Leeds United might have to stop playing basketball if they are to land some three-pointers this season.
For the first time since 1935 they have gone six top-flight matches without victory from the onset of a campaign.
West Ham boss David Moyes was right when he said they are entertaining to watch. But what is great fun on grass makes for grim reading on paper – for Leeds are now in the bottom three.
Yes, the football is fast, furious and fun in these parts, but the locals are invariably left with sad faces come the end.
It was an ask too far from Marcelo Bielsa’s chaotic side for their outstanding goalkeeper Illan Meslier to save them again at the death.
West Ham battled back from a goal down to seal a last-gasp victory over Leeds at Elland Road
Michail Antonio (centre) burst through on the breakaway to slot the winner past Illan Meslier
And so it was that Michail Antonio killed the mood inside Elland Road with a typically unforgiving finish to win a contest that was more akin to the pandemonium of a playground – the hosts can certainly do schoolboy defending at times.
‘You can see why people want to watch Leeds,’ said Moyes. ‘You end up getting sucked into a similar game as them. You try not to get involved, but once they break on you, you just want to do the same back. It was like basketball. Not many teams in the world play football like Leeds.’
That last comment was intended as a compliment, no doubt. But basketball teams are conditioned to concede scores of points each week, and likewise Leeds are giving up countless chances.
The buzzer was not far from sounding when Antonio punished them in the final minute. That’s five Premier League goals from as many games for the striker this season, and the Hammers are unbeaten with him in the team.
As Antonio later came to reflect in front of the pitchside TV cameras, a section of home fans branded him a ‘cheat’ who should not have been on the field to score the winner, reference to an arm in the face of Meslier for which he was booked.
In truth, Leeds had cheated themselves out of victory after producing, in the first half at least, their best football of the season.
It was breathless, again, but at this rate they are in danger of running out of puff with not many points to show for their endeavours.
Jarrod Bowen jinked inside from the right to net the leveller, which deflected off Junior Firpo
Bowen (left) cracked away his shot, and the nick off full back Firpo then took it beyond Meslier
Raphinha dazzled again for the hosts and opened the scoring on 19 minutes with a fine finish
Glancing up at goal, Raphinha squeezed a strike across the despairing Lukasz Fabianski and in
The goal scorer was mobbed by Leeds supporters, but they were left deflated in stoppage time
They led at half-time through Raphinha and the roar from the home support at the break just about equated to the energy exerted by their heroes on the field.
But amid the noise of this raucous old stadium comes confusion and a Leeds team found wanting for cohesion. Bielsa preferred to take the positives, and there were plenty.
‘A succession of bad results, the absence of points, the position in the table, they are all factors that affect the morale of any team,’ he said. ‘But when the performance is not negative, the recovery is more probable.’
West Ham started the first half with a real menace, so dominant to give the illusion of them being the home side. They ended it grateful for the sanctuary of the away dressing-room.
Leeds can do that to the opposition at their best. Yes, they were lucky to make it to 10 minutes at 0-0 – 0-3 would not have been unjust – but thereafter they had West Ham in a spin.
Their opening goal did, however, owe much to the clumsiness of West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek, who as good as tackled himself inside his own half before allowing Rodrigo to steal on 19 minutes. He found Mateusz Klich who in turn rolled to Raphinha to steer home first time from 18 yards.
West Ham netted again in the second half, but the goal had been ruled out for a foul on Meslier
Antonio protested his innocence after hitting into goalkeeper Meslier as he leaped into the air
A mention for Leeds goalkeeper Meslier. Twice inside a frenetic opening had he saved to deny first Antonio and then Said Benrahma what looked an inevitable visiting goal.
Meslier was needed again in first-half injury-time when Pablo Fornals was sent clear only for the French keeper to block bravely at the feet of the Spaniard.
Soucek celebrated like a relieved man on 52 minutes when he poked in from close range. Maybe he and referee Kevin Friend were the only ones who had missed Antonio’s arm in the face of Meslier as the ball dropped in the goalmouth, and this was always going to be disallowed once Stockley Park pressed rewind.
Leeds should have been two up on 64 minutes but Klich wanted too much time and saw his 10-yard stab skid wide.
Tomas Soucek and Said Benrahma celebrated wildly before the effort was ruled out for the foul
They paid the price just three minutes later when Jarrod Bowen cut in from the right and his shot took two deflections off Liam Cooper and Junior Firpo before wrong-footing Meslier for 1-1.
And Meslier was again left helpless in the 90th minute when Declan Rice found Antonio steaming through the middle unattended. He negotiated the challenge of full-back Jamie Shackleton and, with Meslier hopelessly exposed, he tucked into the bottom corner.
Moyes, somewhat ominously for their rivals, admitted: ‘His finish was magic, but I don’t think it was one of his better games.’
Leeds, by contrast, are playing well and losing.