I've been watching Leeds United like a Marcelo Bielsa assistant stationed in a bush for over eight months now. And to everyone out in West Yorkshire who's been watching since closer to the club's foundation in 1919, I just want to apologize: I'm sorry we gave you the total American soccer experience of not being very good at this game.
Like the American in An American Werewolf in London, I feel like my spiritual presence here in England has only left a trail of destruction, blood and tears.
Our great Major Leeds Soccer experiment started so brightly — Jesse Marsch keeping the club up through the teachings of Gandhi, JFK and Mother Teresa, Brenden Aaronson putting Chelsea to the sword, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie throwing that guy into the advertising boards, Chris Armas being Chris Armas — but that was all a lifetime ago.
After reaching a new low last Sunday in a 5-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Elland Road, Leeds reached a newer low on Monday by losing 6-1 at home to Liverpool. The stadium was already emptying around the hour mark when Mohamed Salah put the Reds up 4-1 with his second of the match and things somehow got worse from there.
Adams' presence as the No. 4 is clearly missed but he won't be back this season following hamstring surgery. His midfield partner McKennie went the full 90 but won't ever want to rewatch the tape.
It was McKennie who lost possession and allowed Diogo Jota to break before he set up Salah for Liverpool's second goal.
As for Aaronson, his second strike of the campaign just won't come after smashing an effort that went off the post, and he continues to look like a featherweight out there after Virgil van Dijk sent him airborne with the flick of a wrist.
The Americans need to get their shit together, but it's a confusing moment to do that because next up for Leeds is a trip to Craven Cottage on Saturday to play Fulhamerica.
