Kyle Newbould: I watched Leeds United's penalty shootout defeat vs Man Utd - here are my 3 key conclusions
Key takeaways from Leeds United’s 1-1 draw and subsequent penalty-shootout defeat to Manchester United.
Leeds United missed out on the chance for pre-season silverware following their 5-4 penalty-shootout defeat to Manchester United on Wednesday. Brenden Aaronson cancelled out Joshua Zirkzee’s opener in the first-half with it ending 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Zirkzee handed Manchester United a deserved first-half lead on 15 minutes after some rash defending from Jaka Bijol. But Leeds levelled with their first shot on target around the half-hour mark when Daniel James set up Aaronson.
With no more goals, the game went to penalties with Harry Wilson and James Justin missing for Leeds in a 5-4 defeat. Below are three of the YEP’s key takeaways from the night.
Instant Trafford impression
Leeds got a good look at their record signing in Dublin with James Trafford playing 45 minutes in goal. And the 23-year-old looked every bit a top-quality shot-stopper, producing one brilliant save to deny Bryan Mbeumo and spraying a few nice passes out to either wing, looking confident in his new surroundings.
This was a lot of what Leeds needed in their new goalkeeper, someone able to keep them in a game when those in front aren’t quite at it. Trafford needed just one half of football to show fans he can be that guy - and the England international seemingly required even less time to impress his new teammates.
“From what I’ve seen he [Trafford] is top,” Aaronson said after full-time. “During the training session yesterday, I was blown away by how much quality he had. He’s a top goalkeeper and we’re lucky to have him. Especially today, the saves he made were really, really good.”
Smart Okafor decision
Another Leeds player to get their first pre-season minutes on Wednesday was Noah Okafor, the winger one of 10 half-time introductions at Croke Park. He looked very sharp on the left-wing, bursting past Manchester United defenders on two occasions and showing the one-v-one ability that made him such an asset last season.
Okafor only played 20 minutes at the World Cup for Switzerland and so the decision to give him an extended summer break - missing the tour of America - was unusual. But the Leeds coaching staff know their player better than anyone and on Wednesday’s evidence at least, look to have got it right again.
Fitness levels have been a regular point of concern regarding Okafor, who completed a full 90-minute Premier League match just once last season. The trick now is getting him right up to speed in time to face Nottingham Forest in just over a week.
Attacking quality gap
Okafor wasn’t the only second-half introduction to look sharp and there was a notable improvement in attack when the Swiss international joined Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Wilson, Anton Stach and others on the pitch. Leeds looked dangerous in the final third after spending much of the first-half frustrated.
James may have set up Aaronson for the equaliser but even that felt disjointed, Nmecha's attempt at holding up a long ball falling short and the Welsh winger pouncing on a loose touch. Leeds barely created any chances of their own in that opening 45 and that highlights an early worry.
That drop off in quality from the first-choice attackers those others in the squad can’t be ignored, and a couple of unfortunate injuries could leave Farke’s side struggling in the final third next season. There are still just over two weeks of the transfer window remaining and plenty still to do.