A week of mixed emotions for Leeds United as Whites must embrace festive challenge - Tony Dorigo

I feel mixed emotions about last week’s haul of points for Leeds United.
Leeds United's players salute the Elland Road crowd. Pic: GettyLeeds United's players salute the Elland Road crowd. Pic: Getty
Leeds United's players salute the Elland Road crowd. Pic: Getty

You’re obviously trying to get as many as you can on the board in the Premier League knowing what is coming around the corner over the festive period.

The Brighton draw was hugely disappointing because of the way we played but, against Crystal Palace with how we won the game and the drama around it, you felt we really had the momentum after that.

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We didn’t capitalise on that against Brentford on Sunday which is probably where that little tinge of annoyance comes from.

I have to admit that I struggled to see how Thomas Frank was going to turn the game around at half-time at Elland Road but football can be funny like that.

Leeds lost their way a little and that is the quality you’re up against.

Five points, well, we’ll take it after such a busy week but I can’t lie because I absolutely wanted more.

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Despite that, I do think there are plenty of positives to take out of the Brentford game.

The spirit of the lads was again magnificent; they just don’t know when they’re beaten and that’s huge.

Any really good side that I played in throughout my career always had a great spirit and with that you can go a long, long way in this game.

Patrick Bamford’s return was another of the good things to take and it was lovely to see him link with Luke Ayling for the goal after the troubles they have both endured injury-wise in the last few months.

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We have really missed that sort of poaching goal this season. It’s not luck, it’s a skill and an art.

We just haven’t had that despite all of our lovely play under Marcelo this season.

It was also great to see Tyler Roberts finally get himself on the scoresheet.

He looked sharp and has done for the last couple of games

There was plenty of good work from him in dangerous areas and that’s what you need if you’re in the No 9 or No 10 position.

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Other players in the squad though do, I feel, need to chip in with some goals and that’s across the team and not aimed at one individual.Bamford being back was a huge boost but we have been very reliant on him and Raphinha to provide that finishing touch in the final third.

As players, they should hopefully be looking forward to this next run of games we have.

It’s going to be challenging - we know how good Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are.

Three of those teams, for me, are far and away the best that we’re going to face this season. They are all away from home as well, so it doesn’t get any more difficult in my eyes.

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Looking at it from the outside, you’d say we’ll get precious little out of those games but that means there’s nothing to lose.

So, who knows? We took four points from Manchester City last season, maybe lightning can strike twice.

For us as fans, we probably look at those four games and think: “Wow. They’re going to be tough.”

But I think the boys will treat it with excitement.

They have to embrace it. As a player, I used to want to play the hardest teams because I wanted to go out there and prove myself.

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It’s going to be a big ask but it’s a challenge they’ll look forward to I am sure. Chelsea is a club I know well, having played there before my time at Leeds.

It is a completely different club now to the one I was at though when you see the impact of Roman Abramovich and the amount they have invested. I always wish them extremely well... just not in this game!

Thomas Tuchel saw his side lose away at West Ham last week but I don’t see that as a good sign for us. It’s not very often the top teams put in two or three bad performances in a row and they’ll be determined to put that right.

They do have a trip to Russia tonight in the Champions League but I’m not sure that’ll have any effect on the game.

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They’re seasoned in dealing with the pressures of European football and they have the squad to match their ambitions. I noticed there are a couple of suspension worries heading into the festive run, Raphinha being the pick of those.

It always makes me laugh when things like this crop up because I certainly played with a few players who, for some reason, kept getting suspended over Christmas ... you probably can’t imagine why!

I suppose I better give them the benefit of the doubt but I was always very suspicious. It was very convenient, put it that way.

I look at battling that problem in a similar way to getting a yellow card in the first five minutes of a match. You know that you have to manage and deal with that so you play accordingly.

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For me, I would never ever go into a game worrying about the fact if I got a booking I’d be suspended - I just don’t think it’s something you can do. You just have to go and play.

With the new rules, it’s certainly easier to end up in the referee’s notebook from when I was playing.

Some of the challenges you might think are okay just aren’t these days... but such is the modern game.