Leeds United recorded a vital 1-0 win in their first game under Javi Gracia since the Spaniard replaced Jesse Marsch.
It hands Leeds a hugely important three points in their fight for Premier League survival, as they now sit 17th in the table, one point above the bottom three.
Despite the win, those inside Elland Road were heard “groaning” at one particular tactic deployed by Gracia.
What’s the story?
Well, Phil Dawkes was at Elland Road covering the 1-0 win over Southampton for BBC Sport, where he heard the disgruntlement.
It came as a result of Leeds fans growing tired at the amount of short corners being taken by their side.
Dawkes said: “It’s lacked quality but boy is it tense. You can see the stakes at play out on the pitch, where two sides are frantically trying to get the upper hand.
“Off the pitch, in the stands, it is no less nervy, with supporters reacting in anguish to every opportunity spurned through a misplaced pass. The home fans have even taken to groaning the instant Leeds take a short corner, so sure are they it will lead to nothing based on historical evidence.”
Thankfully for Leeds, their unfruitful short corner routines did not end up costing them a win against relegation rivals Southampton, as they came out in top in what was simply a must-win six-pointer down at the bottom.
Leeds fans should be proud of 1-0 win over Southampton
In our view, Leeds fans should feel full of pride after the win over Southampton, despite groans during the game.
As WhoScored shows, the Whites truly turned up against the Saints, recording more shots than Southampton with 14 attempts to their eight.
Leeds also had 60% possession, and won eight corners compared to Southampton’s two.
Hopefully, this is just the start of things to come for Leeds under Gracia.
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