Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds United: More chances and scruffy goals are Daniel Farke's solutions — Yorkshire Post 20/9/25
By Stuart Rayner
IT SEEMS a strange thing for a manager whose team scored 95
goals last season to say, but Leeds United’s Daniel Farke says it anyway:
"We were not the most effective side."
Back in the big league, that needs to change. At least a
bit.
"I doubt we will be the most effective side in this
league,” he admits.
Goalscoring, or lack thereof, has been the Leeds narrative
this week and there has been no filter on Farke's honesty.
He insists there is a difference between pointing out his
forwards' flaws and doubting them, but is reluctant to shout from the rooftops
about how good they are until they provide evidence. In this touchy-feely era,
it seems a risky strategy.
Somehow Farke must coax more goals out of his squad.
Take away the Arsenal hammering – how they wish they could –
and no opposition player has scored against them in this season's Premier
League. Had Gabriel Gudmundsson not kindly done it for Fulham, Leeds would have
three clean sheets in their first four matches.
So Farke has no concerns about that end of the field,
confident a teary Gudmundsson will respond in the right way at Molineux.
But there are worries up front.
Leeds are still to score from open play in this season's
Premier League, their only goal a Lukas Nmecha penalty on the opening night
against Everton. Injury doubts over Daniel James and Willy Gnonto hardly raise
confidence, but that is what Farke's men need to do against one of only two
teams in the English leagues – the other are Sheffield United – yet to take a
point this season.
Until January’s transfer window opens, Farke offers two
solutions: more chances and some ugly goals. “We scored 95 goals (in 46
Championship games) last season but I would still say we were not the most
effective side,” he argues. “I was still moaning about this – we could have
scored 150 goals in terms of the chances we created.
“Especially in the beginning of last season we created so
many chances and missed so many but if we are not the most effective side can
we make such a high amount of chances that even by coincidence, you score?”
He also warns his side not to be fixated with beautiful
goals.
“On the last gameday in the Premier League it's not like you
saw goals that were pass, pass, pass, pass, pass and the 12th pass is into an
open goal,” he points out.
“Very often it's more like you have to work hard for a goal.
Arsenal – two times a corner comes in, it's cleared, the second ball comes in,
then they score.
“Even the better sides have to work very hard for the first
and second goal. Then, once the opponent opens, sometimes for the third and
fourth goal you speak about an unbelievable team goal.
“This is what we did very often last season. You have to
open them by being persistent, being on it, holding the pressure high and being
ready to counter-press.
“This is where we have to be a bit more confident at this
level because it feels a bit like we are creating a chance and great, we're
happy with it, then defending again and wait for the next chance.
“We have delivered in terms of shots and chances but if we
are not the most effective side – and I doubt if we will be the most effective
side in this league – we have to have more persistence and consistency and go
for the second and third phase and sometimes fight for a scruffy goal.”
He is loathe to talk his players up too much yet.
“I have complete faith in all my strikers and I back my team
completely,” he insists. “But if you have not done it yet then it I think it’s
fair to say, ‘Stay humble, don’t talk too much – just deliver.’”
Where Farke was prepared to be bolder was defending
Gudmundsson, a left-back who has made a strong start to his Elland Road career
but scored a baffling own goal to hand Fulham a 1-0 win in stoppage time at
Craven Cottage.
“He's a brilliant signing for us, a top character, really
humble, really hard working, a top age, experienced – he more or less plays
every game for the Swedish national team,” says Farke. “He had a good game at
Fulham in many ways.
“He was heartbroken in the dressing room, even some tears.
It says he plays with his whole heart, it's not, 'Okay, it's just a job, I
don't mind, I get my money’. But he's also smart enough to not over-interpret
such a situation so I do not have one doubt will deliver a good performance –
if I play him again. But we will find out.”
The November games at Nottingham Forest and at home to Aston
Villa have both been pushed back to Sunday 2pm kick-offs.
