52 min At the other end, Raphinha beats Taylor and has a shot blocked bravely by Mee. It’s a good game, this, and the next goal feels pretty darn important.
51 min A Burnley corner is headed away by Raphinha. Westwood swings it back into the area, where the flying Mee can only head it across goal. Tarkowski is then flagged offside but Mee’s was the better chance. On reflection, he was under a fair bit of pressure from a Leeds defender.
49 min Burnley are dominating possession at the start of the second half. Klich’s poor touch allows Barnes to find Westwood on the left of the area. He stands up a rabona cross - I did a double take as well - towards Wood, and Phillips gets in front of him to head the ball away.
48 min With England in mind, Kalvin Phillips’ accomplished performance today has been interesting. He might be an option in the John Stones role from 2018 if Gareth Southgate decides to play three at the back in the Euros. The new, improved John Stones could then play the Kyle Walker role, with Harry Maguire plodding on defiantly in the Harry Maguire position.
That said, Wood and Barnes aren’t exactly Mbappe and Griezmann.
47 min “How is Benson doing on the wing after his nightmare intro against Wolves?” says Doug Statt. “Not sure I’ve seen him mentioned (which probably answers it).”
I’ve barely noticed him, for good or bad. Most of Burnley’s noteworthy attacks have been from set-pieces taken by Westwood or Pieters.
46 min Peep peep! Leeds begin the second half.
In other news, Krzysztof Ratajski is wiping the floor with Simon Whitlock in the darts. I thought that would be a seven-set thriller.
The Mac Millings Christmas XI!
“By way of wishing everyone a Happy Christmas,” writes Mac Millings, “here’s my all time Christmas Songs XI:
- Darren Randolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Robert Huth They Know It’s Christmas?
- Fitz Hall I Want for Christmas is You
- Johnny Met-God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen
- Aron Winter Wonderland
- Stop the Cavalriyad Mahrez
- Gifton The First Noël-Williams
- Roque Santa Cruz is Comin’ to Town
- The Christmas Song Heung-min
- Fairytale of Dwight Yorke
- Bebé, It’s Cold Outside
Right. Sod this, no more VAR talk for the rest of the game, or my blood-pressure levels will become problematic.
“I would disagree with this ‘we’re stuck with VAR forever’ mentality,” says Edouard. “Of course, if we all think like this, it’ll be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But all it would take for VAR to go away would be enough people voicing discontent that the money-driven powers that be realise we’re best off without it. I would love for there to be a supporter’s group with petitions, walkouts, and so forth. Realistically, you’re probably right it won’t ever go away, and I imagine more and more people will gradually do as I have, which is to stop watching football entirely. By the time the commercial stakeholders in football realise what’s happened, it’ll be too late.”
The problem is that VAR has heighted our reaction to unjust decisions, and I think that will persist even if we go back to the old system. People complained about decisions then, of course, but there was also a vague acceptance that it was part of the game. Not anymore, and I don’t know how you cure that. You can change the system but it’s harder to change a culture of entitlement. Ach, I’m not smart enough to put all the pieces together, but I don’t think there’s a satisfactory solution any more. There was one: to trial VAR properly, for years and years and years. But they couldn’t be bothered doing that, and here we are.
“Hi Rob,” says Gary Naylor. “Interesting comments from the always perceptive Andy Hinchcliffe about defending without the expectation of winning the ball - eg jumping with the attacker to make their header more difficult. It sounds like a foul, at least obstruction, yet it never gets given. The more cameras there are, the more the underlying norms of the game that exist alongside the laws are revealed - and the more sustenance there is for the maw of VAR.”
In the year 2025, former West Ham full-back Ray Stewart, aged 66, will come out of retirement to play as a specialist penalty taker. He’ll touch the ball three times a game and end the season with 122 goals.
Half-time reading
James Yuille McLean RIP.
Peep peep! Leeds have played their usual charming football and deserve to lead on the balance of play. Burnley will be aggrieved with a couple of VAR decisions, but they are still in this and have been particularly dangerous at set pieces. See you in 10 minutes for more action.
45+1 min “Is it possible we stop whining about VAR?” says Benjamin Park. “The moaning has become rather tedious. Don’t get me wrong, it was a horrible decision, but there is a bigger refereeing issue here. First of all, I believe the bar for ‘clear cut mistake’ is far too high. This is not a murder trial. Secondly, in this instance, we all know that goalkeepers are given a bit more liberty in their penalty box, but shouldn’t we more discuss here how much leeway they’re actually given? No outfield player would have gotten away with such an action even remotely. In my opinion, the refereeing has just been very poor and inconsistent this season, that isn’t VAR’s fault.”
Football is the greatest game in history, VAR has stolen its soul and turned it into a spreadsheet. What’s not to moan about?
