Daniel Farke on trickiest decision, Gnonto and Sinisterra return and injury blow - YEP 26/8/23
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says he had no hesitation in throwing Willy Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra back into the fray ahead of a 4-3 win at Ipswich Town.
By Graham Smyth
The pair returned to training last week after being removed
from the first team dressing room due to their individual circumstances. Gnonto
told Farke he could not travel to play at Birmingham and contractual issues
around Sinisterra’s now-expired exit clause prompted the manager to leave him
out of his plans. Both were in the starting line-up at Portman Road and both
played big parts in the win.
The Whites fell behind to a Joe Rodon own goal but Farke’s
front four soon imposed themselves, building up a 3-1 lead before the 20-minute
mark. Rutter, Gnonto and debutant Joel Piroe all found the net as the visitors
assumed control of the scoreline if not the game itself. Ipswich plugged away
and got their reward in first half stoppage time, capitalising on a Cody Drameh
error to narrow Leeds’ advantage.
Sinisterra joined his fellow attackers on the scoresheet in
the second half and the game appeared to be won, although the home side hit
back again seven minutes into time added on through Conor Chaplin’s strike to make
it a nervy finish.
Farke was delighted, but not carried away, with his first
league win as Leeds boss.
"There's no replacement of the winning feeling, for the
mood, the rhythm,” he said.
"I'm careful because the next corner waits. I was never
too down when we had difficult situations, it's not like I want to dance on the
table tonight. I'm happy for the guys, the club and supporters to travel back
with four away goals and a crucial win but you always have to stay awake and
not get too comfortable.
"It can allow us to be happy. They suffered difficult
moments in the Premier League last season, they had to wait a pretty long time
for the first league win. They should enjoy this but the league is relentless.
From tomorrow we work again.”
The decision to restore Sinisterra and Gnonto to the team
did not appear to give Farke any sleepless nights. He was more concerned about
handing Piroe a start given his late arrival from Swansea City this week.
"I wasn't too concerned about these two decisions [on
Gnonto and Sinisterra],” said Farke.
"They looked really sharp, focused and disciplined in
training. It was a bit more tricky with Joel, he just had one training session with
us yesterday. He looked really good, he knows the league inside out, he has
already started three competitive games. Obviously he can't know each and every
movement of his team mates but I had a good feeling. Thank God he repaid my
trust with a goal and a really good performance, three points most
importantly.”
The loss to a groin injury of Sam Byram in the first half
was a concern for Farke, however. The full-back is now likely to miss out when
Leeds face Salford City on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup.
"Probably Sam Byram will be out on Tuesday with an
adductor strain, hopefully it's not too bad,” said the manager. “We will see.
It's good we have two days of training. For Cree [Summerville] he was just an
option today in an emergency case. It was his first time back in team training
yesterday. If we needed him in the last few seconds for a moment of his magic,
it's good to have him on the bench. Thank God I didn't need him. He could be a
topic for the Tuesday game.”
