard-working performance at the City Ground on the opening weekend, keeping Nottingham Forest at bay for long spells before Stach produced a moment of individual brilliance to settle a closely fought contest.
For much of the afternoon, there was little to separate the two teams. Clear-cut opportunities were at a premium and the match appeared destined to end without a goal until Stach stepped up with a superb free-kick late on.
The result means Leeds begin their Premier League campaign with three valuable points on the road, carrying the confidence of their impressive pre-season into competitive action.
However, while the Leeds camp celebrated a hugely important victory, Merson was far less convinced by what he saw.
Paul Merson delivers blunt Leeds United verdict:
The former Arsenal midfielder believes Nottingham Forest did not deserve to lose the game and suggested there was very little between the two sides throughout the contest.
Merson also argued that neither team produced a performance that suggested they would be challenging towards the top end of the Premier League, instead predicting both clubs could find themselves competing in the lower reaches of the table.
Speaking on Soccer Saturday, Merson said:
“Watching that today, I don’t think Forest deserved to lose to Leeds.
“Yes, Forest were not great either, and I don’t think you could say Leeds robbed them; they were alright.
“I think there is something missing for both teams. I think they’ll both be solid this season.
“At the end of the season I only see three or four points between these two teams on the table. Probably about average in the bottom half.
“I think both teams will be alright, but this league can be ruthless. They won’t be pulling up any trees this season playing like that.”
The verdict represents a significant reality check for Leeds supporters who have been encouraged by the club’s ambitious summer recruitment and an unbeaten pre-season.
Merson is essentially suggesting that while Leeds may have enough quality to avoid serious trouble, he sees little evidence from the City Ground performance that they should be considered genuine contenders for the European places.
Leeds can take encouragement from resilience:
Despite Merson’s assessment, there are reasons for Leeds to be encouraged by what happened at the City Ground.
Farke’s side were not at their best, but they showed exactly the kind of resilience that can be crucial for newly promoted teams trying to establish themselves in the Premier League.
The City Ground is one of the more difficult away grounds in English football, and Leeds managed to keep their opponents from finding the breakthrough before producing the decisive moment themselves.
That ability to remain competitive when a game is not going their way could ultimately prove just as important as dominating matches.
Stach’s free-kick also provided another positive. Leeds now have a player capable of producing something special from a set-piece when open play is not providing many opportunities.
There is certainly no guarantee Leeds will perform at their best every weekend. Premier League football will demand consistency, and Farke will know there are areas of the performance that need to improve.
But securing three points in a difficult away fixture while not playing at their maximum level could be viewed as a positive rather than a warning sign.
Merson may believe Leeds and Forest will ultimately occupy similar positions in the bottom half, but Farke’s players now have the perfect opportunity to prove that prediction wrong.
For Leeds, the most important thing was simple: they left the City Ground with three points.
And after a long-awaited return to the Premier League, nobody at Elland Road is likely to complain about that.
Nafisa
