May 12th, 3:00 PM.
In the final match of the Premier League season, Leeds United hosted Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Amazon Stadium.
...
Even though Leeds had already secured the title, they still fielded their strongest lineup.
Right from kickoff, Leeds took advantage of their home ground and applied a high press on Wolves, successfully taking control of the match.
Wolves, however, were no pushovers.
This season, they finished 8th in the Premier League, ahead of clubs like Everton and Newcastle.
Judging by this performance, Wolves were undoubtedly one of the season's dark horses.
Of course, that meant little when facing Leeds United, a team long considered a dark horse themselves.
Tactically, Wolves also had an unconventional approach.
In the Premier League, there are generally two prevailing tactical trends. One is the style favored by clubs like Manchester City, Leeds, and Liverpool, focusing on controlling the midfield and dictating the pace of the match. This approach involves progressing the ball layer by layer, whether through possession-based play or high pressing.
The other is the traditional English style typically used by lower and mid-table teams, relying on long balls and wing play combined with central attacks.
Both have their merits and drawbacks. The former demands high technical and tactical ability, usually seen only at top clubs, with Leeds being a notable exception. The latter is outdated by modern standards but remains cost-effective and preserves the characteristics of English football.
Wolves, however, did something entirely different.
Santo implemented a compromise strategy for this newly promoted team—simple, but unique.
It was all about controlling the midfield.
At this point, some might wonder—isn't this just the first style?
Wrong. Wolves only focused on the midfield. Once they regained possession, they would immediately simplify their attacks to the extreme, launching counter-attacks primarily through long passes.
The advantage of this approach is that it balances attack and defense to the greatest extent.
Play long balls, let the forwards chase. If they lose it, so be it—the defensive formation in the midfield and back remains unchanged.
This is how Wolves have survived.
And does it work?
Their 8th-place finish in the Premier League says it all.
This team rarely adjusted its tactics. They used the same approach against both strong and weak opponents in every competition.
This led to a strange phenomenon: Wolves played better against stronger teams but often struggled against weaker ones.
Of course, this tactic comes with drawbacks—it's physically demanding, and injuries or fatigue can become problems.
By the final round of the league, Wolves were already out of the race for European qualification and were safe from relegation. For them, this game held little meaning aside from determining final placement and the associated prize money.
As Premier League fans know, league standings affect how much prize money each team receives. It's not a massive sum, but every bit helps.
So when the match began, Wolves continued to stick with their usual tactics.
Midfield pressure, long passes, and counter-attacks.
In fact, the first shot of the match came from a Wolves throw-in.
That long throw was like a missile, flying straight into Leeds' penalty area. But the header went over the bar and didn't pose much threat.
After that, the two sides continued to battle near the center circle.
Wolves were already very accustomed to this playing style.
It wasn't until the 11th minute that Ruben Dias received a backfield cross from De Ligt, took two steps forward, spotted an opening, and sent a long diagonal pass behind Wolves' defensive line on the right flank.
Dembele sprinted up and stopped the ball just before it went out.
Tonight, Wolves used a 3-5-2 formation, aiming to dominate the midfield. However, the three-man defense left gaps on the flanks.
The tall Boli chased Dembele all the way, staying close to him.
After controlling the ball, the French winger slowed down. When his teammates in the middle and far post caught up, he suddenly accelerated and delivered a low cross from the byline.
Dembele's cross was fast and accurate. Vardy made a sharp run and reached the near post. Before Wolves captain Coady could intervene, he slid the ball into the net.
1-0!
...
Vardy's goal ignited the Amazon Stadium.
Although the title had already been secured, everyone still wanted to end the season with a win.
The 67,000 Leeds United fans in attendance roared and cheered at the top of their lungs.
Just seven minutes later, Milinkovic made a horizontal pass.
The ball reached the right flank.
Arnold surged forward, stopped the ball, and laid it off to Bruno Fernandes, who came running to meet it. Fernandes, without stopping the ball, made a reverse diagonal pass into Arnold's path.
The right-back made a quick run, overtook everyone, caught up with the ball on the edge of the penalty area, and delivered a low cross.
Vardy, under pressure, couldn't connect at the near post. But Mbappe, arriving from the back, met the ball with his right foot and slotted it into the bottom right corner.
Leeds had scored again!
"Mbappe arrived at the far post and finished it!"
"2-0!"
The Amazon Stadium turned into a sea of celebration.
After just 18 minutes, Leeds United were already two goals ahead.
The stadium was bursting with joy and excitement.
...
With a two-goal lead, Leeds began to slow down their attacks.
Wolves became more active, which pushed the home side onto the back foot.
After all, Leeds had already secured the title. There was no need to go all out against Wolves at this stage.
More importantly, the team had a Champions League final coming up at this very stadium. Avoiding injuries was the top priority.
This attitude was reflected in the match.
Wolves tried to launch counter-attacks but failed to create any real danger. Leeds maintained possession and kept control.
The stalemate continued into the second half, with no additional goals from either side.
At halftime, Pochettino brought on young Haaland for captain Vardy and replaced Milinkovic with the young Militao.
With these two substitutions, Leeds switched to a three-man defense in the second half.
Ruben Dias, De Ligt, and Militao formed the back three. The midfield featured Robertson, Bruno Fernandes, Kimmich, and Arnold. Up front, Mbappe, Haaland, and Dembele formed the attacking trio.
This 3-4-3 formation made Leeds more aggressive going forward, but it also introduced disorganization.
For a period, Wolves even seized the initiative.
It wasn't until the 65th minute, when Pochettino made a second substitution—replacing Dembele with the young Valverde and switching to a 3-5-2—that things stabilized.
Though labeled a 3-5-2, it was more like a 3-4-2-1, with Mbappe and Valverde dropping slightly deeper behind Haaland.
Clearly, Pochettino was experimenting with tactics.
The Premier League is usually too intense for tactical trials, but with no pressure in this match, it was the perfect time.
Although both teams appeared to be using similar formations, their playing styles were completely different after the adjustments.
Leeds' earlier tactical shake-up had created a bit of chaos, but their players were clearly superior. The substitutes in particular were full of energy and highly active.
More importantly, Haaland's threat up front kept Wolves' defense on high alert.
The young Leeds striker, who had scored in four consecutive games, constantly sought opportunities. His movement and energy caused serious trouble for Wolves, especially when combined with Leeds' crosses from both flanks.
Though crosses are often seen as inefficient, when you have a tall striker like Haaland, they can become the simplest and most lethal tactic.
In the 82nd minute, after a long grind, Wolves' defenders finally lost track of Haaland. A long diagonal cross from Arnold on the right landed perfectly in the center of the penalty area. Haaland burst forward, beat both Bennett and Coady, and leapt high to head the ball into the net.
The delivery was perfect, and Haaland's header was clinical. Neither Bennett nor Coady could challenge him in the air.
The ball flew into the right side of the goal, leaving goalkeeper Patricio rooted to the spot.
3-0!
That was the final goal of the match, and it marked Haaland's fifth consecutive Premier League game with a goal.
The Amazon Stadium erupted.
To score in five consecutive matches is already a remarkable feat. For an 18-year-old, it's extraordinary.
Haaland broke the record set by Premier League legend Michael Owen, becoming the youngest player in Premier League history to score in five straight appearances.
Owen was 21 years and 247 days old when he set the record.
Haaland is only 18.
(To be continued.)