Daniel Farke explains why he has no 'major concerns' over Millwall defeat — Yorkshire Post 7/11/24
By Phil Harrison
LEEDS UNITED boss Daniel Farke lamented ‘the most unfair
sport in the world’ after seeing his team slip to a 1-0 defeat at Championship
rivals Millwall.
The result – courtesy of a Japhet Tanganga strike that ended
Leeds’ unbeaten record on the road this season – meant Farke’s team missed an
opportunity to leapfrog Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United into second place in
the Championship standings.
Leaders Sunderland picked up a vital point in a 0-0 draw at
Preston North End and remain four points ahead of third-placed Leeds.
For Millwall, it was a fourth consecutive 1-0 win, one which
moves them up to fifth and just four points off Leeds. It’s a remarkable
transformation given they were fourth from bottom when they kicked off at home
to Plymouth Argyle just two weeks ago.
“First of all you have to say congratulations to Millwall
for excellent defending and excellent efficiency,” said Farke.
“They were more effective than us with their chances. You
have to accept a loss sometimes. Football is sometimes like this. It can be the
most unfair sport in the world. One goal is quite often decisive, the team
concentrating on defending and with one chance can win.
“So I’m not annoyed at all. We created more chances in and
around their box than the last four away teams here. The last team to win the
title, Leicester, lost 11 games. It’s what happens in this league. It’s no
major concern for me.”
Millwall’s first chance fell to their captain, Jake Cooper,
who scored the winner against Burnley on Sunday. Ryan Leonard’s free-kick from
the right was met by centre-half Cooper but his header was straight at Leeds
keeper Illan Meslier.
Lively Lions winger Romain Esse then embarked on a mazy run
into the area but he was eventually crowded out.
As for Leeds, Lions goalkeeper Lukas Jensen dealt with
long-range efforts from Brenden Aaronson and Joel Piroe, while Joe Rodon
glanced a header wide from a corner.
But both teams largely cancelled each other out in the first
half, until six minutes before the interval when Leonard swung over another
free-kick.
This time Cooper headed the ball back across goal and
Tanganga was on hand to guide a sweet, side-footed volley beyond Meslier from
10 yards.
The Lions had had less than 25 per cent possession, but they
had hit Leeds with a classic sucker punch.
Leeds had a golden chance to equalise a minute into the
second half when Aaronson crossed to the unmarked Wilfried Gnonto, but he
planted his header wide.
Piroe then had the ball in the net from a Dan James cross
only to be flagged for offside.
Farke sent on fit-again striker Patrick Bamford in search of
an equaliser but Millwall held firm, and it was the hosts who almost grabbed
another goal late on when Cooper’s header was deflected onto the far post.
Farke said he was glad to see his players’ disappointment
afterwards, but at the same time he saw no reason to worry too much about a
performance from which he drew a number of positives.
“I want them to be disappointed,” he said. “This is what I
like. It's game day 14 in the Championship, more or less just another day in
the office but I still see a tear in the eye of some of my players, especially
the younger guys.
"I like to see how emotional they were. I want them to
feel the pain because next time it will lead to a situation, a ball to the
second post and these players will drop to be there I can guarantee.
"It makes no sense if I'm over-emotional and in tears.
There is no major thing we have to change. It's more like effectiveness in the
final third and to play without a mistake.”