'How the hell can we?' — the Leeds United thought at front of Daniel Farke's mind as 2025 looms — YEP 31/12/24

By Graham Smyth

Leeds United's hectic schedule has prevented Daniel Farke from conjuring up a New Year's resolution but there is something he would dearly love to do at the very outset of 2025.

Farke and Leeds will begin a new year at Elland Road with a game against Blackburn Rovers. Such is the dominance that Leeds have enjoyed on home soil of late that the identity of the opposition should not matter enough to cause any fear. They have won nine on the bounce at Elland Road and were well worth victories over both Sheffield United and Middlesbrough during that run.

But if Farke's Leeds at home represent an unstoppable force then Blackburn bring with them an immovable object in John Eustace. In each of their last three battles Eustace has come out on top, masterminding 1-0 wins and clean sheets for his Birmingham City and Blackburn outfits. The November 30 meeting at Ewood Park was Leeds' last defeat and a classic of the genre that has produced the Whites' only league losses this season - those decided by a single goal.

Finding the net first is vital for any team but it has always felt especially pertinent for Leeds under Farke, because once they go ahead they almost always win - particularly at Elland Road. Finding the net at all against Eustace is the very thing occupying Farke's mind, rather than any resolutions he might like to make for the upcoming year. Thinking too far ahead is not something he believes he can afford to do.

"I didn't have time to think about it, but a good recommendation," he said. "If I have a special idea I'll let you know as soon as possible. I want to win each and every game. I'm a bit disappointed if we don't win every game. But I'm not carried away thinking of what will happen in a few months, I have so much work to do to focus on the everyday work. [When the season started] I was not thinking about winning the league, I was thinking how can we be successful this season losing so many key players.

"My only focus [now] is how the hell can we score a goal against John because we have not managed to score against him in recent games."

Farke always sticks to his guns when it comes to playing style and the overall plan for each game. It never changes. They want to dominate possession, exhaust the opposition and control the game and the scoreline. But carrying out the gameplan in a superior manner to the way they operated on November 30 is going to be important on New Year's Day because Blackburn, in Farke's eyes, are bona fide promotion candidates.

"It's just another game but against one of the best sides in the league," he said. "They're in a top position, a really good side, definitely a contender for the top six and top two. They're ambitious and have a really good squad, a good manager. It's really difficult to play against them, they're well structured against the ball. We have to be at our best to find better solutions than we found in the first game to cause problems and create chances. We have to be on it from [Monday] morning."

Unbeaten in six since they travelled to Ewood, Leeds have put together performances and results that suggest they are capable of doing what their 2023/24 predecessors did and going on a tear through the division. Between January 1 2004 and April 6 2004 Leeds went unbeaten in the Championship. Farke believes this current squad has the ability to put such a run together. But a streak that started after a defeat to Blackburn could so easily come to an end at the hands of the same opposition if they don't prove their ability at Elland Road and give everything in pursuit of the plan.

"Ability yes or we wouldn't be there with such an impressive run right now," he said. "We know we can defend, we can attack together, show steel if needed, win tight games. Ability is one thing you have to show it, show this consistently. Actions speak louder than just words. We have to show it, show the same consistency like we did in one period last season.

"We don't change our approach, we want to play the way we play. We play pretty dominant and attack, we want to make the opponent suffer and to exhaust them. This is why we deliver many good performances. You have to stay on it. If you give two per cent less at home or away we won't win games. No reason to be over the moon or complacent."