45 min: Another chance for Leeds! That was lovely football. Rodrigo clipped a pass out to Harrison on the left and charged into the area. Harrison put in an excellent cross, and Rodrigo arrived late to thump a header over the bar. He couldn’t quite get over the ball but it was a fine piece of play.
43 min “Crying Giancarlo here,” greets Giancarlo Sandoval. “I think it was definitely and ‘old school penalty’ where the striker sells minimum contact in order for the referee to buy it. Theoretically, those would have to be wiped away by VAR, but I’m puzzled as to why the referee didn’t go look. It would have been a 15-minute look, but it wouldn’t have been a pen, I think.”
By 2025, they’ll be reviewing throw-ins. And there will be a smart speaker that gives you an authentic VAR experience. It’ll sense when you’re on the cusp of orgasm, and at that precise moment it will start playing your mother’s voice.
40 min Alioski’s long pass skims off the head of the backpedalling Mee and runs through to Raphinha. He slides a low first-time shot that is comfortably saved by Pope, low to his right. Raphinha might have done better there.
39 min Another corner to Burnley. Westwood swings it in and Meslier does well to punch clear under pressure. Leeds break and Harrison makes a mess of an attempted through pass. Had he got it right, Leeds would have had three on one.
38 min You know who’d like VAR? Walter Sobchak. (NB: Clips contains adult language, blah de blah)
37 min A Burnley corner is only half cleared. The ball is dumped back in the box towards Pieters, whose volley hits Benson and goes wide. I don’t think it would have beaten Meslier anyway.
36 min This is a good spell for Burnley. The folks at Stockley Park must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of Burnley scoring another goal with which they can find fault.
33 min: Chance for Wood! Westwood stands up a terrific cross from the right wing. Meslier comes and gets nowhere near it, but Wood heads over from a few yards. Ayling did just enough to put Wood off and ensure he couldn’t get over the ball.
32 min That Carlos Alberto goal in the 1970 World Cup final looked great, sure, but there was an unspotted foul on Sandro Mazzola four minutes earlier, so I’m afraid it’s got to go.
31 min: Chance for Leeds! Mee, who is having a mini-shocker, is robbed by Raphinha. He scurries into the error, resists Mee’s recovery challenge and picks Harrison at the far post. He hits a low shot is blocked by ... Bamford. I thought Pope saved it but replays show it hit Bamford in the six-yard box and rebounded away from goal.
30 min Dallas is warned for an ankle tap on Pieters. He might have been booked. Maybe we should go to Stockley Park to see what they think, and whether they can find any reasons why Maradona’s second goal against England in 1986 should be retrospectively chalked off.
29 min “Don’t think VAR could do anything about Burnley’s disallowed goal as the ref blew his whistle before it crossed the line!” says Andrew. “It could of course have awarded a penalty though...”
Good point, I thought he’d blown the whistle afterwards. It probably was a penalty, too - he basically kneed Mee in the back. Absolute shambles.
28 min Tarkowski is booked for a very late tackle on Rodrigo.
27 min It’s not even the (probably) wrong decisions that are so irritating, it’s the fact we’re talking about VAR every single game. It’s the ultimate mood-hoover, the jobsworth at the orgy. And you can’t just put it back in its box, because it has irrevocably changed the culture of football.
26 min “Given that Leeds are a team which is so much greater than the sum of its parts and plays in a very specific style, would the individual players actually be considered to be of bona-fide Premier League quality?” says Kishalay Banerjee. “Kalvin Phillips belongs at this level of course, but would players like Ayling, Cooper or Jack Harrison find places in other Premier League squads with different styles from this team?”
Probably not, which is one of the reasons they are so much fun. Harrison might, and Phillips is a class act, but I agree that they are so much more than the sum of their parts.
25 min Klich shoots miles over the bar from 25 yards.
23 min Another game of football - a Leeds game, too, the biggest treat - ruined by VAR. Eff it all.
22 min Mee is robbed by Bamford, who breaks into the area and is well tackled by Taylor.
20 min “To be honest Rob, not having a horse in this race, I’m just grateful to have a VAR decision that didn’t take an absolute age,” says Sam Trenery. “That said if I were a Burnley fan I’m sure I’d have far more to say on the matter.”
With or without VAR, both decisions would have gone against Burnley. But the sense of injustice is so much greater when it’s been checked by VAR and you still suffer a dodgy decision. It’s the worst thing to happen to football in my lifetime. We’re stuck with this crap forever, you realise, and it’ll get worse.
NO GOAL! It’s now VAR 2-0 Burnley.
18 min: Barnes has a goal disallowed! Meslier came a long way to meet a flighted free-kick from Westwood. He dropped the ball under challenge from Mee, and Barnes did very well to whip a shot on the turn into the net. I don’t think that was a foul by Mee - Meslier just jumped over him and dropped the ball. It’ll be checked by VAR.
