With Leeds United struggling to put Millwall to bed on a frustrating night at Elland Road, the Sky Sports commentator said something which would prove immediately pertinent mere moments later.
Ao Tanaka, he said, had popped up with a couple of important goals for Daniel Farke’s side recently.
There was that long-range thumper against Hull City. That impudent backheel to see off Sheffield Wednesday. And that wonderful, almost time-stopping header against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane which could yet prove to be the most important signpost on Leeds United’s path to the Premier League.
And here he was again, arriving at the edge of the penalty area to slam Junior Firpo’s ninth assist of a fine season into the top corner of Lukas Jensen’s goal.
If there is such thing as an opposite of the so-called ‘Commentator’s Curse’, well, this was it.
While not quite as jubilation-inducing as his 89th minute header in the Steel City, Tanaka certainly eased plenty of nerves as Leeds made hard work of Alex Neil’s diligent Millwall outfit.
Ao Tanaka shows his ‘quality’ as Leeds United beat Millwall
Aidy White was part of the Leeds side who earned promotion from League One under Simon Grayson back in 2010. Fifteen years on, the Otley-born former defender should have another promotion to look forward to, thanks in part to one of the best bargain signings in the club’s modern history.
“Pace, precision, finesse… Everything you need from a top-quality strike from Leeds United’s Ao Tanaka,” White beamed on BBC Radio Leeds. “It is a really vital three points.
“It also just calms the nerves around Elland Road.”
Following Sunday’s 1-0 reverse at Portsmouth – defeat at Fratton Park ended Leeds’ 17-game unbeaten run in the league – questions were starting to be asked of Farke’s team for the first time in months heading into the midweek clash with old rivals Millwall.
If results went against them, there was a chance that Leeds would be heading to Queens Park Rangers in Saturday’s early kick off in third, glancing enviously up at Sheffield United and Burnley as well as over their shoulder at a creeping Sunderland.
So, after The Blades and The Clarets both dropped points 24 hours earlier against West Brom and Bristol City, that Leeds will go into Thursday two points clear at the summit is a result all in West Yorkshire would have snapped your hand off for.
Dan James and Joe Rothwell hailed after latest Elland Road win
“There are always going to be people who are worried about Leeds United’s game at the weekend, travelling away from home [to QPR],” White adds, while highlighting two more stand-out performances on a night relatively short of those.
“But it was a really positive performance, especially from Dan James and Joe Rothwell tonight.”
James is still awaiting a ‘double double’ – he is stuck on 10 goals and nine assists – but he was a menace throughout against Millwall, even if the end product was lacking.
The Leeds faithful were effusive in their praise for Joe Rothwell, meanwhile. The AFC Bournemouth loanee was included in the starting XI ahead of Ilia Gruev.
Farke backed Gruev pre-match amid criticism of Leeds’ Bulgarian battler. But Rothwell is certainly a more effective option in games such as this; When The Whites dominate possession and need something to pick the lock with a prising through ball or the sort of forward burst with which the former Blackburn ball-carrier excels.
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