Raphinha’s largely associated with cutting inside from the right-wing and sending inswinging crosses into the box or shooting from range. But although this is an adored facet of the winger’s game, there is so much more to his game than just that.
And this was shown by Raphinha excelling on the left-wing during the second-half in Leeds United’s 3-0 win against Southampton.
What an entertaining match it was. Both sides pressed high up the pitch, Both sides created chances from set-pieces. But it was Leeds’ threat in transitions and their build-up down the flanks that set them apart.
There was a role reversal for Leeds’ two wingers, with Raphinha starting on the left, and Jack Harrison on the right. Leeds set up in a 3-3-3-1 shape, with Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas supporting the two wingers.
Though both Raphinha and Harrison did resort to their usual flanks someway through the first-half. That may have been due to an issue with performance, or simply a feature of Leeds’s attacking rotations.
Either way, Raphinha created one of two chances for Tyler Roberts following a nice piece of build-up down the right side. The ball is passed to Ayling, who brought the ball onto his left foot and quickly played a pass to meet Raphinha who made a run in behind left-back Ryan Bertrand who’d went to close down Ayling.
Raphinha then dribbled forward, facing centre-back Mohammed Salisu covering the space vacated by Bertrand. As the centre-back neared, Raphinha slowed down when dribbling, before bursting past Salisu on the outside of the flank.
The winger advanced into the penalty-area, and Salisu slid in to tackle, but was fortunate not to catch Raphinha who’d remained on his feet, and switched the ball back onto his left foot, as he laid the ball off to Roberts who was unmarked. The Welshman’s shot, however, failed to hit the target.
Neither side truly dominated in build-up. This was largely due to both pressing high up the pitch, and restricting passes between the lines. When Leeds were in possession for example, one of Southampton’s wide midfielders and their two centre-forwards would press the back three and force the ball to one side of the pitch. When Leeds tried to build down that side and play passes into midfield, one or two of Southampton’s centre-midfielders would push up and intercept the pass or close down the receiver. Oriol Romeu was arguably the away sides best player on the night in doing this and generally anticipating danger, and Leeds arguably missed midfielder Kalvin Phillips and his range of long and short passes.
Funnily enough the midfielder’s best moment came when running back to defend against a counter attack led by Raphinha down the right flank after the ball had been cleared from the box following a Ryan Bertrand free-kick.
Dallas knocked the ball to the on-running Raphinha. Whereas James Ward-Prowse was fixed on Dallas having went to close down, Romeu was further back, covering, and was first to track the winger’s chance to attack open space in the away sides half.
Raphinha beat Bertrand for pace, but with a few yards advantage having been closer to the halfway line, Romeu was able to keep up with him.
And as Raphinha arrived in the box, so did Romeu, whose perfectly timed challenge proved vital, if only for so long. It was a great example of a) one not seen as quick making up the yards to stop an attack resulting in a goal and b) Romeu’s positioning and anticipation.
But Leeds still had more fortune, either when playing the ball long to runners in wider areas, and when attacking in transitions. The start of the second-half oversaw Harrison be replaced by Helder Costa. Costa settled nicely on the right, which meant Raphinha moved back to the left. And this was when the winger, and Leeds as a whole, had the Saints praying.
Leeds took the lead two minutes after the interval. Centre-back Llorente played a pass into Roberts, whose movement dropping into space essentially enabled the pass. Roberts then turned and played a through ball into centre-forward Patrick Bamford who’d made a run, and his low left foot strike which cut across the box found its way into the bottom left corner. What’s worth noting about this goal was how the through ball was not intercepted by either midfielder, who instead offered too much space for it.
More attacks followed, including the first taste of Raphinha creating down the left side. A ball set Raphinha through down the flank, and his cut back once again met Roberts who made a late run into the box, and whose side-footed shot was struck narrowly wide. It’s not only his trickery, its his choice of passes that have made Raphinha stand out, he’s a very intelligent wide player. He could have easily crossed into Bamford who was arriving in the box, but was outnumbered. But the winger opted for the cut back to one who wasn’t marked.
In another case, Salisu’s attempt to thread a pass between the lines was intercepted by Llorente who passed and continued to move forwards, beyond the midfield. Bamford then passed sideways to substitute Ezgjan Alioski, who picked out the run from Raphinha. With makeshift right-back Jan Bednarek keen to close down the space in the centre, Raphinha was unmarked and had a decent amount of space to run into.
Bednarek was forced to go and close down the winger, but not in time to stop the low delivery that met the run from Llorente who had arrived in the box. His shot was, however, saved by goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
It did not help that Ralf Hassenhutl’s side is burdened with injuries, much like Leeds have been, but meaning they had a defender much more comfortable in the centre trying to occupy and defend 1v1 against one of the best and most technical wingers in the division.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side doubled their lead 76 minutes in. It was the result of a well-worked move which displayed how Leeds can dismantle defences.
Dallas had spread the ball from midfield to Costa on the right. Dallas continued his movement into advanced areas in Southampton’s half. But arguably the most impressive aspect of this goal was Raphinha’s movement without the ball.
Salisu firstly drifts over to the side where the ball is, perhaps returning to position or to close down a passing lane, with Bertrand and eventually Ward-Prowse up against Costa. Perhaps leaving Dallas unmarked was the wrong choice.
However, Raphinha’s diagonal movement from left to the centre creates further issues as whether to mark him or not. Marking Raphinha makes him a less viable passing option, but it also opened up so much space for Dallas on the edge of the box without anybody marking him or stepping forward to close him down. Costa’s pass bypassed both of those pressuring him, and Raphinha’s movement had taken Vestergaard further away from the ball, so Dallas was free to shoot and subsequently score.
Leeds’ flexibility and rotations are key elements of their attacks, and are only helped by Raphinha’s cleverness.
Raphinha’s also proving a delight from set-pieces. 14 of his 40 chances created so far this season have come from either free-kicks or corners, and two free-kicks faced one good and one bad way to defend against such.
The first was an inswinging corner from the right-side. Raphinha’s delivery was defended against by a high defensive line, which successfully set an offside trap. Playing a defensive line outside of the box against a deep free-kick can be a risk, as seen during Everton’s late equaliser against Manchester United in a recent 3-3 draw. Though it worked here.
The second, though, oversaw no man-marking from Southampton’s defence, which left multiple attackers free to receive the ball. Raphinha opted to set up Llorente far on the right-side. His run was not picked up by the opposition, and he headed the ball towards a crowd in the box.
Though Raphinha capped off a fine display with a tantalising free-kick, bringing the deficit to three goals.
Raphinha has now scored 5 league goals, 3 of which coming from outside of the box. This is added to by 5 assists, and frankly certifies the winger as both an outlet and a source of creation in this Leeds side which is doing very well. There have been bumps here and there, notably injuries and, in my opinion, some recurring tactical issues, but they stick to what they know, they play entertaining football which they see as the best way to bring results. They currently sit 10th in the table.
Images: Sky Sports
Data: fbref, Stats Zone, Whoscored
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