Football: Leeds, the lords of sterility, keep it clean again

Leeds United 0 Arsenal 0

No one could say they had not been warned. Just a look in the programme and it stuck out like a government health message. "Don't give a goal away," George Graham wrote. "If you can make the opposition think they are never going to score against you, they will get a negative attitude."

It works. This miserable exhibition of tactical correctness provoked negative attitudes all right. Like wishing to switch your spectating allegiance to grass growing or the interminable build-up to the General Election. Watching England's cricketers would have been more uplifting than this.

The problem was duplication. Graham created Arsenal, he is rebuilding Leeds on the same model and, as like repels like, the result was repulsive. Two teams so anxious to get men behind the ball that the need for a goal seemed a minor issue. Never mind the quality, feel the width of our defensive intent.

Leeds at least had the alibi that they are only just out of the relegation mire and could not afford to lose. Arsenal are pursuing a championship and their unwillingness to gamble by throwing men forward was a thorough disappointment. This was two points lost rather than one gained.

If Liverpool, Manchester United or Newcastle had been playing, midfield players would have been queueing up to support the front runners. Arsenal occasionally allowed Ray Parlour off his leash but, this rush of blood to the head apart, the overwhelming impression was of a team sitting back, hoping that Leeds might make a mistake.

Gung-ho it was not, but it could have worked. Twice in the second half Leeds gave the ball away and the Gunners had numerical advantage by default. The first time, John Hartson made a hash of it, but the second Ian Wright played a delightful first-time pass into Parlour's path. A goal would have resulted but Nigel Martyn arrived at the ball almost the same time as Parlour and, hurried, his shot had no control and it flew high over an empty net.

Arsenal's manager, Arsene Wenger, attributed some of the sloppiness to the pitch, which he described as the worst he had seen in England, although someone of Wright's ability seemed to have few problems. A pity, then, that his appearance was short-lived due to a hamstring strain while Dennis Bergkamp (suspended) would surely have conquered the uneven surface.

As for Leeds, they left feeling aggrieved, because they had three "goals" ruled out for offside. Television evidence scotched two of them but the first should have stood. Whether Brian Deane would have calmly guided his shot without the linesman's flag fluttering in his peripheral vision is debatable, however, while David Seaman would certainly have made more of an attempt to save.

Leeds have now managed to keep a clean sheet in eight out of nine home matches since November and for Graham that is reason for satisfaction. Even this high priest of safety-first acknowledged the need for more enterprise, however, but as he put it "that is the hard bit".

Not as hard as it is for the neutral spectator, who surely will have learned his lesson and will avoid the sequel when the two teams meet again tomorrow in the FA Cup fourth round. Sterility II. Can't wait.

Leeds United (3-5-2): Martyn; Molenaar, Halle, Radebe; Kelly, Bowyer, Wallace, Jackson, Dorigo; Rush, Deane (Gray, 90). Substitutes not used: Wetherall, Harte, Ford, Beeney (gk).

Arsenal (3-5-1-1): Seaman; Marshall, Adams, Bould; Dixon, Parlour, Vieira, Hughes, Winterburn; Merson; Hartson (Wright, 72). Substitutes not used: Morrow, Shaw, Rose, Lukic (gk).

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow). Bookings: Leeds: Kelly, Rush, Bowyer, Molenaar. Arsenal: Winterburn.

Man of the match: Parlour. Attendance: 35,502.