Jon Howe: Many happy returns | OneFootball

Weekly column.

In his latest column for leedsunited.com, lifelong supporter Jon Howe looks at the upcoming match with Southampton.

Howe is the author of two books on the club, ‘The Only Place For Us: An A-Z History of Elland Road’ - which has been updated as a new version for 2021 - and ‘All White: Leeds United’s 100 Greatest Players’ in 2012.



Amid the anguish and frustration of the opening few weeks of the 2021/22 season, Marcelo Bielsa’s beleaguered troops – without a win in their first six Premier League fixtures - didn’t have to cast their minds too far back to find a happy place. It was the end of May to be exact, just a matter of weeks before, when they had a sense of invincibility, when it felt like anything was achievable, when they almost felt immortal.

In Southampton they had found that happy place. In the second-last game of a tumultuous season a routine 2-0 win had resulted from what had begun as a spiky, troublesome fixture, and a first return to playing in front of home supporters. It was a test of nerve that Leeds passed admirably, it placed them temporarily in the nosebleed territory of eighth place and it meant they could now finish no lower than 10th in their inaugural Premier League season.

A top-half finish was guaranteed, and richly deserved, and it meant the final home game versus West Bromwich Albion had something of a testimonial feel. With the pressure off and a chance to wave goodbye to old friends, Leeds United were on an upward curve heading to the stars after a run of one defeat in the final 11 games and four straight wins, and as well-set for the future as any newly-promoted club with grand aspirations could possibly wish for.

The only thing that has changed since then is that Leeds have struggled to get going again after the summer break and have been unlucky in some key incidents in games. It happens. And it’s true that the supernatural power that propelled Leeds to some exceptional displays last season has yet to fully plant itself among Bielsa’s men this time around, but in Southampton, Leeds might just find some timely reminders of where they temporarily moored their mojo.

Buoyed by the 1-0 defeat of Watford at Elland Road last time out, Leeds are in unchartered territory for 2021/22; going into a game with confidence and momentum. Southampton on the other hand, have yet to trouble the ‘win’ column this season, with four draws and three defeats so far, and two of those losses in the last two games. The Saints sit one place below Leeds and one above the relegation zone, with only Burnley separating them from Norwich City at the bottom and a brand new club called Newcastle United also in the bottom three. It will be interesting to see how their many billions help them deal with the pressure…

But without talisman captain James Ward-Prowse (suspended) and with injury doubts over key striker Che Adams, Southampton are not in the best of health, and Leeds will smell blood despite suffering their own injury disruption in recent weeks.

May’s 2-0 win at St Mary’s – courtesy of goals from Patrick Bamford and Tyler Roberts - was a rare victory on the south coast for the travelling whites, with three straight defeats coming after the epic 4-3 comeback win of 2005/06. It also completed the double over the Saints and should undoubtedly give Leeds the psychological edge going into Saturday’s game.

A first win of the season tends to provide that, and while many people bemoaned the international break interrupting our fun like your mum shouting “tea’s ready” when the ‘FA Cup Final’ in your mud patch of a back garden has just entered extra-time, it could actually work in Leeds’ favour.

The past fortnight has been as achingly bereft as ever, with Kalvin Phillips somehow enhancing his reputation as an England player without actually playing, but it has at least afforded key players some precious time at Thorp Arch to recover from or to nurse some niggling injuries. Bamford, Robin Koch and Luke Ayling will all be more advanced in their recuperation, while Diego Llorente, Jack Harrison and Phillips himself will all have enjoyed some respite to get their bodies right after various recent travails.

Who knows, this mid-season break might just be the key to Llorente reaching long term peak fitness again and bringing the calm assurance to Leeds defence that contributed so much to that impressive sprint to the line last season. If it is, it will mean Leeds have continuity and solidity at the back for the first time since May, and for once, just maybe, we can be thankful for the recurring disturbance and habitual ennui of the international calendar.

In truth, with one major exception, Leeds haven’t been so severely leant upon by international bosses this time around, with as many of our players representing their country at junior levels as there were seniors. Only Dan James played two full games, scoring once for Wales in the 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic, and his second game was on Monday evening, meaning he should be suitably fresh for Saturday. After that, Tyler Roberts and Liam Cooper made only brief substitute appearances for Wales and Scotland respectively, the ever-ready Stuart Dallas played 86 minutes of Northern Ireland’s 2-0 defeat to Switzerland but was a second half sub in the second fixture, while Mateusz Klich played only 45 minutes in each of Poland’s two games.

In re-gathering his scattered troops at varying stages in the build-up to Southampton, Bielsa will see an appreciable hole in Raphinha’s ongoing absence, which even if he plays only 45 minutes of Brazil’s Friday morning fixture against Uruguay – which at the time of writing is unknown - will give him, at best, less than 24 hours to recover from a mad-dash long haul flight before kick-off at St Mary’s.

Raphinha might yet spring us a surprise, after all, he is quite unlike any physical specimen we have ever seen at Elland Road.  But if he is to be involved, you would expect to see him start on the bench on Saturday. That said, again, maybe we should look at the plus side of the international break? Raphinha’s ascent to greatness is steep, rapid and inevitable, and it was only a matter of time before the ‘secret’ was out on an international level, but his cameo performances in the famous Brazilian jersey might just unlock something special in Leeds United’s season too.

While he has never lacked in self-assurance, Raphinha’s introduction to international football should give him a confidence charge so formidable he could jump over the sun in his pre-match warm-up on Saturday. That can only be good for Leeds United, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Things are coming together and there is a recognisable freshness and vitality that only wins and success can bring. It was never far away, because we could all remember it and we could all still taste it. So forget the doubts, forget the injuries and forget the fear of second season syndrome, Leeds go to Southampton on Saturday in a great position and in a happy place. It’s almost like the season is starting again, so let’s pick up where we left off.