Daniel Farke on Rotherham United draw value, penalty shout and what Whites lacked — YEP 24/11/23
Daniel Farke says Leeds United will come to value the point they earned at Rotherham United but he admits poor finishing cost them all three.
By Graham Smyth
Farke’s men were guilty of squandering good chances in the
first half, having taken a sixth-minute lead through Crysencio Summerville.
Daniel James, Glen Kamara and Joel Piroe were all off target when well placed
to stretch the Whites’ lead and the wastefulness was punished in first half
stoppage time, Hakeem Odoffin finding the net after a catalogue of errors from
the visitors.
The second half saw the managerless Millers digging in and
sitting deep to defend and although Leeds did have their moments, including a
goal disallowed for Patrick Bamford touching the ball after straying just
offside and a huge penalty claim for a challenge on James, the half-time 1-1
scoreline stood to the final whistle.
“The first emotion is definitely disappointment because we
were that dominant in many periods it should be enough for three points,” said
Farke. “Performance wise fantastic first half but you have to bury the game, we
had chances to bury it in the first half. Cree one-v-one, Kamara five yards
out, Daniel James, Joel Piroe three chances, normally it's more than enough to
bury the game. But if you're one time not switched on – we took too much risk
on the halfway line in stoppage time. When I compare what we created and what
they did to score their goal, normally 1-1 is a joke at half-time. We enjoyed
our dominance a bit too much I felt. We lacked the last two or three per cent
to be on it and focused and bury the game. If you're not doing this, this can
happen in this league.”
Farke felt the match officials played a part in Leeds
leaving with a single point rather than three, but ultimately his own men had
the result in their hands and failed to bring it home. “Credit to Rotherham
they always have good results at home, especially against top teams in the
table,” said the German. “We struggled to create enough chances in the second
half from our dominance. In the last 20 minutes we created enough to win the
game, Pascal has to score, we have to get a penalty for Dan James, the linesman
apparently had the thought Patrick Bamford is two inches offside. I was far
away but my view was clear that it was 100 per cent a penalty. It's the
Championship, we don't have VAR and probably a home game you get this situation
all day long. Away game no one is really shouting for it. You have to accept it
on Championship level. It's definitely a penalty. It was obvious to see, my
feeling was the referee was close enough to see it. On the other hand the
linesman was pretty keen to see Patrick Bamford two inches offside. We didn't
score the second goal. When you can't win the game you have to make sure you at
least don't lose it. Although the major feeling is disappointment because we
were so close to three valuable and priceless points, it's a draw on the road
and in this league it's never a bad result. From tomorrow we'll value it's
another point on the road.”
Farke believes the result will form part of his side’s
Championship education but the lesson was one he was well aware of before
taking on the Millers: “It happens also to the best teams in the world. This
league is relentless. Other teams had sometimes difficult times here at
Rotherham. Each and every day you learn, every game and training session you
learn. This is definitely a message we take but if I'm honest we knew it even
before the game. You feel it a bit more with such an equaliser out of nothing.
It probably helps them to be a bit more on it next time.”