Leeds United exorcism showed sentiment's never guaranteed as telling Dallas act points to next exit

Could any of your handwritten scripts have put Leeds United anywhere realistically near the level they reached on Thursday night? For those of you who got some sleep, it must have felt like a fever dream when you woke up.

All of that pressure, doubt, the scarves ripping open 2019 scars, worrying about Illan Meslier’s passing, Junior Firpo’s lapses, Glen Kamara going absent, Georginio Rutter’s disappearing act and Joel Piroe’s anonymity, evaporated across a breathless 45 minutes.

Every player to a man was immense, at the top of their game and bringing something to the party. If a man in white was not dribbling past an opponent or creating a chance they were winning the ball back and nicking 50-50s. It was relentless in every department of the field.

READ MORE: Leeds United play-off final ticket allocation, how to buy, prices and guaranteed Wembley seats

This was an exorcism. This was the spring evening Marcelo Bielsa was supposed to have. Sixteen years of waiting felt like a greater weight that evening than Thursday night’s year of discomfort. The pain of 2019 and the frustrating laws of 2020 were rolled up into this Elland Road joy.

Even Illan Meslier, on a night of total one-way domination, had his moment to stand tall. That was arguably the most important flashpoint of the night. A 2-1 deficit with barely a quarter of the match gone would have been enough to tip events in Norwich City’s favour.

United’s class might well have shone through all the same, but anyone with experience of following Leeds and this competition would not have wanted to tempt fate in any way. The boot began on the throat and needed to stay there until at least the fourth went in.

Archie Gray turned in another chapter of the mesmerising teenager’s journal we have been treated to this season. The composure, strength, pace, vision, technique and decision-making were quite something in a white-hot atmosphere like this.

Joe Rodon set the tone early on with raids forward from defence which seized the match by the scruff of the neck. While midfielders dithered with the ball in the Norwich half, Rodon was only too happy to be assertive and take control.

You had Junior Firpo feeding off the confidence around him. This was a night without those painful lapses in defence, but plenty of those attributes which make him a valuable fifth attacker in this system. The presence of mind to selflessly roll the ball back to Crysencio Summerville for the fourth goal was exquisite.

Ilia Gruev, a first Whites goal, of course, on this of all nights, followed by the best version of the destructive tandem he and Glen Kamara have operated in the engine room this season. The latter was a tireless pest who made Kenny McLean and Marcelino Nunez regret even thinking they could win this midfield battle.

Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe were the revelations of the evening. These were two attacking outlets that had been derided for weeks and yet there they were, purring. Rutter went back to the creative ball of fun we have seen for so much of this season, but Piroe was on a new level.

The Dutch striker has never consistently looked like he fits in Farke’s side as either its centre forward or second striker. He looked the complete frontman in this second leg. Piroe ran the channels, outmuscled defenders, turned markers, fed team-mates, attacked the box, got onto service and, most importantly, scored.

Momentum for so many players at the right time

The back end of the season proved to be a confidence drain for so many players in this squad. Momentum was being lost with every poor result as automatic promotion eventually slipped from United’s grasp.

The sting in the tail was that same sagging momentum would be then carrying Leeds into the play-offs, where their 90-point season counted for nothing. Sunday was less a step forward and more a sliding into neutral from the reverse gear Leeds were in.

Thursday went through the ratio and cruised in fourth with fifth and sixth gear in reserve. This second leg was more than just progression to Wembley, the manner of the win will give those players, bereft of confidence, what they need ahead of the final.

Meslier’s save and another clean sheet, Kamara’s midfield dominance, Rutter’s goal and Piroe’s rebirth. Four players with major question marks hanging over them that can now prepare for Wembley with nothing but renewed confidence in their abilities.

Cooper’s writing on the wall

Farke was never going to confirm anything before the season finishes, but all signs suggested Liam Cooper was waving farewell to Elland Road. There will be a time for proper pieces on his service to United, but the crowd more than acknowledged his service on Thursday.

The 32-year-old is out of contract this summer with no sign, as yet, of new terms being offered. After eight league starts all season, promotion or not, Cooper cannot be expecting that number to rise under Farke.

If a new deal were offered, would he want to spend the few remaining years of his career as a bit-part player, or does he want to go and play at a good level, with skin in the game, while he still can? It will be a shame if he leaves before reaching his 10th anniversary and an official testimonial with the Whites, but this is football and he is experienced enough to know the sport promises sentiment to nobody.

There were the kisses blown to the crowd when he trotted out to warm up and then the pointed lap of the pitch with his family after the full-time whistle. None of the other players were out there with their families. Stuart Dallas was also seen rounding up photographers to capture those last few moments in front of the Norman Hunter Stand.

There is a lot more to be said on Cooper, but this very much felt like goodbye, Elland Road.

Wembley awaits

It will be a refreshing 10 days between full-time and Wembley for the Whites. Farke said there has been no rest in the previous 10 days for his players after the end of the season and then preparing for Norwich.

With a couple of days off planned, it’s likely, even sensible, the players and staff would have watched last night’s second leg at St Mary’s Stadium. They should reconvene as a unit to begin that final week of preparation on Sunday.

This will be a special week for everyone concerned. Whether it’s the FA Vase or the Champions League final, playing at Wembley is a big deal, it’s a landmark moment in every footballer’s career. It may be the first of many visits there or the only time in their career. They have to soak up as much as they can and seize the moment.

For Leeds, it will be their first visit since 2008 and that fateful League One play-off final with Doncaster Rovers. Just as Thursday was an exorcism of 2019’s demons, next Sunday can be the same 16 years after their last visit.