17 min “Leeds make me cry by the beauty of their attacking play,” says Giancarlo Sanodoval. “I’ve seen some of their táctica on YouTube on replay and it’s an excellent watch. It’s simply gorgeous football (they’ve made me cry a good amount of times to be perfectly honest, Rob).”
You’re not crying, it’s just been raining on your face.
16 min Harrison’s lofted pass finds Raphinha, whose lobbed header clears Pope but also the crossbar. He was given offside but it was very tight, so had he scored it might have counted.
16 min Any thoughts on that penalty decision? What am I missing?
15 min Rodrigo makes a bit of space in the D, but his low shot is comfortably saved by Pope.
13 min Burnley will be a threat from set pieces today. Westwood’s free-kick from the left wing is punched away at the near post by Meslier. It wasn’t entirely convincing, but hed’ve took it.
11 min “What to make of Leeds?” muses Mary Waltz. “Championship? No. when was the last time a newly promoted club was considered Championship material. Never. It’s as simple as this. They are absolutely a joy to watch. And give them a few years of Premier League money and they will be challengers for the title.”
9 min The odd thing about the VAR check for the penalty is that only took about 10 seconds. I’ve seen five replays now and I’m still not entirelym sure. Pope definitely got the ball with what was effectively a block tackle; the only issue is whether, because he come out feet first, his challenge was dangerous. The more I see it, the less I think it was a penalty. That said, the excellent Sky Sports summariser Andy Hinchcliffe thinks it was a clear foul.
7 min More good play from Leeds. Raphinha slides a clever ball through to Alioski, who tries to pick out Rodrigo but mishits his cross over the bar. Sean Dyche isn’t happy about the penalty. I think he has a point, though I’d like to see a few more replays.
6 min The more I see the penalty incident, the more I think Pope got something on the ball. The problem is that Bamford touched it almost at the same time so it was hard to see exactly what happened. I’m still not sure it was a penalty, but I’m not sure it was a clear and obvious error either.
Bamford scores emphatically, sweeping the penalty into the top-right corner. Pope went the wrong way, not that it mattered; you don’t save those.
Ayling drove a simple long pass over the defence towards Bamford. Pope came out, feet first, and clattered Bamford. At first I thought he got the ball but replays suggest otherwise. Penalty given!
4 min: PENALTY TO LEEDS! This might be overturned by VAR.
2 min Kalvin Phillips is playing very deep, essentially as a third centre-back. No surprise, really, given that Burnley play with two up front. Marcelo Bielsa always likes to have a spare man in defence. It’s the most attacking 5-4-1 formation in the history of football.
1 min Peep peep! Burnley kick off from right to left.
“Is this Unstoppable Force United v Immovable Object FC?” wonders Robin Lee. “Let’s find out!”
And why not.
The players are ready to go. Burnley are in their black away kit; Leeds are in white.
“Evening Rob,” says Phil Withall. “I need a little guidance on the whole ‘what to make of Leeds’ thing. Are they a Championship side punching above their weight, the start of a footballing cultural revolution or the plaything of a tactical genius? It’s all a bit confusing. Six points above the relegation places yet heralded as the shot in the arm the game needs. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE??”
I fear you’ve mistaken me for one of our Proper Writers. I don’t have clearance to enter the What It All Means department.
The Burnley manager Sean Dyche has apparently been pacing out the pitch dimensions at Elland Road this morning. Good lad.
Pre-match reading
All the best to Paul, who’ll be sadly missed.
One change for Leeds: Pascal Struijk replaces the injured Liam Cooper. Burnley are without their wide players, Robbie Brady and Dwight McNeil. They are replaced by Josh Benson and Erik Pieters.
Leeds (4-1-4-1) Meslier; Dallas, Ayling, Struijk, Alioski; Phillips; Raphinha, Rodrigo, Klich, Harrison; Bamford.
Substitutes: Casilla, Davis, Casey, Hernandez, Shackleton, Jenkins, Poveda-Ocampo, Roberts, Costa.
Burnley (4-4-2) Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Benson, Westwood, Brownhill, Pieters; Wood, Barnes.
Substitutes: Peacock-Farrell, Norris, Bardsley, Long, Dunne, Stephens, Mancini, Rodriguez, Mumbongo.
Referee Robert Jones.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Leeds v Burnley from Elland Road. In different ways, these are two of the more admirable teams in the Premier League: Leeds for their idealistic, fairground-ride football, Burnley for their pragmatic overachievement. Sean Dyche’s side have recovered from a hideous start to the season, taking 11 points from six games, and look set to survive comfortably again.
If their curve is going up, Leeds’ season has been more like, well, a fairground ride: up and down until you feel sick with happiness. In their last two games they have won 5-2 and lost 6-2. They were spanked at Old Trafford last Sunday, yet still managed to cover themselves in glory with their relentless optimism going forward. They won’t change, we know that. Marcelo Bielsa, like Sean Dyche, is not for turning.
Kick off 12pm.
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