Leeds United fans were directing a chant at Javi Gracia during the second-half of their clash with Leicester City on Tuesday BBC journalist Adam Pope admitted he had never heard before.
Pope was speaking to Off The Ball following last night’s draw with the Foxes at Elland Road. It is, of course, a result which does Leeds few favours in their quest to stay in the Premier League.
Leeds have a daunting run of games to end the campaign. And with that, home to fellow strugglers Leicester seemed to be their easiest fixture on paper. But Tuesday did not play out that way.
What Leeds fans were singing at Javi Gracia against Leicester
Dean Smith’s side scored a late equaliser. And in truth, you have to say that that is the least they deserved. Leeds were under huge pressure for much of the second-half. And for many, there was a sense that the goal was coming.
One person who did not get that impression however, was Javi Gracia. The Leeds boss threw on Crysencio Summerville during the first-half after Luis Sinisterra sustained an injury. Meanwhile, he turned to Brenden Aaronson when he took Rodrigo off midway through the second-half.
But he did nothing when Leicester turned to Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka. And that proved to be costly, with Vardy equalising.
Certainly, the fans made it absolutely clear what they thought of Gracia doing nothing. Pope was on commentary duty during the game. And he picked up on the fact that they were imploring the boss to change things up.
“The problem was that the fans were urgent to go forward and get the winner and were pleading for Wilfried Gnonto. And I heard something I’d never heard before,” he told Off The Ball.
“Literally, the fans were singing ‘make a sub’ to Javi Gracia. And I think they felt one of the problems was that it wasn’t brave enough in the sense of the changes he made.”
This was not the later days of Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure. Leeds had the kind of depth they could have only dreamed of in those games when injuries completely decimated the Argentinian’s squad.
Adam Forshaw simply had to come on. Leeds’ midfield was nowhere near good enough after the break. What has happened to Marc Roca of late is baffling.
And there were the likes of Willy Gnonto and Georginio Rutter also available to Gracia. Sam Greenwood could have also made a difference. And Pascal Struijk and Rasmus Kristensen could have given the defence more energy.
At first, you could understand Gracia’s reluctance to rely on Gnonto. When he came in, the Italian had gone off the boil. And his decision to take him off in his first game was vindicated.
But any understanding has evaporated at this point. Gnonto is a game-changer. And if Tuesday’s game had carried on much longer, it probably would have been Leicester who got the winner.
Certainly, if Leeds go down, it will not reflect well on Gracia when fans consider he didn’t use the club’s record signing or the side’s most dangerous player in what felt like a must-win game.