Leeds Player Ratings: Stoke 0 - 3 Leeds

Leeds United played some sumptuous football to run out 3-0 winners against Stoke City at the Bet365 stadium.

Goals from Stuart Dallas, Ezgjan Alioski, and Patrick Bamford were enough to secure the three points. To be fair - it could have been 6/7 if not for a good performance from Adam Federici in the Stoke goal. If you haven’t watched it and will get the opportunity - watch the full 90 minutes, this was a Marcelo Bielsa team at their best.

Time now to look at each player and how they performed. As always you can tell me how wrong I am @mightywhitespod or @ThruItAllLUFC on twitter.

STARTING LINE-UP

Kiko Casilla - Nothing to do in the first half. Had to punch away a dangerous Liam Lindsay header early in the second half. Made a fairly simple save to deny Tom Ince from distance. Distribution was good again. 7/10

Stuart Dallas - Got skinned by James McClean early and those two had quite a battle, which McClean had the slight better of in the opening 30 minutes. Had a shot from 25 yards after half an hour that was not far wide. Opened the scoring with a calm finish having made an excellent run (which got him away from McClean) to get on the end of a tremendous pass from Pablo Hernandez.

Started the second half by driving forward 50 yards but his shot was blocked when he had Harrison alongside looking for a pass. Took the captain’s armband when Hernandez went off. 8.5/10

Ben White - Started very well, good on the ball and won everything for the first 25 minutes. Made a crucial header to clear a Tom Edwards cross that had goal written all over it. Constantly in control and able to either pass or turn his way out of any potential trouble. When I grow up I want to be Ben White. (What do you mean he’s 8 years younger than me?) 8.5/10

Gaetano Berardi - Covered for his teammates excellently when it looked like Jordan Cousins could be through on goal. Coped well in the air, good first half. Second half - no drama whatsoever - coped with everything that came his way. 7.5/10

Ezgjan Alioski - Good energy down the left but nothing major to be said about his first half. Scored Leeds’ second goal five minutes into the second half, arriving at the far post to fire home Patrick Bamford’s cross. Put through by Hernandez on 65 minutes, his shot was saved but it set up Bamford for Leeds’ third. 8.5/10

Kalvin Phillips - Dropped into a back three early as Leeds took 10 minutes to adjust to Stoke’s formation. Made a couple of good tackles in the first half. More of the same in the second half - until the last minute where he got caught being too aggressive against Etebo and picked up a yellow for making a foul trying to catch him up following the error. 7.5/10

Adam Forshaw - Had a tidy first half but without as much impact in attack as we have seen in his last two matches. Started the move which lead to the opening goal. As usual, didn’t give the ball away much at all. Best attacking moments came in the last 15 minutes as the game got stretched, and had a fantastic chance saved by Federici when put through by Nketiah - he really should have scored. 8/10

Pablo Hernandez - Had a good effort saved by Adam Federici after 15 minutes. Moved into a central role early on with Leeds adjusting to Stoke’s formation. Showed how brilliant he is with a world-class pass to put Dallas through for the opening goal. Played the ball into Bamford in the build up Leeds’ second goal (a second-assist I think it’s called in Ice Hockey). Another sumptuous pass to put Alioski through down the left which lead to Leeds’ third goal though Bamford (another second-assist). Also won the ball back 9 times which is very impressive. 8.5/10

Mateusz Klich - Had Leeds first shot on target from 25 yards but it was a fairly weak strike, had a better chance 5 minutes later but it was blocked well. Dispossessed Peter Etebo on the edge of the Stoke box to give Bamford a half-chance. Forced Federici into another save on the stroke of half-time from the edge of the box. Had another good effort from distance after what must have been a 25 pass move but it was just too high. Also, had a deflected effort tipped just wide. Always involved. 7.5/10

Jack Harrison - Had Leeds first good opportunity when he got in down the left channel, but he couldn’t find someone with his pull-back. Moved into a “second striker” role up with Bamford when Leeds changed formation. Involved in the build up to the opening goal with a nice pass to Hernandez. Went close from 25 yards with a curling effort soon after Alioski’s goal. Had the ball at his feet with Leeds 2 on 1 against the last defender but lost the ball, one of a couple of occasions where he was a little wasteful but that is a nitpick. 8/10

Patrick Bamford - Very isolated early on. Had his on first opening after 33 minutes when he curled an effort wide of the post from outside the box following good work from Klich. Really good ball across the face of goal with his weaker right foot to set up Alioski for the second goal. Got on the scoresheet with a good finish to make it 3-0, good “striker’s goal” being in the right place to follow up when Alioski’s effort was saved. Aside from his goal and assist he worked really hard. 8.5/10

SUBSTITUTES

Eddie Nketiah (for Bamford, 74mins) - A lot to ask to come on and match the level of performance the team was putting in. Picked up a yellow card for a late challenge. Went on a good run to drag Leeds from their own half before winning a free-kick on the edge of the Stoke box. Good ball from the right set up Forshaw who really had to score. 7/10

Helder Costa (for Hernandez, 79mins) - Almost scored with his first real involvement - some good passing followed up with a great effort from the edge of the box which was saved excellently by Federici. 7/10

Jamie Shackleton (for Klich, 84mins) - Had a shot saved by Federici haveing been found by Forshaw following his missed chance. N/A