After an incredible season up until this point, it would be unfair to be too critical of Leeds’ performance at QPR. But it was clearly not good enough.
QPR had lost seven in a row before Tuesday. It should have been a comfortable three points. But this is Leeds we’re talking about.
The visitors were beaten 1-0 at Loftus Road. And to be brutally honest, they deserved absolutely nothing. Leeds frequently pushed towards the final third, but had little quality at the moment they needed that composure they had in abundance at the start of the season.
An off night can be forgiven – though there have probably been too many lately. But what surely cannot be overlooked is the lack of urgency shown by Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Leeds were slow. Even when they went 1-0 down, they rarely looked as if they were about to power through the gears.
QPR may have produced some world-class time-wasting. But when they had the ball, they looked like the side that was chasing an equaliser. They wanted a second goal, and that desire was evident throughout their team.
Leeds may not have lacked desire. But it seemed to be one of those nights when the squad were running on empty – and with 12 games to go, that is a very worrying sign.