As the dust settles from an extraordinary game at London Stadium on Sunday, this Leeds squad will be wondering how they did not win in normal time.
A ripple of nerves shot through the Leeds players and fans when 11 minutes flashed up on the fourth official's board at the end of the second half.
At 2-0, the game seemingly done, in an extraordinary wobble, West Ham had the ball in the back of the Leeds goal four times in 20 minutes.
And while injuries forced a change in personnel and formation, there was enough talent in that Leeds team to see-off a poor and struggling, albeit desperate, West Ham United. So why didn’t they?
This inability to protect a lead has been a problem all season. Leeds have conceded 11 goals after the 90-minute mark – the most of any Premier League club this term.
But why are Leeds conceding so many late goals? Mentality? Focus? Not employing the dark arts?
Plenty of sides have come to Elland Road and triggered timeouts for tactical team talks and wasted time to manage games.
And no top-tier team is too good to employ such tactics – Manchester City ground out a turgid 1-0 victory at Elland Road at the end of February. Likewise Sunderland, in the very next game, left the Whites under no illusions of what is required to get results in this season’s Premier League.
Leeds' only Premier League veterans acquired in the summer were Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Justin and Sean Longstaff. Could the answer be a lack of experience in England's top flight?
Whatever the reason, Leeds will have to fix it fast. With the glory of a glimmering trophy just two FA Cup wins away and Premier League survival in the balance, Leeds will have to get wise to game-management if they want to achieve their dreams.
Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock
