The euphoric reaction from Daniel Farke and his Leeds United players when Dan James’s 48th-minute strike effectively decided this rip-roaring Yorkshire derby spoke volumes.
Nothing is decided in mid-August, but such are the standards at this club that back-to-back draws to begin the new Championship season has contributed to a sombre mood. That, coupled with the fact Farke’s squad has been asset-stripped since their playoff final defeat by Southampton at Wembley in May.
Archie Gray, Glen Kamara, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter have all left, generating well over £100million, but there has been little movement the other way. However, the players who Farke does have left produced their best display of the season so far to see off Sheffield Wednesday and provide some much-needed positivity.
Goals from Brenden Aaronson and James made it five points from nine, consigning Wednesday to a second defeat in three games in the process. Farke will be adamant that this result, and indeed the performance, should not convince the Leeds hierarchy their squad is sufficient, though.
With new signing Largie Ramazani unavailable and Patrick Bamford injured, Farke’s team selection had an air of a manager sending a message to his superiors about the quality Leeds require in the final week of the transfer window. And they began the contest on the back foot too, with Wednesday much the stronger of the two sides in the opening quarter.
The hosts’ physicality, particularly from set plays, was evident from the off. Leeds were struggling to contend with it too, and Dominic Iorfa perhaps should have done better from a Svante Ingelsson corner, with Illan Meslier palming his header away from goal to keep it scoreless.
But as the first half wore on, Leeds grew into the task and as the half-hour mark approached, a wonderful team move put them ahead. The visitors played out from the back superbly, with James’s flick sending Aaronson away down the right.
Wilfried Gnonto then fed Mateo Joseph through on goal and while he was brought down inside the area, Aaronson was on hand to cooly convert for his second of the season in just three games.
The American international then went close with a free-kick two minutes later and having endured a frosty reception from Leeds supporters upon returning from a season-long loan at Union Berlin in the summer, things suddenly appear to be thawing on that front quite quickly. He will be a vital player for Farke’s side this season, irrespective of who arrives before the window closes.
Suddenly, it was the visitors on the front foot and a usually boisterous Hillsborough crowd had been silenced. Had James not narrowly missed a wonderful cross from Junior Firpo right on half-time, it could have been even worse for Wednesday.
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But that miss from James was a temporary respite as, three minutes after the restart, he did score the crucial second goal to double Leeds’ advantage. An inch-perfect through ball from Mateo Joseph set the Welshman free, and he had the composure to dink the ball over James Beadle and spark rapturous celebrations among the 4,000 away fans.
Now the game was stretched, and Wednesday had to chance their arm to get back into proceedings. The trouble, though, was that it was opening the hosts up to counterattacks and given the way Leeds were playing, they looked likely to take one.
Wednesday centre-half Di’Shon Bernard came desperately close with a header on the hour mark but two minutes later, Leeds picked off the hosts on the counter and had Joseph kept his composure, he could have put the result beyond doubt. However, he struck high and wide with the goal at his mercy.
And aside from a speculative effort from Wednesday captain Barry Bannan that just whistled wide of Meslier’s post, the Owls couldn’t muster much by way of a threat to set up a grandstand finale. The momentum from their opening-day thumping of Plymouth is fading, though they will still hope for a successful season with the talented Danny Rohl in the dugout.
This night, however, belonged to Leeds and after a summer of discontent at Elland Road, Farke will hope this was the evening when their season came to life after a stuttering start on and off the field.