How Daniel Farke reacted to Leeds United win over Birmingham City as he reveals keeper's sacrifice — YEP 1/1/24
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has singled out one of his injured players for special praise after a 3-0 win over Birmingham City.
By Graham Smyth
The Whites ran out comfortable winners at Elland Road and
could have helped themselves to several goals, with the woodwork and John Ruddy
saving Birmingham from further humiliation. Farke’s men hit the front on 34
minutes through Patrick Bamford’s first goal since April, a close-range header
from Daniel James’ pinpoint cross. James himself doubled the lead in first half
stoppage time with a first-time finish from Junior Firpo’s pass and Crysencio
Summerville completed the scoring midway through the second half. Both Bamford
and Firpo struck the post as Leeds poured forward in search of more. The win
was all important for Farke.
“Very important, we wanted to return to winning ways,” he
said. “It was always a complicated game. Boxing Day we were in brilliant shape,
had delivered the best performance of any team this season in the Championship,
against Ipswich, but when you head into a fourth game in 10 days after
back-to-back defeats it's always a bit complicated. I think you could feel it a
bit in the first 20, we didn't move the ball quick enough. Then you need to dig
in to open the game with a goal. We did it with brilliant play, good
positioning, a perfect assist and a good header and then the confidence, rhythm
and our process was back. We were all over them and didn't allow them to have
chances.
"I was a bit concerned in the start of the second, so
many good situations but at first didn't bury them with a third goal. Perhaps
it was not perfect, we had one or two unnecessary losses of the ball and they
had a big chance, but we had a big will to return with a clean sheet and for
that many compliments to the lads. It's never an easy game and on personnel
terms, number one and two goalkeepers not available – Kris Klaesson was
brilliant. Struijk, the rock at the back not available. After 10 minutes Sam Byram
not available. The last time Junior Firpo played 80 minutes on league level was
before my regime. So definitely it's good for the mood and confidence.”
The only real fly in the ointment for Farke was that early
injury departure of Byram, who pulled up with yet another hamstring issue. “Sam
Byram hamstring issue, he felt something in the hamstring,” said the manager.
“I think it's not too bad but bad enough he couldn't stay on. I was not sure if
Junior Firpo could really handle 80 minutes but he was more or less solid at
the back, two assists. You could see he needed to dig in to survive the last 15
minutes.”
Leeds were always going to be without first-choice keeper
Illan Meslier, who was serving the second game of his red card suspension, but
they lost Karl Darlow too after the West Bromwich Albion defeat. Darlow injured
his thumb preparing for the game, on the Hawthorns pitch, and his attitude drew
praise from the manager. He said: “In the warm-up for the West Brom game, he
dislocated his thumb, had a strap around it, took whatever, 10 painkillers, the
highest dose allowed and survived this game. We need the attitude of Karl
Darlow. It was also the due date for his missus. He said he wanted to travel
with us, then dislocated his thumb. Was in for training [the next day], then
for an MRI and then to the hospital with his wife. This mentality, to give
everything for the team and the club, we need this mentality. I really believe
you get back what you invest. What the lads are investing at the moment - we're
not always perfect - but the mentality and workload that they put in is second
to none. For that I'm definitely in a good mood.”