Brentford 1-1 Leeds United: Thomas Frank’s unwavering tactics could cost the Bees a Premier League berth

“Marching on together” chanted the Leeds faithful as they watched their side dominate the early exchanges. Minutes later, it happened again. Leeds conceded again. There was an air of deja-vu watching Kiko Casilla’s howler. Is this last season all over again?

The Brentford fans clearly thought so and the home support got in on the action. “Leeds United, it’s happening again,” they sang. Their joy was short-lived as Liam Cooper scored from a corner to restore parity late on in the first half. A deserved equaliser many would agree.

At full-time, the points were shared. A result both managers would’ve taken before a ball was kicked. However, this left both with more questions than answers.

For Marcelo Bielsa, it was a chance to end the London voodoo and get his team back to winning ways after a lacklustre effort against Forest over the weekend.

His opposite number Thomas Frank could not have asked for a better time to play Leeds. In December, the Bees weren’t realistically in the promotion picture and the Whites were so far away from third, that it was almost a foregone conclusion that they would be in a comfortable position come February. Football is a funny old game.

The Dane, for all the plaudits he’s received, got his tactics wrong against the vastly experienced Bielsa. Knowing that the Argentine would not tinker with his go-to 4-1-4-1, it may have been wise for Frank to spring a surprise with his lineup. Instead, he named an unchanged eleven from Saturday and watched his side chase shadows on the pitch.

Leeds were ruthless, looked hungrier while winning second balls, pressed with the intensity of a hundred schoolboys running behind a football, and almost got the job done.

In the post-match press conference, I asked Frank whether altering his system was an option before kick off and he denied it was. Being an ideologue, can only get one so far, and in a game of high stakes, a bit of pragmatism could’ve got the job done. It should give him some for food for thought in the coming weeks.

Unlike Brentford, Leeds know all about lack of rotation costing them a Premier League berth and while there may not be murmurs coming from the London club, there is a chance of it happening to them. In a grueling 46-game season it is nigh on impossible to play the same team every four days.

West Brom boss Slaven Bilic used the transfer window strategically to rope in Kamil Grosicki and Callum Robinson. It’s time Brentford make the most of their January recruits as so far they’ve served as mere placeholders in the dugout.

There still may be plenty of points to play for, but Tuesday night should serve as a wake up call for both Bielsa and Frank that without rotation, escaping the clutches of the Championship may prove to be a bigger task than it already seems to be.