Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa was angry about time-wasting from Stoke players in the second half of their EFL cup game, according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth.
Bielsa’s side crashed out of the cup on Tuesday night after a spirited comeback against Stoke ended in a penalty shootout defeat.
Leeds deserved better after coming back from 2-0 down at half-time after goals from Danny Batth and Sam Vokes had put the visitors in control.
It was the second time in days the two sides had met after Leeds’ 3-0 win in the Championship on Saturday.
That might have been the fixture both sides wanted to win but Bielsa doesn’t like to lose in any competition. He made three substitutions at half-time that turned the tie on its head and left Stoke desperately hanging on.
He took off Alfie McCalmont, Jamie Shackleton and Jack Clarke and brought on Adam Forshaw, Jack Harrison and Ben White.
Eddie Nketiah and Helder Costa scored the goals that leveled the game but, according to Smyth, Bielsa was unhappy “with the number of Stoke players hitting the deck and needing treatment. Or the time it takes anything to happen.”
He added, “His anger is fuelling what is already a raucous din inside the ground.”
Bielsa isn't happy with the number of Stoke players hitting the deck and needing treatment. Or the time it takes for anything to happen.
His anger is fuelling what is already a raucous din inside the ground.
1-2
— Graham Smyth (@GrahamSmyth) August 27, 2019
Game of two halves
The attack momentum graph from the game [SofaScore] illustrates brilliantly the effect that Bielsa’s half-time changes had on the game – and why Stoke were desperate to see the game out.
Leeds are in green on the top and the graph shows the first half of the game was relatively evenly matched, with Stoke enjoying two periods of domination.
The second half was a completely different story. Leeds took charge, thanks in part to some brilliance from young centre-back Ben White.
In all, Leeds had 71% possession, 18 shots to Stoke’s 12 and three big chances to Stoke’s zero [SofaScore].
Leeds could, and probably should, have won the game in regulation time but couldn’t find the third goal, with late chances falling to Nketiah and Kalvin Phillips. Meanwhile, Stoke were doing everything they could to see the game out to penalties.
It’s a big result for them but the consolation for Leeds is that they can concentrate on the league where they’re still top and unbeaten. Leeds fans would much rather be top of the league and out of the EFL cup than bottom of the league and in the pot for round three.